Bodyweight Bench Press Challenge

Perform one bodyweight bench press rep with perfect form.

Not all types of physical activity are suitable for everyone. Users take challenges and training advice at their own personal risk.

Bodyweight Bench Press Challenge Additional Information

The bench press is a compound exercise that is crucial to any weightlifter's strength training regiment. Being a compound exercise, the bench press recruits multiple muscle groups in completing the movement including the pectorals, deltoids, triceps and lats. It is an exercise that many people use, from bodybuilders and power-lifters to general fitness enthusiasts. 

Form is extremely important when bench pressing as it serves to maximize the amount of weight one can lift and keeps the lifter from injuring himself or herself. The barbell cannot be too far ahead of the chest as it puts unnecessary strain on the shoulders. Likewise, the barbell cannot be too far behind as it puts unnecessary strain on the pectorals. In regards to safety, it is always necessary to employ someone as a spotter – a person who guides the lifting of the bar and ensures it from dropping onto the lifter. Different grips can be used in order to place emphasis on the different muscle groups being worked; however, the standard grip width is somewhere around shoulder length apart.

It is necessary to take into account one's fitness goals when deciding on the proper amount of weight to bench press. For those who are getting into strength training, as well as intermediate lifters, a good starting point is the body weight bench press challenge. As the name suggests, this involves completing the bench press movement within an amount of resistance equal to one's body weight. For a male who weighs 225 pounds, this would mean loading four 45 pound plates onto a barbell. The bench press exercise would then be completed by executing as many repetitions as possible until muscle failure.