The Truth About Why Women Struggle With Bench Press

Tonight I’m coaching a mix of women starting their first week of StrongHer in 42. Most of them have never touched a barbell, let alone done a proper bench press.

Right beside them?

I’ve got women training for general strength—and 8 getting ready for their first Powerlifting Provincials this June.

Different goals.
Different programs.
But tonight?

They’re all working on the same 3 things.

More on that in a second.

Here’s something I hear all the time:

But after a few sessions, something amazing happens…

And that transformation?

It fires me up every time.

At the end of every class, I ask:

And when they say “bench press”… I know they’re starting to get it.

So what makes the bench press so tricky?

It’s one of the most technical barbell lifts.

And because most women naturally have less upper-body strength, progress can feel slow—which leads to frustration.

But mastering the bench press comes down to 3 things:

1. Technique

2. Practice

3. Patience

You can’t skip those.

While I can’t coach you through practice or patience in this email, I can help with technique.

🧠 Start Here:

Check out my Bench Press Coaching Videos on YouTube (linked below) for tips to build better technique, more confidence, and a stronger press.

I hope theses bench press videos help your benching!

Stay Strong.

Coach Rob
Women Who Lift Weights

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