Editing Bench press (section)

==History==
The bench press has evolved over the years, from floor, bridge, and belly toss variations to the methods used by bodybuilders and powerlifters today. It became popular from the late 1950s onwards.{{sfnp|McRobert|1998|p=210}} Despite the fact the parallel [[Dip (exercise)|dip]] is safer (the dip does not require spotters or safety bars{{sfnp|McRobert|1998|p=210}}), in the 1950s the bench press overtook the dip in popularity and became the standard chest exercise.{{sfnp|McRobert|1998|p=210}}

At first the strict floor press was the most popular method. In 1899, using a barbell with {{convert|48|cm|in}} discs (plates), [[George Hackenschmidt]] rolled a barbell over his face (which was turned to the side) and performed a strict floor press with {{convert|164|kg|lbs}}. This stood as a record for 18 years until Joe Nordquest broke it by {{convert|1|kg|lbs}} in 1916.

Around this time, new methods started gaining ground. Lifters began to discover that strong glutes could help them get the bar from the ground to overhead. They would lie on the floor and position the bar over their abdomen, then perform an explosive glute bridge movement, catapulting the bar upwards and catching it at lockout.<ref name="t-nation1">{{cite web|last=Contreras |first=Bret |url=http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_best_damn_bench_press_article_period |title=The Best Damn Bench Press Article Period |publisher=T Nation |date=2011-12-15 |access-date=2014-08-14}}</ref>

Lifting techniques, training, and [[Anabolic steroid|drugs]] have improved over the years and the bench press record lift has grown from {{convert|164|kg|lbs}} to {{convert|355|kg|lbs}} (raw, record held by [[Julius Maddox]]) in approximately 100 years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Powerlifter Will Barotti benches 1,105 pounds for a new world record |url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/powerlifter-will-barotti-benches-1105-pounds-for-a-new-world-record/ |website=muscleandfitness.com|date=6 July 2020 }}</ref>