Good Morning Titans,
So I’m sitting around after watching the series finale of Game of Thrones trying to figure out what I should write about for this weeks article and that’s when I remembered that I still had one more article in my assistance exercise series that I had yet to write. I’ve already given you one on the overhead press and I combined the squat and the deadlift into one article, so I figured that only leaves the bench press left.
How you approach the bench press is going to vary depending on your goals. If you’re a powerlifter then the bench press is a core component of your sport. If you’re a strongman, then It’s more of an assistance exercise for your overhead press. That being said, it should still make up a good portion of your program if you want to drive your triceps strength up.
Just like the other main movements that we’ve discussed, choosing your assistance exercises is going to come down to where your sticking point, or where your lift stalls, is. Just like our previous articles we’re going to assume that everything else about your bench press is correct. In other words, we’re not going to spend any time talking about your leg drive or whether you’re keeping your back tight during your set up.
Your bench press will most likely have one of two sticking points. It’s either going to stall out a few inches off the chest or somewhere about half way between parallel and your lock out. If your press stalls out a few inches off the chest and your set up/ leg drive are both on point, then this is most likely going to be a weakness in your chest. If your press stalls out towards the top, then this is going to be a triceps issue.
Let’s fix that chest.
To fix issues with the chest there are a few different exercises that I really like to use. If I listed every exercise that could get this done, then we’d be here all day so instead I’m just going to list a few different ones.
The Pause Bench Press
This one is simple and provides the biggest carry over to the standard bench press due to its specificity to the movement. In fact, if you’re a powerlifter then this version of the bench press is going to make up the bulk of your bench press training anyway. All you do is perform the bench press as normal but pause for a second or so on your chest. This creates extra time under tension and takes the bonce out of the movement forcing you to use the chest more effectively.
The Spoto Press
This one is very similar to the paused bench press but instead of pausing on the chest you pause one to two inches above the chest. Other than that, it works the same portion of the movement for the same reasons as the paused bench press. Use it wisely.
The Dumbbell Bench Press
I’m a big fan of this one because of the extra stabilization required to control the movement. Also, due to the nature of the tool you’re using you can get much deeper into the movement thereby getting more of a stretch in your chest.
The Cable Fly
This is the only isolation movement on the list, but I really like this one because you’re able to work more of the adduction of the chest or the “squeeze”. My preferred way to perform this movement is to set the cables at roughly hip height and raise the handle up and across my body to shoulder height. Focus on bringing the elbows as close as you can to each other and squeeze the chest together. This movement responds well to moderate to high rep ranges with a slow tempo. By the end of the set you’ll feel one hell of a pump.
What about the Triceps?
Many of these movements are going to look familiar if you read my article on assistance work for the overhead press but with a few exceptions due to specificity reasons.
The Close Grip Bench Press
This one is simple just bring your grip in closer than normal. I usually go directly above my shoulders. This puts a lot more emphasis on your triceps.
The Floor Press
This version of the press does two things. First, it takes leg drive out of the equation entirely. Second, reducing the range of motion allows you to really overload the triceps and force them to get stronger. Make sure to control the negative on this one and stay very tight or you’re going to risk losing balance and cracking your skull open.
The Skull Crusher
Speaking of cracking your skull open this one you should be familiar with. For this movement just press the weight up above the shoulders and move the arms back slightly to keep stress on the triceps. Bend at the elbows until the weight is somewhere behind the head then extend them until they lock out, all while maintaining roughly a 45-degree angle with your upper arm.
Don’t neglect your back.
It’s important for both the stability of the movement and over all shoulder health that you also work your back. On my bench day I like to pull in the horizontal plane. Usually I do this by using a standard barbell row with the same weight and rep scheme as my bench press. This ensures that I maintain balance in the shoulder. I tend to use the same philosophy when I’m doing my assistance as well but I’ll use cables, dumbbells and bands for that.
So that about does it. Sure, there are a lot more movements that you can use but I think this is plenty to get you started. If you have any questions then don’t hesitate to email me at cameron@atlasstrengthshop.com. Also, if you liked this article then check back next Monday for the next one. Don’t forget to follow our
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Release the Titan in You,
Cameron Ray
