I’ve always said it only takes a single well-thought-out cue to change the way someone approaches a lift. I’m certain that one of these bench cues below are going to be that single cue that you’ve been waiting for.
Based on Dave’s bench cues and progress made, I’m revising my bench goal for Reebok Record Breakers in November, from 200 kilos up to 210 — a huge jump, especially considering it’s by far my worst lift.
If you’re a beginner or intermediate lifter, this probably doesn’t apply to you. But for advanced lifters, knowing how to alter workload without changing volume might be a big help.
With beginners you need to follow a simple guide to get them going. Then once they’re ready, you need to focus on the three phases of the bench press. It’s all included in this article.
No matter which style you use, there’s one rule with your wrists and elbows you always have to follow.
This workout uses a holistic approach in order to build strength, explosive power, and hypertrophy, utilizing a combination of light weight, heavy weight, tempos, isometric contractions, giant sets, bands, and the Juarez Valley finisher.
In the first article of this series, I explained the value of the judge’s perspective in relation to the squat. Now let’s look at the bench press and see what lifters can learn from considering the judge’s role.
I have trained with three classes of people in the last few months, including young college men, 50-year-old women, and two very strong powerlifters. Each group has encouraged me in its own way.
It took me about two weeks to figure out I uprooted myself right into HELL. I ran into many of the same issues many of you are still dealing with.
Seven years ago while benching 500 pounds, I experienced a partial pec tear to the muscle belly near the attachment to the pec tendon. These are the techniques I used to recover and the exercises I perform to safeguard my pec from ever tearing again.
If you use this peaking plan and follow these tips, it’s not a question of whether or not you’ll PR at your next meet — it’s just a matter of by how much.
The shoulder is a complex joint but keeping it healthy can be simple. Many issues can be fixed or greatly improved with certain exercises and stretching.
The most common mistakes in the bench press haven’t changed much over the years.
Seemingly simple questions are not simple at all if you understand strength. If you really want to bench more, you need more knowledge.
It’s been more than a year since I last competed (not counting the unsanctioned and unseasonable non-invitational last December) and announced that I would be taking a step back from chasing the biggest bench possible.
If shoulder pain is holding you back when pressing overhead, the infraspinatus and AC joint are two likely culprits you should examine.
In this article, you will find multiple quotes from some of the best lifters past and present regarding what makes a good bench presser — Greg Panora, Jeremy Hoornstra, Ryan Kennelly, and Eric Spoto to name a few.
So why do you want to build a strong, thick upper back? Isn’t the bench all pecs, shoulders, and triceps?
This four-step progression is used to help young athletes develop the proper form, stability, and strength required to use a barbell.
Layering thousands of coaching hours on the floor with successes and failures, I think I know what works and what doesn’t work.
The latest and greatest from Dr. Ken Kinakin includes specific muscle tests for upper and lower body exercises to determine if the muscles are functional and capable of handling the stress of weight.
Using these two cycles together is a great template that I guarantee will make you a stronger bencher.
The strength of the athlete determines what kind of preparation will produce the desired training effect: more reps. We need to stop and ask three questions.
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing”, and over-applying a cue when it’s not needed can really jack up a lifter’s technique.
Here are some of the tried-and-tested methods that helped me finally break through the 400-pound barrier, which had been a monkey on my back for years.
Use this principle to analyze your training program, your technique, your diet, your recovery, and your time.
Get a bigger bench and boulder shoulders with this easy movement.
Bench-builder or back-breaker? Steve has the answer.
Dave believes the most important and widely used purpose for boards is to increase/correct the mini-max or sticking point.
In this article, we are going to discuss the training of the bench press for someone approaching a press 1.8-2x their bodyweight.
This article gives you the 12 best exercises to build mass in the necessary areas for a stronger bench press. Body-part by body-part, exercise by exercise, it’s all here.
Don’t let the mass quantities of information fool you: the basics of the bench will never change. Follow them and you’ll get stronger.
This was my first push/pull meet and I kept repeating to myself, “It’s time. Work is done. Make it happen.”
Are you getting beat up from squatting, benching, and deadlifting? Here’s a handful of tips to help cure what ails you.
I don’t know how many questions we’ve gotten about how to train certain weak points. Of course, almost every question is in regard to a weak muscle group or a certain portion of a lift.
My road to 600 can be broken down into two phases of training: the Raw Strength Phase and The Equipped Peaking Phase. Here’s how I did it.
From setup adjustments to training intensity, Clint’s coaching adjustments are all explained in this video.
If you train smart and put in the work, your nagging pains will not stop you from hitting a PR.
Regardless of what program you think works best for you, the form used to complete the lift is still the same.
The powerlifting community could learn a lot from the Special Olympics.
Sometimes a visual is the one thing an audible coaching cue lacks. Give these tips a try.
You have questions, team elitefts has answers. Today’s topic: the bench press.
A lot of lifters say the lats are the most important part of a strong bench press, but few know how to train them correctly.
On my 40th birthday I reflect on the things I learned for each year of my life.