1) Start with your hands apart to the point where when you bring the bar down to your chest, the inside of your wrists land just alongside your chest. Wrap your thumbs around the bar.



2) Lift the bar off the rack. Slowly lower the bar to the level of your chest



3) At the bottom of the press, your wrists should be alongside your chest as shown.

4) Lift the bar up explosively off your chest, curving slightly upward toward your head. Do not lock your elbows at the top.

5) Inhale as you lower. Exhale as you raise the weight.


MUSCLES USED

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Primary
Pectoralis major - upper pecs favored
Triceps

Secondary
Pectoralis minor
Front Deltoid


SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS/PRECAUTIONS

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Do not attempt to bring your hands inward any closer. Bringing your hands in closer will not result in any more tricep, upper or inner pectoral involvement. It will only place more stress on your wrist joints. Be sure to have someone standing behind the bench following along the path of the bar to spot you. If you are beginning this exercise for the first time, be aware of the fact that it may be difficult to balance the bar.


EFFECTIVENESS

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This is probably the best exercise for developing the upper pectoral muscles (the clavicular head) as well as the triceps muscle. By bringing your hands closer together, you are creating more shoulder flexion and elbow extension (as in an "uppercut" punch) than with a wide-grip flat bench. This translates into more upper pec, tricep and front deltoid recruitment.


HELPFUL WITH TRAINING FOR

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Football, Basketball, Baseball, Tennis, Raquetball, Bodybuilding, Power lifting, Martial arts, Boxing.