Here are common mistakes that a lot of people make that can prevent them from lifting more weight and improving their bench press.
1. Flat back. If your back is flat on the bench you are moving the weight through its longest range of motion and placing undue stress on your shoulders. Lifting in this manner can lead to serious shoulder injury.
2. Lifting feet off the floor when bench pressing. Moving your feet during the lift reduces how much power you can generate. You should be driving with your feet when you are pressing upward. If you are moving your feet youre not utilizing this very important technique.
3. Using a weak grip. If you simple hold the bar in your hands and do not wrap your thumbs around the bar you are not only reducing how much power you will have during the lift, but youre also running the risk of injury. You grip is very important to bench pressing and you should always focus on squeezing the bar as this will help to recruit more muscle fibers during the lift.
4. Lowering the bar too high on the chest. If you lower the bar too high on your chest you will be utilizing your shoulder muscles more and can risk injuring them severely. You should bring the bar down just below the nipples. It may feel awkward at first but you should stick with it as it will help to increase how much weight you can lift.
5. Using a close grip. Bench pressing with a close grip will reduce how much weight you can bench and stress the triceps and shoulders primarily. You should use a wide grip a little more than shoulder width and if you have long arms you can even go wider. The wider that you can comfortably lift the shorter the distance you will have to move the weight and the more you will lift.
There you have it, just a few tips to help improve your bench pressing abilities.