Strength Training Cheats -2

THE BENCH PRESS
The typical cheat: Bouncing a heavy barbell off your chest to help lift it back to the starting position. Why it's dumb: It could kill you. "This may be the riskiest thing men do in the gym," says Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., owner of Workout manuals.com. Bouncing the bar can lead to a loss of control, putting you at risk of a crushed neck and asphyxiation.
How to perfect your form: Before you bench, put a rolled-up towel down the middle of your upper body so that one end is at the center of your chest. Aim for the end of the towel on each repetition. Concentrating on accuracy ensures that you'll have control of the weight, says Ballantyne.
How to cheat smart: Try this touch-and-go "towel press." Use 50 percent of the weight that you usually use for six to eight repetitions. Do eight sets of three repetitions with 30 seconds' rest after each set. Place the towel on your chest and lower the bar as quickly as you can; as soon as the bar touches the towel, push it up as fast as possible. Imagine that if the bar touches the towel for too long, it'll burn your chest. The benefit: You'll learn to lift fast under control, which will translate into greater strength when you do a normal bench-press workout, Ballantyne says.