The ever-popular bench press has constructed its fame over the previous few many years as a ceremony of passage, a trial by hearth, and a founding member of the powerlifting “large three.” This train is all that, and extra. The bench press is so in style that it even has its personal day of the week — “Worldwide bench day” has change into synonymous with Monday in lots of gyms.
The bench press is a go-to train once you’re trying to improve the dimensions and energy of your chest, shoulders, and triceps. The soundness of the bench and the fastened vary of movement of the barbell means that you can use extra weight. And transferring extra weight means constructing extra measurement and energy.
In the event you’re on the lookout for a standalone bench-focused exercise to extend energy and muscle in your higher physique, you’ve come to the precise place. Let’s dive in under.
Finest Bench Press Exercise For Muscle and Power
To realize absolute energy, you have to give attention to transferring heavier weights, working round 85-90% of your one-repetition most. (1) The cluster set approach provides you with all you’ll be able to deal with on this regard — performing a number of “mini-sets” of low repetitions with heavy weights to build up important quantity. This helps set the desk for extra muscle as a result of a stronger muscle has the potential for extra measurement. After the heavy work, two totally different supersets consider workouts that effectively improve your chest measurement and energy.
The Measurement and Power Routine
Carry out this exercise as soon as weekly as a part of your higher/decrease physique break up. To progress with the primary train, begin at three full cluster units, do 4 the subsequent week, after which 5. While you’re capable of do 5 cluster units, add weight. The opposite three bench workouts begin on the decrease finish of the rep vary and add one repetition every week. When you’ve reached the higher vary, improve the load by 5 to 10 kilos and begin the method once more.
Bench Press Cluster Set
The flat barbell bench press ought to be a staple in your routine and your go-to for extra measurement and energy everytime you wish to transfer probably the most weight. This benching variation focuses equally in your higher and decrease chest for higher total muscle growth.
The best way to Do it: Lay supine on the flat bench, arch your decrease again barely, and plant your toes on the ground. Pull your shoulder blades collectively to reinforce stability and higher again energy. Seize the bar and squeeze your fingers arduous to flex your arm and grip muscle mass maximally earlier than unracking the load. Decrease the bar to your sternum/base of your chest. Press the load up, preserve your again tight and your shoulder blades pulled collectively.
Units and Reps: 3-5 x (4×2) — Carry out 4 mini-sets of two reps, repeated a complete of three to 5 occasions.
Relaxation time: Relaxation 10 seconds between every mini-set. Relaxation three minutes after every full set.
Shut-Grip Bench Press
The close-grip bench press has your fingers set shoulder-width aside and shift the load to your triceps and interior chest. (2) You could not be capable to elevate as a lot weight, however you’ll be coaching your chest and triceps from a special angle for improved muscle growth.
The best way to Do it: Arrange as you’d for the flat bench press, however place your fingers inside shoulder-width along with your elbows tucked into your physique. Pull the bar out of the rack and get tight. Pull preserve your elbows near your ribs whereas decreasing the bar to your chest. After you have reached your required depth, press again up till lockout.
Units and Reps: 3-4 x 4-6
Relaxation time: No relaxation earlier than transferring to the subsequent train.
Seated Band Pull-Aside
After two urgent workouts, you’ll get a break with this straightforward pulling train to strengthen your higher again and sustain the well being of your shoulders. This seated band pull-apart will improve your higher again engagement (due to the steadiness of being seated) with out you leaving the bench.
The best way to Do it: Sit upright, holding a looped band at shoulder peak along with your fingers shoulder-width aside. Pull the band aside, maintaining your arms almost straight. Hold your shoulders down and your chest up. Pull till your shoulder blades are collectively and your arms are prolonged to both facet of your physique. Return to the beginning place and repeat.
Units and Reps: 3 x 15-25
Relaxation time: Relaxation two minutes earlier than repeating earlier train.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Bench Press
This single-arm (unilateral) train received’t assist you to go as heavy as you would with the barbell bench press, however there may be nonetheless rather a lot to love about this urgent variation. First, you’ll handle any imbalances between sides of your physique, main to higher muscle growth and improved joint well being. Second, you’ll have extra freedom of motion, as a result of the dumbbell bench press means that you can regulate your grip and arm angle to discover a urgent path that’s comfy in your wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints.
The best way to Do it: Place one dumbbell in your knee whereas sitting on a flat bench. Lean again and drive the dumbbell towards your shoulder utilizing your knee, whereas urgent the dumbbell up. Decrease the dumbbell, maintaining your elbow at roughly 45-degrees out of your physique. Press the dumbbells as much as lockout and repeat.
Units and Reps: 3-4 x 8-12 reps per arm.
Relaxation time: Relaxation 60 to 90 seconds earlier than transferring to the subsequent train.
Dumbbell Chest Flye
The dumbbell chest flye is as near a chest isolation train because it will get. This train takes the triceps out of the motion and stretches the pecs for a extra intensive vary of movement, which supplies you higher muscle-building potential. (3)
The best way to do it: Lie supine on a flat bench with a dumbbell in every hand. Start with each arms locked out above your chest. Create a slight bend in your elbows and preserve this bend all through the motion. Decrease your arms out to your sides in step with your shoulders. While you really feel a stretch within the pecs, reverse the movement and squeeze the chest muscle mass to return to the highest place.
Units and Reps: 3 x 8-15
Relaxation time: Relaxation 60-90 seconds earlier than repeating the earlier train.
