No Bad Reps

Muscle Activation

2 articles

Athlete performing a barbell bench press with intense focus, highlighting the exercise's effectiveness for chest muscle activation.
Training Theory

Bench Press Tops Chest Exercise Study

An independent American Council on Exercise (ACE) study found the classic barbell bench press elicited the highest muscle activation in the pectoralis major.

Hana Kim·June 23, 2026
Athlete performing a bench press, demonstrating targeted muscle activation with varying ranges of motion for optimal chest, triceps, and shoulder development.
Gym Culture

Adjusting Bench Press Range of Motion Targets Specific Muscles

Forget just lifting heavy: a recent study on bench press technique found that even partial ranges of motion can significantly alter muscle activation patterns, challenging the conventional wisdom of '

Mateo Vargas·May 30, 2026