On August 6, 2023, Hildeborg Juvet Hugdal recorded a 235.5-kilogram (519.1-pound) equipped bench press during the 2023 European Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Equipped Bench Press Championships in Bordeaux, France. The milestone helped Hugdal to first place and is a World Record in the +84-kilogram weight class. It is also the single heaviest equipped lift by a Women’s powerlifter in the history of the IPF’s jurisdiction.
Hugdal wore wrist wraps, a lifting belt, and a single-ply bench press shirt for stability during her record-breaking bench press. The athlete’s new World Record in the +84-kilogram class is an extension of her own mark from the 2022 IPF Equipped World Championships, surpassing it by 5.5 kilograms (12.1 pounds). The IPF distinguishes between single lifts and full-competition lifts in its official record database. Hugdal has her name written under both descriptors. With Hugdal having turned 40 recently, the press is also a Masters 1 (ages 40-49) World Record. A video of the competitor’s monumental strength feat is featured below via the official Instagram page of the IPF.
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In the context of her overall bench-pressing performance, Hugdal actually matched her previous World Record on her second attempt. She then vied for the new milestone and locked it out with ease, if the video of her accomplishment is any indication.
Here’s an overview of Hugdal’s bench press performance at the 2023 EPF Equipped Bench Press Championships:
Third attempt: 235.5 kilograms (519 pounds) — IPF Equipped World Record
Hugdal is used to astonishing achievements on sanctioned lifting platforms. The Norwegian athlete has over 20 years of competitive powerlifting experience with a variety of Norwegian, Danish, European, and World titles to her name. In a competitive career with over 90 appearances dating back to January 1998, the prolific Hugdal has lost on just 26 occasions.
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Hugdal is the defending +84-kilogram IPF Equipped World champion. The veteran athlete will likely defend her title at the 2023 iteration, which will take place on November 13-18, 2023, in Druskininkai, Lithuania.
On July 13, 2023, strongman Pavlo Nakonechnyy shared an Instagram video of himself completing a 200-kilogram (440.9-pound) bench press for seven reps during a training session. According to the caption of Nakonechnyy’s post, the session is part of the Ukrainian athlete’s ongoing preparation for the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC). The competition is scheduled for August 19-20, 2023, in Loveland, CO. American athlete Trey Mitchell is the two-time defending SC champion (2021-2022).
In a stacked SC field featuring Mitchell and various World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champions like Mitchell Hooper (reigning, 2023), Tom Stoltman (2021-2022), Oleksii Novikov (2020), and the contest’s eponymous competitor, Brian Shaw (2011, 2013, 2015-2016), the 26-year-old Nakonechnyy still figures to be a dark horse contender for the title. Winning an event like the Bench Press — its presence in the 2023 SC event catalog is why Nakonechnyy is polishing it up — would go a long way toward his chances.
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As an athlete still relatively young in a strongman context, Nakonechnyy put himself on the map when he won the 2022 Giants Live World Open (GLWO) title. Nakonechnyy’s triumph was notable given that he beat other notable strongman superstars like Hooper, Novikov, and 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC) champion Evan Singleton. However, a knee injury suffered at the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) robbed Nakonechnyy of the opportunity to build on his success with two major contests from the 2023 strongman season. At the time of this writing, it is still unclear what the extent and nature of Nakonechnyy’s injury was.
Rather than make his respective debuts at the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) and the 2023 WSM, Nakonechnyy was forced to withdraw from both competitions and take the time to recuperate to full strength. After a recent third-place podium appearance at the 2023 Pahlavon Mahmud Strongman Grand Prix (PMSGP), it seems Nakonechnyy is prepared to raise his profile again in a contest with a bigger reputation like the 2023 SC.
Here’s an overview of the current 2023 SC roster and the complete list of competitors Nakonechnyy will have to overcome in his debut at the contest:
According to his resume on Strongman Archives, Nakonechnyy has typically fared well in competition debuts during his young career. In seven first-time appearances at respective strongman contests, including his win at the 2022 GLWO, Nakonechnyy can boast six top-five finishes. Such a precedent could bode well for the athlete at the 2023 SC.
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In a competition loaded with superstars like the 2023 SC, Nakonechnyy faces a tall order to make a mark. If he is indeed back to all cylinders firing, a Colorado success story for this youthful Ukrainian dynamo probably shouldn’t be viewed as a surprise.
If you hit up your local commercial gym on any given Monday evening, you’ll see that chest training is one of the most popular workouts for many lifters. Two classic lifts regularly used in this high-priority session are the time-tested flat bench press and its close cousin the incline bench press.
Whether it’s right or wrong, when most people think about “chest muscle” or “upper body training”, they think about the bench press. And when they’re ready for some variety, forget about dumbbell benching. They’ll often stick with a big barbell lift and hit up its companion — the incline bench press.
Credit: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock
Despite the fact that these lifts may be at risk of being overhyped or oversaturated, they’re still both great and highly effective training options when it comes to adding strength and muscle to your upper body. Depending on your goals and your starting point, they’re actually worth a place in the right program.
