Exercise Tips - Warming Up for Your Best Bench Press

Warm-ups and general routine

It is important that you devote 10 or more minutes to warming up for serious bench pressing. Do not just dive right into pressing a heavy barbell, even though it's tempting to do this, because some people are in a hurry to show everyone else in the gym how strong they are. But you can risk injury doing this. Bench pressing is very hard on the shoulder joints, and though the chest muscles may be ready to go, the rotator cuff may still be lagging behind.

The pectoralis muscles do not act alone in the bench press. Other structures need to be strong enough to assist the pecs. And one of these structures is the subscapularis - one of the rotator cuff muscles. It contributes to shoulder internal rotation, which is also one of the functions of the pectoralis major muscle. But if, in general, the rotator cuff group is weak, this will interfere with bench press progress. And because the anterior deltoids are secondary movers for bench pressing, warm-ups should include some light shoulder work.

1. First stretch the shoulders. Do not rush. Be deliberate, and breathe deeply. Relax also.

2. Shoulder lateral lifts. You may wonder how shoulder lateral lifts can aid in the bench press. The lateral lift motion will loosen up the joint, and maybe get all the "creaks" out, and increase blood flow in the shoulders. Be sure to use weight light enough to easily get through 20 reps with a controlled negative (lowering phase of the lifting). Complete two sets.

3. Incline dumbbell presses; 20 reps, two sets.

4. Start bench pressing, but make sure that it is light enough to be able to complete 20 reps. You can then increase weight accordingly to hit 15, 12, and then 8 reps.

5. You are now ready to attempt 6-8-rep maxes, 4-5 sets. After the first three sets, it's best to rest for five minutes, drink water and then include more shoulder stretching. The five-minute rest will recharge the muscles.