Standing barbell press. Bench press standing (army bench press). Bench press standing. common mistakes

The main purpose of these exercises is the development of the muscles of the arms and shoulders, they are also called the army press. Moreover, the bench press is considered a classic today, and until 1972 it was part of the program of the Olympic Games in weightlifting. But the second type - sitting, is actively practiced among bodybuilders. Regular training helps to make the shoulders visually wider.

3 reasons why bench press is useful

This exercise is one of the basic ones. What are the main reasons athletes name for which it is worth doing a bench press? The main reasons are:

More stress on the muscles

Studies have shown the following result: if you press the bar while standing, but the load on the rear deltas increases by about 25%, while on the triceps by 20%. Therefore, the bench press while standing is in this case more effective than the bench press while sitting. Also during the experiment, the effectiveness of the barbell press was compared with the dumbbell press. It turned out that the load on the biceps during the bench press increases by 16%, compared with dumbbells, and on the triceps by almost 40%.

The barbell press is one of the most successful options for uniform shoulder pumping.

Almost all deltoid muscle bundles are effectively worked out during such training. At the same time, experts recommend combining a bench press while sitting, standing, and even lying down.

Area of ​​involved muscles

During the bench press, the deltoid muscles, pectoral, triceps, and serratus anterior muscles are involved.

Basic barbell bench press features you need to know about

Experienced athletes pay attention that this exercise is of medium complexity, and the main muscle involved in the work is the front delta, the additional one is the middle delta and triceps.

A weak load on the spine in a sitting position allows you to train even in cases of back pain, hernia or osteochondrosis, subject to the permissible load standards and compliance with safety standards during training. This type of exercise is considered the main one for the development of shoulder muscles. The main points to remember are as follows:

Cons of bench press

There are two main disadvantages of the military press, among them the risk of injury and the likelihood of damage to the bar or fall during training. Due to the increased load, athletes are recommended to practice in a special athletic belt, and for those who have back problems, in an orthopedic one.

Why can the bar fall? The most common reasons: too much weight and inexperience of the trainee. What to do in such cases? It is recommended to start to work out the technique of the exercise and not exceed the permissible working weight, as this can have an extremely negative effect on an unprepared body. And one more important note - in no case should you start the army press without first warming up.

Given all the subtleties of the bench press while standing and sitting, you can achieve good results, avoid the risk of injury and pay attention to some subtleties during training.

Basic exercises to increase the mass and strength of the shoulders. Standing barbell press affects mainly the anterior and middle bundles of the deltoid muscle, and also loads the triceps, pectoral muscles, trapezium and back. An analogue of the bench press while sitting and dumbbell presses.

Starting position

Place your feet parallel at shoulder width and slightly bend at the knees. Take the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than your shoulders. Raise the bar to your chest so that the bar touches the top of the chest with your palms facing up. The back should be slightly arched in the lower back, shoulders straightened.

Trajectory

From the starting point, squeeze the bar straight up. Lock the bar at the top, then slowly lower to the starting position. The load on the front parts of the deltoid muscles will be greater if the elbows are slightly forward. For targeted training of the middle sections of the deltoid muscles, on the contrary, spread your elbows to the sides.

body position

Do not lean back when pressing the bar, thereby making the exercise easier by removing some of the load from the shoulders that they should receive. Do not lift your head, look only forward. Also, do not put one foot forward, the other back, the legs should be parallel to each other.

Implementation options

The average grip (hands shoulder-width apart) is considered optimal when doing a bench press from the chest to train the deltoid muscles. If the grip is too narrow, part of the load will move to the triceps. In the event that the grip is very wide, part of the load will move to the pectoral muscles. With a wide grip, the effectiveness of the exercise will also decrease, as the range of motion will decrease.

Note

During the exercise, breathe evenly, without holding your breath, exhale on the rise, inhale when lowering the barbell. Do not relax the abs and back muscles, otherwise there will be a risk of injury.

Execution technique

• Grasp the barbell shoulder-width apart with an overhand grip and lift the bar to your chest.
• Squeeze the bar straight up until your arms are fully extended so that the bar is above your head.
• Slowly lower the barbell to the starting position.

