Editing Bench press (section)

==Muscles==
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2022}}
A conventional bench press uses the [[Pectoralis major muscle|pectoralis major]], front [[Deltoid muscle|deltoids]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Parry |first=Alex |date=2022-01-17 |title=What Muscle Does Bench Press Work?: Diagram, Guide and Exercise Variations |url=https://www.characterstrength.co.uk/post/what-muscle-does-bench-press-work |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=characterstrength |language=en}}</ref> and [[triceps brachii]] to horizontally adduct the shoulder. While flat bench pressing, the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles are activated.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rodríguez-Ridao |first1=David |last2=Antequera-Vique |first2=José A. |last3=Martín-Fuentes |first3=Isabel |last4=Muyor |first4=José M. |date=2020-10-08 |title=Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise |journal=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |volume=17 |issue=19 |pages=7339 |doi=10.3390/ijerph17197339 |issn=1660-4601 |pmc=7579505 |pmid=33049982 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bhatia |first1=Deepak N. |last2=de Beer |first2=Joe F. |last3=van Rooyen |first3=Karin S. |last4=Lam |first4=Francis |last5=du Toit |first5=Donald F. |date=August 2007 |title=The "bench-presser's shoulder": an overuse insertional tendinopathy of the pectoralis minor muscle |journal=British Journal of Sports Medicine |volume=41 |issue=8 |pages=e11 |doi=10.1136/bjsm.2006.032383 |issn=1473-0480 |pmc=2465431 |pmid=17138640}}</ref> The exercise also uses the triceps and [[anconeus]] to extend the elbows.<ref name=":0" /> The triceps are most crucial around the end of the press to help complete and lock out the elbows. With the right form, parts of the deltoids will be used to help make the lift, including the anterior deltoids.<ref name=":0" /> Wider hand spacing places a greater emphasis on shoulder flexion and narrower hand spacing utilizes more elbow extension. Because of this, wider hand spacing is associated with training the pectorals and narrower hand spacing is associated with training the triceps. Both close and wide hand spacing train the deltoid area.<ref name=":0" />

In addition to the major phasic (dynamic) muscles, the bench press also uses tonic (stabilizing) muscles, including the scapular stabilizers ([[serratus anterior]], middle, and inferior [[trapezius]]), humeral head stabilizers ([[rotator cuff muscles]]), and core ([[transverse abdominis]], [[Oblique arytenoid|obliques]], [[multifidus]], [[erector spinae]], [[quadratus lumborum]].)[[File:Bench Press- Almog Dayan.JPG|thumb|A female athlete performing a bench press at the IPA world championship 2007, in the "Bench Only" category]]