The bench press is one of the most iconic movements in weight lifting. It’s one of the first lifts people think of, and the first question most people ask is “How much you bench, bro?” Despite it’s bad wrap as a “gym bro” lift, the bench press has many virtues, and can greatly enhance your performance in combat sports.
Muscular Anatomy
It’s important to understand the muscles used in the bench press to fully understand how in relates to sports function.
Pectoralis Major
The main muscle of the chest, the pectoralis major is one of the main muscles used when performing a bench press. This large muscle is used most in the eccentric phase of the lift, or the decent phase. It is also used heavily at the very bottom of the concentric phase to initiate the press towards the top.
Anterior Deltoid
The anterior deltoid, also known as the front delt is used heavily in the bench press. The front delt is used most in the middle of the lift in both the eccentric and concentric portion.
Triceps Brachii
The triceps, particularly the lateral and medial heads work during the bench press. They are used most in the concentric phase of the lift, rather than the eccentric or lower phase. They function heavily during the “lock out” portion of the bench press.
Function for Sport
Most combat coaches tell their athletes to focus more on pulling exercises, due to the idea that grappling athletes use more pulling than pushing. While this might be true, I don’t think pushing exercises should be neglected. If you’re a wrestler, you don’t want to be on your back, but if you end up there, don’t you want to have the strength and explosiveness to press the opponent off of you and get out? If you’re in jiu-jitsu and someone is coming around to pass your guard, don’t you want to have pushing strength to keep distance between you and the opponent to recover guard or setup a sweep? Lastly for boxers and striking athletes, the stronger at pressing you are, the more explosive your punches will be. Going from a bar with resistance, to extending your arm and using your legs and core to drive it forward with no resistance, will result in an extremely powerful punch.
High Reps or Low Reps?
Both! As an athlete, you never want to stick to one thing. You want to be well rounded in different areas. I’ve seen coaches tell their athletes that they should not use low reps and heavy weight because it does not allow them to be explosive. I strongly disagree with this. If you take someone who isn’t very strong, who can crank out 20 reps with 135lbs, but then take someone who can bench 315lbs for 1-3 reps and give them the same weight, I can guarantee that the 315 pound bench presser will be able to press 135lbs more explosively and for higher reps than the guy who only focuses on light weight and high reps. Balance is crucial, but strength should always be number one. It will build strong work ethic, mental toughness, and superior ability in mixed martial arts.
How to Perform a Bench Press?
Click here for a breakdown of the bench press, including a video to show proper form!
If you really want to take your bench press to the next level, check out this program from Mike Westerdal of Critical Bench. He has helped countless people build stronger bench presses, and I guarantee that his program will help you to add more weight to your press, and more muscle to your frame! Great for athletes looking to have the edge on their competition. Click here for more information!
Thanks for reading, and happy benching!