Both exercises make it easy to gauge progress and see consistent results. But if you really want to get the most from them, you need a thorough understanding of what makes these two basic chest-builders different, what unique benefits they each offer, and you’ve got to know how to perform them effectively.
Incline Bench Press and Flat Bench Press
Differences Between the Incline Bench Press and Flat Bench Press
To be thorough, it’s important to understand that the differences go beyond just using a slight angle. Each exercise is its own muscle-building monster and requires an understanding of what it can, or cannot, offer.
Muscle Recruitment
The flat bench press and incline bench press are both upper body presses that bear load for the shoulder joint and attached muscles. Being on an incline and pressing relatively closer to an overhead position will recruit a bit more of the clavicular pectoralis muscles (“upper chest”). (1) In comparison, the flat bench press will involve a bit more of the sternal pectoralis (mid or “lower” chest).
Credit: Hryshchyshen Serhii / Shutterstock
Incline pressing will recruit more of the deltoids (shoulders) — especially the front deltoids — compared to a flat bench press. Again, this is due to the arm angle relative to the body. This shoulder recruitment can be greater or lesser depending on the angle of the incline. A higher incline bench press will be more deltoid-dominant compared to a lower incline bench press. (2)
Joint Stress
Both of these lifts are bench press variations, and both will generally involve much of the same efforts. However, the incline bench press will be a bit more biased toward the shoulder joint and more contingent upon overall shoulder health.
Not only does the incline bench press bring your shoulder into a greater degree of extension at the bottom of each rep, but it also finishes each rep in more of an overhead position. For many lifters, this will be more taxing on the rotator cuff and shoulder joint, which is already a relatively limited in its stability compared to other joints.
Bench Angle and Arm Position
The flat bench press — the more popular and glamorized of the two lifts — is performed while lying horizontally on a flat bench. A lifter will likely have the capability to move a bit more weight due to the body’s orientation relative to the barbell and its path.
The incline bench press is performed on a bench that’s typically inclined to 45-degrees. This angle is fixed for incline bench stations, however it can be higher or lower if you’re using an adjustable bench placed in a squat cage, a Smith machine, or another customizable setup.
Since your torso is, as expected, more inclined during the incline bench press, your arm and shoulder position will be more flexed (closer to an overhead position) during the movement. In comparison, the flat bench press will ask more of a healthy shoulder capsule to lift the weight through a full range of motion.
Hand Position and Grip Width
Many find that using a slightly narrower grip on the flat bench press compared to the incline bench press is not only more comfortable, but also friendlier to their shoulder joints. The closer your upper arms remain to your torso, the easier it is to protect the relatively delicate shoulder joint while moving deep into extension through bottom-end ranges.
Credit: evgeny varlamov / Shutterstock
Because these bottom-end ranges are more exaggerated on the incline, as your elbows can move far below your body, using a slightly wider grip with the incline press can help prevent the elbow from traveling too far below the body’s line. That can sometimes mean stopping a couple of inches shy of an “ideal” bar-to-chest range of motion.
Seat Position and Footing
The incline bench press will have a much deeper seated position. This will be significant and noticeable, especially for taller lifters or those with relatively longer legs.
This can affect things like foot placement relative to your body and floor drive. It may not be quite as easy to achieve a “tucked” position when incline bench pressing. Because leg drive is reduced, the incline bench press is slightly more dependent on the force produced from the upper body alone. In contrast, the flat bench press can benefit from increased total-body tension created by a strong leg drive.
Point of Contact on the Body
Due to the differences in torso angle, even though the vertical line of the bar remains consistent, the point of contact on your body will indeed be different. In both lifts, the goal should be to maintain a vertical forearm so your elbow always remains under the bar at the bottom of the rep and your straight arm is under the bar at the top.
Doing this while changing the torso angle from one lift to another means the bar will most likely make contact somewhere around the mid-chest line during the flat bench press (depending on your arm length) and somewhere around your collarbones with the incline bench press. The incline pressing position may also result in slightly more outwardly flared elbows due to the higher point of contact.
Similarities Between the Incline Bench Press and Flat Bench Press
As founding members of the barbell bench press family, both the incline and flat bench press share several major similarities.
Horizontal Push Pattern
By classification, both the flat and incline bench press belong to the same movement pattern known as “horizontal pushing.” Both exercises focus on your upper body and both use your shoulder capsule as the primary load-bearing joint.
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock
To some degree, your chest, shoulders, and triceps will be key players from a muscular perspective, even though the bench angle will determine the degree to which each muscle is recruited — as explained earlier.
Total Body Involvement
From a technique standpoint, the incline bench press and flat bench press both require focus to keep the bar path relatively vertical and perpendicular to the floor.
That involves setting a “target” in the same place on the ceiling for every repetition. It also involves placing tension throughout your entire body, including your upper back, glutes, and quads. One cue that proves invaluable for both lifts is “Aiming to “driving your feet into the floor,” especially as weight becomes heavier.
