Simple movement they
said, push the bar away from your chest they said, let me help you by
rowing the bar up they said. The bench press is by far the most
popular and most butchered (often to the extent of not even being a
bench press anymore) movement in any gym.
Here are 5 little
things that could clean up your form or break a small plateau -
LOOK AT A SET POINT IN
THE CEILING
PURPOSE – FIXES YOUR
BAR PATH
Everyone has seen a bar
path that shakes like someone high on amphetamines, by staring at a
fixed point in the ceiling your bar path will automatically guide the bar back
to the point where it was at the start of the motion. People have a
tendency to watch the bar as it goes up and down, this is bad not
only because it distracts your focus but by overthinking the bar
path, that's what sets it on an inefficient pat in the first place.
PULL THE BAR APART
PURPOSE – MORE
TRICEP INVOLVEMENT AND STABILITY
When the bar is gripped
tight and you attempt to pull it apart (obviously nothing is going to
happen unless you're the hulk). Not only does this involve more
triceps, but this will also engage the lats and increase your general
levels of stability. Which brings me on to the next point!
THE BENCH IS ABOUT
STABILITY
PURPOSE – LIFT MORE
WEIGHT
The number one issue
with people plateauing in the bench press is technique, the technique
being down to a lack of stability. I've experienced it myself and
also corrected it for numerous people. Your feet should be firmly on
the floor and locked in place, your glutes should be tensed creating
a firm base for leg drive. Your scapula should be driven INTO the
bench to the point it hurts creating a solid upper back to push from.
Your whole body should be tight and not move until the set is
finished! Make sure you find a comfortable way to setup and reinforce
this technique every time you bench, everyone is different in this
aspect. Some like to set their feet first, some like to set their
back first, it's down to the individual, the end result must be the
same though – tightness throughout.
People arching/moving
their feet around/their asses coming off the bench, it all comes down
to poor technique and a lack of stability. Another thing to note is
that a lot of those come with trying to lift too much weight.
DO A FULL ROM
PURPOSE – EFFICIENCY
If the weight you're
benching doubles, yet the range of movement decreases by 50%, you're
still lifting the same weight as you were when you started (ignoring
the biomechanical differences of different parts of the ROM). If you
can't do a full ROM bench press without a spotter rowing the weight,
then reduce the weight until you can. A 2 man team of rower and
pusher is not a bench press. People who say they bench '350' yet look
like they can't handle 135 is simply because they can't handle 135,
the other chuckle brother just has a strong back. This is not only
unsafe but it makes you look like a prat trying to lift too much
weight (nothing wrong with failing and getting stuck under the bar
however on an honest set).
IMAGINE PUSHING
YOURSELF AWAY FROM THE BAR
PURPOSE –
PSYCHOLOGICALLY MAKES IT EASIER
The brain often limits
you far more than your actual muscles do simply to prevent you
injuring yourself. This can be overcome by adrenaline or simple
psychological cues like the one above. By thinking of the bench press
as pushing yourself away from the bar, the perceived weight may be
less which will make it feel 'easier'.
Try implementing these
and see if they help! Don't forget to check out our Facebook &
Twitter pages.
No comments:
Post a Comment