THE INSIDER’S TELL-ALL HANDBOOK ON WEIGHT-TRAINING TECHNIQUE

In the first printing of this book a much more ex- Prior to each rep when doing rack bench presses
aggerated horizontal movement was described. But from the bottom, be sure that the bar is centered
because this can produce shoulder discomfort for over the pins, and that the distance between the
some people, the conservative pathways promoted bar and the uprights is the same on both sides. A
in this printing are safer and thus more productive. spotter can make any necessary corrections during
The ascent, just like the descent, should be sym- the pause between reps. But with practice, and very
metrical. The bar should not be held off center, the careful descents, you will be able to lower the bar to
bar should not tip to one side, both hands should the correct position on the pins every time.
move in unison, and you should not take more
weight on one side of your body than on the other.
It is very important that you keep the stress distrib-
uted symmetrically.
After locking out the bar, pause briefly. Do not
allow the bar to drift towards your face. Keep it
where it was at the top of the ascent, i.e., somewhere
between about the middle of your pecs, and your
clavicles.
Keep your arms locked out during the pause be-
tween reps. While keeping your arms locked out,
move the bar forward slightly until it is directly
above your lower pecs. Pause briefly until the bar
is perfectly stationary, retract your shoulder blades,
and then lower the bar slowly to the correct position
on your lower chest.
Inhale while the bar is overhead, hold the breath An illustration of bench pressing to the upper chest. NEVER
DO THIS. It has permanently damaged the shoulders of count-
during the descent, and exhale during the ascent. If less trainees.
you are doing rack bench presses from the bottom,
inhale while the bar rests across the pins, or even Using half your usual poundage for the reps con-
take a few quick breaths in that position. cerned, perform several sets of 0 reps, comparing
the two ascent pathways. Decide which one feels
Other tips for the bench press the most natural and powerful. You will probably
Use chalk on your hands to improve your grip on need more than one workout to make your mind
the bar, and keep the knurling clean. Then your up. Then take a few weeks to return to your best
hands will not slide outwards during a set. working poundages, and perhaps longer if your re-
Never turn your head while you are lifting or cent form was very different to that described here.
lowering the bar. If you do, the bar will tip slight- Only then can you go into new personal best weights
ly, your groove will be ruined, and you could hurt and start to build muscle. The improved form will
yourself. increase your bench press potential and reduce your
chances of getting injured. But if you rush to build

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