Originally Posted by HIThopper

This is straight from Louies Book of Methods.

Take the bar out of the rack by yourself, pulling the shoulder blades together and
gripping the bar as tight as possible. Next, pull the bar out of the rack as if you were doing a pullover.
This activates the lats properly. Pull the bar straight above the point on the chest where you
want to lower it. Lower the bar quickly in a straight line.

Hold your breath for up to five reps. Holding the breath defines heavy training. Take as much
air in as possible before lifting the bar from the rack. Lower the bar as fast as possible. Stop the
bar as fast as possible and reverse to the concentric phase as fast as possible. When training, raise
your head as the bar is lowered and keep your eyes on the bar throughout the movement.

Your technique during competition should be the same as in training with one exception. Use a
maximum wide grip with a thumb grip and use a lift off. As the bar is lowered, raise the head fi rst
and then the shoulders as if you were doing a sit-up. This will enable you to bring the bar lower
on the body without rolling it out of your hands.
Once the press command is given, slam your head and shoulders back down on the bench for
stability. Keep the feet out in front of the knees and press down on the heels to ensure that your
butt stays on the bench. A longer torso is more advantageous for bench pressing. Therefore, avoid
shortening the torso by arching the lower back. In addition, an extreme arch can cause an injury.