Bench press

Who it's for

Climbers who want pushing strength to balance all the pulling, and who have access to a barbell and a bench or a pair of dumbbells. Mantles, press-outs and steep compression moves all ask for more pushing than people train. If you're new to the lift, start light and learn it with someone watching. Push-ups do most of the same job for less setup, and they're the better first step.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing the bar off the chest. Lower with control to your lower chest and press from a brief touch. A bounce uses momentum and puts the shoulder in a poor position.
• Letting the shoulder blades come apart. Pull them together before you unrack and keep them there. It protects the front of the shoulder, which climbers tend to have tight already.
• Flaring the elbows straight out. Keep them at a slight angle to your body. Straight-out elbows load the shoulder more than the chest.
• Going heavy without a spotter. Heavy sets need a spotter, or dumbbells you can drop to the side, as the catalog says. Failing under a barbell on your own is how people get stuck.

How to progress

Stay in the 6 to 8 range. When all four sets reach eight cleanly, add a small amount of weight and start at six again. Once a week is enough for most climbers, twice at most,. A moderate bench press is enough to balance your pulling, so there's no need to chase big numbers.