Proper bench press form

The bench press is the top chest developer and if you can't make chest gains from bench press you need to look at your form. If you are struggling with barbell bench press or do not have someone to assist you then try dumbbell bench press though dumbbell bench press is a superior power movement. 

First warm up appropriately with a very light weight that does not strain the muscles and then choose a weight you can manage 8-12 reps with.

Lie down on a flat bench with your legs locked apart in the appropriate starting position. An image from Wikipedia shows the correct starting form:

The legs should be locked apart as shown and remain in this position throughout the exercise. I often see guys in the gym do all sorts of funny dances with their legs. However good your dance moves are this won't help you lift more. Locking your feet on the ground gives you the maximum power available to push the weight. 

The barbell should come all the way down and you should stop the bar on your chest. The bar must come to a complete stop and you should hold the bar in this position for at least 1 second. If using dumbbells they should come down below the nipple line for the fullest range of motion and stopped at this position for at least one second. 

Then push the bar back up but do not lock it out at the top of the movement, the weight should keep the muscles under tension throughout the exercise. If you cannot keep the bar under control it is too heavy for bodybuilding purposes and you should drop the weight. 

The bar should come up quickly and come down slowly. The positive part of the movement should be performed as quickly as safely possible for maximum muscle fiber recruitment. The bar should come down slowly under control for at least twice as long as it took to push the weight up. Imagine a car spring, bring the weight down slowly under control counting time and building tension then at the bottom after holding the weight for 1 second smash it back up as fast as you can!

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