The barbell bench press is the undisputed champion of worldwide chest day, and for good purpose. It builds upper-body power, enhances your chest, shoulders, and triceps, and provides lifters that traditional “how a lot ya bench?” bragging rights.
Nonetheless, it’s not a one-size-fits-all train.
For some lifters, the barbell bench press may cause persistent shoulder ache or frustration as a consequence of stalled progress. Others lack the know-how or the spotter to carry out it safely, however that doesn’t imply you’re doomed to a no chest and weak press.
Right here, I’ll define what makes the barbell bench press so efficient, what to think about when searching for a substitute, and 5 bench press alternate options that may nonetheless construct a muscular chest and urgent energy, with out inflicting ache.
What Makes The Barbell Bench Press Efficient?
The barbell bench press is considered one of many barbell workouts that ship outcomes by way of dimension, power, and efficiency. Right here’s what makes it efficient:
- Compound Efficiency: The bench press concurrently trains the pectorals, entrance delts, and triceps, making it an efficient train for the higher physique.
- You Can Load Up: The barbell permits for balanced, bilateral loading with a set vary of movement, offering predictability, stability, and development over time.
- Bragging rights: Whether or not you’re coaching for powerlifting, athletics, or simply bragging rights, the bench press is a go-to benchmark of upper-body energy. Does anybody ask you ways a lot you row? I relaxation my case.
- Muscle Progress on Faucet: It lets you press from a steady place, making it a hypertrophy-friendly motion, in case your upper-body joints can deal with it.
That stated, its fastened motion path and the shoulder stress it could actually trigger could make it less-than-ideal for some lifters. That’s the place sensible alternate options are available in.
What to Look For In a Good Various
If the barbell bench press isn’t for you otherwise you’re searching for some selection, the purpose isn’t to interchange it with any chest train however reasonably to sub in a motion that gives comparable muscle and strength-building advantages. Right here’s what a high quality bench press different ought to ship:
- Chest Engagement: Let’s watch out to not overlook the apparent, as an ideal different nonetheless wants to focus on the pecs by a full vary of movement.
- Horizontal or Inclined Urgent Angle: It ought to mimic the motion sample of a bench press to take care of carryover to urgent power and dimension beneficial properties.
- Be Joint-Pleasant: In case your shoulders or wrists don’t love the barbell, a great substitute wants to supply extra freedom of motion or machine-assisted stability.
- Progressive Overload Potential: In case you can not progressively overload it, it’s out
These 5 alternate options test all these packing containers after which some. Okay, sufficient discuss; it’s time for motion.
5 Finest Options to the Barbell Bench Press
The barbell bench press is the granddaddy of all chest workouts, however typically grandpa will get grumpy and mad at you. When the barbell isn’t your good friend, these 5 alternate options will serve you properly.
Dumbbell Bench Press
The traditional dumbbell bench press makes use of one or two dumbbells, carried out on a flat bench with both a impartial or commonplace grip. It supplies a better vary of movement and extra freedom of motion than a barbell, permitting for a deeper stretch whereas all sides works independently. This variation is great for correcting left-right imbalances, decreasing joint pressure, and attaining a powerful chest pump. Decrease the dumbbells with management till your elbows are slightly below the extent of the bench, then press them up whereas maintaining your wrists above your elbows.
Units & Reps: 3–4 units of 6–15 reps
Dumbbell Flooring Press
The dumbbell flooring press is a variation the place the ground is your bench, and it serves a few functions.
- It limits the vary of movement at a degree the place the shoulder joint turns into weak.
- This variation, due to the lowered ROM, focuses on triceps and lockout power.
- There is no such thing as a help out of your decrease physique, additional enhancing lockout power.
It’s very best for lifters with shoulder points or those that are inclined to overstretch within the bench press. Hold your elbows at a 45-degree angle out of your torso, and pause briefly when your triceps contact the ground to eradicate momentum.
Units & Reps: 3 units of 6–12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press
Okay, now we’re again on the bench with the dumbbell chest press, carried out on an incline bench set at 30–45 levels. It has all the advantages of the flat press, however it targets the higher chest and entrance delts greater than a flat press and locations the shoulders in a extra pure urgent place. Hold your chin tucked and keep away from flaring the elbows too broad. Press in an arc that ends above your collarbones, not your face.
Units & Reps: 3–4 units of 6–15 reps
Machine Chest Press
The machine chest press is a seated or mendacity press that makes use of a plate-loaded or selectorized weight for resistance. This train includes a fastened motion path mixed with elevated stability, which requires much less effort from the stabilizers, permitting for better engagement from the chest. It’s a superb variation for rookies, rehabilitation, or high-volume hypertrophy work. Modify the seat top in order that the handles align along with your mid-chest. Hold your again towards the pad and keep away from fully locking out your elbows.
Units & Reps: 3–4 units of 8–16 reps
Swiss Bar Bench Press
A Swiss bar bench press makes use of a Swiss multi-grip bar, which permits a impartial or angled hand place. The impartial grip locations your higher physique joints in a stronger, extra joint-saving place whereas offering all the advantages that the common barbell variation presents. It reduces inner rotation stress and may be gentler on the wrists and elbows. Use a shoulder-width impartial grip and maintain your elbows nearer to your physique than the common barbell press to take care of optimum joint alignment.
Units & Reps: 3 units of 6–12 reps
