Warming up for a big bench press workout

Article by: Peter Simpson

In this article we're going to discuss briefly why warming up your chest, shoulders and triceps is so important before attempting any bench press workout.

To get the most out of your bench press/chest workout, you need to warmup your primary working muscles (chest and shoulders), and also your secondary muscles (your triceps).


The main effect of a warmup is to raise your body temperature, and of course, muscle temperature. It also prepares your body for more strenous exercise by speeding up your heart and raising your metabolic rate so that energy is released faster.

When you rest, or at anytime when you are not particularly active, not only is your blood circulating around your body, but a great deal of it is in your digestive system.

By warming up the muscles you are going to use throughout your bench press workout, you will divert some of your blood supply directly to these muscles, making is easier for your body to deliver the fuel and oxygen that your chest is going to need.

Other main advantages of a good bench press warmup:

1. Warming up makes your muscles more flexible, so they are less prone to strains, tears and other injuries.
2. You get "mentally ready" for the chest workout ahead
3. Reduce the muscle stiffness you feel after your chest workout (also see chest stretches)
4. Speeds up nerve impulses (the speed in which your brain communicates with your muscle)

You should make sure that your chest muscles are ready for your workout, before you lift any weights. Warming up is an essential part of your workout, and you should never undertake any form of heavy lifting without the proper warm-up.

Related Information:

"The critical bench program"

The critical bench program is a book 100% dedicated to improving your bench press. Smart training programs designed around your 1 rep max. Many of the articles on this site were written with knowledge gained from this book.

Buy this eBook here