The Bench has Many Faces
by Jeremy Likness

While some people may scratch their heads when you ask them what a "skull crusher" or "front squat" is, they're more than happy to demonstrate the motion of a bench press. Some people go so far as to say, "This is the proper way to bench press." What?! Are you kidding me? The bench press has many faces, and we're going to explore them today!

The Different Ways To Bench Press

The notion that there is one way to perform a bench press is just not valid. If you are bench-pressing for a competition, then the "proper" form is dictated by the rules of that event. Power-lifting has a set of rules that describe exactly how a bench press should be performed, and in the context of that sport, there really is only one proper way to do it - the way that keeps you from being disqualified!

For general training, however, there are many variations that serve different purposes. So let's get started. The traditional flat bench press involves lying on a flat bench and grasping the bar slightly outside of shoulder's width. The bar is unracked, then lowered slowly to touch the chest. In a bench press competition, the bar may have to sit there for a specified period of time. The person benching then drives the bar upward and completes the repetition with arms perpendicular to the floor and locked out or just slightly bent.

For power-lifting, which requires moving a very heavy weight, the bench press is more than just a chest exercise. Any type of bench press movement will involve the shoulders and triceps to a certain extent. During a power-lifting repetition of the bench press, the lower body also comes into play. The legs are used to drive the torso into the bench for stability. The shoulders are retracted and the back is flexed to further keep the torso stabilized and also to provide more surface area against the bench to support the load. A slight arch in the back is not uncommon as the entire body is used to drive the bar upward.


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Some people focus on the bench press as a chest exercise - the goal is to increase mass in the chest. They wish to minimize the involvement of the shoulder and triceps and even the lower body. For this variation, you can lift your legs off the ground and keep them bent or crossed in the air, to eliminate their involvement with the movement. Biomechanics tells us that the best grip to target the chest will place your wrists over your elbows when your upper arm is parallel to the floor. In other words, your arms should form a perfect right angle when your elbow is level with your shoulder.