Bench Pressing Speed

When it comes to Bench Pressing there are a few different views as it pertains to proper form and technique. Some personal trainers will recommend that you perform the exercise slow and with control to 'feel' the burn in the muscle. On the other hand lifters who are focused on increasing their ability to lift weight will suggest lifting as fast as possible.

Muscles are designed for speed and that 'burn' you feel when you lift weights slowly is not necessarily muscle stimulation but the build up of lactic acid. You should be bench pressing as fast as you can while using good form.

Some people will tell you that your repetition speed will depend on your goals and a bunch of other things but the science proves them wrong. Muscles are designed to move quickly and the faster you can move weight through space the more muscle fibers are recruited.

When you first start bench pressing it is important that you focus on learning the proper way to perform the bench press. It is the most popular exercise in the gym and a lot of newbies simply get on the bench and press. This is a mistake because you're going to develop bad habits without even knowing it. You need to perform the exercise correctly from the beginning.

As you progress and get stronger you will be able to perfect your technique and hit your ideal form. You will need to experiment with different variations of the bench press in order to determine which is best for you. It is important to remember that before you can adjust the technique to suit your particular bio-mechanics you've got to learn the proper technique first.

If you ever see power lifters training on the bench press you will be amazed how fast they perform each repetition. They will lower the bar with control but they will explode off their chest as thought they're trying to hit the ceiling with the bar. Elite power lifters understand that speed equals power.