Horizontal push exercise
Bench Press
Build maximal upper-body pressing strength.
- Equipment
- Barbell, bench, rack, plates
- Sides
- Both sides together
- Positions
- All positions
- Tempo
- 30X0
Setup
Flat bench in a rack, shoulder blades retracted and pulled down, feet flat and driving into the floor.
How to do it
- Set your shoulder blades back and down and keep your feet driving into the floor throughout.
- Lower the bar under control to your lower chest with your elbows at roughly 45 degrees rather than flared wide, then press back up.
- Use a spotter on anything heavy.
- Do 3 to 5 sets of 1 to 5 reps for strength.
Coaching cues
- Shoulder blades back and down
- Elbows at 45 degrees, not flared
- Feet driving into the floor
Common mistakes
- Flaring the elbows to 90 degrees, which loads the shoulder badly
- Bouncing the bar off the chest
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 80 to 95% of 1RM | 3 to 5 | 1 to 5 | 4 min |
| Size | 65 to 80% of 1RM | 3 to 5 | 6 to 10 | 2 min |
Tempo 30X0: Take 3 seconds to lower it, no pause, lift it as fast as you can, no pause before the next rep.
Related exercises
- Incline Bench PressBuild pressing strength and shoulder-girdle mass at an upward angle.
- Dumbbell Bench PressBuild pressing strength with more range and less shoulder stress than a barbell.
- Strict Overhead PressBuild overhead strength and shoulder stability for lineout lifting.
- Push PressExpress overhead power using the legs, in the pattern closest to a lineout lift.
- Landmine PressGet an overhead pressing stimulus for players who cannot press safely overhead.
- DipsBuild pressing and triceps strength for the fend.