The bench press is the best known exercise for people that go to the gym. Even in the NFL coaches judge the players or prospects strength by how many reps of 225lbs they are able to perform. The lift works more muscles then just the pectoralis and could be performed by anyone.
Variations:
Decline- Targets Sternocostal head of the pectoralis major (Lower pecs)
Incline- Targets the clavicular head of the pectoralis major (Upper Chest)
Narrow grip- Targets more triceps
Dumbells- Deeper Range of Motion allowing for a better stretch to isolate chest
Partial Movements (negatives)- Prime movers of bench press (pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and triceps) achieve maximal activation at upward movement
One Rep Max- Maximum weight a person can lift for one repitition
One Plate- refers to having one 45lb plate on a barbell at a time= 135lbs
Two plates=225lbs
Three= 315lbs
Spotter- Person who stands behind you to help with lift off, repetitions, and racking weight.
Warm ups/ drill:
The simplest way to increase your bench without the use of weights is push ups. A push up is one of the most beneficial exercise a person can do. A video displaying form of a push up could be found here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj9bBW8m60U
Safety:
The most important thing to do before any type of workout is to properly stretch. For the bench press in particular it is important to stretch the deltoid and rotator cuff muscles prior to lifting heavy weight. The reason for this is that the muscles in the shoulder are not prepared for that much stress. Here is a video with a few shoulder stretches that could be performed before bench press.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvwOypiZUi0
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