Available Variations
In both the incline bench press and the flat bench press, the opportunity exists to use kinds of barbells, like a neutral-grip football bar or cambered bar. Both movements can also be performed with different apparatus such as dumbbells or kettlebells to suit a lifter’s preferences or needs.
Furthermore, even if using a traditional barbell, there are options to add bands or chains to the bar. This will change the resistance profile to favor certain portions of the lift without altering basic setup or technique.
How to Incline Bench Press
The majority of cues for each type of bench press are virtually transferable. The most significant difference with the incline bench press is a change in the point of contact between the bar and your body.
Otherwise, you’ll find a similar checklist between the two movements. Regardless, be sure to treat the incline bench press as its own exercise and don’t try to simply copy “flat bench press technique using an incline bench.” Perform an incline bench press properly and deliberately.
Set up the bench pad and rack so your eyes start under the bar.
Assume four points of contact — feet on the floor, glutes on the bench, upper back on the bench, and head on the bench.
Create a “tucked” position — pulling your feet toward your glutes and planting your toes into the ground.
Grab the bar at a comfortable width that keeps your forearm vertical during the movement.
Drag the bar out, rather than “lifting” it, into a starting position over your eyes. Remember, it’s an incline so the bar should start and finish over your eyes rather than over your shoulders.
Lower to a full range of motion, toward your collarbones, without bouncing in the bottom position.
Remain tight and drive your feet into the ground as you exhale and press the weight up.
How to Flat Bench Press
Some lifters take the bench press for granted, assuming that “they know how it’s done” or that it can’t be too complicated because everyone does it. Unfortunately, that approach often leads to bad shoulders, poor strength gains, and limited muscle growth.
Exactly because it’s popular, and because it has so many potential physical benefits, is why the flat bench press should be performed properly.
Lie on the bench so your eyes start under the bar. If possible, adjust the bar hooks to start roughly six inches below full lockout to allow a good unrack.
Assume four points of contact — feet on the floor, glutes on the bench, upper back on the bench, and head on the bench.
Pull your shoulder blades together to get tight in the upper back and allow your lower back to create a natural arch.
Create a “tucked” position — pulling your feet toward your glutes and planting your toes into the ground.
Grab the bar at a comfortable width that keeps your forearm vertical during the movement.
Drag the bar out, rather than “lifting” it, into a starting position over your shoulders.
Lower to a full range of motion, ideally reaching your mid-chest, without bouncing in the bottom position.
Remain tight and drive your feet into the ground as you exhale and press the weight up.
When to Do the the Incline Bench Press vs. Flat Bench Press
Though these lifts are potentially bordering on overuse in the classic gym community, they still have utility in a training program for both general lifters and athletes. Training the horizontal pushing pattern with either the incline bench press or flat bench press can be highly effective, especially if you employ loading variety like dumbbells, neutral-grip barbells, chains, or bands.
When pressing strength and muscular development is the goal, and a novice or intermediate lifter has no major history of shoulder trauma, the bench press and incline bench press can be placed into the routine.
Since training this pattern (particularly for strength) is a higher-output, CNS-based movement, program them earlier in a workout session rather than later, so they can be trained before fatigue sets in. Alternatively, if the lifts are being performed for relatively higher rep ranges (10 to 12 reps or more), either movement can efficiently be programmed later in any given workout.
Credit: Vladimir Sukhachev / Shutterstock
However, because the incline bench press is inherently more strenuous on the shoulder joint, it’s a poor choice for very heavy, low-rep programming. If your ultimate goal is upper body pressing strength, the flat bench press is be the preferred choice.
While both movements can be ideal for beginners and intermediate lifters, neither might actually be the best choice for very experienced lifters. The further along a lifting journey a you get, the more you might realize the incline bench press and flat bench press, performed with a typical barbell, aren’t exceptional for building muscle beyond a certain point.
Other exercises may create relatively less stress on the shoulder joint, while doing a more efficient job of isolating the chest, based on the actual biomechanical function of the shoulder and muscle action of the pectoralis. Dips are a top contender in that regard.
If awesome chest development is the name of the game, some variety outside these two bench press variations will eventually become necessary, and that’s important to know. Employing that kind of variety will also likely have your shoulders thanking you over time.
Pick Your Press
Whether you’re looking to boost your pressing power or build a serious set of pecs, either bench press variation can play a role in your training plan. Don’t rely solely on engrained habits or some long-running “tradition” of emphasizing the flat barbell bench press if it isn’t the most effective tool for your personal goals in the gym. Take an objective look at which barbell chest exercise really suits your needs, and then start discovering better results.
References
Rodríguez-Ridao, D., Antequera-Vique, J. A., Martín-Fuentes, I., & Muyor, J. M. (2020). Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(19), 7339. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197339
Campos, Y. A. C., Vianna, J. M., Guimarães, M. P., Oliveira, J. L. D., Hernández-Mosqueira, C., da Silva, S. F., & Marchetti, P. H. (2020). Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals. Journal of human kinetics, 75, 5–14. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2020-0033
Featured Image: Hryshchyshen Serhii / Shutterstock
In some gym circles, you’re not considered a “true” lifter if nobody has ever asked you, “How much do you bench?” This fundamental exercise is the archetypal test of upper body strength and size.
