Bench Press

The classic bench press is one of the most beneficial chest workouts you can do. Instructions for bench press is fairly simple. Placing you arms about shoulder width apart (the further apart you place your hands the more difficult the exercise is) hold the weight above your lower chest. Then slowly bend the elbows bringing the weight down to your chest. Once you have brought the weight to your chest, push the weight back up straightening the elbows back to their original position. Make sure to focus on squeezing your chest during the whole movement.  I prefer the dumbbell method over the barbell method simply because of the personal results. By using the dumbbells it allows you to get a further stretch and better range of movement on your pectoral muscles than a traditional barbell bench press would. Dumbbell bench press can also be beneficial if you typically train alone. Dumbbells can be simply dropped if you struggle to complete your movement unlike barbell bench press where you are trapped under the weight. Although if you train with a partner or have a spotter the barbell bench press allows you to use much heavier weight for a more power lifting style of training. Dumbbell vs. Barbell is an age old controversy. Even though you may have a person preference I would advise incorporating both styles of bench press into your workout routine for maximum results!