Bench Press Technique For Driving With Your Legs

Bench press is often thought to be a chest exercise with some shoulders and triceps involvement. However, a good bench presser will always drive the barbell up with their legs. Increasing your bench press involves using not just your upper body, but also your entire body to press the weight.

Upper Body Positioning

Lay flat on the bench and grasp the bar using an overhand grip with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Squeeze your shoulder blades so your lats are flared out and your back arches up slightly. Your rib cage should be expanded and your chest pushed out throughout the entire movement.

Lower Body Positioning

Keep your feet planted firmly on the floor during the bench press. Avoid placing your feet on the foot rest, holding them in the air or pushing with your toes. Keep your heels down, push with your legs as if trying to slide your back up the bench, but not actually sliding back. Place lifting chalk along your upper back to help create more friction on the bench, which will allow you to drive with your legs without sliding up the bench, recommends Lee Hayward, author of "Blast Your Bench." This stabilizes your body and helps to maintain both the upper and lower body position throughout the entire movement.

Bringing Your Legs Into Play

Once your body is firmly in the correct position to perform the bench press, unrack the barbell and position it directly over your chest. Lower the bar down to the bottom of your sternum, while keeping your feet firmly on the ground. When pressing the bar back up, focus on driving with your legs by pushing into the floor, while your chest and triceps complete the lift.

Additional Training Exercises

Because the bench press requires multiple muscle groups, it is essential to train the assisting muscle groups following the bench press or on the days you are not performing the bench press. Include exercises such as the close-grip bench press, dumbbell pullovers and triceps pressdowns, shoulder press, pullups, squats and leg extensions to help develop the muscles used in the bench press.

Tips

Practice bench pressing with proper technique and driving with your legs using moderate weight before attempting a maximal or near maximal bench press. Train your chest at least once a week, but no more than twice a week on nonconsecutive days. Heavy bench press can be extremely taxing on the body and requires full recovery between workouts for continued gains. Never bounce the bar off your chest, and always use a spotter when lifting heavy weights.