Barbell Bench

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Equipment & Set Up

• Bench and barbell (BB).
• Hooks just below start position (arms extended).
• When utilizing a power rack, bench must be placed in center of rack.

Primary Muscles Involved

• Pectoralis major
• Pectoralis minor
• Anterior deltoids
• Triceps brachii

Starting Position

• 5 points of contact
• Two feet flat on floor. Glutes flat on bench.
• Upper back and shoulders flat on bench. Back of head flat on bench.
  1. Set your core-brace the abdominals, retract scapula, and inhale.
  2. BB directly above eyes.
  3. Hands on BB slightly wider than shoulder width, placing wrists directly overelbow and perpendicular to floor

Movement Execution

• Initiate eccentric phase by lowering BB, touching chest at nipple level.
• Initiate concentric phase by driving BB up, returning to start position.Exhaling after clearing sticking point.

Safety & Spotting Techniques

• BB bench press requires one spotter.
• Spotter is placed directly behind the BB.
• Spotter will assist unracking and reracking the BB.
• In the case of a failed attempt the spotter will assist returning the BB to the rack.

Common Errors & Corrections

• Failure to maintain 5 points of contact
  1. Emphasize replacing point of contact.
• Allowing elbows to flair out
  1. Emphasize keeping scapula retracted and elbows pulled in.
• Bouncing BB off chest
  1. Emphasize eccentric control.

Progressions and Variations

• Variation: BB incline bench.