The Fastest Way To Blow Up Your Bench Press (4 Science-Based Steps) + Sample Program
Summary
TLDRThis fitness video script focuses on enhancing bench press performance with immediate impact strategies. It emphasizes the importance of a proper lifting arch and correct bar path, pressing back towards the face and then up to maximize strength. The script advises taking a wider grip, bench pressing more frequently, and incorporating heavy top sets for confidence. It also recommends reviewing the scripter's bench press specialization program and 'How to Bench Press' guide for comprehensive training.
Takeaways
- 🏋️♀️ For fitness goals, gradual progress is often more beneficial than quick fixes, especially for fat loss and muscle building.
- 🤸♂️ Proper lifting form is crucial, particularly for the bench press, where a correct arch can significantly impact strength gains.
- 📏 Adjusting the bar path in the bench press to press back towards your face and then up can enhance max strength by reducing the moment arm and emphasizing horizontal shoulder adduction.
- 🔄 Understanding basic biomechanics and physics can help optimize the bench press movement, making it more efficient and strengthening the pecs more effectively.
- 📉 Reducing the range of motion by pressing the bar back first can decrease the work required from the front deltoids, making the lift stronger and more efficient.
- 🤲 Taking a wider grip on the bar can lead to a stronger bench press by shortening the range of motion and making the lockout easier.
- 🔄 Wider grip facilitates better upper back tightness and stability due to increased scapular retraction and depression.
- 📈 Increasing the frequency of bench press exercises can improve strength, but it's important to focus on technique to avoid reinforcing bad habits.
- 🔆 A daily undulating periodized (DUP) setup can be an effective way to train the bench press, focusing on different adaptations each day to avoid overtraining.
- 🏋️♂️ Heavy top sets can help build confidence and comfort with heavy weights, improving overall strength without overtaxing recovery.
- 🔗 For a comprehensive bench press program, consider resources like the bench press specialization program and the 'How to Bench Press' guide from Stronger by Science.
Q & A
What is the importance of a proper lifting arch in bench press technique?
-A proper lifting arch is crucial for maximizing strength and efficiency in the bench press. It helps to maintain a strong and stable base, which allows for better force transfer from the body to the bar, and also helps to protect the spine during the lift.
Why should the bar path in a bench press not be vertical?
-The bar path in a bench press should not be vertical because the movement involves both horizontal shoulder adduction and shoulder flexion. Pressing the bar back towards the face and then up reduces the moment arm between the bar and the shoulder, making it easier for the front delts to bring the bar back into balance over the shoulder.
What is the biomechanical reason for pressing the bar back first in a bench press?
-Pressing the bar back first reduces the moment arm between the bar and the shoulder, which decreases the demand on the front deltoids to overcome shoulder flexion. This allows for a stronger press and emphasizes horizontal shoulder adduction over shoulder flexion.
How does the bar path affect the range of motion in a bench press?
-Lowering the bar down and slightly forward and then pressing it back and up reduces the total range of motion the bar has to travel, making the lift stronger and more efficient.
What is the significance of the 'sticking point' in a bench press?
-The 'sticking point' is the最难的部分 of the lift, which is a few inches off the chest. By pressing the bar back first, the lifter can reduce the work required from the front delts at this critical point, making it easier to push through the sticking point.
Why is a wider grip recommended for bench pressing?
-A wider grip can lead to a stronger bench press because it shortens the range of motion, eases the midpoint and lockout portions of the lift, and allows for better maintenance of a tight upper back due to increased scapular retraction and depression.
How can increasing bench press frequency improve strength?
-Increasing the frequency of bench pressing allows for more practice and repetition, which can lead to better technique and muscle memory. This can result in increased strength as long as the practice is focused and the lifter is not just repeating bad habits.
What is a daily undulating periodized (DUP) setup and how can it be used in a bench press program?
-A daily undulating periodized setup is a training program where the focus of each training session varies from day to day. For bench pressing, this could mean focusing on hypertrophy one day, power the next, and strength on another, which can help to avoid overtraining while still targeting different aspects of strength and muscle development.
What are heavy top sets and how can they benefit a lifter's bench press?
-Heavy top sets are sets performed at or near a lifter's one rep max before doing the main work for the day. They help the lifter get comfortable with heavy weights and can improve confidence and strength, as long as they are not overused and are part of a balanced training program.
What is the recommended approach to increasing the grip width in bench pressing?
-The recommended approach is to gradually ease the grip out by about one finger width with every workout over the course of a few weeks. This allows the lifter to adapt to the new grip width without causing discomfort or injury.
Outlines
🏋️♂️ Improving Bench Press Strength
This paragraph discusses techniques to enhance bench press performance. The speaker emphasizes the importance of a proper lifting arch and recommends starting with it before moving on to other steps. The first step is correcting the bar path, which should be pressed back towards the face and then up, rather than straight up, to maximize strength. This technique reduces the range of motion and the work required from the front deltoids. The paragraph also covers basic biomechanics and physics involved in the bench press, explaining why pressing the bar back first is more efficient. The speaker suggests filming your sets for analysis and adjusting your technique accordingly.
