Bench Press

POSITIONING FOR MORE POWER IN YOUR BENCH PRESS/PUSHUPS

I think we can all agree that the push-up and bench press are both some of the most commonly performed movements in the gym. And, if we're being honest, most people need to spend more time working on their "pushups" and less time worrying about how many plates they load on the bar - but maybe that's just me.

In either case, we all know (at a fundamental level) that you need to be able to properly position your body and activate the appropriate muscle groups to get the most our of each rep. Unfortunately, many people go into auto-pilot and do the same ole' shitty movement for every rep only ingraining poor patterns. Being conscious while performing seemingly simple movements is incredibly important and often neglected.

In an effort to assist y'all in your quest for better movement and bigger numbers, I spent a little bit of time in front of the camera explaining a very simple concept that I think will really help y'all out when performing any type of horizontal press. Check it out below and let me know if you find it valuable. 


WOMEN'S WEIGHTLIFTING CREW

Starting in February (2/3/17) TCS will host the Women's Weightlifting Crew on the first Friday of every month. This is open to any female in the area who loves to pick shit up and put it down. Strongman, powerlifting, olympic lifting, "gymnastical" shit....everything is up for discussion. Myself and Coach Mary D from the Strictly Strength side of the gym will be leading these workouts. 

If you are familiar with TCS, Travis hosts "Lumberjacked" for the dudes once a month. This is the same - but better for obvious reasons.

WWC is open to any fitness level. You could be starting out day 1 - or be competing in the Olympics. We don't care, and neither should you. This is about getting together with other strong women and doing what we love: Lifting heavy shit in any way possible. 

Sign ups are HERE. Look on the class calendar each month for the announced Friday night for the WWC. 

Take A Deep Breath...Good. Now PUSH!

If you've spent any substantial amount of time living as a meathead, you probably already know that Mondays are the international "Chest Day", right? I remember this being the case prior to finding CrossFit and eventually doing the crazy shit I do know. The bench was the epicenter of the gym on Mondays, and you had little chance of getting your sets in before other meatheads crowded around and eventually pissed you off enough that you gave up and went to dumbbell bench.

Recently, after being inspired by a Nick Mounce warmup incorporating breathing ladders (more on this is bit), I decided that performing said breathing ladder while busting out a large volume of unbroken pushups sounded like an exciting way to mix up "Chest Day". 

I was right. It's a SMOKER!


Pushup Breathing Ladder:

  • 20 Pushups
    • 10 Breaths
  • 18 Pushups
    • 9 Breaths
  • 16 Pushups
    • 8 Breaths
  • 14 Pushups
    • 7 Breaths
  • 12 Pushups
    • 6 Breaths
  • 10 Pushups
    • 5 Breaths
  • 8 Pushups
    • 4 Breaths
  • 6 Pushups
    • 3 Breaths
  • 4 Pushups
    • 2 Breaths
  • 2 Pushups
    • 1 Breath

Now, there are a couple very important details that you need to know prior to taking this on.

1. Your pushups need to be f*cking dialed in!!! Full range of motion is an absolute requirement, however, staying on your toes is not. IF you begin to burn out (and you will...) and are unable to perform the set in unbroken fashion on your toes, quickly drop to your knees and continue performing reps. No matter what.....DO NOT stop repping out pushups until the set is complete!

2. The breaths are there to provide you with a small rest before hitting the next set. It's your job to make these breaths last as long as possible - extending the rest period out. This will only happen if you force yourself to slow your breathing rate and heart rate down. You have to do this on purpose.....otherwise you will end up hyperventilating your breaths away before you've had adequate rest. Get it?!


If you're looking for a new way to blast your chest away while avoiding the gorillas that plant their ass on the bench permanently, this pushup breathing ladder will do the trick perfectly. Not to mention the fact that perfect pushups have become nearly extinct in the gym. Why? Because they're fucking hard! Pushups have a unique ability to humble the shit out of anyone, so people avoid them and stick with what's easy.

Go against the grain - master the pushup - and you will reap a massive reward from all the hard work. Remember.....Simple doesn't mean easy.