Stay Tight, Lift Big
By Chuck Scherza
For EliteFTS.com

Today's advanced powerlifting methods offer lifters many quality options as to how to increase their bench. Recently everyone has a "system" to add pounds to your bench, a technique to boost your lockout or a style that is most effective. Even though I have my own strong beliefs about what works (as do most) I agree training is highly individual, and what works for some may not work for all. That being said, I will venture to say there is an overlooked aspect to heavy benching that will work for all. Using trap and neck strength to increase your bench press. 

Even though there are varying styles of benching such as flat backed, arched, thumb grip, thumbless, wide grip, close grip, low on chest, high on chest, pushing straight, pushing up and back, etc. none can be accomplished optimally without staying tight. Every big bench presser I know or have seen demonstrates this when they lift. The shoulder blades are pulled tight and held by the traps while digging into the bench. The neck is bulled and tensed. This solid base is the launching pad and key to extracting the most bang for your buck. It allows one to use all their pressing muscles more effectively and contributes to bar control as well. It also helps keep the lats in place, which in turn keeps your arms vertical under the bar, which leads to a good lift. This is true whether a lifter wears gear or not. Picking your head up does not disturb this tightness either. In fact, I believe it helps with correct bar placement and getting weight to touch and then jamming your head back into the bench helps with blasting the last few inches. 

Strong traps allow all of these things to happen because they hold the shoulder blades in place when you set up. By this I mean when you pull your shoulders together and shrug them up toward your head, you will feel as solid as a bridge footing. It also teaches you how important it is to push yourself into the bench away from the bar while pressing. A strong neck compounds this in two ways. First it helps coordinate the other muscles and contributes to staying tight. Secondly it reinforces the feeling of driving the bar while pushing yourself away from the bar, teaching you to stay in position to finish. 

When setting up like this at a meet there are a few points to remember. Make sure you belt is tight enough to secure your bench shirt in place to prevent it from moving. This can be remedied by pulling your shoulders back or leaning back while standing and putting on your belt with your handlers help. Second is making sure your handoff person uses a front knuckles grip when handing you the bar. This prevents the bar from “helicoptering” which will sometimes flatten you out. Lastly to reinforce the feeling of tightness when under the bar, do a quick pull-up, pull everything in, hold it, and then shrug while on the bench before getting your handoff.

As far as training I work the traps and neck twice a week each, varying sets, reps, exercises, etc. It's really up to the individual. I am positive however that no matter how you train your traps and neck, if you use them correctly they will contribute to a bigger bench. Look at I this way, no one would try a heavy squat with a relaxed posture, so why should a bench press be any different. Stay tight and lift big!

Chuck Scherza
Csc31@aol.com
(401) 461-9391