💪 Enhancing Grip and Frequency for Better Bench Press
The second paragraph focuses on taking a wider grip on the bar and bench pressing more frequently to improve strength. A wider grip shortens the range of motion and makes the lift easier at the midpoint and lockout, while also facilitating a more stable upper back position. The speaker advises increasing grip width gradually and bench pressing more often, suggesting three days a week as optimal. They also recommend incorporating heavy top sets, around 90% of one's 1RM, to build confidence and strength. The paragraph concludes with a promotion for a bench press specialization program and a guide on bench pressing from 'strongerbyscience.com'.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Fitness
💡Bench Press
💡Lifting Arch
💡Bar Path
💡Biomechanics
💡Range of Motion
💡Moment Arm
💡Grip Width
💡Scapular Retraction and Depression
💡Frequency
💡Top Sets
Highlights
For fitness, shortcuts aren't worth taking, especially for long-term muscle and fat loss goals.
Proper lifting arch is crucial for maximizing bench press performance.
Four immediate impact strategies for increasing bench press max strength.
Fixing the bar path is essential for better bench press performance.
The bar should be pressed back towards the face and then up, not straight up.
Basic biomechanics and physics explain why the bar path matters.
Pressing the bar straight up can lead to a weaker lift due to increased shoulder flexion.
A back and up technique strengthens the pecs more effectively.
Elite lifters use a back and up bar path, unlike novices who press straight up.
Filming your sets can help correct bar path and improve technique.
Wider grip on the bar can lead to a stronger bench press.
Wider grip reduces range of motion and eases midpoint and lockout.
A wider grip helps maintain a tight upper back and stable base.
Bench pressing more frequently can lead to strength gains.
Practice makes perfect when technique is prioritized.
High-frequency bench programs can be effective but require careful management of volume and intensity.
Three days a week of bench pressing is recommended for most people.
Daily undulating periodization can be used to focus on different adaptations each day.
Heavy top sets can improve confidence and strength.
A bench press specialization program is available for those looking to increase strength.
The 'How to Bench Press' guide is recommended for further reading.
Transcripts
so for most things fitness-related
shortcuts generally aren't worth taking
if you want to lose fat a slower cut is
better at preserving muscle than a crash
diet if you want to build a proportional
physique it's probably going to take
years of consistent lifting however when
it comes to the bench press there are
four things you can start doing right
away that are gonna have an immediate
impact on your max strength now I
already discuss the importance of a
proper lifting arch in my benchpress
technique Tuesday video so I'm gonna
skip that here still if you're not
setting up at least some kind of arch
when pressing you're leaving a ton of
gains on the table and I'd recommend it
starting there before moving on to the
other four steps now if you'd rather use
a more moderate arch that's fine
especially if you have muscle building
goals and you'll still benefit from
these four steps okay so the first step
is to fix your bar path or the path the
bar takes when viewed from the side now
on the other to power lifts the squat
and the deadlift it's good lifting
advice to keep the bar path as vertical
as possible ideally the bar should move
up and down in a perfectly straight line
centered over the middle of the foot and
I think this has led many lifters to
assume that you should also use a
vertical bar path on the bench press
which isn't true
now to maximize strength on the bench
press you should be pressing the bar
back toward your face and then up not
just straight up and in order to
understand this we need to cover some
basic biomechanics first now with the
bench press the pecs and front delts are
contracting to perform a horizontal
shoulder adduction basically where you
bring your arm across your body like in
a fly but that's not the only movement
pattern here unless you're doing a
guillotine press or you lower the bar
straight down to your neck there will
also be some degree of shoulder flexion
occurring where you raise your arm up
like in the front raise and you can see
here from the side angle that your arm
is raising up in the bench press similar
to how it would in a front raise except
with less range of motion if we rotate
this video of the front raise so my
torso is in the same plane as the bench
you should be able to see that the basic
movement pattern is exactly the same
okay next we need to cover some really
basic physics so when you unwrap the bar
it should naturally come into position
over the shoulder joint this is because
the front delt doesn't need to do any
work performing shoulder flexion as
there's no horizontal distance or moment
arm between the
are the shoulder joint so this is where
you should start now let's look at two
different lowering scenarios on the left
we're lowering the bar straight down
like Anna guillotine press and on the
right we're lowering the bar down and
slightly forward like you would in a
traditional bench press will obviously
be stronger benching with the technique
on the right because it reduces the
total range of motion the bar has to
travel however it does pose a problem
during the concentric phase of the
movement because we've brought the bar
so far forward we've now created a
moment arm between the bar and the
shoulder this means that the front delt
has to work much harder to bring that
bar back into balance over the shoulder
again you can think about it this way by
bringing the bar forward you're
basically forcing yourself to do a bit
of a front raise so when getting the bar
off your chest you should shove the bar
back first to reduce that moment arm
between the bar and the shoulder as
quickly as possible
this way once you hit the sticking point
a few inches off your chest your front
delts don't need to work nearly as hard
to overcome that shoulder flexion demand
and this back and up technique is also
going to strengthen the pecs more since
it emphasizes horizontal shoulder
adduction over shoulder flexion that the
toughest points in the press now let's
contrast this with lowering the bar down
and forward but then pressing the bar
straight up when you press the bar
straight up off your chest you keep that
moment arm in place and your front delt
has to work extra hard to move the
weight up and you'll be much weaker if
you bench press this way data from dr.
