What muscle does bench press work?
What muscle does bench press work?
A conventional bench press uses your pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, and coracobrachialis muscles to horizontally adduct the shoulder. Bench press also uses triceps and anconeous to extend the elbows.
This is regarding the traditional bench press. In this article we’ll be going through the main types of bench press and how they affect your muscles when you performing the exercise.
Contents
What muscle does traditional bench press work?
Traditional bench press works your pectoral muscles, your shoulders and triceps.
To do a traditional bench press, you will need a barbell, weights and flat bench.
To perform this exercise you need to be lying on your back on the flat bench, and then grip the barbell above your have your hands wider than your shoulder width.
Next you want to put your feet firmly on the ground and make sure that your glutes and hips stay firmly on the bench. You can even use your feet to drive force during the exercise.
Lift the bar off the rack and align it with your nipples then lower it to your chest with your elbows bending out to the sides.
Touch the bar to your chest and pause for a very short amount of time, and then press your feet into the floor and drive the bar back up to your starting position.
Do as many reps as needed and then re-rack the weight.
What muscle does the narrow grip bench press work?
Narrow bench press is similar to traditional bench, however, your hands are much closer together on the barbell. It works more of the muscles in your forearms and triceps rather than your chest and shoulders.
To perform this exercise, you essentially follow the steps that you would for traditional bench press, except that your hands would be a little less than shoulder width apart to perform it.
What muscle does incline bench press work?
Incline bench is similar to traditional bench, with the difference being that the bench has been angled on 45 to 60 degrees. This is helps to target the muscles more in your upper chest and shoulders.
To perform the incline bench press you’ll need a barbell, weights and an incline bench.
You need to make sure that your feet are firmly flat on the floor, so your spine remains neutral against the bench.
With palms facing forward with hands just past shoulder-width apart, unrack the weight. Then with arms extended with the bar inline with the center of your chest, bend your elbows outward and lower it to the middle of your chest.
Pause for a fraction of a session with the bar touching your chest, and then press the bar back upwards.
Repeat for as many reps as necessary.
What muscle does decline bench work?
The decline bench is the opposite of the incline bench, with the bench angled upward from the front. It works more of your lower chest muscles and your shoulders.
It is essentially performed the same way as you would perform an incline bench, except the position of the bench is in reverse, which means your head should be on the lower side of the bench rather than the higher side.
Summary: Muscle worked from Bench Press
In summation, numerous muscles are worked from you performing the bench press. The muscles differ from each type of bench press that you do.
Below is our fast list of which bench press exercises work which muscles.
- Traditional Bench Press – Pectoral Muscles, Shoulders, Triceps
- Narrow Grip Bench Press – Triceps and Forearms
- Incline Bench Press – Upper Pectorals and Shoulders
- Decline Bench Press – Lower Pectorals and Shoulders
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Paul Pardner is the editor of Bench-Press.net. He is obsessed with lifting weights, and the science of muscle building. Whenever he’s not in the gym attempting to maximize his bench press, he’s online looking for the best ways to optimize his body, strength and overall results.