A detailed plan to build bench strength and chest mass.
The ever-popular bench press has built its reputation over the past few decades as a rite of passage, a trial by fire, and a founding member of powerlifting’s “Big Three.” This exercise is all that and more. The bench press is so popular that it has its own day of the week. “International Bench Day” has become synonymous with Monday in many gyms.
The bench press is a great exercise if you want to increase the size and strength of your chest, shoulders, and triceps. The stability of the bench and the range of motion of the barbell are fixed, allowing you to use more weight. And moving more weight means building more size and strength.
If you’re looking for a standalone bench-based workout to build upper body strength and muscle, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s take a closer look below.
The best bench press workouts to build muscle and strength
For absolute strength, you should focus on moving heavier weights and work around 85-90% of your one-rep max. (1) The cluster set technique provides all that can be addressed in this regard. That is, perform multiple “mini-sets” of low repetitions with heavy weights to accumulate significant mass. This helps prime more muscles, as stronger muscles can grow in size. After a hard day’s work, two different supersets focus on exercises that effectively increase chest size and strength.
size and strength routine
Perform this workout once a week as part of your upper and lower body split. To progress through the first exercise, start with three complete cluster sets, then four the next week, then five. Once you have a set of five clusters to run, add weights. The other three bench exercises start at the lower end of the rep range and add one repetition each week. Once you reach the upper range, increase the weight by 5 to 10 pounds and start the process again.
bench press cluster set
The flat barbell bench press is a staple in your routine and should be your go-to for building size and strength when you want to move maximum weight. This bench bench variation focuses equally on the upper and lower chest, improving overall muscle development.
manner: Lie on your back on a flat bench with your lower back arched slightly and your feet on the floor. Tuck your shoulder blades together to increase stability and upper back strength. Grasp the bar, squeeze your hands tightly and bend your arms, squeezing your muscles as much as possible before releasing the load. Lower the bar to your sternum/chest base. Push the weight up, tightening your back and pulling your shoulder blades together.
Number of sets and reps: 3-5 x (4×2) — Do 4 mini-sets of 2 reps for a total of 3-5 reps.
Break time: Rest 10 seconds between each mini-set. Rest for 3 minutes after each full set.
close grip bench press
For the close-grip bench press, place your hands shoulder-width apart and shift the load to your triceps and inner chest. (2) You may not be able to lift as much weight, but you will train your chest and triceps from a different angle to improve muscle development.
manner: Set up like you would for a flat bench press, but with your hands inside shoulder width apart and your elbows tucked into your body. Pull the bar out of the rack and tighten it securely. Lower the bar to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your ribs and pulling. Once the desired depth is reached, push up until it locks out.
Number of sets and reps: 3-4×4-6
Break time: There is no break before moving on to the next exercise.
Separating the seat band
After two pushing exercises, take a break with this simple pulling exercise to strengthen your upper back and keep your shoulders healthy. By pulling this seating band apart, you can create more contact with your upper back (due to seating stability) without having to move away from the bench.
manner: Sit upright with your hands shoulder-width apart and hold a looped band at shoulder height. Pull the band apart, keeping your arms almost straight. Keep your shoulders down and your chest up. Pull until your shoulder blades are together and your arms are extended on either side of your body. Return to starting position and repeat.
Number of sets and reps: 3×15-25
Break time: Rest for 2 minutes before repeating the previous exercise.
single arm dumbbell bench press
Although this single-arm (unilateral) exercise doesn’t have as much of a load as the barbell bench press, there’s still a lot to like about this press variation. First, it addresses imbalances between sides of the body, leading to improved muscle development and joint health. Second, the dumbbell bench press lets you adjust your grip and arm angle to find a press path that’s comfortable for your wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints, giving you more freedom of movement.
manner: Place a dumbbell in your lap while sitting on a flat bench. Lean on your back and push up on the dumbbells, using your knees to move the dumbbells toward your shoulders. Lower the dumbbells, keeping your elbows at about 45 degrees from your body. Push the dumbbells up to lock them out and repeat.
Number of sets and reps: Repeat 3-4 x 8-12 times per arm.
Break time: Rest 60 to 90 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.
dumbbell chest fly
Dumbbell chest flyes are as close as you can get to a chest isolation exercise. This exercise isolates your triceps from the action and stretches your pectoral muscles, increasing your range of motion and increasing your muscle-building potential. (3)
manner: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie on your back on a flat bench. Start with your arms locked above your chest. Bend your elbows slightly and maintain this bend throughout the movement. Lower your arms by your sides so that they are in line with your shoulders. When you feel your pectoral muscles stretching, reverse the movement and tighten your chest muscles to return to the top position.
Number of sets and reps: 3×8-15
Break time: Rest 60 to 90 seconds before repeating the previous exercise.
thoracic anatomy
The chest is a large fan-shaped muscle on the surface, and the two pectoral muscles are the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. There are two attachment points: the clavicular head at the top of the chest and the sternal head at the mid-to-lower chest. The pectoralis major muscle is located at the front (front) of the rib cage, and the pectoralis minor muscle is a small muscle located below the pectoralis major muscle.
The clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscle begins, as you might expect, at the anterior or front side of the clavicle (clavicle). The sternal head of the pectoralis major muscle begins at the front of the sternum. Both muscle heads insert into the humerus (upper arm) and are responsible for most movements of the upper body. The two main chest functions that we focus on in the training above are:
- Shoulder flexion — Raise your arms by pushing or lifting in front of your body.
- Horizontal adduction — Bring your hands (and joints) together in front of your pectoral muscles, as you would during a chest fly, bench press, or push-up.
The pectoral muscles not only create a large, muscular chest, but they are also the main “hugging” muscles. The size and strength of your pectoral muscles help you tackle, grab, and dodge opponents in the sports arena. It also helps you throw and swing faster and faster if you play sports like soccer, baseball, tennis, etc.
How to warm up for bench training
Have you ever seen someone walk down the street under a barbell and start pushing around to their heart’s content? Don’t be that person. They are looking for injuries and poor performance. In rare cases, not warming up isn’t a big problem, but over time it can lead to decreased performance and increased risk of injury.
It’s a good idea to take some time to warm up to keep your shoulder and elbow joints ready for action while getting blood circulating to the muscles you’re working.
The bench press involves your upper back and rotator cuff, so be sure to perform effective upper back movements that work your scapulae and rotator muscles, such as face pulls and band pull parts with external rotation.
Then, do a few light stand-up sets on the bench press (low reps, light sets gradually get heavier), with an emphasis on working your chest muscles, and you’ll be ready to roll.
If you decide to take more time for a thorough warm-up, try this upper-body prep for a spin. Here are some exercises that focus on your lats and upper back. This is because your lats and upper back stabilize your chest during bench movements. You need to prepare your back for chest day to fully protect and prepare your shoulders and rotator cuff.
- Face pull with external rotation: Secure the resistance band to a stable object at eye level. Grasp yourself with an overhand grip and step back until your arms are extended straight out in front of you. Bring your elbows back in line with your shoulders as you pull your hands toward the top of your head. At the peak of the contraction, your thumbs should be facing behind your body and your palms should be near your ears. Return to the extended arm position. Do 2 sets of 15 reps.
- shoulder blade push up: Start in a push-up position with your hands and toes on the ground and your body straight. Keep your arms steady and pinch your shoulder blades as you lower your chest closer to the ground. Stretch your shoulder blades down and move your chest away from your hands while moving your hands in a “ground” motion. Do 2 sets of 10 reps each.
- rear delt fly: Hold two light dumbbells in each hand, or stand in the center of a light resistance band and hold each end. Bend forward at the hips so that they are approximately parallel to the ground, and bend your arms slightly so that they hang toward the ground. Raise your arms so that they are in line with your shoulders. Do not change the angle of your arms during the exercise. Pause briefly before returning to the extended position. Do 2 sets of 12 reps.
- spiderman rotation: Start in a push-up position with your hands and toes on the ground and your body straight. If you can move easily, step your left foot forward, aiming to place your left foot near your left little finger. Keep your right leg straight. Without bending your right arm, lift your left arm up to the ceiling and rotate your upper body until it is fully rotated. Once your arms are perpendicular to the ground, feel your whole body stretch before returning to the push-up position. Alternate sides with each repetition. Do 2 sets of 5 reps on each side.
- Incline plyo push up: Set up near a stable, flat bench or box and place your hands on the bench in a push-up position, toes on the ground, and body straight. Lower your chest toward the bench, keep your hands touching the bench, and drive upward explosively. Bend your arms slightly and tighten your core. Take a quick breath and reset before performing the next repetition. Perform 2 sets of 8 reps.
happy bench
There are many ways to train your chest, shoulders, and triceps, but the bench press is the most popular and probably the most effective tool. You can build muscle and strength by focusing on some of the most effective movements that complement the bench press. Always warm up your chest and shoulders, then attack the muscles using the thorough ultimate bench workout described above. Your Monday will never be the same.
References
- BJ Schoenfeld, J. Grgic, DW Van Every, DL Plotkin (2021). Loading recommendations for strength, hypertrophy, and local endurance: Revisiting the repetition continuum. Sports (Switzerland, Basel), 9(2), 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020032
- Rocky, Robert & Moreno, Matthew. (2017). Close grip bench press. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 39. 1. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000307.
- Baroni, B.M., Pompermayer, M.G., Cini, A., Peruzzolo, A.S., Radaelli, R., Brusco, C.M., and Pinto, R.S. (2017). In elbow flexion exercises using free weights, full range of motion causes more muscle damage than partial range of motion. Strength and Conditioning Research Journal, 31(8), 2223–2230. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001562
Featured image: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV / Shutterstock
