5 Mistakes Beginners Make With the Bench Press

This is just a short article on common mistakes beginners (and sometimes more experienced lifters) make with the bench press. The bench press probably the most popular chest exercise and for a good reason, but you should make sure you get it right. Avoid these mistakes and you will see your strength get a nice boost.

1. Not keeping the feet planted on the ground – Your feet should be planted firmly on the floor. Flat. Not just lightly planted but driven into the ground like they’re drill bits. Push your feet into the ground hard, especially when lifting the bar up.

2. Thinking of the exercise as lifting the bar up – Yeah, I know you’re supposed to be lifting the bar but you should think of it as you trying to push yourself away from the bar rather than thinking of it as you lifting the bar up. This visualisation technique is a much better way and you’ll be surprised how much of a difference this makes.


3. Having too narrow a grip on the bar – Get a wider grip

4. Not gripping the bar hard enough – The name of the game is tension and if you don’t fully take advantage of this you’re missing out. Squeeze the bar like you want to crush that S.O.B. That tension will spread to the rest of your body making you squeeze out more strength.

5. Not tensing the abs – Tense the abs and try and generate a lot of contraction there for a super power boost.