“How Much You Bench Bro?”

Monday is international bench day. Gyms around the world have hordes of people lining up to wait their turn to get underneath the bar and lift. From a functional standpoint, there are better options then then the bench press, like the pushup for example. I have yet found the need to be able to lift heavy weight from the bench position. I am sure such a need exists so let us not kill the sacred cow. It would be safe to say that riots would occur if all the benches were removed from gyms across the world.

Whether you believe in the bench press or not, the bench press is a staple exercise in strength training programs for athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts alike, and it remains one of the most widely practiced and recognized lifts in the world of strength training. The bench press continues to evolve, with athletes and coaches experimenting with different techniques and equipment to improve performance.

MUSCLES USED FOR THE BENCH PRESS

Pectoralis Major (Chest): The pectoralis major is the primary muscle worked during the bench press. It is responsible for horizontal adduction of the shoulder joint, bringing the upper arm across the chest.

Anterior Deltoids (Front Shoulders): The anterior deltoids assist in shoulder flexion and are heavily engaged during the pressing motion of the bench press.

Triceps Brachii: The triceps brachii, located on the back of the upper arm, are engaged during the pressing phase of the bench press. They play a significant role in elbow extension.

While the bench press primarily targets these muscle groups, it is also a compound movement that requires coordination and engagement of various stabilizing muscles throughout the body.

Other muscles that provide stability and support during the bench press include:

Serratus Anterior: Located on the sides of the chest, the serratus anterior helps stabilize the shoulder blades during the bench press.

Rotator Cuff Muscles: The rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis) help stabilize the shoulder joint during the bench press and prevent excessive movement.

Trapezius: The trapezius muscles, particularly the upper fibers, help stabilize the shoulders and upper back during the bench press.

STRETCHES AND MOBILITY

To improve bench press performance and reduce the risk of injury, incorporating stretches and mobility drills that target the chest, shoulders, and upper back can be beneficial.

Stretches:

1. Pectoral Stretch: Stand in a doorway with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Place your forearms on the doorframe and lean forward until you feel a stretch across your chest.
2. Shoulder External Rotation Stretch: Hold a resistance band or towel behind your back with one hand reaching over the shoulder and the other reaching up from behind. Gently pull the top hand downwards to stretch the shoulder.
3. Latissimus Dorsi Stretch: Kneel on the floor and reach your arms forward, lowering your chest towards the ground while keeping your hips back. You should feel a stretch in your lats.
4. Thoracic Spine Mobility: Sit on the ground with your legs extended in front of you. Place a foam roller horizontally behind your upper back. Support your head with your hands and gently roll back and forth to mobilize the thoracic spine.

Mobility Drills:

1. Band Pull-Apart: Hold a resistance band with both hands at shoulder-width apart. Keeping your arms straight, pull the band apart until your arms are fully extended out to the sides. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
2. Scapular Wall Slides: Stand with your back against a wall and your arms at shoulder height with elbows bent. Slowly slide your arms upwards along the wall, maintaining contact with your arms and the wall throughout the movement.
3. Shoulder Dislocations: Hold a resistance band with a wide grip in front of you. Keeping your arms straight, lift the band overhead and behind your body, then return to the starting position. Repeat for several repetitions.
4. Cat-Cow Stretch: Start on your hands and knees with a neutral spine. Inhale as you arch your back, lifting your chest and tailbone towards the ceiling (cow). Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin towards your chest (cat).

Sample Mobility Program:

Perform each stretch and mobility drill for 2–3 sets of 10–15 repetitions or hold each stretch for 20–30 seconds. Aim to complete the program 2–3 times per week, either before or after your bench press workouts.

1. Pectoral Stretch: two sets of 20–30 seconds
2. Shoulder External Rotation Stretch: two sets of 20–30 seconds per side.
3. Latissimus Dorsi Stretch: two sets of 20–30 seconds per side
4. Thoracic Spine Mobility: two sets of 10–15 repetitions
5. Band Pull-Apart: three sets of 10–15 repetitions.
6. Scapular Wall Slides: three sets of 10–15 repetitions
7. Shoulder Dislocations: two sets of 10–15 repetitions
8. Cat-Cow Stretch: two sets of 10–15 repetitions

Remember to perform each movement with control and within a pain-free range of motion.

