Have you ever wondered how those muscle-bound bodybuilders manage to get their chests as big as their arms? A bench press, also known as a chest press, may be your ticket to working your arms and chest. Most resistance exercises work a combination of muscle groups, and the bench press is no different.
Muscle Action
To understand the muscle action in a specific lift, you must understand how different muscles all work together to achieve one movement. For every movement you do, there is a target, synergist and stabilizer muscle. The target is the muscle intended for use during the movement. The synergist assists the target muscle with the movement. The stabilizer works through isometric contraction to support the joint that is moving.
Muscle Involvement
When you perform a bench press, you work the chest, shoulder and arm muscles. The primary target muscle is the pectoralis major, the main muscle of the chest. The synergists are the anterior deltoid and the triceps muscles. The stabilizer is the biceps brachii, acting on the elbow. All of these muscles contract to perform the bench press.
How To
A traditional bench press begins when you lie on a weight bench with a barbell resting above you. You should be lying in a supine position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. It may be a good idea to have someone standing behind you, ready to assist, should you need it. Grab the barbell with an overhand grip and your hands positioned just wider than your shoulders. Lower the barbell down to your sternum by bending your elbows, then exhale and push the bar up by straightening your elbows. Hold for a second, then lower the bar back down and repeat.
Variations
Several variations of the traditional bench press may be performed. Instead of lying in a supine position, try doing a bench press on an incline. Performing a bench press on an incline with dumbbells will still work your chest and arms but also will work the middle deltoids. You may also try a bench press exercise on a decline, which still works the chest, arm and shoulder muscles and also the upper back.
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