The barbell bench press is one of the fundamental chest exercises for building muscle. Using a barbell instead of dumbbells allows you to push more weight. This basic exercise has several variations that hit your chest muscles from new angles to keep your workout fresh. Barbell bench presses work several muscle groups, too, allowing you to maximize use of your time in the gym.
The Movement
Lie on your back on a flat bench. Use a bench with a barbell rack if it is available. You cannot use heavy weight without the rack. Unrack the barbell and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended. Inhale and bend your elbows, allowing them to flare out to your sides. Lower the bar to the middle of your chest, but do not bounce it off your chest. Pause for a count, then exhale and press the weight back up, straightening your arms.
Muscles Worked
The barbell bench press is a compound exercise -- the movement occurs at two joints, your elbows and your shoulder. Compound exercises target more than one muscle group, unlike isolation exercises that target only one muscle group. The barbell bench press works your chest, triceps and your front shoulder muscles. If you pull your elbows in closer to your body, you emphasize your triceps muscles more than if you allow your elbows to flare out, which targets the chest more.
Variations
The barbell bench press has several variations that allow you to target different areas of your chest. Decline the bench to hit the lower area of your chest or incline the bench to hit the upper area of your chest. If you incline the bench too much, you will feel the emphasis move from your chest to your shoulders.
You can also change your grip from narrow, with your hands about 6 inches apart, to wide, with your hands past shoulder-width apart.
Bodybuilding Scheme
The purpose of bodybuilding is to build muscle size. The National Strength and Conditioning Association provides set and repetition schemes for different training goals. If you want to increase your muscle size, the NSCA recommends performing three to 10 sets of an exercise, eight to 12 repetitions each set. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets. Select a weight that fatigues your muscles within the eight to 12 repetitions. If you can easily complete 15 repetitions of the barbell bench press, increase the weight.
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