If you are looking to build that strong upper body one of the best ways to do it is with a bench press. The bench press is a classic fitness exercise and a tried-and-true method of swoleness. It is the preferred lift for many trainers, a standard part of a body-builders regiment, and the poster-child of weight-lifting for any noob that walks in the door. But why? What does the bench press do that places it on a pedestal as the king of upper body lifting? Here are four key benefits that make the bench press so important
- It Improves Push Strength
A bench press is all about pushing. You lay on your back and lift a barbell with weights attached over your chest. You then lower the barbell towards your chest and lift it back up. This simple action enhances the body’s ability to push/press weight. As you get stronger you add more weight and your body’s press ability increases. This is important because it translates to other exercises. A shoulder press is directly related to a bench press. If you improve your press capability on the bench you can push more weight on the shoulder press. So utilizing the bench in your workout regiment will allow you to improve your all-around lifting ability.
- It Builds the Pec Major
The pec major is what they call the glamour muscle. This is because it gets bigger as you work out and pumps up the appearance of the chest. In terms of general fitness, it enhances horizontal protraction but in the world of bodybuilding, it is a necessary sculpting muscle. So if you want a chest that makes you look great in a shirt while improving your lift ability bench presses are the way to go.
- It Improves Bone Structure
A bench press is a compound movement and those are great for bone health. Numerous studies have shown that adding a bench press into your daily workout enhances bone improvements. It has also shown itself as a great treatment for osteoporosis. Any type of resistance placed upon the body’s structure will improve bone health.
- Body Sculpting and Enhancement
As aforementioned, bench presses work out the pec major muscle which is useful for sculpting. It is not the only sculpting muscle they tone. The chest is full of tiny muscles that are great for maintaining a strong appearance. The pec minor muscle is located underneath the pec major. It is another muscle that is great for enhancing performance but it also does not look bad when pumped up. Serratus Anterior muscles rope their way through the ribs. When pumped up they make the chest look very appealing. They also do wonders for pressing movements.
Best of all, you can order a bench press for a relatively small price online, see bench press for sale. Most of the new benches dont take up much space and allow you to start workout out from home, if you don’t want to join a public gym.
For a proper form video, please check out A-X’s tutorial, it covers all the basic steps for beginners: