
When you bench press for a bigger chest, your setup and how you perform the exercise will differ from when you train for strength.
Here are 5 tips to bench press for a bigger chest.
#1 Lift Your Feet Off The Ground
If you want to use as much chest muscle as possible, you can lift your feet off the ground to avoid using leg power to drive the movement.
#2 Don’t Arch Your Lower Back
Have little to no space between your lower back on the bench. This further takes away any force generated through your lower body.
#3 Relax your scapula slightly
While bench pressing, you need to keep your scapula retracted to maintain stability, but if you want to maximize chest muscle contraction for muscle growth, you can slightly relax your scapula at the end of the press.
#4 Open Your Elbows
Instead of keeping your arms at a 90° angle throughout the movement, consider opening your elbows as much as possible on the way down to increase chest muscle involvement.
#5 Slow Down and Pause At The Bottom
Don’t immediately push back up when you lower the bar to your chest. You should slow down, ensure that you’re not using momentum, and letting the chest do all the work.