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How Can I Improve My Bench Press? Ask a PT

Last week, we looked at whether napping was beneficial for people. Turns out that if you exercise regularly and sleep well then napping can help, but if you suffer from bad sleep then napping may exacerbate the situation.

This week, I’m answering a question about the bench press, hopefully helping you to improve your technique and build bigger, stronger, muscles.

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How Can I Improve My Bench Press?

Question: I’ve been benching for a while now, and while I am lifting more weight, I don’t feel like my chest is developing like I’d hoped.

Answer: It is impossible to know for certain whether your bench press is good or bad without seeing you perform it. But after many years as a personal trainer, I can tell you that MOST people aren’t benching correctly.

And the fix is so easy you can do it in 30 seconds or less

The most common cause of poor bench press is ego, particularly with men. You must understand that in the bench press, you NEED the bar to touch your chest before driving it back upwards [1].

Lots of guys don’t lower the barbell down to their chest because they are using a weight that is too heavy for them to achieve this.

So instead, you get guys lowering the barbell until it is 2-3 inches above their chest before they push it back up.

You are at your weakest when driving the barbell off your chest, and this is where you build the most muscle.

So, the first thing that you need to do is to lower the weight until you can perform the full range of motion.

Before we move on to other tips, it is also important to mention bouncing. This is another common issue where people lower the weight down to their chest, and then bounce it off.

Again, this is caused by using too much weight and using momentum to push the barbell rather than using your chest. When the barbell touches your chest, you want to pause, ever so slightly, before pushing the barbell up again.

Lower the weight of the barbell until you can achieve this.

Here are a few other tips for improving your bench press and getting better muscle development.

Tip #1 Foot Placement

I’ve seen many people raise their feet off the ground when benching. Either intentionally, or unintentionally when they are struggling with a weight.

This is not a good move as you get a lot of your power in the bench press from your legs. Imagine throwing a punch. If you were to do so with one foot off the ground your punch would be weaker, that’s because you would have less stability and therefore less power.

Place both feet flat on the ground when benching, and if you can, pull your feet backwards so that there is a bit of tension in your quads (thighs). Your heels can rise off the floor a bit.

Tip #2 Elbow Placement

This is not so common anymore, but I still see it occasionally. Some people, when they bench, do it with their elbows out at 90 degrees from their sides. This puts a lot of pressure on your shoulders and weakens your lift.

Instead, you want your elbows to be at a 45-degree angle from your side. Again, imagine a knockout punch. You wouldn’t deliver it with your elbows high up in the air, they would be at a 45-degree angle from your body.

Tip #3 Head Placement

An easy fix. When lying down, make sure that your head does not rise off the bench during your lift. This happens to a lot of people, and all you have to do is focus on driving your head back into the bench. Again, this is all about stability which is crucial for power.

So that’s five ways to fix your bench press in under 30 seconds:

Lower the weight so that you can perform a full range of motion
Don’t bounce the weight, focus on controlled movement
Keep your feet on the ground
Keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle from your sides
Keep your head flat on the bench

All of these tips will also work for dumbbell bench presses. But you can also keep them in mind when using a chest press machine. Be consistent, look to slowly increase the weight you lift, but never sacrifice your form when chasing a heavier weight.

Good luck!