Bench Press 101

From The Slow Lifts, Part IV The Bench Press by Mark Rippetoe

"The bench press is the best exercise for absolute strength in the upper body, because it allows the lifter to move heavier weights with the arms than any other exercise. It should be included in every barbell training program...

Benching provides hard active work for the chest, shoulders and arms and isometric work for the forearms, and it trains novice lifters as well in the fundamental skill of pushing on a very heavy load."

From Defending the Bench Press, by Mike Robertson for www.eliteFTS.com

..."#1 Perfect Your Technique

For the beginner or intermediate level lifter...here are two hugely important keys for staying healthy over the long haul.

1. Scapulae back and down...getting your upper back locked in is one of... the most integral components of bench pressing.

2. Tuck Your Elbows...tucking the elbows places more stress on the triceps and takes stress off the shoulder joint..."

WOD

BENCH PRESS

TEST FOR MAX

FOLLOWED BY:

BUDDY DEAD HANG PULL UPS

AND JUMP ROPE