Nutri-Sport Training Tip: Building a Monster Bench Press

Building a Monster Bench Press

Building an impressive bench press starts with the set up.  Just like any other sport, form and technique are everything.  To be a good golfer you have to learn the perfect form then constantly work on it.  Bench pressing is no different you are only as good as your set up.

Teaching the Set up Part 1 The Arched back

Flat back

The goal of the bench press set up is to put your body in a strong pressing position. Flat back bench pressing is how most of us learned how to press. The flat back technique or body building style bench press removes the ability to tuck your elbows and creates more distance for the bar to move.

Arched back bench pressing decreases the distance in which you have to move the bar buy up to 50% and increases the body’s leverages.  Arching your back requires that you work on your flexibility.  The more flexible you become the higher you can build your arch.

Teaching the Set up Part 2 Setting the Pressing Surface

Locking in your back is the next step once you have your arch.  This is the make

Arched back

it or break it point of your set up. Any looseness in your set up will result in a poor press.  The set up is all about tightness.  Any lose part of your body will hurt your press.  You want to develop as much contact with the bench pad as possible with your upper back.

Pinching shoulders together

This step requires that you squeeze your shoulder blades together like you are trying to hold a pencil in the middle of your back. Most people try to shrug up thus bring the shoulders up towards the ears. This creates a horrible pressing position. By pinching your shoulder blades together you gain more contact with the bench press pad and create a bigger pressing surface.  The harder you can press your back into the bench press pad the harder you can press the bar up.

Once you start to lower yourself down at the bench press pad make contact with your traps, neck then head.  As you loosely grab the bar squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull your lats towards your glutes thus setting them underneath your body.

Teaching the Set up Part 3 Foot Placement

Kinetic Linking Feet Flat

After your upper back is locked in, you have to choose a foot placement that allows you to stabilize your body and apply leg drive during the pressing portion of the bench press.  There are advantages and disadvantages to both styles.  A wide foot position with your feet flat allows you to really be stable but cuts down on your arch, thus making a longer press.  While tucking your feet below you up on your toes allows you to build up a big arch, it creates a less stable pressing position.

The act of leg drive can be explained by kinetic linking. The harder a golfer presses into the ground the more energy that transfers through the entire body into the club into the ball. Bench pressing is the same way. The harder you can press your heels into the ground the more energy that transfers through your body into the bench press pad into the weights as you press.  The harder you can get your back pressing into the bench press pad the harder you can press up on the bar and that starts with a leg drive from your heels. Once you plant your feet lock them in position and keep them there for the entire press. Your body should only be making contact with the bench on your glutes and upper back.

Teaching the Set up Part 4 Get a Grip

Poor Pressing Position (Wrists Rolled)

This is one of the most overlooked techniques for beginner lifters.  How you grip the bar is critical in bench pressing success.  A narrow grip is considered with the pinky finger on the rings of the bar. This is a great grip for lifters who are tricep dominant.  A max grip is with the pointer finger on the rings of the bar.  This is a good way to cut down the distance you press the bar but can put more stress on the shoulders. A grip that best fits you should play to your strengths (Triceps/Shoulder) and you should always have your wrist straight directly above the elbow in the same pressing line.

Once you have your grip position then you have to position the bar correctly in your hands. How the bar is in your hands determines how your body responds to the weight during the lowering of the bench press.  You need to squeeze the bar as

Proper Pressing Position (Wrist Straight)

hard as possibly like you are trying to crush it in your hands as you are squeezing the bar begin to pull it apart like you are trying to make the middle of the bar laffy taffy.  This will engage your back and rear delts and help keep a big pressing surface.

One of the biggest mistakes that most lifters make is letting the bar roll back in their hands allowing the wrist to bend back and the weight to sit more on the outside of the hands. This puts the elbows at a poor pressing position off the chest.  You must make a serious effort to keep your wrists straight and keep your elbows directly below.

Teaching the Set up Part 5 Getting the Bar Out of the Rack

Pulling the Bar (note shoulder and arch position)

By now you have put a great deal of effort to get your body into perfect bench pressing position. However this is where most people go wrong.  The mistake here is bench pressing the bar out of the rack.

Pressing the Bar (note shoulder and arch position)

By doing this you have lost all of your tightness in your shoulder blades and they are no longer underneath your body.  Not only have you lost your back tightness but your arch has been cut in half and proper pressing mechanics can no longer be attained. This is easily one of the biggest mistakes in competitive bench pressing.

The fix is to hold your position and pull the weight out of the rack.  This is why the strongest guys in the

world use a hand off guy at lighter weights so they don’t lose their tightness.  Pulling the bar out of the rack with your lats keeps them engaged and underneath you for your press. Have a spotter hand the bar out to you as you pull it out of the rack.

Teaching the Set up Part 6 Setting Your Air

Set up with No Air (note arch position)

Now we are ready for the eccentric portion of the lift or the lowering of the bar. Every part of your body

Set up with Air (note arch position)

should be tight at this point.  Before you lower the weight take a big breath of air in your mouth and push it into your belly hold it there for the entire press.  Push your belly up towards the bar to cut down the distance the bar has to travel.  This internal tightness along with your full body being squeezed tight will give you a spring for a monster bench press.

I personally would work on just my set up 30-50 reps a day with just a 45lb bar, to make it a habit so I didn’t have to think about it. Here is some footage of Wes’s latest bench press training:  http://youtu.be/U3o4TVFPxK8.

-Wes Keith

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