The good news was that my shoulder felt fine with the much-needed grip change. There wasn’t any bad news, but I did realize how out-of-breath I was.
According to Dave, that meant I was finally warming-up properly.
Previously, I’d only be sore in the chest and shoulder areas. After doing all this technique work – and doing it with measly weight, mind you – I was sore everywhere the next day. My lower and upper back was sore, my traps were sore, my hips were sore…everything was sore.
To be a really good bench presser and to constantly improve, I needed to involve my entire body correctly to progress. That was one of the biggest things I gained, from all of this.
But there was plenty more I learned, including several key things in this segment.
My upper back still wasn’t tight enough when Dave let me set up on my own. I thought I was tight and with my untrained eye, it was difficult to spot what Dave picked up on. But Dave immediately saw that there was too much flexing in my chest and I was too far under the bench. He found out if I get too far under the bench, I don’t get as tight of an arch, something I probably would never have picked up on.
His advice is invaluable because a good arch is crucial to a good bench. Arching correctly also sucked. I mean sucked as much as anything I can remember in a while. It was torture on my lower back, but it made everything tight and the weight flew up very fast. Dave joked it felt like my head was going to pop off, but when everything was tight and uncomfortable, the press was at its best. For me that’s an important reminder – get uncomfortable to have a good press.
The next thing was getting my grip set before I set anything else up. Once I do that, I arch my back, find that trap pressure, get my legs tight and then pull the bar out with my lats.
It’s funny, but I’m not even thinking about my triceps or my chest when I’m doing this. Before, it was the only thing I had in mind, which explains a lot of things.
By now, I was sweating and breathing hard and I haven’t even approached a work set. That’s another good gauge for where you should be after your warm-up sets. You should feel like you’ve done some work and your technique is in a good place before you get going with the real stuff.
Now, Dave wanted a perfect rep but I stumbled at first. I messed up where to put my feet and that screwed everything up. Dave told me to reset, explaining that if your feet move, you have to start over because your feet are the base for everything. I can’t drive my heels into the floor, but trying to is what I have to do to get my lower body ready to press. I pulled air into my stomach, tried to push my heels down and had a pretty strong lift, again using a warm-up weight.
The most important thing?
No harm on the shoulders. Like Dave said, the shoulder aching was probably poor technique and I totally agree with him. Since I’ve followed his advice, my shoulder has felt fine and I’ve been using more weight (and doing more reps) than I’ve ever used before.
I’ve done three bench workouts since this first video and the results are already there.
I’m currently following 5/3/1 and on the first day, I did three more reps with the same weight.
A week later, I jumped up 10 pounds and matched my reps and I’m confident it could have been a 15-pound jump.
On the third session, I jumped five reps from the same weight, giving me a bench press PR (and a projected raw max of around 325 – stop laughing!).
This remains a work in progress as I have a ways to go to perfect my technique, but it’s a start and I’m already in a much better place than I was before.
See Part 1 HERE.
See Part 2 HERE.
See Part 3 HERE.
great stuff, I have been applying Dave’s advice to my warm-ups for all of the big 3 and it makes a HUGE difference. A big thanks to Dave for sharing his knowledge.
Lookin’ forward to seeing a new one of these every week. I have to echo what others have said that I’d love to see similar format of coaching an amateur through the squat and deadlift and maybe even shoulder press. Dave mentioned how if they get enough positive feedback on this series then they’d consider doing that, so consider this another piece of positive feedback!
hachat,
I’m excited that these articles are available. This is the best bench press info that you can find. Benching with Dave thats better then test!
Wooh, someone else also wants a shoulder press video!
Bench Press – check
Squat
Deadlift
Military Press
I totally agree with everyone’s comments.
This has been awesome, and I’ve been working with about 50 lbs lighter weight recently, just to get my technique going (with a LOT more “warm-up” sets).
Hope to see one for the rest of the big lifts (including shoulder press if possible).
Excellent series I have been tweaking my technique with every video and it definitely shows. Ive been doing Shieko and this is article has helped every week. Excellent work only thing better would be to bench with Dave in the gym.
Would love to see similar articles for Deadlift, Squat, and Military Press. Once again excellent work.
I for sure would love to see similar articles and videos for deads,squats and MPs…
Hello from Russia!!
workng on form =)) Thanks for the stuff, great advises!!
can you please teach some one after on military press, and on seated one!!
squat and dead session!
These videos helped a lot. I mean honestly _ A LOT _. Hope to see same with deadlist/ squat one day. Thanks !
you guys have always put out the best bench videos on the net – these though are another step up
lovin the series please keepem comin
Another great video! I echo this series is the best bench press advice I’ve ever seen. Can’t wait for the next one.
PLEASE do one on the Shoulder Press! These videos have really let me gain a critical eye on my technique. Especially the elbow depth and tightening my back!
Like everyone else has said this series is the best out there. I have Starting Strengh and devoured it, I’ve researched this site and have been using Wendlers 5/3/1 with much success since December. However my bench sucks and hurts like hell usually, this has cured the problems so far. Yea I’m pulling muscles in my back but that’s only temporary until I get used to the setup. Been lifting for 5 yrs and tihs is the best my bench/shoulders have felt! Thanks for the vids and information. Keep them coming, please!!!!
Mark Rippetoe has some very good videos of the press on youtube if you’re interested.
I cant get enough of this video!!!!
I have a big arch but I remember a couple of years ago I was forcibly put into a position of maximum arch and my back was sore for 3 days it was worse than any deadlift workout lol, benching is not meant to be comfortable.
extremely useful! Seeing it in a vid is just different than reading about it!
Now with that kind of setup I’m TIRED after my bench workout… Really have to get used to all that tension. Thanks Dave for that series.
Dave, what’s someone supposed to do if they lift in the USAPL where their feet must be flat?
Dave, These videos have been very helpful. Thank You. I also would like to see Squat, dead lift and Shoulder Press series.
great stuff!can’t get enough
These videos have helped me a lot – so much in fact I broke the divisional bench press record at my last comp(100kg at 63kg) and have hit a pb of 105kg recently!
Cheers.
love these vids!!! i would also like to volunteer for the deadlift or squat series at 6″5 and 165 i struggle with everything really but squat the most