THE MECHANICS OF BENCHING

1. Set Up: Lie on a flat bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Position your body so that your eyes are directly under the barbell. Your back should be slightly arched, and your shoulder blades retracted.
2. Grip: Grab the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your wrists should be straight, and your hands should be positioned evenly on the barbell. Coaching tip: The grip can vary from person to person due to various causes (previous injury, individual anatomy, etc.). The key factor to remember is that we want our wrists straight and our forearm vertical to the floor. Vertical forearms will take undue stress off the shoulders and other stabilization muscles.
3. Unrack: Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended. Ensure the bar is stable before beginning the lift.
4. Lowering: Lower the barbell in a controlled manner towards your chest while keeping your elbows tucked close to your body. Aim to lower the bar until it lightly touches your chest or comes close without bouncing. Coaching Tip: Aim for the center (midline) of the chest. If the bar is too high on the chest in the bottom position, the elbows flare out and up toward the shoulder which can cause damage to the rotator cuff. Too low on the chest in the bottom position can cause the wrist to break which hinders the body’s ability to generate sufficient force to move the weight back into the starting position.
5. Pressing: Press the barbell back up to the starting position by driving through your feet and engaging your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Keep your core tight throughout the movement.
6. Lockout: Once the barbell is back in the starting position, fully extend your arms without locking out your elbows. Always maintain control of the bar.

Remember to breathe throughout the exercise, inhaling as you lower the barbell and exhaling as you press it back up. Additionally, it is crucial to maintain proper form and avoid arching your back excessively or allowing your elbows to flare out. There is some controversy about the “bench arch.” There is literature for and against the arch with some powerlifting federations outlawing it completely from competition. Whether you arch or not, excessive arch should be avoided.

COMMON MISTAKES AND HOW TO FIX THEM

1. Improper grip: Gripping the bar too wide or too narrow can put unnecessary strain on the wrists and shoulders. It is essential to maintain a grip that is slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Fix: Experiment with different grip widths to find what feels most comfortable and allows for proper alignment of the wrists and elbows. Additionally, strengthening the grip muscles through exercises like wrist curls and farmer’s walks can help improve grip strength and stability.

2. Lack of scapular retraction: Failing to retract the shoulder blades (scapulae) can lead to instability and reduced activation of the chest muscles.

Fix: Before unracking the barbell, retract your shoulder blades by squeezing them together and down towards your hips. Practice scapular retraction exercises such as band pull-apart and face pulls to strengthen the muscles responsible for this movement.

3. Excessive arching of the back: Arching the back excessively can increase the risk of lower back strain and diminish the effectiveness of the exercise by shifting the emphasis away from the chest muscles.

Fix: Focus on maintaining a slight arch in the lower back while keeping the rest of the spine neutral. Engage your core muscles to stabilize the spine throughout the movement. Strengthening the core through exercises like planks and deadbugs can help improve spinal stability.

4. Elbows flaring out: Allowing the elbows to flare out to the sides can place excessive stress on the shoulder joints and decrease chest activation.

Fix: Keep your elbows tucked close to your body throughout the movement. Imagine screwing your elbows into your sides as you lower and press the barbell. Strengthening the muscles of the rotator cuff through exercises like external rotations and band pull-apart can help reinforce proper elbow positioning.

5. Bouncing the bar off the chest: Bouncing the bar off the chest at the bottom of the movement can reduce muscle activation and increase the risk of injury.

Fix: Lower the barbell under control until it lightly touches your chest, then press it back up smoothly without bouncing. Focus on maintaining tension in the chest muscles throughout the entire range of motion.

Incorporating accessory exercises that target the muscles involved in the bench press and reinforce proper technique can help address these common mistakes. Additionally, practicing proper form with lighter weights and gradually increasing the load as strength improves can aid in technique refinement. Every rep, regardless of weight, should look the same. The goal is to make the technique flawless and efficient. Consider this “muscle memory.” Technique adjustment with heavy weight opens us up for injury.

ACCESSORY EXERCISES TO HELP IMPROVE THE BENCH PRESS

Several accessory exercises can help improve your bench press by targeting specific muscle groups involved in the lift. This is not the only accessory exercises that are available to improve the overall mechanics of the bench press, but it is a good starting point to build off of where exercises can be added and subtracted. Every muscle needs to be addressed when building an accessory list of exercises. This includes the delts, lats, traps, triceps, biceps and core.

A note about the deltoids. Exercises that target the front of the deltoid might not be necessary and could possibly be completely avoided. The nature of the bench press itself, and most pressing exercises in general, fire the front of the deltoid. Using exercises that target the front of the deltoid can lead to overtraining, muscle imbalances and possibly injury so be careful about targeting the front deltoid in isolation exercises. I recommend working the lat and rear deltoid over the front deltoid in isolation exercises but once again, this can vary individually so make sure to address weak points in the bench movement with isolation exercises.

