How to Strengthen the Bottom, Middle, and Lockout Position of Your Bench Press!
Introduction
The bench press is arguably one of the most popular lifts in the world of strength training. Whether you’re a powerlifter looking to increase your one-rep max or a fitness enthusiast trying to build upper body strength, the bench press plays a central role. However, as with any complex lift, the bench press comes with its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to breaking through plateaus.
Different athletes experience difficulties at different points in the movement. Some struggle to press the bar off their chest, others find themselves stuck in the middle, and many lifters fail to lock out the bar at the top of the lift. The good news is that each of these sticking points can be targeted with specific training methods.
In this blog, we’ll break down these sticking points and dive into the best strategies to strengthen the bottom, middle, and lockout of your bench press. By the end, you’ll have a complete toolbox of exercises that will help you make your bench press more efficient and stronger.
Understanding the Bench Press Mechanics
Before we dive into the specific strategies to address sticking points, it’s essential to understand the biomechanics of the bench press. The bench press is a compound movement that primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. However, the lift also heavily recruits muscles in the upper back, core, and even legs for stability and power.
The bench press can be divided into three key phases:
The Bottom: This is the point where the bar touches your chest. Here, you’re in a mechanically disadvantaged position, relying on your chest and shoulder muscles to initiate the press.
The Middle: As the bar moves away from your chest, the chest muscles begin to lose leverage. This is where the triceps start taking on more of the workload.
The Lockout: The final phase involves locking the arms out at the top. Here, the triceps are working at full capacity to extend your elbows.
Each of these phases poses unique challenges. Now let’s get into the details of how to improve each phase.
Struggling at the Bottom? Try the Dead Bench
If you’re the type of lifter who finds it difficult to initiate the press off your chest, you’re likely experiencing weakness in the chest and shoulders. One of the best ways to address this issue is through a movement known as the dead bench.
What is the Dead Bench?
The dead bench eliminates the stretch reflex that you usually rely on at the bottom of a traditional bench press. The stretch reflex is the elastic energy stored in your muscles when they stretch (as the bar lowers to your chest), which helps you initiate the press. While the stretch reflex can aid in moving the bar, it doesn’t fully train your ability to generate power from a dead stop. Enter the dead bench: this variation forces you to press from a complete stop, putting all the emphasis on your raw strength.
How to Execute the Dead Bench
Set the safety pins in a power rack at chest height, so the barbell is resting on the pins where it would normally touch your chest in a bench press.
Start each rep with the bar on the pins and your arms directly underneath it.
Press the bar explosively upward, making sure to generate as much force as possible without any momentum.
Lower the bar back onto the pins for each rep, resetting after every repetition.
Benefits of the Dead Bench
The dead bench is fantastic for building starting strength because it forces your muscles to work harder without any momentum from the lowering phase of the lift. It also helps to develop better bar path awareness, ensuring that you push the bar in the most efficient line possible. For lifters who struggle to create tension at the bottom of their press, this exercise can be a game changer.
Common Mistakes with the Dead Bench
Not resetting after each rep: The purpose of the dead bench is to eliminate momentum, so if you don’t fully reset, you’re missing out on the full benefits.
Rushing the setup: Take the time to position yourself correctly under the bar. A poor setup will make the lift less effective and could even result in injury.
By incorporating the dead bench into your routine, you'll strengthen the muscles responsible for getting the bar off your chest, improving your ability to handle heavier weights at the bottom of the press.
Struggling in the Middle? Try Chains or Bands
If you find yourself getting stuck halfway up, it’s likely because your triceps or shoulders aren’t able to keep up with the force you need to push through the middle portion of the lift. This is where chains and bands come into play. Both tools can help strengthen the middle of the press by providing variable resistance throughout the movement.
