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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Boost your bench

One of the best ways to boost your bench press is to get your back brutally strong and add some size to it.

Increasing the size of your back, especially the upper back will take distance off of your stroke transferring into more weight pressed.

Getting your upper back strong also helps you to handle heavier weight by allowing you to stabilize your body better at liftoff, and all the way through the press. A weak upper back will give out on you as you try to squeeze the shoulder blades together and drive into the bench causing your body to flattten out.

We have three favorite exercise at TPS to fix this. In no particular order:

Heavy barbell rows for reps: 4-6 sets 6-12 reps

Towel Strap Rows using the EFS Belt Squat (if you don't have a Belt Squat a low cable will do).

Stand facing the Belt Squat and hold the Spud Inc. Towel Strap, bend about 45 degrees at the hips and row back and up. This smokes your rhomboids and traps in a very unique way. We haven't been able to duplicate it with bars or dumbells. One of our top choices.

Safety Bar Back Raises : You'll see this one again. This exercise absolutely blasts your traps, rhomboids, and posterior chain like no other.

SSB Back Raise

We use the EFS 45 Degree Back Raise Bench for this. Watch the video to see how.

Squat/Deadlift Tips:

When discussing the Squat and Deadlift the talk is usually of the posterior chain and lower body strength. The torso (or the much Metrosexual term "Core" is interchangeable) is overlooked frequently. A few sets of situps or crunches won't cut it. All power is transmitted through the torso, so it better be strong .

One of our all time favorites for getting balls strong in this area is the Farmers Deadlift. If you don't have a set of Farmers handles, buy some, until you do, use a barbell.



BB Deadlifts

Using Farmer's handles makes the exercise a little tougher because it allows you to use more weight without worrying about having to balance the bar. Go heavy and do sets of 3-5.

Don't forget the lower back. Watch the video for an exercise Fred Hatfield taught me years ago, and credits to his 1000 pound squat.

This exercise builds spinal erectors that look like two cobra's on your back.

HFBR

Safety Bar Back Raises are awesome for the squat and deadlift too.

CJ Murphy MFS, C-ISSN

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