The bench press is an upper body strength exercise. It is typically completed by lying on a bench and pushing a barbell away from you. This is how the exercise gets its name. This exercise has many adaptations, including incline and decline bench positions. You may perform this exercise on a different apparatus other than a standard bench, such as on an exercise ball or lying directly on the floor. In addition you may choose to use dumbbells, an exercise band or other weighted device in place of the barbell.
Movement
Begin lying supine with your back completed supported. The bar should be in position on the rack over your face. Grasp the bar with a pronated grip with both hands. Your grip should be just wider than shoulder width. Lift the bar off the rack and bring it forward until it is above the center of your chest. Begin the first repetition of the exercise by bending your elbows and lowering the bar in a controlled motion until it just barely touches the chest. Then complete the repetition by pressing the bar off your chest by extending your elbows and flexing your shoulders. Once the arms are fully extended, the repetition is complete and you may progress to your next repetition.
Chest Muscles
The muscles of your chest are the largest prime movers during the bench press. The largest muscle of your chest is the pectoralis major. This muscle is responsible for adducting, flexing and rotating the arm. The second chest muscle that you use during the bench press is the pectoralis minor, which depresses the scapula, stabilizing the shoulder joint as well as elevating the ribs. The third chest muscle that is involved in the action of the bench press exercise is the serratus anterior. The serratus anterior, similar to the pectoralis minor, acts on the scapula to stabilize the shoulder joint and elevate the ribs.
Shoulder Muscles
The muscles of your shoulder are active workers in the bench press. The anterior deltoid is located at the front of the shoulder joint. It is responsible for adducting, flexing and rotating the arm.
Arm Muscles
The muscles of your arm are active movers during the bench press. The triceps brachii is the large muscle located at the back of your upper arm. This muscle is responsible for extension of the forearm. The coracobrachialis is a deep muscle of the upper arm, and it is responsible for adducting and flexing the arm.
Forearm and Hand Muscles
The many muscles of your forearm and hand work to maintain your grip on the barbell as well as keep your wrist in a straight orientation.
Core Muscles
The muscles of your core are acting to stabilize your core during the bench press. This is especially true if you are completing the activity using an exercise ball. The muscles of your core include your abdominal, lower back and deep hip muscles.
References
- "Anatomy and Physiology;" Rod Seeley, Trent Stephens, Philip Tate; 1998
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Bench Press Barbell; John Graham; June 2003
- NSCA: Bench Press
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