When it comes to maximising your bench press performance, the actual pressing is only half the story. Properly preparing your body, especially the upper body, is crucial for not only enhancing your pressing power but also ensuring longevity and injury prevention. Today, we’ll dive deep into a comprehensive movement preparation routine tailored for bench press day.
1. Body Tempering
Kickstart your warm-up by rolling cylindrical weights (like barbells) over major muscle groups, like your lats, triceps, and pecs. This self-myofascial release technique can increase blood flow, decrease muscle stiffness, and prepare tissues for the loads to come.
2. Kneeling Thread the Needle
Perfect for opening up the thoracic spine and stretching the muscles between your shoulder blades. Start on all fours, then reach one arm under your body while keeping the other arm stable. This movement encourages thoracic rotation, priming your upper back for stability during the press.
3. Prone Blackburns
Prone Blackburn exercise focus on strengthening the scapular stabilisers and rotator cuff muscles, promoting proper shoulder movement and alignment. Regularly performing these exercises can combat forward-shoulder posture, often seen in sedentary individuals, and aid in injury prevention by reinforcing the shoulder’s stabilising muscles. Additionally, they help maintain a balance between anterior and posterior shoulder muscles, ensuring efficient force transfer in athletic movements and aiding in joint mobility and proprioception.
4. Prone Straight Arm Raises & T Raises
While still face down, extend your arms straight ahead for the straight arm raises and out to the sides for the T raises. These movements challenge the anterior and mid deltoids, respectively, warming them up for the pressing motion.
5. TRX Face Pulls with External Rotation
Using a TRX or suspension trainer, pull the handles towards your face while externally rotating your shoulders. This strengthens the rear deltoids and upper traps, which play crucial roles in stabilizing the shoulders during bench press.
6. Scap Retractions
Focus on moving the scapula (shoulder blades) without moving the arms. Pinch them together and then release. This movement teaches you to engage the scapula, an essential component for a stable and powerful bench press.
7. Band Pull Aparts
With a resistance band, work on extending the elbows for the tricep extensions and pulling the band apart in front of you for band pull aparts. These movements activate the triceps (primary movers in bench pressing) and the mid-back muscles, respectively.
10. Cable One Arm High Row with Lateral Flexion
Using a cable machine, pull the handle downwards while laterally flexing the spine towards the pulling arm. This movement activates the lats and obliques, which assist in stabilizing the torso during heavy pressing.
8. Bottoms Up Kettlebell Press
Hold a kettlebell upside down and press it overhead. This requires balance, grip strength, and shoulder stability, making it a dynamic movement prep exercise for bench pressing.
Conclusion
The bench press is a compound exercise that demands more than just strong pecs. It requires a symphony of muscles working in harmony, from your hands gripping the bar to your back stabilising the movement. By integrating these movement prep exercises, you’re ensuring that every component is warmed up, activated, and ready to contribute to a safe and efficient bench press session. Remember, the key to longevity in lifting isn’t just how much you can press, but how well you can prepare.
Until next time, lift smart and stay strong!
