Bench Press Analysis

Bench Press

The proper bench press form is a skill that takes minutes to try but years to master. The following video is me performing a bench press with proper form.

As you can see the weight remains steady, straight, and balanced for the duration of the lift. For the break down I will divide it into 3 sections. The preparatory phase which is getting yourself situated on the bench, the down phase, and the up phase.

Preparatory Phase

Directions:
1. Lay down on bench with feet flat on floor and a 90 degree bend in your knee.
2. Grip bar with pronated grip with hands slightly wider then shoulder width or other desired position (wide, regular, or narrow)
 3. Back, butt, and shoulders should be laying flat on bench

At this part of the lift no muscles are being used as it is just a preparatory stage and all muscles are in isometric contraction.

Shoulder Joint:
Horizontally flexion ( adduction) by the horizontal adductor group which includes

pectoralis major, deltoid, coracobrachialis

and biceps brachii.

Shoulder Girdle:

Abduction in the scapula with pectoralis minor and serratus anterior.

Radio-ulnar Joint

Pronation with pronator teres, pronator quadratus, and briachioradialis

Wrist/Hand

Fingers flexed concentrically with Flexor digitorum superficialis, Flexor digitorum profundus, Flexor pollics longus.

Wrist remains slightly extended throughout lift with extenor digitorum

Elbow Joint:

Almost fully extended using triceps

Down Phase

Directions: In this phase the weight will be lowering partially with gravity and partially with a controlled movement in the scapula. Bring down the weight so it touches the chest or come fairly close and should be brought down to about nipple level in order to take pressure off the shoulder and place it on the pectoralis major instead. 

This motion is primarily eccentric.



Shoulder Joint:
Horizontally extended ( abduction) by the horizontal adductor group which includes

pectoralis major, deltoid, coracobrachialis

and biceps brachii.

Eccentric 

Shoulder Girdle:

Adduction in the scapula with pectoralis minor and serratus anterior.

Elbow joint:

Flexed using the triceps and anconeous

Radio-ulnar Joint

Pronation with pronator teres, pronator quadratus, and briachioradialis

Isometric

Wrist/Hand

Fingers flexed concentrically with Flexor digitorum superficialis, Flexor digitorum profundus, Flexor pollics longus.

Wrist remains slightly extended throughout lift with extensor digitorum

 Up Phase

Direction: Push bar towards ceiling while remaining control and stability. When finished set rack push weight behind you over have spotter rack weight. The same muscles that are used in the down phase are being oppositely used in the up phase. ex- eccentric motions become concentric.

Muscles used:

Shoulder Joint:
Horizontally flexed( adduction) by the horizontal adductor group which includes

pectoralis major, deltoid, coracobrachialis

and biceps brachii.

concentric

Shoulder Girdle:

Abduction in the scapula with pectoralis minor and serratus anterior.

Elbow joint:

Extension using the triceps and anconeous

Radio-ulnar Joint

Pronation with pronator teres, pronator quadratus, and briachioradialis

Isometric

Wrist/Hand

Fingers flexed concentrically with Flexor digitorum superficialis, Flexor digitorum profundus, Flexor pollics longus.

Wrist remains slightly extended throughout lift with extensor digitorum.