Why you need to do the bench press + 5 tips to improve it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

About why you need to perform a barbell press from the chest while standing and how to improve your performance in this exercise.

Why you should do the barbell press while standing

Many athletes and bodybuilders only do the bench press, as this is a basic exercise that allows you to lift heavier weights than the standing press. However, do not delete this exercise from your program. Here are a few reasons why you should dilute your base with a standing barbell press:

1. Evenly pumps shoulders … During the bench press while standing, all bundles of deltoid muscles are worked out, while in the bench press the main load falls on the front part. This does not mean that you need to replace the bench press with the standing press. These exercises complement each other perfectly and help build your pecs and shoulders faster.
2. Targets many muscle groups … The standing barbell press loads the triceps, deltoid, pectoral, trapezius, and serratus anterior muscles. Also, due to the lack of support, the core muscles are well loaded, which keep the body in balance during the bench press.
3. Loads muscles more … As part of the study, scientists compared the load on muscles during a barbell press and dumbbell presses while standing and sitting. It turned out that during a barbell press while standing, the rear deltas are loaded by 25%, and triceps - by 20% more than during a barbell press while sitting. Also, the standing barbell press is more effective for pumping biceps and triceps than the standing dumbbell press. In a barbell exercise, the biceps are loaded 16% more and the triceps 39% more than in the bench press with dumbbells.

There seems to be enough reason to sometimes include this exercise in your program. Now let's talk about how to improve the bench press and increase the weight in this exercise.

How to improve the bench press

1. Do not use too wide a grip

When you grip the barbell with a wide grip, you shorten the range of motion, which should make the exercise easier. However, a wide grip pulls your arms out of the area where strength is best. In this area, your shoulders are at an ideal angle so that when you press you push the bar with maximum force.

Also, a wide grip will prevent you from keeping your elbows against your chest and using your latissimus dorsi, which significantly reduces strength.

To find the perfect grip, grip the barbell slightly wider than your shoulders, and place your forearms and elbows close to the serratus anterior. Try to firmly hold your elbows while moving.

2. Keep all muscles in tension

You should not strain during the bench press, but even before it begins. Press into the floor of the foot, contract the calf muscles, quads, glutes, abdominals, and latissimus dorsi.

Tightening the muscles throughout the exercise will make your bench press stronger.

You can check how this works with a simple handshake. First, squeeze your friend's hand, contracting only the muscles of the arm. Then try to tighten all the muscles in the body mentioned above and squeeze the arm again. This time, the friend can hardly refrain from screaming.

3. Don't look up

If you are already familiar with overhead lifts, and especially with options such as pressing and jogging shvungs, you are probably used to raising your head and looking at the ceiling so as not to hit your chin with the barbell.

By lifting your chin up, you protect the jaw from impact, but at the same time the bar goes slightly forward, deviating from the ideal trajectory.

Instead of looking up, try tilting your head back to create a double chin. This will move the bar straight in front of your face, and its trajectory will be optimal.

4. Shift the focus to the quads

When it comes to the bench press, shvung or clean and jerk, the main force comes from the quads. If you try to perform a movement with the buttocks, you will have to move your hips back. As a result, the bar will move forward and deviate from the optimal trajectory.

If you perform a movement using the quads, the body will remain straight, and the bar will follow an ideal trajectory - strictly in the center.

5. Work on weak points

To increase the weight in the bench press, you need to put in good technique, pump the target muscle groups (front and middle deltas and triceps), and also strengthen the antagonist and synergistic muscles.

Your program should include outward rotation movements of the shoulders to strengthen the posterior deltoid bundle. For example, you can use a bent-over dumbbell set.

It is also worth working on the oblique abdominal muscles. Incorporate exercises such as the side plank and the one-arm farmer's walk into your workouts.