20/11/2025
Yesterday I mentioned that everyone should aim to master a squat — and I still believe that. But if we’re talking about my personal favourite exercise, it has to be the bench press.
The bench press is one of the most effective ways to train the pectoralis major, anterior deltoids and triceps, with research showing it produces high levels of muscle activation when performed with a moderate grip width and controlled tempo (Barnett, Kippers & Turner, 1995). It’s also used in countless studies as the benchmark for upper-body strength, power and neuromuscular adaptation (Saeterbakken et al., 2017).
I love it because it’s simple, measurable and brutally honest — the strength you build on the bench transfers directly into pushing power, shoulder stability and overall upper-body function.
References:
Barnett, C., Kippers, V., & Turner, P. (1995). Effects of variations of the bench press exercise on the EMG activity of five shoulder muscles. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 9(4), 222–227.
Saeterbakken, A. H., van den Tillaar, R., & Fimland, M. S. (2017). Bench press training: Effects of grip width on muscle strength and activation. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(1), 158–163.