When you first begin strength training, the first goal for many is to increase their Bench Press. Whether it's for bodybuilding, powerlifting or personal goals, the goal of many is to build muscle to improve appearance, fitness, strength and power. This strength and power is most shown off in the Bench Press. Here are a few tips to help increase your Bench Press.

Use Proper Form

The proper form is essential to a strong Bench Press. Proper form means providing a stable base from which to push. Keep your feet on the floor and your shoulders back. To keep your shoulders back, squeeze your shoulder blades together and push your shoulders into the padded bench. You will also want to squeeze your glutes together to help keep the foundation solid. Slowly lower the bar until it touches your chest along the nipple line and then explode the weight upward.

Proper Rest Between Sets

As you perform your Bench Press workouts, keep the rest between sets higher than normal. Instead of 1 to 2 minutes rest between sets, rest 3 to 5 minutes between sets. This allows your muscles more time to recuperate, allowing you to push more weight. Lifting heavier will develop power and help to boost your Bench Press max. In addition to muscle strength, you want to increase tendon strength. Heavy weights and low repetitions (3 to 5 reps) promote tendon and muscle strength.

Work on the Muscle Groups Holding You Back

When performing the Bench Press several muscle groups are used to move the weight through the entire motion. Your chest is the primary mover, though your shoulders and triceps help significantly. For instance, if you have more trouble at the bottom of the movement, your shoulders are holding you back. If your trouble is at the top of the movement, your triceps are to blame. Whatever muscle group is holding you back from a big Bench Press, make it the focus of your strength training.

Focus on Compound Exercises

Compound exercises involve more than one muscle group to move the weight. These exercises allow you to lift more weight than simple exercises and thus lead to greater strength and power. The Bench Press is one of these exercises along with the Military Press, Squat, Deadlift, Bent-over Row, Pull-ups and Dips. Because these movements involve multiple, large muscle groups, they stimulate growth over the entire body. Increase your strength in these other exercises and you will also see an increase in your Bench Press.