bench

Unilateral rows are the bomb because they strengthen imbalances between sides, which leads to better muscle development and stronger bilateral rows. But as the dumbbells get larger and more awkward, progressing becomes more challenging. Enter the Meadows Row, the brainchild of the late John...

A detailed look at the most potent muscle building exercises, as well as a bodypart by bodypart breakdown. Stop wasting time in the gym and start getting results! A workout is made up of only so many sets and exercises. Constructing a workout without a purpose, and without the use of the best...

Don't have access to your favorite upper body gym machines but still want to hit your favorite upper body workout? Check out these band, barbell, and dumbbell alternatives! Getting the motivation to train at home can be tricky. You’re not at the gym surrounded by other people training with the...

If you have a rack, bar, and plates, then you have the tools necessary to train. These two full-body programs can help you achieve personal fitness success. Over the last several years, there has been a movement in the fitness world – training at home. Home gym equipment has been a big hit and...

OPTIMIZE EXERCISE QUALITY For any given lifter at any given time, some exercises are better than others. By "better" I mean a more optimal benefit/drawback ratio. What makes an exercise "better?" Lots of things: Exercises you can perform safely and effectively are better. If bench...

When an athlete is looking for gains in explosiveness, it generally comes down to two things: Choose better parents or get stronger first. Too bad the first option is out. This leaves us with the second. If you want to get faster, jump higher, and be more powerful, get stronger first. But after...

After years in the iron game, PRs get harder to hit. There comes a point where you can't just go to the gym each day and pull a new personal best out of your butt. If you're an advanced lifter you'll need a better strategy and maybe a "trick" or two to continue to up your poundages. If you're...

THE SCRAPE THE RACK BENCH PRESS This exercise helps emphasize the contraction of the pecs (you get a much better squeeze when you both push up and against the pins) while reducing the involvement of the shoulders. The triceps are also more easily activated. But even more interesting is that by...

When it comes to pain-free shoulder stability when bench pressing, sometimes locking into a range of motion and position can be challenging. But using the right tools can fix this problem. There's a reason many smart sports rehab pros are gravitating toward kettlebells for movement remediation...

If you want your stubborn back to start growing, you need to attack it from all angles. And you need to do it with more focus on tension rather than just how much weight you can throw around. Try these exercises. ▶️ The Eagle Pulldown Find the cable setup that's most comfortable and best...

You'll need a flat bench and two sets of dumbbells: a lighter set and a heavier set. The lighter set will be used for the shoulder exercise; the heavier set will be for the biceps and triceps exercises. A1  Seated Biceps Curl A2  Skull Crusher A3  One-Arm Side-Lying Rear-Delt Flye Perform 2-4...

This table lists the most probable issue causing each sticking point on the bench press. Now, there could be something more complex going on, or a technical issue that's more unique to you. But most of the time, I've found that strengthening the sticking point area will solve the problem. So...

Most guys do some form of paused bench press... if they aren't ego lifters. Bring the bar down, pause at the chest, do some repping. Sweet. It's great in theory, but the application is sometimes lacking. Where? The pause itself. The whole point of the pause is to reduce the rebound from the...

Upper-Back Isometrics and Shoulder Pain The barbell bench press is the universal standard for upper-body strength, but it’s also one of the most injury-inducing exercises. So what exactly gets injured the most when benching? Generally, the anterior part 58 of the shoulder. There could be...

Top 5 Exercises for Sculpted Pecs Many lifters struggle to build their chests for three reasons: Blind love for the barbell bench press. Ego-driven lifting: Chasing weight rather than chest growth. A poor mind-muscle connection. Here are some key strategies and five pillar exercises to...

There is no doubting most gymgoers’ attraction to the barbell bench press. It is part of the Big 3 lifts for a reason: The barbell bench press, with its stability and relatively fixed range of motion, allows the lifter to move the most weight possible. But through injury or range of motion...

A FEW FORMALITIES Before we dive right in, there are some important things to consider prior to using this: This is in no way scientific. It's observational. Everyone is different (age, experience, sex, injury history, training style, build, etc.). Therefore, this won't be exact, and that's...

BRING BACK THE BENCH, MINUS THE SHOULDER PAIN Since many lifters focus on mirror movements like presses and curls, a cumulative stress cycle through the shoulders usually results in overuse, pain, and injuries. Front-side shoulder pain is common. But the last thing many diehard lifters are...

While Joe Weider often gets the lion's share of credit (or blame) for popularizing bodybuilding supplements, Vince Gironda, aka "The Iron Guru," was the true father of supplementation (along with a whole lot of nifty training concepts). Gironda also popularized being kind of an SOB. I...

Getting results is hard enough when you're healthy. It's damn near impossible when you're battling your own body. Pain puts the brakes on your body's ability to move and perform. But if the big lifts hurt you, you can still make progress. Here's how to make simple modifications to three common...