Yet, you might’ve seen this scene happen in person or in a viral video: a powerlifter marches toward a bench press station, folds themselves like a Cirque du Soleil acrobat, and proceeds to lift a seemingly impossible weight using the shortest possible range of motion. On the other side, you see big lifters moving big weights while lying on the bench as flat as a flounder.
Credit: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV / Shutterstock
So, who’s right or wrong? Is one of these lifters even “wrong?” Here’s a review of the benefits and risks of performing the bench press with an arch, as well as how and when to use this modified technique to reach your goals.
The Importance of a Bench Press Arch
Benefits of Using an Arch
The bench press arch refers to the deliberate extension and curvature of your spine when lying on the flat bench. A little arch is natural with most people, as it simply follows the natural curve of the spine, which isn’t flat.
You can easily spot an arch, as the lower back of the lifter is not touching the bench. If someone has an exaggerated spine curvature — for instance, a lordosis — they are forced to arch. Some lifters, especially powerlifters in competition, try to amplify this curvature and have as big an arch as possible. Why? It has several benefits, especially if you want to get stronger.
More Weight Lifted
With a bigger arch, the lower portion of your chest is in a higher position. This means that the point of contact with the barbell will be higher and, as such, the range of motion will be shorter. For the same amount of force produced, you can lift more weight. If you want to increase your bench press, then learning how to arch is an excellent way of improving the efficiency of your lift.
This method became so effective that some powerlifters would seem to barely make the barbell move more than a few inches and, as result, would set incredible records. Many would even say it’s cheating, ridiculous, and defeats the purpose of the sport.
As such, some powerlifting federations, like the International Powerlifting Federation — the biggest tested powerlifting federation in the world — updated their competition rules to limit arching. The goal was to ensure that performance is primarily based on a lifter’s strength, and not their mobility.
Safer on the Shoulders
Your shoulders are some of the most mobile and most fragile joints in your body. They are put under a lot of stress with the bench press. Arching your back allows you to better squeeze your shoulders blades together and down, and maintain them in place during execution of the exercise.
Because the range of motion is shorter with an arched bench press, your elbows travel a shorter distance into the bottom position and will not go as far beneath your shoulder joint. This prevents excessive stretching in your shoulders and chest muscles, while avoiding a relatively weaker position that might result in injuries or joint strain. This is especially important if you have longer arms, as these effects are amplified.
More Overall Stability
Arching your back makes your upper body more “compact” and creates more full-body tension by strongly activating your upper back, lat, hips, and core muscles, compared to lying flat on the bench.
Credit: Real Sports Photos / Shutterstock
This way, you can properly distribute the energy from your legs through your torso to your shoulders and into the barbell. If your whole body is tensed, you will provide a more stable surface from which to press.
It’s the same principle that makes squatting with your feet on the floor easier than standing on a stability ball — you can generate more force without having to balance your body. If your torso wiggles on the bench with each repetition, you’re bound to leak strength and decrease your rate of technical adaptation.
More Muscle Growth
This is perhaps the most surprising benefit, as most gym veterans swear that the arched bench press should only be used by powerlifters focused on strength, and that a flatter version is better for muscle mass. But studies have shown more back and triceps activation during the arched bench press. (1) That’s logical, as the lats help arch the back, and a shorter range of motion will put more stress on your arms.
But what about building your chest? People have claimed that the arched bench turns the lift into some sort of decline bench press and that’s somewhat true, as lower chest activation is slightly greater. But upper chest activation remained the same, so muscle recruitment is still net-positive, likely because you can use more weight. So overall, you activate more muscle mass and stimulate more growth.
Risks of Using an Arch
With all these perks, arching seems too good to be true. There might be some risks, though, especially if you exaggerate it too much. You can have too much of a good thing.
Lower Back Strain
Your spine is naturally extended because of its curvature, but extreme extension will put the disks and nerves at a greater risk of injury. Sure, there’s no axial loading or shear forces, but the technique will still put some stress on your lower back, especially if you then use leg drive to generate full-body tension. The probabilities of injuries may be relatively low, but you should keep them in mind, especially if you have pre-existing back issues.
Credit: Real Sports Photos / Shutterstock
A hernia could even potentially happen, even though it usually occurs during spinal flexion (bending forward at the waist). If you already have lower back troubles or injuries, arching might prove very painful and counterproductive. If you’re such a lifter, you should refrain from using a powerlifting arch and stick to maintaining your natural arch or pressing with a flatter back, depending on which is least painful.
Less Muscle Mass
But, didn’t we just say that an arched back recruits more muscle mass? Indeed, but there’s arching and there’s arching. If you cut the range of motion too much, some muscles will be less stimulated. The more a muscle is stretched, the more it responds to training. (2) And if there’s almost no stretch due to an extremely limited range of motion, the stimulus will be much lower.