The overhead press is a fantastic exercise for building mass and strength throughout your upper body and torso. Learn how to perform the overhead press safely and effectively!

The overhead press is a heavy exercise that should be the foundation of any upper body program. However, beginners - and surprisingly many experienced lifters - don't know how to make this multi-joint movement safe and effective. I propose to study the biomechanics of the bench press and develop the right approach that will lead you to success!

Why overhead press?

The overhead press is famous for its profound effect on strength performance and its apparent simplicity. It is only necessary to raise the barbell or its closest relatives - kettlebells or dumbbells - over your head until your arms are fully extended.

This is how the bench press can be described in a nutshell, and the pleasant fruit of hard work will be the unsurpassed development of the shoulder girdle and upper back.

Of course, strength development in the standing overhead press extends far beyond the shoulders and arms. Whole body involvement increases whole body strength. The standing overhead press strengthens the abdominal wall and muscles of the pelvic region, and also increases the stability of the legs.

But we can't forget the main target: shoulders, upper back and triceps. Search through the mountains of information, and you will not find another exercise that develops the shoulders and upper back as successfully as the overhead press.

The overhead press is easy to describe, but it's actually quite a complex press that needs to be approached with an understanding of the matter, training and honing the technique. Here's how to do it.

Start with self-diagnosis.

Most lifters don't have direct contact with a qualified strength coach, so a little self-diagnosis can't hurt. It will show if you are ready to lift weights over your head.

The truth is, some people just don't have the natural ability to perform overhead presses without risking injury to their shoulder joint. How do you know if you can do this exercise?

1. Test with arms raised above the head.

Stand with your left or right side to the mirror, arms along the body. Now raise both outstretched arms above your head. If you were able to raise your arms to ear level without chest movement, you passed the test.

If not - if your chest moved before you raised your arms above your head, or if your arms aren't in the same plane as your ears - you've failed it.

You should not take on the overhead press without preparation, because the upper body and shoulders do not yet have enough flexibility to safely lift the bar overhead. I'll tell you how to fix it after one more quick test.

2. Spatula tests.

Stand up straight, arms along the body. Raise one hand, put it behind your head and touch the top of the opposite shoulder blade. Do the same with the other hand.

If you can perform the movement with both hands without involving any body parts other than your arms, you're good. If anything else has moved, you've failed the test. This means that the way to the overhead press with a bar is closed for now, but you can work with kettlebells and dumbbells.

Now bring one hand behind your back and try to touch the base of your shoulder blade on the same side of your body. Repeat with the other hand. Use the same evaluation criteria. If you can complete the test without unnecessary movement, you have passed the exam. If not, they failed.

Next steps.

So where do we go next? If you successfully pass all the tests, you will receive full overhead press clearance. If you passed the shoulder blade tests but failed the overhead raise test, you can lift dumbbells or kettlebells in other positions—for example, kneeling or double kneeling—until you improve. We'll talk about these options a little later.

If you fail the shovel tests, you don't have the mobility to safely perform an overhead press. Do overhead presses with kettlebells and dumbbells and incorporate stretches into your training routine.

When to do the overhead press.

Although multi-joint exercises are usually performed first in a workout, variations are possible with the overhead press. The overhead press should be used as the main press of the workout or as the first auxiliary lift. The exercise will be a serious test for the nervous system due to its compound nature and relatively heavy load.

Dumbbell and kettlebell variations can be performed as main presses - depending on the individual and goals - or in the middle of a training session as an auxiliary lift and hypertrophy stimulant.

Choice of working weight.

Technique and body position are important variables in the overhead press, especially when it comes to complex standing movements. Trying to lift too much weight can ruin your set very quickly. With this in mind, choose sets and reps that allow you to maintain correct position and technique.

On the barbell press, limit sets to 3 to 8 reps on your hardest set. Going below 3 reps, you risk breaking the optimal position of the body for the press. Get past 8 reps and the load of fatigue will also lead to poor execution.

The dumbbell and kettlebell variations may or may not be the main press, but they are always performed at a higher rep range. By doing so, you reduce the risk of breaking the technique, and lighter weight does not require too much from the musculoskeletal system.

Lift dumbbells and kettlebells in the 5-12 rep range. This is a sufficient range to develop strength indicators, increase joint stability and stimulate hypertrophy.