Chains
Chains are a popular tool for improving the bench press because they increase resistance as you lift the bar. As you lower the bar, more chain links rest on the ground, reducing the total weight. As you press the bar upward, the chains lift off the ground, progressively adding more weight to the bar. This helps you build strength in the middle of the lift where you’re typically stronger, allowing for more overload at the top.
Bands
Bands operate on a similar principle but with a slightly different twist. Bands provide more tension the farther they stretch. This means that as you press the bar higher, the resistance increases exponentially. Bands are an excellent option for those who want to simulate progressive resistance but don’t have access to chains. They’re also more affordable and portable, making them a practical tool for home gym users.
Chains vs. Bands: Which is Better?
While both chains and bands work similarly, there are a few key differences:
Natural Range of Motion: Chains allow you to press in a natural range of motion without altering your bar path too much. This can make them feel more comfortable for some lifters.
Exponential Resistance: Bands add tension more rapidly as you move through the press, making them feel tougher at the top of the lift.
Cost and Accessibility: Chains can be expensive and cumbersome, while bands are relatively cheap and easy to set up anywhere.
How to Use Chains or Bands
Attach the chains or bands to each side of the barbell.
For chains, ensure they’re anchored so the links rest on the ground at the bottom of your press.
For bands, secure them under the bench or around heavy objects to ensure stability.
Set up your bench press as you normally would.
As you press the bar, you’ll feel the weight increase due to the additional resistance from the chains or bands.
Control the bar on the way down and drive through the entire range of motion.
Why Variable Resistance Works
The beauty of using chains or bands is that they follow the strength curve of the lift. At the bottom of the bench press, where you’re naturally weaker, the resistance is lighter. As you press through the lift, the resistance increases, allowing you to overload the stronger portions of the movement. Over time, this teaches your body to maintain speed and power through the entire range of motion, particularly through the middle where lifters often get stuck.
Common Mistakes with Chains and Bands
Using too much tension: If the chains or bands add too much weight, it can throw off your bar path and limit the effectiveness of the exercise.
Poor setup: Make sure the bands or chains are securely attached. If they move or come loose, they can cause instability and potentially lead to injury.
Training with chains or bands regularly will improve your ability to push through the middle of the lift, making your bench press more powerful and controlled.
Struggling at Lockout? Use Isometrics
The lockout portion of the bench press can be particularly challenging, especially for lifters who struggle with triceps strength. Isometric exercises, where you press against an immovable object, are an excellent way to target this specific phase of the lift.
What are Isometrics?
Isometrics involve exerting force without actually moving the weight. In the case of the bench press, you’ll press the bar into a set of pins or an immovable object, focusing on generating as much force as possible without the bar moving.
How to Perform Isometrics for Bench Press Lockout
Set the pins in a power rack just below your lockout point.
Load the bar with a moderate weight and press the bar until it hits the pins.
Once the bar is touching the pins, press against them with maximum force for 6-8 seconds.
Lower the bar and repeat for several sets.
Why Isometrics Work
Isometric training works by increasing neural drive to the muscles involved in the lift. By pushing against an immovable object, you’re training your muscles to recruit more fibers and generate more force. This is particularly effective for lifters who struggle to lock out heavy weights at the top of the press.
Common Mistakes with Isometrics
Holding too long: You only need about 6-8 seconds of maximal effort to see results. Holding for longer can lead to fatigue without adding extra benefit.
Not pressing with full effort: Isometrics are all about intensity. You need to press with 100% effort to make the most of the exercise.
By incorporating isometric training into your bench press routine, you’ll build the strength needed to finish lifts and lock out heavier weights with confidence.
Conclusion
Breaking through bench press plateaus requires more than just lifting heavier weights—you need to train smart. Whether you struggle at the bottom, middle, or top of your press, there are specific strategies to target each phase of the lift. The dead bench helps you generate more power off the chest, chains and bands improve your ability to press through the middle, and isometrics strengthen your lockout.
By incorporating these techniques into your training program, you’ll be able to push through your sticking points and make your bench press stronger than ever.