"So, how much do you bench press?" - If you go to the gym often, you've probably heard this phrase before. It's about the bench press, or rather, how much weight you can lift. This exercise is probably one of the most well-known strength exercises of all and can be found in almost every gym. The large pectoral muscle (lat. musculus pectoralis major), the triceps (lat. musculus triceps brachii) and the front shoulder (lat. musculus deltoideus (pars clavicularis)) are trained. The bench press is found in a variety of training plans and yet is very often performed incorrectly. - We show you how to avoid mistakes and how to bench press correctly! 
Fixed position
Before you even start pressing, a secure hold is enormously important. You need stability in your body to avoid injuries and to get the maximum out of yourself. To do this, place your feet firmly on the floor and keep your entire foot in contact with the ground throughout the exercise. Next, you need to create tension in your upper back. Actively pull your shoulder blades back. It is important to keep them back and not pull them forward when you move the weight up. Now it's a matter of how high the bar is in relation to your head. There is a simple trick here: position yourself on the seat so that your eyes are in line with the bar, looking directly at it from below. Once you've done these things, you're ready for the basic bench press.
The most common mistakes when training with strength equipment for chest!
Handle
Let's start with where the bar is gripped. Here it depends on your shoulders: The wider they are, the wider you need to grip. As a rule of thumb, one hand width wider than your shoulder. If you are unsure, lie on the bench and stretch your arms towards the bar, now you have your shoulder width. Memorize the position and add one more hand width out. Now grab the bar and make sure your wrists don 't bend at any point.
Execution
If the position and grip are correct, we start the actual training. To do this, first lift the bar from its holder. Then it is slowly moved downwards. It is important to make sure that the elbows are not in line with the shoulders, but angled at 45° - 75° towards the body. The bar should lightly touch your body at its lowest point; at what point may vary from person to person. The only important thing is that it is either at the level of the nipple or a bit below it. Now push the bar back up and exhale. Try not to move the bar towards your head or feet, just up and down. If you are working with heavier weights, you may have trouble with the last repetitions or putting the bar back into the rack. Get help with this from a trainer or a workout partner.
How-to: Bench Press
1. maintain a firm position and tension in the upper back.
2. grip one hand wider than shoulders. 3.
3. slowly move bar downward - elbows at 45°-75° angle.
4. lower bar lightly on chest.
Press the bar upward while exhaling.
If you are still unsure of how to do this, start with lower weights and have a trainer instruct you. If you are working out at home, a mirror can help with control.
Conclusion
It is not without reason that the bench press is one of the most well-known and popular strength exercises in fitness. When performed correctly, it is the ideal exercise to train the chest. Start with low weights and slowly work your way up. In the beginning, the rule is - technique before weight.
Find your flat bench for bench press now!
Editors fitnessmarkt.de (NJ)
Photo credit: #144551285 luckybusiness AdobeStock.
Published on: 1 March 2019