Using some partial movements here and there is not a problem, but they shouldn’t make up the bulk of your training. If your training is minimalist — using a limited variety of exercises or very low volume — you should probably abstain from using a big arch. Or, if you do bench with an arch, make sure you’re also including full-range exercises like the incline bench press and overhead press to really complete your training and fill out your physique.
How to Arch
Most people already have a natural arch, this is just how they’re built. If you want to stick to a natural arch when performing a bench press, simply squeeze your shoulders blades together and down, and puff your chest up and high. But if you want to maximize your arch (either because you naturally don’t have one or you want to lift as heavy as possible), follow these steps.
Step 1 — Setup on the Bench
Lay down on the bench, grab the barbell, and grip the bar outside of shoulder-width. Your eyes or eyebrows should be directly in line with the bar. Squeeze your shoulders blades together and down (toward your glutes) as far as possible. Try to feel your traps dig into the bench. Focus on arching your upper back as much as possible, not necessarily your lower back.
Credit: BarBend / YouTube
If you want to take things to the max and really optimize your position, you can even put your feet on the bench while setting up your initial position. This will put as much weight as possible on your traps and will help to leverage your body into position.
Step 2 — Set Your Stance
If they were up on the bench, put your feet on the floor while keeping your arch. Position your feet as close to your shoulders as possible. Start “digging” your heels backward as far as you comfortably can.
Credit: BarBend / YouTube
Push your toes into the ground “down and away” from your body. This lower body pushing motion will help you prevent your glutes from rising off the bench.
Step 3 — Unrack the Bar, Lower, and Press
Maintain pressure through your feet. Unrack the barbell, with the help of a spotter if possible. Once the bar is set at the midway point, just above your chest, pause very briefly to confirm proper positioning.
Credit: Serghei Starus / Shutterstock
Keep applying full-body tension from your traps to your toes. Lower the barbell until it gently touches your chest. Feel tension in your upper body at all times and hold your chest high. Move the weight deliberately and cautiously because the range of motion will be less than what you may be used to. As you feel the bar make contact, press powerfully to lockout.
How to Improve Your Arch
The bench press is an unnatural movement in itself — lying on a short platform while repeatedly moving a long, heavy bar above your rib cage and several vital organs. Intentionally arching your upper body during the exercise can feel even more unnatural.
Your first attempts to use an arch will likely feel awkward and certainly won’t be perfect. Also, unfortunately for the stiffer lifters out there, there’s a dose of mobility involved. Some will never develop a really big arch, but you can still improve it following these suggestions.
Dynamic Foam Rolling
Before you lift, after a general warm-up, grab a foam roller and start hammering your mid-back for a minute. This upper body drill is key for thoracic mobility.
Loosening your spinal erectors, running the full length of your back, will also help tremendously with improving your arch position. Don’t forget to also, carefully, roll your lower back. This will help hold your position when your lower body is set and creating tension.
Knee Raises or Leg Raises
Why should you do a few sets of an ab exercise before benching? Well, these movements also greatly stimulate your hips flexors. If you perform ab work with a full, smooth range of motion, those hip flexors will loosen. Tight hips flexors will prevent you from pulling your feet into position on the floor, which will prevent you from getting into a deep arch position.
Face Pulls and Postural Exercises
Because of the generally sedentary modern lifestyle, most people are more prone to a kyphotic (rounded shoulder), caveman-style posture. This can increase the risk of bench press injuries, but also prevent you from adopting a great arch. You simply won’t be able to open your chest as much.
A great warm-up before benching would be to grab a light resistance band and perform face pulls, pull-aparts, and the over-and-back (sometimes intimidatingly called “shoulder dislocates”). These exercises will strengthen your rotator cuff and, more importantly, improve your posture which carries over to your arch.
Bench Thoracic Spine Stretch
Stretching after your session is never a bad idea, but you could even do some static stretching before your bench. This can be especially useful in the most extreme cases of bad posture or mobility restrictions. There are several options available, but here’s one of the most effective.
Kneel down in front of a flat bench or a box. Place your elbows on the bench and bend your elbows to aim hands up in the air. Slowly lean your body down until your head passes between, and under, your upper arms. Move as far as comfortably possible.
To accentuate the stretch, bring your hands towards your traps or the back of your neck (without pressing down). Hold the stretch for 45 to 60 seconds.
Big Arch for a Big Bench
Prejudice, misinformation, and a few bad apples have given the bench press arch a bad rep, but there are actually many benefits. If you can ignore the comments you might get from other lifters about “the right way” to bench, give it a try and watch your performance improve, your muscles grow, and your shoulder pain diminish.
