Day 2 Lift Descriptions

Question 1

Barbell Bench Press: Grip.

Answer 1

Hold the bar in the base of your palm, close to your wrist. Squeeze the bar.

Question 2

Barbell Bench Press: Grip Width.

Answer 2

Hands inside the ring marks of the bar. Vertical forearms at the bottom.

Question 3

Barbell Bench Press: Thumbs.

Answer 3

Wrap your thumbs around the bar. Don’t Bench Press with a thumbless grip.

Question 4

Barbell Bench Press: Wrists.

Answer 4

Straight line bar to wrist to elbow. Don’t Bench with bent wrists or they’ll hurt.

Question 5

Barbell Bench Press: Elbows.

Answer 5

50 to 75 degrees out at the bottom. They shouldn’t touch your torso or flare out 90 degrees.

Question 6

Barbell Bench Press: Forearms.

Answer 6

Vertical to the floor from every angle: from the side as well as from the front.

Question 7

Barbell Bench Press: Shoulders.

Answer 7

Keep them back, on the bench. Don’t shrug your shoulders forward at the top.

Question 8

Barbell Bench Press: Upper-Back.

Answer 8

Squeeze your shoulder-blades together to increase stability when you Bench.

Question 9

Barbell Bench Press: Chest.

Answer 9

Raise it to the ceiling. Reach to the bar while you lower it. But keep your butt on bench.

Question 10

Barbell Bench Press: Head.

Answer 10

Setup with your eyes under the bar. Keep your head neutral. Don’t push it into your bench.

Question 11

Barbell Bench Press: Butt.

Answer 11

Keep your butt on your bench when you bench. Don’t cheat by raising your butt off the bench.

Question 12

Barbell Bench Press: Lower-Back.

Answer 12

Natural arch. I should be able to slide my flat hand between the bench and your back.

Question 13

Barbell Bench Press: Feet.

Answer 13

Flat on the floor, not in the air. Feet under knees. Use a shoulder-width stance like on Squats.

Question 14

Barbell Bench Press: Unracking.

Answer 14

Unrack the weight by straightening your arms. Move the bar above your shoulder joint.

Question 15

Barbell Bench Press: Way Down.

Answer 15

Lower the bar to your mid-chest. Tuck your elbows in 75° while you lower the weight.

Question 16

Barbell Bench Press: Bottom.

Answer 16

Straight wrists, vertical forearms. Elbows in but not against your torso. Bar on mid-chest.

Question 17

Barbell Bench Press: Way Up.

Answer 17

Don’t pause at the bottom. Press the bar back to above your shoulders. Lock your elbows.

Question 18

Barbell Bench Press: Lockout.

Answer 18

Lock the bar over your shoulder joint. Lock your elbows at the top. Don’t bend them back.

Question 19

Barbell Bench Press: Racking.

Answer 19

Lockout with straight elbows. Move the bar back against the rack. Lower it in the uprights.

Question 20

Barbell Bench Press: Bar Path.

Answer 20

Diagonal line from your mid-chest to shoulders. Not vertical over shoulders, neck or chest.

Question 21

Barbell Bench Press: Breathing.

Answer 21

Big breath at the top, hold it on the way down, hold it at the bottom, exhale at the top.

Question 22

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Bench Angle.

Answer 22

Angle the bench to 30 to 45 degrees.

Question 23

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Seat Height.

Answer 23

Adjust the seat height so your eyes are under the bar when you lie down.

Question 24

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Butt.

Answer 24

Keep butt planted on the bench.

Question 25

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Chest.

Answer 25

Raise your chest up toward the bar.

Question 26

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Shoulder Blades.

Answer 26

Pinch your shoulder blades together and pull your shoulders down towards your waist.

Question 27

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Grip Width.

Answer 27

Hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Question 28

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Forearms.

Answer 28

Forearms should be vertical when bar is on chest.

Question 29

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Wrists.

Answer 29

Wrists should be straight. It helps to keep bar closer to wrist than to knuckles.

Question 30

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Feet.

Answer 30

Plant feet about shoulder-width apart. Feel around until you feel stable.

Question 31

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Back.

Answer 31

Arch your back while keeping shoulders and butt in contact with bench.

Question 32

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Elbows.

Answer 32

Elbows at 50 to 75 degrees relative to torso during entire movement.

Question 33

Incline Barbell Bench Press: Bar Path.

Answer 33

Path should be vertical. Touch bar to clavicle.

Question 34

Dumbbell Bench Press: Setup.

Answer 34

Rest dumbbells on your thighs.

Question 35

Dumbbell Bench Press: Lay Down.

Answer 35

Lie back and hoist the dumbbells by giving them a nudge with your thighs. Dumbbells should be on either side of your chest.

Question 36

Dumbbell Bench Press: Back.

Answer 36

Arch your back slightly.

Question 37

Dumbbell Bench Press: Feet.

Answer 37

Plant your feet on the floor.

Question 38

Dumbbell Bench Press: Chest.

Answer 38

Raise your chest.

Question 39

Dumbbell Bench Press: Shoulder Blades.

Answer 39

Tuck your shoulder blades down and squeeze them together.

Question 40

Dumbbell Bench Press: Press.

Answer 40

Press dumbbells toward ceiling. As they rise, allow the weights to drift closer together. At end of rep, elbows should be almost locked and dumbbells should be 1-2 inches apart.

Question 41

Dumbbell Bench Press: Descent.

Answer 41

Descend until weights are at chest level.

Question 42

Dumbbell Bench Press: Elbow Angle.

Answer 42

Elbows out at 60 degrees.

Question 43

Dumbbell Bench Press: Dumbbell Angle.

Answer 43

Keep dumbbells at a 45 degree angle.

Question 44

EZ Bar Curls: Palm Angle.

Answer 44

Palms tilted slightly inward.

Question 45

EZ Bar Curls: Pause.

Answer 45

Hold contracted position for a second.

Question 46

EZ Bar Curls: Press.

Answer 46

Press until bar is at shoulder level.