Standing or sitting.

Although the movement itself is practically independent of whether you are sitting or standing, there are significant differences between the exercise options. The standing barbell press is more effective than the seated press in terms of developing whole body strength because it requires more core stability, leg and glute strength.

The seated press does not require this balancing because the body is stabilized by a bench support. However, the seated press can usually lift a little more weight due to the stability provided by the back support.

How to do Overhead Press (Technique)

The movement starts in the lower (starting) position. You stand straight, the whole body is tense and motionless. Hold the bar against the top of your chest with your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart.

Now draw an imaginary line that runs from the elbows through the wrists and hands to the ceiling. Raise the bar along this line, extending the elbow joints, and return to the starting position along the same line.

Press with dumbbells and kettlebells in a similar way with a slight modification. In some variations of the press, the arms are in a neutral (inward) position in the starting position.

Start with your hands in a neutral position at the bottom. By turning your arms parallel to your ears as you lift the bar, you force your shoulders to work through a full range of motion. Otherwise, nothing changes. Extend your elbows as the projectile moves up and slightly back.

Safe transition to bench press.

Most of you have experience with standing overhead presses. However, if you are just getting started with this exercise, start with simplified versions, such as the dumbbell press or kettlebell press, while standing on two knees or on one knee.

When you feel that you have mastered them to perfection, lift dumbbells and weights while standing. Having learned to perform these options with absolute confidence, grab the barbell.

Start with a light working weight and concentrate on technique. At first, leave 5 reps in reserve in each set and fully focus on each lift.

For example, if you choose a weight that you can do 10 technical reps with, do no more than five. If you feel like your back is arching during the press, or you can't complete the rep so that your hands are in the same plane as your ears, the load is too high.

Progress by adding 2.5 kg per week to the bar. To such an increase, your body will adapt without risk. Try to do 15-25 reps in total. This number is the sum of repetitions in all working approaches.

What other exercises to include in the workout?

The overhead press is best combined with pulling movements such as cable rows or pull-ups, as well as shoulder and upper back mobility exercises. Combinations like this will keep your shoulders healthy and improve your technique, which is key to pressing strength.

Unlike bodybuilding training, these accessory movements are aimed at developing benching skills, in other words, they are supposed to make you stronger by improving the main lift, as opposed to maximizing muscle building.

Later on, assistance training will develop the upper back, shoulders, and torso—areas that increase performance in the overhead press. These exercises are divided into several levels; the most demanding and effective exercises come immediately after the bench press, with secondary and tertiary movements following them.

Auxiliary exercises of the first level.

Choose one exercise and do 3-5 sets of 4-8 reps without going to muscle failure:

• Standing dumbbell or kettlebell press
• Standing dumbbell or kettlebell press with one hand
• Pull-ups or pull-ups

Auxiliary exercises of the second level.

Pick one exercise and do 3-4 sets of 5-10 reps without going to muscle failure:

• Pressing dumbbells or kettlebells, standing on one or two knees
• Dumbbell or kettlebell press with one hand, standing on one or two knees

Auxiliary exercises of the third level.

Choose 1-2 exercises and do 3 sets of 4-8 or 5-10 reps, not to muscle failure:

• Bench press variations (with a barbell or dumbbells on a horizontal bench)
• Row Variations (Band Row, T-Bar Row, Seated Lower Block Row, Dumbbell Row)
• Exercise with a barbell or fitball

Let there be a press over the head!!!

The overhead press is a great exercise that actually rules your upper body workout. Test yourself to make sure you're ready to bench, start with dumbbells and kettlebells, and move on to barbells without too much risk. And then work your way to muscular shoulders and fantastic upper body strength!

The army press originated abroad in the ranks of the army. And to this day, everyone who regularly performs it can boast of physical strength. No wonder the army bench press, standing on a par with the push and snatch, was included in the mandatory Olympic program for weightlifting competitions.