References
Alan C. Cudlip, Jacquelyn M. Maciukiewicz, Brendan L. Pinto & Clark R Dickerson (2022) Upper extremity muscle activity and joint loading changes between the standard and powerlifting bench press techniques, Journal of Sports Sciences, 40:9, 1055-1063, DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2046937
Alan C. Cudlip, Jacquelyn M. Maciukiewicz, Brendan L. Pinto & Clark R Dickerson (2022) Upper extremity muscle activity and joint loading changes between the standard and powerlifting bench press techniques, Journal of Sports Sciences, 40:9, 1055-1063, DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2046937
Part dumbbell bench press and part isometric dumbbell flye, the hex press is a unique high-tension chest-builder. The hex press is performed on a flat bench with the dumbbells squeezed together throughout the pressing motion. This feature explains why one alternate name for this unique chest exercise is the “squeeze press.”
Credit: sornram / Shutterstock
This exercise also goes by “Champagne press,” but the hex press isn’t just for special occasions. Like Champagne, the hex press compliments just about anything — it’s great for lifters training for a stronger press, a more muscular chest, or healthier shoulders.
Ready to pop the cork on new chest gains? Find everything you need to know below.
Hex Press
Hex Press Video Guide
See the hex press in action, demonstrated by author Dr. Merrick Lincoln. Note the key techniques, then check out the Step-by-Step breakdown with additional form tips.
How to Do the Hex Press Step By Step
It may look like a close-grip dumbbell bench press but, while there are some similarities, there are crucial differences that make the hex press stand out. Follow these steps for proper, efficient, and effective technique.
Step 1 — Set Up Five Points of Contact
Credit: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube
Like the bench press, the hex press is performed on a flat bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, set up with five points of contact for stability — the back of your head on the bench, your shoulder blades on the bench, your buttock on the bench, your right foot touching the floor, and your left foot touching the floor. (1)
Form Tip: Recruit a “spotter,” or individual who can assist you if you run into trouble during the exercise. Any exercise involving weights passing over the body requires a spotter. (1) A spotter is especially important when learning an unfamiliar exercise. The spotter stands behind the bench and, if assistance is necessary, they will assist by grasping your wrists to guide the dumbbells. (1)
Step 2 — Set Your Shoulders and Squeeze the Dumbbells Together
Credit: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube
Lift your chest toward the ceiling by arching your back and pulling your shoulder blades together. Maintain this position throughout the exercise. With a neutral grip (palms facing each other), bring the dumbbells together just above your sternum and squeeze them together hard.
Form Tip: If you’re using hexagonal-shaped dumbbells — the namesake equipment for the hex press — ensure flat surfaces of the dumbbells are aligned and squeezed together.
Step 3 — Maintain Pressure, Press to Lockout
Credit: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube
Initiate the press by flexing your shoulders and extending your elbows. Keep the dumbbells squeezed together and elbows tucked throughout the movement. Don’t decrease inward pressure as you reach the top, locked out, position.
Form Tip: Keep tension. In addition to the profound contraction you’ll feel in your chest, you should feel tension in your upper back and lats, which keep your shoulder blades pulled together (retracted) and keep your elbows tucked toward your sides.
Step 4 — Lower without Separating
Credit: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube
Lower to the center of your chest using the same arm path as the upward movement phase. Focus on keeping the dumbbells firmly squeezed together throughout the lowering phase, which may feel slightly unnatural at first, since the lowering phase of most exercises emphasizes a muscle stretch.
Form Tip: Think about “rowing” or actively pulling the dumbbells back your chest. “Rowing” the weights back to the starting position reinforces tension in your upper back and eliminates the need to reset your arch before the next repletion.
Hex Press Mistakes to Avoid
Dodge these common errors for cleaner technique and more effective hex presses.
Losing The “Squeeze” Between Dumbbells
The pressure exerted between the dumbbells is part of the special sauce that makes the hex press effective — and extra spicy. It promotes muscular engagement in parts of the chest that might not otherwise be as active.
Credit: Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock
At the bottom position of the exercise, the lifter’s elbows are bent, and shoulder internal rotation force is required to keep the dumbbells together. Toward the top position, arms are straighter, and shoulder horizontal adduction force is required to keep the dumbbells together. Although it may get harder to keep the squeeze at the top and bottom of the movement, firm pressure between the dumbbells must be maintained throughout.
Dropping Your Chest, Freeing Your Shoulder Blades, or Flaring Your Elbows
Loss of tension in the back allows the chest to drop, shoulder blades to spread, and upper arms to drift away from the lifter’s sides. These three errors tend to occur together, and they can make the hex press less effective.
Credit: Vladimir Sukhachev / Shutterstock
If you feel any of these faults, reset by arching your spine, retracting your shoulder blades (and pinning them to the bench), and tucking your elbows toward your ribcage. Now, keep this tension and finish.
Non-Perpendicular Pressure Between Dumbbells
When squeezing the dumbbells together, it’s essential to maintain opposing forces from the left and right arm that are horizontally aligned and nearly equal in magnitude. Otherwise, dumbbells may slip or roll apart, leading to loss of tension, missed reps, or worse.
Credit: lunamarina / Shutterstock
Get the feel of creating the squeeze using light dumbbells during your “work up” sets and focus on maintaining even, steady pressure throughout the workout.
