1.- ELBOWS TOO HIGH- WHEN YOU BENCH PRESS WITH YOUR ELBOWS IN A "T" POSITION IT PUTS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRAIN ON YOUR SHOULDER CAPSULES. THIS SHIFTS THE WEIGHT OF THE BAR FROM YOUR STERNUM TO YOUR COLLAR BONE, AND INCREASES THE DISTANCE THE BAR HAS TO TRAVEL. FROM AN OVERHEAD VIEW YOUR ELBOWS SHOULD BE AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE FROM YOUR TORSO. THIS ACTIVATES YOUR PECS TO THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL AND HELPS TAKE YOUR ANTERIOR DELTS OUT OF THE EQUATION.
2.-ARCHING YOUR BACK- THIS IS ONE OF THE QUICKEST WAYS TO INJURE YOUR SPINE!! IF YOU ARE DOING THIS, STOP IMMEDIATELY! KEEP YOUR CORE ACTIVE BY TIGHTENING YOUR ABS AND KEEPING YOUR GLUTES ON THE BENCH. IF YOU HAVE TO LIFT YOUR HIPS UP TO FINISH THE REP YOU ARE LIFTING TOO HEAVY. DROP THE WEIGHT AND SAVE YOURSELF A VISIT TO THE CHIROPRACTOR.
3.- BOUNCING THE BAR- BY BOUNCING THE BAR OFF YOUR CHEST, YOU ARE CREATING EXTRA MOMENTUM AND TAKING AWAY FROM THE EXERCISE. IT IS ALSO EASY TO HURT YOUR RIBCAGE IF THE WEIGHT IS HEAVY ENOUGH. LOWING THE WEIGHT IS BETTER THAN CHEATING YOURSELF OUT OF MUSCLE STIMULUS.
4.-NOT SQUEEZING YOUR SHOULDER BLADES TOGETHER- BY FAR THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE WHEN IT COMES TO PRESSING MOVEMENTS. BY KEEPING YOUR SHOULDERS RETRACTED YOU ARE FORCING THE PECS TO DO MORE WORK, AND HELPING YOU SEE BETTER STRENGTH AD SIZE GAINS. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR SHOULDERS AND LOWER BACK DOWN.
5.- BREAKING YOUR WRIST- THE WAY YOU GRIP THE BARBELL WILL MAKE OR BREAK YOUR LIFT. DON'T GRIP TOO HIGH, OR AROUND THE FINGERTIPS. DOING THIS CAUSES THE WRIST TO BEND BACKWARDS AND CREATES TWO PROBLEMS. FIRST YOUR LINE OF FORCE IS ALTERED, CAUSING YOU TO LOSE STRENGTH AND FORCE PRODUCTION. AND SECOND YOU WILL HURT YOUR WRIST IF YOU START LIFTING HEAVIER WEIGHT. GRIP THE BAR IN THE CENTER OF YOUR PALM AND KEEP YOUR ELBOWS SLIGHTLY BENT.
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