Variations of the bench press involve different groups of muscles, or involve the same muscles in different ways: •
Inclination •
Flat bench press: The flat bench press involves both portions of the pectoralis major muscle but focuses on the lower (sternal) head as well as the anterior
deltoid muscle. The term 'bench press' on its own is assumed to refer to a flat bench press. •
Incline bench press: An incline elevates the shoulders and lowers the pelvis as if reclining in a chair; this variation emphasizes the anterior deltoids and the upper (clavicular) head of the pectoralis major. This variation is called the incline bench press or called an incline press. •
Decline bench press: A decline bench press elevates the pelvis and lowers the head and emphasizes the lower portion of the pectoralis major whilst incorporating shoulders and triceps. This variation is known as the decline bench press or the decline press. •
Grip •
Reverse grip: A reverse grip bench press utilizes an underhand (supinated) grip on the bar. A supinated grip externally rotates the
humerus, which puts the shoulders in a much more favorable position for the lift, decreasing injury potential without compromising the range of motion. It emphasizes the clavicular head of the pectoralis major more than an incline bench press. On the eccentric phase of the lift, the bar path will create a larger arc and eventually touch a point on the chest that is lower compared to the regular bench press, because the upper arms and elbows are closer to the body and the angle between the humerus and the torso is smaller. •
Narrow grip (
close grip): A bench press performed with the hands close together. It relies on the triceps to complete the pressing motion. This grip is considered unsafe as it presents the risk of the bar rolling out of the lifters hand which in turn may cause injury by the dropped bar •
Arched Back: Bench press can be performed with an arched back to engage the lower part of the pectoral muscle. This allows the lifter to lift heavier weights •
Different lowering targets • A lifter can elect to lower the bar to nipple level, to the
xiphoid process, or even further, to the abdomen. • On the other hand, a lifter may lower the bar to a very high point on the chest, or even to the neck; the latter variation is called a
guillotine press (also known as a
redneck press or
neck press) and emphasizes the upper pectorals. •
Altered stability: The bench press can be performed with various modifications to make the lifter or the weight less stable. Examples include lifting on a Swiss ball, using dumbbells instead of a barbell, or lifting with the legs on the bench or in the air. Lifting with the legs on the bench or out in front of the bench held in the air above the ground neutralizes the athlete's ability to arch his back and glutes off of the bench and thereby gain an advantage while lifting. As it forces the glutes to stay anchored on the bench (it also eliminates the ability of the athlete to employ leg drive), this position is more difficult and allows for greater stress of the pectorals. •
Alternating arms: This involves using a pair of dumbbells and lifting and lowering one and then lifting and lowering the other; or lifting one while lowering the other in an alternating sequence. •
Single arm: This involves using a single dumbbell and lifting it with one arm. When both arms are exercised in this
unilateral manner, it can help to ensure that the arms perform the same amount of work and any excessive muscle imbalances are reduced. For example, in a standard barbell bench press, the right arm may perform 55% of the work and the left arm 45%. However, if the right or left arm is used singularly, then it can be assured that each arm is performing 100% of the work for that respective lift. This can mean that the strength of the right and left arms develops more evenly. This means that the percentage of 1RM lifted for the stronger phase more closely matches the percentage 1RM for the weaker lower phase e.g., a person can lift 60 kg for one full rep (including the weaker lower phase) but can lift 90 kg for the stronger upper phase. So, by adding resistance they can better meet the respective 1RMs, in percentage terms, for both strength phases. The incorporation of chains and bands can help to develop explosive power in the bench press. An alternative is to combine heavier partial reps with lighter full reps. •
Partial rep: A partial rep usually means lowering the bar partially before raising it again i.e., for a half or quarter rep. • Because this is a stronger ROM, significantly more weight can be lifted. When used in combination with lighter full reps, this can allow a person to better ensure that the percentage of 1RM lifted for the stronger and weaker phases of the movement is more consistent. For example, if 1RM is 100 kg for the lower phase and 150 kg for the upper phase, an 80 kg full ROM press is 80% of someone's 1RM for a full rep and lifting 120 kg for a partial which remains in the stronger phase of the movement is 80% for that phase. Full reps at a 1RM of 100 kg prevents the stronger phase of the lift from being trained at more than about 66% of its respective 1RM of 150 kg. Performing heavier partials can help to increase strength and power and also improve a person's 1RM for a full ROM press. • A different form of partial rep involves training the lower most difficult part of the movement in order to strengthen it and to avoid it being a ‘sticking point’ that stops the movement of the weight. •
Equipped: An "equipped" bench press is performed with a
stiff, supportive shirt that allows greater weights to be used. The materials and cut of the bench shirt, as well as the skill of the lifter and the rules of performance, will determine how much additional weight can be pressed in the shirt as opposed to without it. The contrast between equipped and unequipped (raw) bench press weights is illustrated in the
progression of the bench press world records, with the record equipped lift exceeding the unequipped lift by hundreds of pounds. •
With minor injury: People who suffer from shoulder injuries can use a specialized barbell such as the Swiss Bar or Football Bar that allows them to hold the bar in a neutral grip, reducing the amount of internal rotation on the shoulder. It also engages the shoulder more, increasing power in upper body movements. Another variation is the hex press in which two dumbbells are squeezed against each other, with the palms facing inwards. This puts the strain of the exercise on the triceps and inner chest rather than the shoulders. The Floor Press is another variation that puts less strain on the lifter's shoulders, due to the shorter range of motion. ==Possible injuries==