Chest Anatomy
The chest is a big superficial fan-like muscle, and the 2 chest muscle mass are the pectoralis main and the pec minor. It has two attachment factors — the clavicular head on the higher chest and the sternal head attachment on the mid-to-lower chest. The pec main is in your anterior (entrance) ribcage, whereas the pectoralis minor is a small muscle beneath the pec main.
The pec main’s clavicular head originates, as anticipated, in your clavicle’s (collarbone) anterior or entrance floor. The pec main’s sternal head originates on the sternum’s anterior floor. Each muscle heads insert on the humerus (higher arm) and are concerned in most higher physique actions. The 2 main chest features that the coaching above focuses on are:
- Shoulder flexion — Elevating your arms up by pushing or lifting in entrance of your physique.
- Horizontal adduction — Bringing your fingers (and joints) collectively in entrance of your pecs, as you do throughout a chest flye, bench press, or push-up.
Moreover creating a giant and muscular chest, the pecs are the first “hugging” muscle. Pec measurement and energy assist sort out, seize, and fend off opponents within the sporting area, in addition to throw and swing tougher and sooner in the event you play sports activities like soccer, baseball, or tennis.
The best way to Heat-Up for Your Bench Exercise
Have you ever ever seen somebody stroll off the road below the barbell and begin urgent away to their coronary heart’s content material? Don’t be that particular person, they’re asking for accidents and poor efficiency. Though not warming up might not an enormous concern on uncommon events, over time, it could result in a lower in efficiency and elevated damage threat.
It’s higher to take the time to warm-up and get the blood transferring by way of your working muscle mass, whereas get your shoulder and elbow joints prepared for motion.
As a result of your higher again and rotator cuffs are concerned within the bench press, make sure you carry out any higher again motion that’s efficient for participating your scapula and rotators — face pulls with exterior rotation or band pull-parts.
After that, a couple of mild ramp-up units on the bench press (low rep, mild weight units getting progressively heavier), focusing arduous on participating your chest muscle mass, may have you able to roll.
In the event you resolve to take extra time for a radical warm-up, take this upper-body prep for a spin. There are a few higher back-focused workouts right here as a result of your lats and higher again stabilize your chest throughout benching. You’ll must get your again prepared for chest day to totally shield and put together your shoulders and rotator cuff.
- Face Pull with Exterior Rotation: Safe a resistance band to a secure object at eye-level. Take an overhand grip and step again till your arms are prolonged straight forward. Drive your elbows again in step with your shoulders whereas pulling your fingers to the highest of your head. Within the peak contraction, your thumbs ought to level behind you and your palms ought to be close to your ears. Return to the arms-extended place. Carry out two units of 15 reps.
- Scapular Push-up: Start in a push-up place, along with your fingers and toes on the bottom and your physique straight. Hold your arms stiff and locked as you pinch your shoulder blades collectively whereas reaching your chest towards the bottom. Drive your fingers “by way of the bottom” as you prolong your shoulder blades down and push your chest away out of your fingers. Carry out two units of 10 reps.
- Rear Delt Fly: Take a pair of sunshine dumbbells in every hand, or stand in the midst of a lightweight resistance band and maintain every finish. Bend ahead on the waist, almost parallel to the bottom, and let your arms hold towards the bottom with a slight bend in your arms. Drive your arms up in step with your shoulders. Don’t enable your arm angle to alter all through the train. Pause briefly earlier than returning to the stretched place. Carry out two units of 12 reps.
- Spiderman With Rotation: Start in a push-up place, along with your fingers and toes on the bottom and your physique straight. Step ahead along with your left leg, aiming to get your foot close to the pinky of your left hand if mobility permits. Hold your proper leg straight. With out bending your proper arm, elevate your left arm to the ceiling, turning your higher physique to permit a full rotation. When your arm is perpendicular to the bottom, really feel a total-body stretch earlier than returning to a push-up place. Alternate sides with every repetition. Carry out two units of 5 reps per facet.
- Incline Plyo Push-up: Setup close to a secure flat bench or field, in a push-up place along with your fingers on the bench, your toes on the bottom, and your physique straight. Decrease your chest towards the bench and explosively drive upwards, letting your fingers go away contact with the bench. Catch your self with barely bent arms and brace your core. Take a breath and reset rapidly earlier than performing the subsequent repetition. Carry out two units of eight reps.
Blissful Benching
There are numerous other ways to focus on your chest, shoulder, and triceps, however the bench press is the most well-liked and, probably, the simplest software. You possibly can construct muscle and energy by specializing in a handful of the simplest actions to enrich the bench press. All the time warm-up your chest and shoulders, after which assault the muscle mass utilizing the in-depth, final bench exercise laid out above. Your Mondays won’t ever be the identical.
References
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Van Each, D. W., & Plotkin, D. L. (2021). Loading Suggestions for Muscle Power, Hypertrophy, and Native Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports activities (Basel, Switzerland), 9(2), 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020032
- Lockie, Robert & Moreno, Matthew. (2017). The Shut-Grip Bench Press. Power and Conditioning Journal. 39. 1. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000307.
- Baroni, B. M., Pompermayer, M. G., Cini, A., Peruzzolo, A. S., Radaelli, R., Brusco, C. M., & Pinto, R. S. (2017). Full Vary of Movement Induces Better Muscle Harm Than Partial Vary of Movement in Elbow Flexion Train With Free Weights. Journal of energy and conditioning analysis, 31(8), 2223–2230. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001562
Featured Picture: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV / Shutterstock