Bench press standing (army): video

Exercise rules

1. Place the barbell on a rack at chest level and set the appropriate weight. Take the barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing forward) at shoulder width.
2. Bend your knees slightly and place the barbell on your chest. Take a step back, spread your legs shoulder-width apart.
3. Raise the bar above your head with straight arms, it should be slightly in front of your head.
4. As you inhale, slowly lower the bar to your collarbones.
5. As you exhale, lift the bar back to the starting position.
6. Repeat as many times as needed. Variations: This exercise can be done while sitting. This option is especially suitable for those who have problems with the lower back. Also, for better muscle isolation, you can replace the barbell with dumbbells. The barbell neck press is not recommended for people with shoulder problems.

Detailed execution techniques can be found in the following video.

Description of the exercise

There is an opinion that the army press originated abroad in the ranks of the army. From the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries, gyms began to be organized in the army, but then they were not sufficiently equipped. Usually only a barbell and weights were present in them. Based on these conditions, the military was forced to adapt. And they adapted, inventing such an exercise as the Standing Barbell Press, or as it is also called the Military Standing Press. Those who regularly performed it could boast of great physical strength of the shoulder girdle. No wonder the army bench press, standing on a par with the push and snatch, was included in the mandatory Olympic program for weightlifting competitions. Why? Because it very believably shows the true strength of an athlete.

Muscle groups involved in the standing military press

Let's find out together which muscle groups are involved in the work when performing this basic exercise - the military bench press. The military bench press develops the entire shoulder girdle in proportion.

Starting from the front delta, which receives the maximum load; the middle and back deltas, which are auxiliary muscles during the exercise and, as a result, receive less load, and ending with the upper chest, trapezius muscles and triceps muscles.

Important: Few people know, but the triceps receive a truly unique load in this exercise, and the point here is that the moment of maximum stretching coincides with the moment of maximum contraction of the triceps muscle of the shoulder. This has a positive effect on the increase in strength and muscle volume of this group.

You can also perform the bench press while sitting, which allows you to focus on working out the shoulder girdle. However, doing the exercise while standing allows you to cover more muscles.

Warm up your deltoid and core muscles before exercising. Qualitatively heated shoulder muscles and stretching will help to avoid dislocations, sprains and fractures.

Since when performing a standing military press, the entire load is distributed exactly vertically along the spine, we recommend that you definitely use a weightlifting belt to fix the spinal column.

Key Mistakes When Performing the Standing Military Press

The most common errors are related to loss of concentration and general fatigue.

When performing the standing military press, avoid sudden jerks and uncontrolled lowering of the bar to the chest. With sharp jerks up, you can get a shoulder injury, an imbalance of the body can also occur, the hands begin to “drive” in different directions.

A common mistake made by beginners is rounding the back. A round back and a huge weight on the bar together give a sharp increase in the load on the spinal column - this is a 100% chance of injury to the lumbar region (the appearance of hernias and protrusions in the spine).

Alternative Replacements for the Military Press

To avoid all mistakes or minimize them, we recommend replacing the standing military press with other exercises also aimed at developing shoulder girdle hypertrophy.

One such exercise is the Seated Dumbbell Press or the Seated Barbell Combo Press. In this case, the vertical load is minimized by fixing the spine, which allows you to maximize the use of the deltoid, trapezius muscles, and triceps muscles.

Complex bench press while sitting

On the example of the Dumbbell Press while sitting (performed both with and without a backrest), a more intense loading of the muscles of the shoulder girdle is manifested due to the exclusion of the help of the leg muscles during the movement. That is, the athlete excludes all stabilizer muscles from work, and focuses only on the muscles of the shoulder and triceps.

The next set of exercises that can replace the Military Standing Press are the various variations on the Smith machine, both standing and sitting. We especially recommend them for beginners. A big plus of the bench press in the Smith simulator is that the bar moves in one vertical axis along the guides. The athlete has to include stabilizers in the work of the muscles, and in the sitting position, by fixing the back, the vertical load is again minimized.

The third group of exercises to replace the Army press is a variety of dumbbell lifts. If you want to maximize the use of the muscles of the shoulders, the dumbbells must be raised to parallel with the floor.

Otherwise, if you raise the dumbbells above the parallel, then the trapezius muscles will be included in the work. But for some, this may be a plus. For example, this is what the famous bodybuilder Nikolai Yasinovsky does, who “kills two birds with one stone” with such a movement. Shakes both shoulders and trapezium at once.

