Bench Press

Target Muscles

Pectoralis major (mid chest).
Also used Anterior deltoids, Triceps.

Starting Position

* Lie on your back on a flat bench, ideally with an attached barbell rack. If you have an excessive arch in your back, place your feet on the end of the bench or on a low step.
* Hold the bar, with your hands just over shoulder-width apart, palms facing forwards.
* Remove the bar from the barbell rack and position it directly over your chest with your arms fully extended (but not locked).

The Movement

* Slowly lower the bar down to your chest. The bar should touch your upper chest just above your nipple line. Hold for a count of two.
* Push the bar upwards in a slightly back­wards arc so that it ends up over your shoulders.

Tips

* Keep your hips firmly on the bench. If you lift your hips to generate leverage, you will risk lower-back strain.
* Do not arch your back as you push the bar upwards or you will reduce the amount of work done by the chest.
* Do not bounce the bar off your chest or use the momentum of the weight to complete the repetition. Again, this reduces the amount of chest work and risks injury to the chest muscles.
* Keep your palms facing forwards and your wrists straight.

Dumbbell Flye

Target Muscles
Pectoralis major (mid chest).
Also used Anterior deltoids, Pectoralis minor
Starting Position
• Lie on your back on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor. If you have an excessive arch in your back, place your feet on a step so that your knees are bent at 90°.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hold them above your chest with your arms extended and palms facing each other. Bend your arms very slightly.
The Movement
• Slowly lower the dumbbell out to your sides in a semi-circular arc. Keep your elbows locked in the slightly bent position throughout the range of motion.
• When your upper arms reach shoulder level and you feel a strong stretch in your shoulders, return the dumbbells to the starting position, following the same arc. Do not pause at the bottom of the movement.
Tips
• Maintain the slight bend in your elbows. Don't allow them to bend to 90° otherwise this turns the movement into a dumbbell press.
• Do not allow your upper arms to go much below shoulder level as this could place excessive stress on the shoulder joints and risk muscle or tendon tears.
Variations
Incline flye
Performing flyes on an incline bench set at 30-45° increases the stress placed on the upper chest and anterior deltoids. It is therefore particularly good for developing mass and thickness in the upper chest.