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THE POWER BENCH PRESS
By James C. Cash
World Record Holder & World Champion
Taken from "The Power Bench Press" booklet written by James Cash.

INTRODUCTION

Of the three power lifts, the bench press requires more work, precise timing, and (most importantly) patience, than the others. The reasons are fairly simple. The primary movers of the bench press, the triceps, anterior deltoids, and pectorals, are relat ivley small when compared to the of the squat and deadlift. Consequently, this lift takes a commensurately longer time to improve. A fifty pound improvement in the bench usually involves more training time than a similar improvement in the bench usually i nvolves more training time than a similar improvement in the squat or deadlift. This is where patience plays a very big part, of course.

The most common sorts of injuries associated with the benching movement are torn rotator cuff muscles and torn pectoral muscles. These two conditions occur for a number of reasons. First on my list would be that of "over-training". Other reasons miht be improper technique or the wrong style of bench for your body type.

There are basically two styles in this particular powerlifting movement. The wide grip bench, suited more for the long-limbed sort of physique, place the hands on the bar at its maximum legal width of 81 cm. or 32 inches. This movement requires more pect oral movement than anything else. The alternate variety, the narrow grip, can be readily used by shorter limbed individuals and mainly involves triceps and anteroir deltoid muscle groups. For this movement, a maximum grip of anywhere between 28 and 30 inc hes (70 - 75 cm.) is used.

I have had experience with both sorts of benching styles and am presently working on a narrow grip technique for the future. My personal best in the bench press had been 473 lbs. back in August of 1981, but with recent improvements, I am looking forward to breaking the 500 lbs. barrier soon.

Whether your goals as a lifter are to break the 300, 400, 500, or even 600 lbs. barrier in this particular power movement, I feel that the advice and suggestions contained herein will ultimately serve to help you in fulfilling your ambitions as a lifter. May you have the best of Luck in your lifting endeavors.

WARM-UP EXERCISES

There are three good warm-up movements I suggest you do before proceeding with your bench program. The first involves taking a straight bar or stick and extending it straight out in front of you with elbows locked and then raising it upwards and over the head as far back as your flexibility permist. For those who are less flexible, a wider grip is advised. Ten to twenty repetitions of this movement should suffice.

Another exercise entails taking a very light set of dumb bells and doing front raises. Again 10 - 20 repetitions should be adequate.

Finally, using a light plate and standing in a fixed position, simulate a discus thrower's motion. Several reps here should thoroughly warm-up the shoulders and pecs.

BODY PLACEMENT AND WHERE TO LOOK

The head, trunk, and buttocks should be extended on the bench. THe eyes should be looking straight up to an imaginary spot on the ceiling. If you are able to, you should arch your back as much as possible, all the while keeping the shoulders and butto cks flat on the bench, as well as ones head. An exaggerated arch gives the lifter one hell of an advantage, due to the shorter distance which one has to transverse from the extended position to the top of the chest. On a final note: make sure your body is far enough down the bench so that you avoid contact with the uprights during the ascent phase of your lift!

Feet Position

The feet should be flat on the floor and as far underneath the lifter as possible. This allows for a very solid base and assists in getting an explosive start.

If you should happen to possess short legs then you may be permitted by I.P.F. rules to build up the platform using plates underneath your feet. Do this in training if you feel it will benefit you.

Hand Placement and Grip

Here we face a slight dilemma. Do I use the open hand ("false") girp or the closed regular grip. In my opinion the "false" grip is both unweildly and dangerous. If the bar starts rolling in the hands during the ascent (and it usually does), what's going to stop it? Not your thumbs, that's for sure. Unless you are in some sort of pain from injury, avoid anything but the regular grip. Bar Placement

The benching movement is started from the vertical position with the elbows locked. When lowering the bar one should aim for the lower pectoral area to pause at the bottom. Establishinga proper groove for this lift can be a tedious process. Generally, on e should go with what feels natural for him. Suit

A supersuit or other tightfitting garment usually does not confer any sort of advantage while benching. normally, because lifters are required to wear a one piece suit they will use wrestling singlets. While there may be some psychological benefit to be gained from feeling "tight" through the use of snug apparel, there is no rebound effect to be gained in the benching movement unlike the squat or even deadlift! Wrist Wraps

If a lifter has weak wrists or tendonitis in this area, then wraps are the answer. At 10 cm. wide and 1 meter in length, they give alot of added support. Chalking the Hands

Use conventiona compounds of calcium and magnesium carbonate, but one need not confine their use to just the hands. Many lifters chalk their buttocks for more secure placement on the bench! The Shoes

Use a good flat-soled variety here, without an exaggerated heel or arch. The soles should have a sufficient gripping surface to prevent inadvertant slippage. The Belt

When I initially start pumping iron I never used a belt when benching. Eventually, I tried one but experienced no marked improvements in my poundages. Consequently, I don't neccessarily feel their use is mandated. If you use an exaggerated arch, then by all means avoid the belt!

THE BENCH PRESS PROGRAM

Phase One - Weeks 1 - 3

The first phase of this cycle is used for bodybuilding and also for technique work. I may prefer to experiment with a new style or simply a fresh approach. Doing the same exercises cycle after cycle does tend to get monotonous. I recommend training the b ench a minimum of two times per week. Anything less would be non-productive.