Lifting dumbbells in front of you

Lifting dumbbells forward and to the sides

In more detail, the inclusion of muscles when performing exercises of this group can be seen in the illustration below.

The fourth group of exercises is traction: Barbell chin row, Dumbbell vertical row to the chest, as well as Vertical traction on the Smith machine. Barbell exercises can be performed with both narrow and wide grips.

Vertical dumbbell chest row

The barbell press is useful both for working out the biceps, muscles of the chest region, the press, and for the gluteal muscles.

Girls come to the gym not only for an upgrade of specific parts of the body, but also for the physical tone of the whole organism.

In order to understand the full benefits of training with a barbell, you need to have at least a rough idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe anatomy of the body. We understand which muscle groups are involved in the bench press while standing and sitting.

Bench press sitting: what muscles work

There are several exercises that are performed with a barbell from a sitting position. The most effective for beginners are the overhead press and the Smith press.

Barbell exercises target the following muscle groups:

• anterior bundles of the deltoid muscle;
• serrated anterior muscles, triceps bottom and middle of the trapezoid, lateral bundles of deltas;
• back muscles responsible for the movement of the shoulder blades, and the top of the trapezius muscles;
• pectoralis major;
• press.

Bench press from behind the head

The overhead press is a basic shoulder exercise for girls. A special load falls on the deltoid muscles. The deltoid muscles consist of 3 large bundles: anterior, posterior and middle. With a thin thickness of the fat layer, they can be seen if you take your hand to the side.

Such training allows you to work out the upper or middle bundles of the deltoid muscles.

In addition, during the press from behind the head, the upper trapezium and triceps are involved. This exercise is suitable even for beginners who are engaged in light weights.

The overhead press can be performed in the following ways:

• For beginners, a bench press from behind the head on a bench with a back is suitable so that you can change the angle of its inclination.
• Those who have been in the gym for a long time can use a sports bench without support, keeping their balance and posture on their own.
• For experienced athletes, the bench press in a standing position is suitable, but this will be discussed a little further.
• With a bench press from behind the head, you need to start training, and then move on to isolated exercises.

Bench press sitting: exercise on the simulator Smith

The Smith machine exercise is technically no different from the free bar overhead press. However, training on Smith will allow beginners to avoid mistakes and correctly distribute the load on the muscles.

• Install the bench in the frame of the simulator so that the bar of the bar is strictly under the seat.
• The bar should be slightly above the head and slightly behind it.
• Grab the bar with a wide grip (hands slightly wider than shoulder width).
• Turning the neck, remove it from the rack and squeeze it as high as possible.
• Do not straighten your arms completely, they should be slightly bent at the elbows.
• Lower the bar to the level of the back of the head.
• Repeat the exercise 10-15 times.

Standing barbell press

The bench press in a standing position is carried out strictly with the allowable weight, you should not start exercising with an overloaded neck, this is fraught with injury.

This exercise allows you to work out all the above muscle groups, provided that they are performed correctly.

The bench press from a standing position should only be switched to after regular seated workouts, since the body must be adapted to loads without support.

Starting position:

There are two correct starting stances for the standing press: feet shoulder-width apart in a straight line, or a position where one leg is pushed forward a little and the other stays behind for stability.

• Take the barbell off the top bar while standing in one of the racks suggested above.
• Perform the bench press exactly as in the sitting position.
• Raise the bar directly above you, keeping your balance thanks to the correct stance and posture: your back should be straight, and your eyes should be directed straight ahead.
• The standing press allows you to increase the working weight, so this exercise is suitable for those who have learned how to perform a seated bench press.

Bench press from the chest in a standing position

It is best for girls to use the barbell press technique from the chest: this exercise allows you to strengthen the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arm muscles, eliminate fat pads in the armpits and tighten just those parts of the muscles that are responsible for the tone and elasticity of the bust.

• Raise the bar always on the exhale, lower on the inhale. Do exercises at a slow pace - this is the best load on the muscles.
• Keep the arch in the lower back, posture should be even, and the gaze is directed forward.
• The right weight is the one you can lift for the required number of reps.
• To protect your muscles from injury, start exercising with a barbell in Smith.