How to do a Bench Press

1) Lie on your back with your head underneath bar, eyes aligned with bar, and feet flat on floor.

2) Position your hands on the bar wider than shoulder width or lower the unloaded bar to chest and position grip to where forearms are perpendicular to the floor.

3) Start position: Lift bar off rack with bar directly over head.
Lower bar to your mid chest area (Sternum) while inhaling. This should take about 3-4 seconds. Press bar up to starting position while exhaling. This should take about 2 seconds. Don’t lock your elbows.

Always wrap your thumb around the bar when performing this exercise. Never do the "suicide grip", which many athlete’s attempt to do in hopes that they can lift more weight. That is dangerous as the thumb is taken off the bar and the wrists are over-flexed, which makes the bar more succeptible to rolling or falling off/out of your hands.

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Jack Witt