For the first three weeks of your bench press cycle, use a six set progression consisting of the following repetitions: 10 - 5 - 5 - 10 - 10 - failure. Increase weight on each set, with the fourth set being tough, yet manageable. The final two sets are c ool down sets with the final one being done to positive failure. Concentrate on technique, specifically the explosive start needed off the chest.

To eliminate any confusion, this entire course applies to both types of grip - narrow and wide. No matter what sort of technique you use, there are a number of things that one should remember. First is that the head, trunk, and hips are extended on the b ench far down enough to avoid contact of the bar with the uprights during the ascent phase of the lift. Of course, keep your hips and shoulders down, as well as your head. Use a regular closed grip, and finally make sure your feet are planted firmly.

Always train in the gym as though you were under meet conditions!

Benching in a strict manner, without a heave or bounce at the bottom, enables one to effectively isolate the muscles involved in this lift. For you narrow-benchers, we are talking about the triceps and anterior deltoids primarily and for you wide bencher s, we are working mainly the pectorals and anterior delts. Cheating in this movement with bounce type movements only serves to make a balistic movement of this exercise, and probably develops the synergists more than the primary movers. Always use strict form.

Following the bench you should immediately go into your supplemental work. These exercises, of coures, work the synergistic muscles groups, as well as complete the overload action action on the primary movers of the bench. i usually include such exercise s as the lying dumbell press for the outer pectorals and anterior delts; standing hammer dumbbells raises for the anterior delts; lying E-Z curl presses, for the outer head of the triceps; cable press-downs done for the same reason; and finally, concentra tion curls for the biceps. When performing my assistance work I pick a set weight and use it for three sets of ten repitions. This will vary as we progress further into the cycle, naturally.

Phase Two - Weeks 4 - 6

If you start getting a little bored or stale with this particular routine, i suggest you try some new assistance exercises. I suggest trying some of the following: incline bench presses, standing dumbbell press, lying dumbell extensions, weighted dips, k neeling cable extensions, etc. The list goes on but you get the picture. Use your imagination and keep your workout enthusiasm high.

Always bear in mind, however, that after your benching exercise, you should limit your assistance work to only two chest / shoulder exercises, and one or two triceps movements. Anymore than that and you will definitely overtrain! Always listen to your bo dy's signals.

Phase Three - Weeks 7 - 9

Once again, use a six set progression with a repping scheme as follows: 10 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5. Keep the weights going up as the reps decrease, both in the benching movement as well as the assistance work, which also goes down in number of reps as wel l. This is the pivotal point during your cycle. It should be all downhill from here. Phase Four - Weeks 10 - 12

Let your final triple in your training cycle dictate what your opening attempt will be. Opening up a little lighter might be a good idea. It's wiser to get in the meet first, and to save the big numbers for the second and third attempts.

The supplemental work should likewise be reduced to performing triples; that is, to doing three sets of three reps. Exactly two weeks prior to your meet, cease all the supplemental exercises, except one triceps exercise, if (and only if) you are a narrow -grip bencher. use only 70% of what you were tripling and do three sets to positive failure.

The week of the meet itself i prepare myself for an all out maximum effort. The last workout usually goes something like this: 10 - 3 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 1. After my final single I usually rep out with 225 lbs. All my singles are paused. This constitutes my fi nal bench day: remember, no assistance work unless you are a narrow gripper.

On the day of the meet, I will warm up using a similar repping scheme (eliminating, of course, the final burn out set), and once I get my opener in, like to make a 20 - 25 lbs. jump for my final effort.

Remember these important points throughout your cycles:

Always strive to train with the greatest intensity possible, and with the least amount of rest you can tolerate. For the first couple of phases, strive for a 1 minute rest between sets, no more. Phase 3 and 4 can have 2 and 3 minutes of rest respec tively. This is important for meet conditioning, because sometimes when one has to follow oneself, only 3 minutes is allotted between attempts.
If you find that you are getting stale or bored with your workouts, seitch around your supplemental work.
Limit your accessory exercises to two for the chest and shoulders, and two for the triceps, and finally, one for the biceps.
Work the abdominals frequently, using either bent-leg sit-ups, crunches, leg raises, etc.

AFTER THE CONTEST

Rest for two weeks! Your body deserves this break and it will thank you for it, by renewing your workout enthusiasm and vigor to unparalleled heights. Give those nagging chronic aches and pains a chance to heal, people. You'll be a better lifter because o f it.

CONCLUSION

Remember to be patient. Anything innerently rewarding does not come easily! I have spent the last six and one half years of my life getting to where I am today, and yet, I take prode not so much in my world class achievements as much as in my own self-fuf illment! Perhaps through this course I can give you all the basic know how you will require to become a respectable bencher, but then there is still one essential ingredient no one can instill but you alone, and that is the element of attitude. With the right atti tude, we possess all the key ingredients our psyches need: motivation, persistence, patience. i don't think that anybody who lacks these facets can ever fulfill his full potential as a human being, and certainly not as a liftre! I have been fortunate to have tasted victory on the World Champioship level, and yet, I've witnessed equal efforts on a much smaller scale that undoubtedly confers even greater satisfaction to its achievers. Everyone who puts forth his all and achieves a measure of success is a champion. We are all champions inside - all worthy of mutual respect and support. To all my fellow lifters may I wish the best of luck.

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