How to Progress the Hex Press
When first performing the hex press, start with relatively light dumbbells to hone technique. Once you’re comfortable with the exercise, a “working weight” 20 to 30% lower than what you’d typically use for a traditional dumbbell bench press will likely be appropriate. From there, lifters have several great options for progressing the hex press.
Squeeze Harder
The simplest way to progress the hex press is to apply more inward pressure to the dumbbells. Increasing the “squeeze” makes the exercise more difficult and boosts the training stimulus experienced by the chest and shoulder muscles.
Increase Weight
Squeezing harder during the hex press can make virtually any weight more challenging, but this progression method isn’t likely to stimulate triceps growth or carry over to heavy pressing as efficiently as increasing the weight.
Once you’re able to hit or surpass your repetition target on the final working set, it may be time to use heavier dumbbells. Ideally, jumping up to the next pair of dumbbells on the rack will drop you back toward the bottom of your target repetition range.
Increase Repetition Volume
As you get stronger with the hex press, consider performing additional repetitions per set. For example, if you normally perform eight to 12 repetitions, and you’re consistently hitting 12 reps with more left in the tank, change your target to 12 to 16 repetition sets. Shifting the repetition range upward helps to ensure challenging sets and ongoing muscle gain.
Benefits of the Hex Press
The hex press biases your chest while requiring only light to moderate weights and minimal shoulder extension. Altogether, the hex press may provide new chest growth and a more shoulder-friendly pressing experience.
Robust Chest Training
Performed properly, the hex press enables maximal or near-maximal chest contraction throughout every repetition — a feat not possible during traditional presses. Here’s why:
Traditional exercises are limited by the amount of resistance our muscles can overcome during the sticking point, or the most challenging portion of the movement. For presses, the sticking point occurs toward the beginning of the upward movement phase. (2) During the remainder of the movement, your muscles are not maximally challenged. During the hex press, you can ensure your muscles are adequately stimulated by squeezing the weights together as hard as you desire.
Not feeling adequately challenged? Simply squeeze the dumbbells together harder to demand more force from the chest. Moreover, squeezing as you press virtually ensures thorough engagement of pectoralis major — Read more in the “Muscles Worked” section below.
Reinforces Mind-Muscle Connection and Pressing Technique
Horizontal pressing exercises, such as the bench press and dumbbell bench press, are a mainstay for strength training and physique development. Several technical elements are common across all bench-supported horizontal pressing exercises, including the need for shoulder blade retraction and co-contraction of muscles around the shoulder joints. Also desirable is the sensation of muscular effort from the chest. Lifters spend months, even years, honing their form to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock
Fortunately, the hex press can help lifters to build strength, technique, and a mind-muscle connection that can reinforce proper performance of other horizontal presses. During the hex press, squeezing the dumbbells together creates the feeling of peak pectoralis major contraction throughout the pressing movement. This sensation of “flexing the pecs” can help to enhance the mind-muscle connection, which may be conducive to greater gains. (3)
Squeezing the dumbbells together also encourages greater involvement of your rhomboids and middle trapezius, as they must counteract forces from pectoralis major, subscapularis, serratus anterior, and other muscles on the front of the torso. Rhomboids and middle traps are the muscles primarily responsible for maintaining retraction of the shoulder blades. Increased demand during the hex press may encourage lifters to create a tighter setup for bench-supported horizontal pressing.
Shoulder-Friendly Pressing
Individuals with certain shoulder problems, such as shoulder instability, may not tolerate traditional pressing. (4)(5) Individuals who present with apprehension and pain in the front of the shoulder when the arm is brought out and extended behind the body may have a specific type of instability called anterior instability. (4)(6) This problem is common among lifters. One small study reported over two-thirds of recreational resistance trainees showed signs and symptoms of anterior instability. (6)
Unlike the basic dumbbell bench press or barbell bench press, the hex press limits shoulder extension at the bottom of the movement. Your arms cannot travel behind your body, because the dumbbells are not allowed to clear the chest. This feature may be better tolerated by lifters with functional anterior instability.
Because every brand of shoulder pain is different, those suffering with shoulder issues should seek a qualified sports medicine provider — and the hex press might be worth discussing, as it may present an opportunity to train around or train through certain shoulder issues with the appropriate guidance.
Muscles Worked by the Hex Press
As a neutral-grip pressing movement, the hex press trains the muscles that flex your shoulders and extend your elbows. Squeezing the dumbbells together also trains the muscles of shoulder horizontal adduction (i.e. those trained during a chest flye) and the muscles of shoulder internal rotation. Here are the major players.
Pectoralis Major
You’ll feel the hex press most profoundly in pectoralis major, the biggest, most superficial muscles of your chest. The pectoralis major has two major parts — the clavicular head, or upper chest, and the sternocostal head, which composes the middle to lower part of the chest. Each part contributes to various shoulder actions and the hex press covers virtually all bases for training your pectoralis major.
