Bodyweight dips are one of the best ways to warm up your triceps, shoulders, and chest before you hit the bench. John enters the gym and walks straight over to the flat bench. Julian Arana, M.S.eD., NCSF-CPT. Train your back just as hard as your chest. Here are the 4 things you should do to warm up for bench press: Start with a general warm-up to increase body temperature Pick mobility drills that increase blood flow to restricted muscles Perform a dynamic stretching routine to improve range of motion After catching the medicine ball, return to your original position and repeat this action 8-10 times. I do a general warmup before I bench press to get my elbows, shoulders and back warmed up and get some blood into there. Perform 1 scapular push up followed by 1 push up. Let's take a look at the typical trainees warm-up routine. I see a lot of big guys that bench 5 times as much as me, still warm up with just an empty bar. I do my warm up set very very slow, just so it stretches my chest out. All-4s Scapular Mobility Circles: 5-10 per direction . Hold this position for at least 10 to 15 seconds each time you do it, depending on how loose or tight your body feels. Place your hands on the barbell with an overhand grip, roughly 1.5 times shoulder-width apart. Get stable, and you'll press big and feel great doing it. Hold this position for at least 10 to 15 seconds depending on how loose or tight your body feels. They call that a "warm up." Plus: Pick up a copy of The Men’s Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts for fast fitness tips and great new workouts. The bench press involves the whole body but its main purpose is to build up the chest and to increase power and strength in the upper body. There are 3 exercises that I do to warm up before bench press - I also do these on shoulder day and back day. Some of these exercises or stretches can be done on rest days or non-chest days. Here is a pre-bench press warm-up sequence I like to do with my athletes to help them bench press better.. Benching the right way and pressing as much weight as you can safely is all about position.. More specifically position of the feet, hips, chest, shoulders and upper back – yes, the bench is a full body lift. You need to "warm up" in an intelligent and effective way, and that way is known as ramping up. It's Monday—international chest day. As with benching more times a week, we started incorporating specific stretches to target our thoracic spine, shoulders, chest, and hips to increase our ability to efficiently arch during the bench press – and consequently, increase our bench by … rotator cuff, triceps, serratus anterior, rhomboids, traps, lats. How to Bench Press The Set-Up. You’re 60 seconds away from your best bench press ever. How much weight do I use to warm up for bench pressing? rotator cuff, triceps, serratus anterior, rhomboids, traps, lats. The bench press is a great way to get muscles in your chest and arms, but you don't want to immediately start to use one after you arrive at the gym. by Dr John Rusin | 06/21/16. Now that you know the movements, the next step is to combine them in a smart warm-up for short-term performance enhancement and long-term pain alleviation and postural improvement. This way you can make the most of your time, prime muscles, and decrease your odds of injury. Chest Throws: Stand perpendicular to a wall with feet shoulder-width apart. "Prime" your pushing muscles with a few sets of this. 7. If you are an athlete who lacks range of motion and/or doesn’t have efficient motor control of your shoulders, it’s crucial that you are prepping your tissues and joints to eliminate future injury and improve your performance. There are multiple reasons for this, but the most common one is that people allow their elbows to flare out. ", Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow, https://www.fix.com/blog/flexibility-mobility-stability/, https://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/mobility-work-youre-doing-it-wrong-and-too-long, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X0uN-yDAL8&feature=youtu.be, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1My7rMAObOs, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOmy14P-uok, https://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/warm-up-to-lift-big-a-movement-prep-blueprint-for-strength, http://tonygentilcore.com/2011/09/exercises-you-should-be-doing-forearm-wall-slides/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9T953cpq5A, http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/warm-up-sets/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zRTufEDwgQ, http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/beginner-to-intermediate/, https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/cardio-and-weights-workout.html, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Make sure you before you lay down on the bench, you warm-up not only your anterior (chest, shoulders and abdominals), but play special attention to your upper posterior