1. Dumbbell Bench Press: This exercise helps improve stability and balance while also allowing for a greater range of motion compared to the barbell bench press. It targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
2. Close-Grip Bench Press: By using a narrower grip than the traditional bench press, this variation emphasizes the triceps while still engaging the chest and shoulders. It can help address weaknesses in the lockout portion of the lift.
3. Incline Bench Press: Performing bench presses on an incline bench targets the upper chest and shoulders, which can contribute to overall chest development and improve strength in the upper portion of the bench press.
4. Dumbbell Flyes: This isolation exercise targets the chest muscles and helps improve chest activation and muscle control. It can be particularly beneficial for developing a strong mind-muscle connection.
5. Tricep Dips: Tricep dips target the triceps and can help improve lockout strength in the bench press. They can be performed using parallel bars or a bench, depending on equipment availability.
6. Overhead Press: Also known as the shoulder press, this exercise targets the deltoid muscles and can help improve shoulder stability and strength, which are important for a strong bench press.
7. Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups: Strengthening the back and biceps through pull-ups or chin-ups can improve stability during the bench press and help maintain proper posture throughout the lift.
8. Push-Ups: Push-ups target the chest, shoulders, and triceps and can be a valuable accessory exercise for improving overall upper body strength and endurance, which can translate to a stronger bench press.

Incorporating a combination of these accessory exercises into your training routine, along with proper programming and progression, can help address weaknesses, improve muscle balance, and enhance your bench press performance. It is essential to focus on proper form and technique with each exercise to maximize effectiveness and minimize the risk of injury.

We want to build an accessory program that addresses our weaknesses so this can differ from person to person. Some individuals might need to address shoulder strength and stability while others might need to focus more on scap retraction exercises. Areas of improvement might take time to uncover so be patient and make adjustment when training.

THE PROGRAM

Here is a 6-week 5x5 bench press program with accessory lifts included to provide a more comprehensive strength training routine:

Week 1–2: Foundation

Day 1:

• Bench Press 5x5
• Dumbbell Rows 3x8–10
• Tricep Pushdowns 3x10–12

Day 2: Rest or Active Recovery

Day 3:

• Bench Press 5x5
• Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns 3x8–10
• Overhead Tricep Extensions 3x10–12

Day 4: Rest or Active Recovery

Day 5:

• Bench Press 5x5
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3x8–10
• Face Pulls 3x10–12

Day 6–7: Rest

Week 3–4: Progression

Day 1:

• Bench Press 5x5
• Barbell Rows 3x8–10
• Close-Grip Bench Press 3x8–10

Day 2: Rest or Active Recovery

Day 3:

• Bench Press 5x5
• Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns 3x8–10
• Skull Crushers 3x10–12

Day 4: Rest or Active Recovery

Day 5:

• Bench Press 5x5
• Dumbbell Lateral Raises 3x10–12
• Reverse Flyes 3x10–12

Day 6–7: Rest

Week 5: Intensification

Day 1:

• Bench Press 5x5
• Bent Over Rows 3x8–10
• Cable Rope Tricep Pushdowns 3x10–12

Day 2: Rest or Active Recovery

Day 3:

• Bench Press 5x5
• Chin-Ups or Hammer Strength Pulldowns 3x8–10
• Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extensions 3x10–12

Day 4: Rest or Active Recovery

Day 5:

• Bench Press 5x5
• Arnold Press 3x8–10
• Band Pull-Apart 3x15–20.

Day 6–7: Rest

Week 6: Deload

Day 1:

• Bench Press 3x5 (Reduce the weight by 10–20% from Week 5)
• Barbell Rows 3x8–10
• Dips 3x10–12

Day 2: Rest or Active Recovery

Day 3:

• Bench Press 3x5 (Use the same weight as Day 1)
• Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns 3x8–10
• Cable Tricep Kickbacks 3x10–12

Day 4: Rest or Active Recovery

Day 5:

• Bench Press 3x5 (Use the same weight as Day 1)
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3x8–10
• Face Pulls 3x10–12

Day 6–7: Rest

Notes:

• Warm up adequately before each workout with light cardio and dynamic stretches.
• Rest for 1–2 minutes between sets of accessory lifts.
• Choose weights for accessory lifts that allow you to perform the prescribed repetitions with proper form.
• Focus on progressive overload by gradually increasing weights or reps over time.
• If you fail to complete all sets and reps with the prescribed weight, repeat the same weight in the next session before attempting to increase again. A good rule of thumb is too increase the weight every two weeks which allows the body to adapt without plateauing.
• Listen to your body and adjust the program as needed to accommodate recovery and individual progress.