The bench press is an essential upper body exercise that offers numerous health benefits. To perform a classic bench press, lie on a flat bench with a shoulder-width overhand grip on the barbell, drive your feet into the floor, and lower the bar to your chest before pushing it back up explosively. The muscles worked in a bench press include the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, triceps brachii, and shoulder girdle muscles.
The health benefits of bench presses include:
1. Increased upper-body strength
2. Stronger bones
3. Increased pushing power
4. Improved self-image and confidence
5. Better joint health
6. Increased muscle mass
7. Boosted testosterone levels
8. Improved running performance
9. Prevention of muscle imbalances
10. Improved functional strength
Additionally, there are several variations of the bench press, including:
1. Incline bench press
2. Floor press
3. Reverse grip bench press
4. Kettlebell bench press
5. Close grip bench press
These variations can help keep your workouts interesting and prevent plateaus.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Bench presses work the pectoralis major muscle.
2. The pectoralis major muscle is the large chest muscle.
3. Bench presses also work the anterior deltoid muscle.
4. The anterior deltoid muscle is the front portion of the deltoid muscle.
5. The triceps brachii muscle is also worked during a bench press.
6. The triceps brachii muscle is the muscle on the back of the upper arm.
7. All the muscles in the shoulder girdle engage to stabilize the scapula and shoulders during a bench press.
8. A bench press can increase upper-body strength by 40% in six months.
9. Increased strength from a bench press can improve ability to push weights and strengthen the triceps, core, and lower back.
10. Bench presses can strengthen bones by increasing bone mass density.
11. A study showed that bench presses can increase bone mass density in the lumbar spine, right neck, femur, and right distal radial head.
12. The bench press can increase pushing power.
13. The bench press can improve joint health by putting pressure on joints and squeezing out cartilage.
14. The bench press can help prevent muscle imbalances.
15. The bench press can improve functional strength by improving the body's ability to move through a natural range of motion.
16. Women can also benefit from weightlifting, including increased strength, toned muscles, and increased physical definition.
17. A bench press can help improve running by maintaining proper form and reducing energy expenditure.
18. There are several variations of the bench press, including the incline bench press, floor press, reverse grip bench press, kettlebell bench press, and close grip bench press.
Note: I excluded opinions and focused on extracting factual information from the text.