musculature responsible for not only engaging movement, but also stabilizing it, ie. Now you'd be at 80-85 lbs. Both mobility and stability are crucial components of lifting. This way you can make the most of your time, prime muscles, and decrease your odds of injury. Try these recommendations: Perform free-weight exercises when you’re fresh. Another good thing to do, is do a couple sets on a chest press machine first. He is ready for his warm-up set on bench. I do my warm up set very very slow, just so it stretches my chest out. Dr… Make sure you before you lay down on the bench, you warm-up not only your anterior (chest, shoulders and abdominals), but play special attention to your upper posterior musculature responsible for not only engaging movement, but also stabilizing it, ie. Make sure you before you lay down on the bench, you warm-up not only your anterior (chest, shoulders and abdominals), but play special attention to your upper posterior musculature responsible for not only engaging movement, but also stabilizing it, ie. Your Warm Up Sucks. ... Look at the difference during the descent between Ed Coan’s bench in 1998 (just before the craziness started) and Tiny Meeker’s recent 1,102lb (500kg) lift. Before you even step foot in the gym, you know there's going to be a long line at the bench press. Begin with 1 very light set with light dumbbells. 3. Working on mobility will allow you to have a … You probably don’t need to perform an extensive warm-up, as these are relatively similar movements that utilize most of the same muscle groups. This person is not just a useful tool to help you progress past failure and keep you focused, but they can also save a life. After that, move to 5 reps at 75 percent of your target weight, then 3 reps at 85 percent, and finally, 1 rep at about 90-95 percent. The Upper Chest Exercises . These exercises require more concentration, strength, and control. The Bench Press has a bad reputation for causing shoulder pain and even injury. Ready for a personal style upgrade? Don't waste your energy with surplus warm-up sets. #2 – Use Sleeves to Keep Heat In. Warm Up Thoroughly. Holding a medicine ball level to your chest, use the momentum provided by your upper body, throw the ball, and catch it when it bounces or is tossed back to you. And maybe that's why they're average. You can see how difficult it is to get weights to touch your chest/stomach with modern shirts, even with absurdly heavy loads. Before I proceed with the article, I must first note that the Bench Press (as performed in the sport of powerlifting), is relatively safe if executed correctly. The more you practice feeling your pecs engage, the better you’ll be at, and the more you’ll isolate your chest when you bench press. There are 23 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Hope you enjoy this bench warm-up video. Always use a spotter and maintain correct form while using the equipment. It is okay to get into a position using passive mobility, but the goal is to eventually turn passive mobility into active ability through repetition. Warm Up Thoroughly. Make sure you before you lay down on the bench, you warm-up not only your anterior (chest, shoulders and abdominals), but play special attention to your upper posterior musculature responsible for not only engaging movement, but also stabilizing it, ie. For example, if you plan to use 200 pounds for your bench press, then use 110 pounds. rotator cuff, triceps, serratus anterior, rhomboids, traps, lats. It can be a brisk walk, five minutes on the stationary bike, 500 to 1,000 meters on the rowing machine, or anything else that takes no more than 10 minutes and doesn't leave you feeling worn out. Scapular push-up on the knees. You can start with bent knees and drive the hips up high, trying to roll back on to elbows. We will be getting you ready to go for the bench press and push up this week. Don’t use heavy weights during the warm up otherwise you will begin to fatigue your muscles, making them weaker. The rotator cuff stabilizes the shoulder joint as well as positions the gleno-humeral joint for maximal centration so the bigger prime movers can do their jobs more effectively. Warm Up Thoroughly. If you think you need to warm your body up more, you can incorporate some light cardio with your workout to help raise your core body temperature. Have a spotter present for your pre-exercise warm up. There are multiple reasons for this, but the most common one is that people allow their elbows to flare out. 3. How to Bench Press Tip Warm Up Thoroughly. Start with smaller weights and do 10-15 reps with light dumbbells. Ballistic Bench Press Warm-Up When you do a typical bench press rep, a good percentage of the last part of the movement (as you come to lockout) is used by the body to decelerate the bar. Once you get to your real work sets (that is, the actual exercise you want to do) that's when you should start off with your heaviest weight and then reduce. 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