thomas mclaughlin found that not only
did the biomechanics make sense it also
plays out in the real world
he found that while most ventures did
correctly bring the bar down and
slightly forward in a smooth arc on the
descent only elite level ventures drove
the bar back and then up whereas novice
lifters tended to press the bar straight
up first and then slightly back now
putting this into practice I'd recommend
filming your sets from the side to get a
close look at your bar path and you can
use an app like iron path or Dartfish to
track this easily if you're pressing the
bar straight up make a conscious effort
to press the bar back first and then of
course this might feel a little bit
awkward at first you want to get to a
point where it feels natural for you
that for me I like to cue this by
thinking about pushing the floor away
from me well I simultaneously drive the
bar
and up off my chest okay the second step
is to take a wider grip on the bar
wherever you're currently gripping the
bar
you should try gradually easing your
grip out by about one fingers with every
workout over the course of the next few
weeks most of the world's top bench
press errs press with a max legal grip
width with the index fingers all the way
out to the grip rings although this may
not be comfortable for everyone
they'll typically be stronger with a
wider grip up to a point for a few
reasons first a wider grip is going to
mean a slightly shorter range of motion
secondly a wider grip is going to make
the midpoint and lockout portions of the
lift easier since the pecs won't be
quite as contracted basically a wider
grip means there's going to be more
stretch on the pecs to contract more
forcefully throughout the range of
motion and thirdly it's generally easier
to maintain a tight upper back with a
wider grip as it tends to force you into
a bit more scapular retraction and
depression giving you a more stable base
of support throughout the lift alright
so now that you've fine-tuned your
technique the next step is to simply
benchpress more frequently and whenever
people tell me they want to get their
bench press up the first question I ask
them is how often they're currently
bench pressing per week they'll usually
say once or twice a week and I'll then
say you need to bench more often if you
want to get better at any skill let's
say shooting free throws you probably
think that shooting more often is gonna
help you get better at shooting free
throws now practice doesn't always make
perfect if you're just practicing bad
habits over and over so practicing more
might not actually help much unless
you're actively addressing those
underlying issues while practicing and
that's why we covered technique first
but once you're practicing smart
focusing on improving your technique
that's when practice really does make
perfect and although I've personally run
very high frequency bench programs where
I've bench four or five times a week you
do have to be more careful with
overtraining by keeping volume and
intensity quite low on the individual
training days now so I think benching
three days a week is gonna be the sweet
spot for most people and you can easily
set that up with a daily undulating
periodized design where you focus on
slightly different adaptations each day
this type of setup was shown to increase
one rep max strength in a DOP study from
dr. Mike's or toes for example running
with a setup like this we would focus on
hypertrophy on day one with sets of
eight reps power on day two with lighter
speed work
and then strength work on day three with
heavy sets of five now you could also
optionally add in a heavy atop set
before the hypertrophy work on day one
which is going to be my fourth step here
I think top sets are a great way to get
comfortable with lifting a heavy weight
on a regular basis which is going to
improve confidence in your ability to
lift heavier without frying your
recovery
I'd recommend adding one heavy top set
somewhere around 90 percent of your 1
rep max for 2 to 3 reps before backing
off and doing your main work for that
day and you only need to do this once a
week ideally before your latest lifting
day and while I definitely wouldn't
recommend maxing out on these top sets
regularly because a strength is specific
if you want to get stronger you got to
get used to having some heavy weight in
your hands on a pretty regular basis ok
so guys if you're looking to put all of
this information together I'd recommend
checking out my benchpress
specialization program which I'm going
to knock down to 50% off for the release
of this video so for the next week if
you're looking for a complete training
program to take your benchpress
strength to the next level you can go to
Jeff nipper to calm and take advantage
of the discounted rate for the next week
this program uses an upper lower
training split with the benchpress being
prioritized three days per week with a
DUP set up and the feedback on it over
the last year or so has been amazing so
I'll have that as the first link in the
description box down below and also a
lot of the info in this video came from
the how to benchpress definitive guide
over on a stronger by science.com which
I strongly recommend giving a read if
you haven't already so I have that link
down below as well so that's it for this
one guys don't forget to leave me a
thumbs up if you enjoyed the video
subscribe if you haven't already and
I'll see you guys all here in the next
[Music]
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