The document is an outline for an informational speech on the bench press exercise. It begins with an introduction that gets the audience's attention by defining the bench press. It states the thesis that there are different ways to bench depending on one's goals. The main points that will be covered are how the bench press started and changed over time, different techniques, and the health benefits and drawbacks. The body then covers how floor pressing evolved into using equipment, different techniques like arching and grip width, and how techniques can be used for bodybuilding or powerlifting goals. It concludes by reiterating the main points and encouraging the audience to try bench pressing to improve their lives.

1. Informational Speech Outline on the Bench Press
1. Introduction
a. Attention Getter: The power lift called the bench press (a weightlifting exercise
in which a lifter lies on a bench with feet on the floor and raises a weight with
both arms) has changed.
b. Introduce Topic/State Thesis: Now there is a lot of different ways we can bench,
it just depends on what our goals are.
c. Refer to Audience: Raise your hand if you have bench pressed before? Keep your
hand up if it was for sports?
d. Establish Credibility: I’ve been there, put hours, upon hours into developing my
technique in it as well as power
e. Preview of main points: Some might wonder How it started,how it changed, the
health benefits, and the draw backs of the bench press?
Transition: Nowsome might think about how did this become a lift?
2. Body
a. How did the bench press get introduced, or how it started?
i. I am going to talk about how when it just started they did the floor press.
ii. Talk about how the equipment was in the old days, how the racks are
different from now.
Transition: Then we started figuring out howwe can increase the weight we can do through
different techniques.
b. Technique
i. Talk about the difference between the arch bench and the flat bench
press.
ii. Talk about grip, how close works different muscles than wide grip.
iii. Talk about if your goals are bodybuilding technique versus powerlifting
technique.
Transition: Some might wonder why do people do it, what are the pros and cons?

2. c. Pros
i. One can get a defined chest,get bigger arms, and use it towards sports.
d. Cons
i. One can be seriously injured if they don’t have a spotter or perform the
exercise wrongly
Brakelight: Now as I wind this speech down.
3. Conclusion
a. We went over how bench started,also a couple different types of bench, and how
those techniques can create pros as well as cons.
b. Refer to audience: I know that all of you might not be interested in lifting but I
can personally say its changed my life for the better and it can do the same for
you if you want it to.
c. Closure/Clincher: I hope you take something from this. Whether its inspiration to
get in the weight room, or to try a new way of benching based on what your goals
are.
References
Prejean, S., Judge, L., Patrick, T., & Bellar, D. (2012, January 1). Acute Effects of
Combined Elastic and Free-weight Tension on Power in the Bench Press Lift. Retrieved
November 18, 2014.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=9&sid=e8e31327-66e8-429b-
a2c1adc8a52d7243%40sessionmgr4002&hid=4114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2Z
Q%3d%3d#db=sph&AN=74313815
Brown, N. (2013, December 31). Meeker sets world record with 1,102 lbs. bench press.
Retrieved November 18, 2014, from
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/humble/news/meeker-sets-world-record-with-lbs-
bench-press/article_83df1a0c-0e2e-50be-a789-f3999fbcacc3.html?mode=story
Schwarzenegger, A. (2009, January 1). Bench Basics. Retrieved November 19, 2014,
from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=8&sid=b959cc02-6ba7-450c-
ac97-
e7043d81422a%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%
3d%3d#db=sph&AN=35635042
Wuebben, J.,& Stoppani, J. (2009). Chapter 4: Chest Exercises. In Stronger arms & upper body.
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.