The barbell bench press is the undisputed champion of worldwide chest day, and for good motive. It builds upper-body energy, enhances your chest, shoulders, and triceps, and provides lifters that traditional “how a lot ya bench?” bragging rights.
Nonetheless, it’s not a one-size-fits-all train.
For some lifters, the barbell bench press may cause persistent shoulder ache or frustration due to stalled progress. Others lack the know-how or the spotter to carry out it safely, however that doesn’t imply you’re doomed to a no chest and weak press.
Right here, I’ll define what makes the barbell bench press so efficient, what to contemplate when searching for a substitute, and 5 bench press options that may nonetheless construct a muscular chest and urgent energy, with out inflicting ache.
What Makes The Barbell Bench Press Efficient?
The barbell bench press is considered one of many barbell workout routines that ship outcomes when it comes to measurement, energy, and efficiency. Right here’s what makes it efficient:
- Compound Efficiency: The bench press concurrently trains the pectorals, entrance delts, and triceps, making it an efficient train for the higher physique.
- You Can Load Up: The barbell permits for balanced, bilateral loading with a hard and fast vary of movement, offering predictability, stability, and development over time.
- Bragging rights: Whether or not you’re coaching for powerlifting, athletics, or simply bragging rights, the bench press is a go-to benchmark of upper-body energy. Does anybody ask you the way a lot you row? I relaxation my case.
- Muscle Development on Faucet: It permits you to press from a steady place, making it a hypertrophy-friendly motion, in case your upper-body joints can deal with it.
That stated, its fastened motion path and the shoulder stress it may trigger could make it less-than-ideal for some lifters. That’s the place sensible options are available.
What to Look For In a Good Various
If the barbell bench press isn’t for you otherwise you’re searching for some selection, the purpose isn’t to interchange it with any chest train however relatively to sub in a motion that gives comparable muscle and strength-building advantages. Right here’s what a top quality bench press different ought to ship:
- Chest Engagement: Let’s watch out to not overlook the plain, as an excellent different nonetheless wants to focus on the pecs by a full vary of movement.
- Horizontal or Inclined Urgent Angle: It ought to mimic the motion sample of a bench press to keep up carryover to urgent energy and measurement good points.
- Be Joint-Pleasant: In case your shoulders or wrists don’t love the barbell, a superb substitute wants to supply extra freedom of motion or machine-assisted stability.
- Progressive Overload Potential: In case you can not progressively overload it, it’s out
These 5 options verify all these bins after which some. Okay, sufficient speak; it’s time for motion.
5 Finest Options to the Barbell Bench Press
The barbell bench press is the granddaddy of all chest workout routines, however typically grandpa will get grumpy and mad at you. When the barbell isn’t your pal, these 5 options will serve you properly.
Dumbbell Bench Press
The traditional dumbbell bench press makes use of one or two dumbbells, carried out on a flat bench with both a impartial or customary grip. It supplies a better vary of movement and extra freedom of motion than a barbell, permitting for a deeper stretch whereas both sides works independently. This variation is superb for correcting left-right imbalances, lowering joint pressure, and reaching a powerful chest pump. Decrease the dumbbells with management till your elbows are just under the extent of the bench, then press them up whereas retaining your wrists above your elbows.
Units & Reps: 3–4 units of 6–15 reps
Dumbbell Floor Press
The dumbbell ground press is a variation the place the ground is your bench, and it serves a few functions.
- It limits the vary of movement at a degree the place the shoulder joint turns into susceptible.
- This variation, due to the lowered ROM, focuses on triceps and lockout energy.
- There isn’t any help out of your decrease physique, additional enhancing lockout energy.
It’s ultimate for lifters with shoulder points or those that are inclined to overstretch within the bench press. Maintain your elbows at a 45-degree angle out of your torso, and pause briefly when your triceps contact the ground to remove momentum.
Units & Reps: 3 units of 6–12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press
Okay, now we’re again on the bench with the dumbbell chest press, carried out on an incline bench set at 30–45 levels. It has all the advantages of the flat press, however it targets the higher chest and entrance delts greater than a flat press and locations the shoulders in a extra pure urgent place. Maintain your chin tucked and keep away from flaring the elbows too extensive. Press in an arc that ends above your collarbones, not your face.
Units & Reps: 3–4 units of 6–15 reps
Machine Chest Press
The machine chest press is a seated or mendacity press that makes use of a plate-loaded or selectorized weight for resistance. This train includes a fastened motion path mixed with elevated stability, which requires much less effort from the stabilizers, permitting for better engagement from the chest. It’s a superb variation for newcomers, rehabilitation, or high-volume hypertrophy work. Modify the seat peak in order that the handles align together with your mid-chest. Maintain your again in opposition to the pad and keep away from fully locking out your elbows.
Units & Reps: 3–4 units of 8–16 reps
Swiss Bar Bench Press
A Swiss bar bench press makes use of a Swiss multi-grip bar, which allows a impartial or angled hand place. The impartial grip locations your higher physique joints in a stronger, extra joint-saving place whereas offering all the advantages that the common barbell variation presents. It reduces inside rotation stress and might be gentler on the wrists and elbows. Use a shoulder-width impartial grip and preserve your elbows nearer to your physique than the common barbell press to keep up optimum joint alignment.
Units & Reps: 3 units of 6–12 reps