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Shoulder flexion is resisted during the pressing movement of the hex press. The clavicular head of pectoralis major is trained during resisted shoulder flexion. (7) Shoulder horizontal adduction is trained by squeezing the dumbbells together toward the top of the hex press.
Both heads of the pectoralis major are trained during shoulder horizontal adduction, along with a handful of different muscles. (7)(8) Shoulder internal rotation is trained when the dumbbells are squeezed together toward the bottom of the hex press. Again, both heads are trained during internal rotation exercise, albeit the sternocostal head is likely biased. (9)
Anterior Deltoid
The deltoid is the “cap” of muscle surrounding the front, back, and side of your shoulder. It is divided into three functional parts, each with different actions — anterior, middle, and posterior. The anterior deltoid, or front delts, flex the shoulder and assist with squeezing the dumbbells together during the hex press. (7) While typical pressing exercises hit this part of the delt, the extra squeeze of the hex press makes this exercise more effective for anterior deltoid development.
Triceps Brachii
The hex press trains your triceps brachii, the three-headed muscle on the backside of your arms. In addition to filling your sleeves, the triceps brachii helps improve your bench press numbers by enhancing lockout strength. For a great triceps pump, try three or four sets of hex press with light-to-moderate weight dumbbells for high-repetition sets with 60 seconds rest between each set.
Rotator Cuff
Although traditional pressing largely trains muscles on the front of your chest and shoulders, the movement also activates important muscles located deep behind the shoulders— the posterior rotator cuff. (10) The posterior rotator cuff serves a stabilizing function during the press.
By actively squeezing the dumbbells together, particularly during the bottom half of the hex press, the deep muscle on the front of the shoulder, or anterior rotator cuff, is engaged. Hence, the hex press appears to be uniquely suited to train both the posterior and anterior rotator cuff muscles.
How to Program the Hex Press
The hex press can be programmed in a variety of ways on push day, during a specific chest workout, or during a full body workout. Hex presses can build muscle and strength. In addition, they prime your chest and shoulders for heavy work and work nicely for intensification techniques.
As a Low-to-Moderate Weight, High-Repetition Chest Builder
Whether training for building muscle (i.e. “hypertrophy”) or strength, high effort sets — those carried up to or near muscular failure — are effective even relatively with light weight. (11)(12)(13)
Select light-to-moderate weight dumbbells (e.g. 40 to 70% of what you’d use for a standard dumbbell bench press). Then, take each working set to within two or three repetitions of failure. Two to four sets of eight or more repetitions will promote strength and size, provided sets are performed with high levels of effort.
As a Lightweight Activation Exercise
Do you or someone you know suffer from the inability to feel the chest working during presses? Don’t despair. The hex press might be the fix.
Simply perform one to three light sets of hex presses before your primary press of the day (i.e. before the bench press, incline press, etc.). Focus on the “squeeze” during the hex press. Then, like an overfilled shaker bottle, the mind-muscle connection to your pecs will spill over to your primary pressing movement.
Maximally squeezing the dumbbells together during a set of hex pressing may increase power output during a subsequent set of presses via a phenomenon called post-activation potentiation. (14) This effect may be especially appealing for athletes and lifters training to be more athletic.
As Part of a Giant Set
A giant set is an intensification technique consisting of four or more exercises in series without rest between. Like supersets, the exercises used giant sets can target non-competing muscle groups or identical muscles.
When all four exercises in the giant set target the same muscles, they’ve been shown to produce similar hypertrophy to supersets and traditional sets that used 90 second rest intervals. (15) But here’s the kicker — giant sets take less time than supersets and traditional sets.
The hex press requires simple equipment, minimal setup, and compliments many different giant set configurations. Here’s a sample giant set:
Take no rest between individual exercises. Switch dumbbells if necessary and immediately begin the next lift. Rest 60-90 seconds between giant sets.
Hex Press Variations
Looking for other effective and shoulder-friendly ways to train the chest? Depending on your preferences and available equipment, you might choose one of the following variations:
Single-Arm Dumbbell Floor Press
The dumbbell floor press can be a great exercise for learning and training horizontal pressing movements. Compared to the basic dumbbell bench press, the floor press limits shoulder extension, as the upper arms will be stopped by the ground. The shoulder extension range of motion of the floor press is similar to the hex press, meaning it is likely to minimize stress on the front of the shoulder, as discussed in the Benefits section, above.
One major drawback of the dumbbell floor press, however, is that it is usually limited to light dumbbells due to difficult setup. Performing the floor press one arm at a time (“unilaterally”) helps to minimize this problem.
Perform the single-arm dumbbell floor press lying on your back, either with your feet flat on the floor or your legs extended out in front of you. Begin the press with a single dumbbell held at the side of your chest and your upper arm resting on the floor. Keep your shoulder blades pinned to the floor as you drive the dumbbell toward the ceiling and lower with control.
Incline Hex Press
Limited research suggests the incline bench press may provide greater gains in upper chest, or clavicular head pectoralis major, muscle thickness compared to the flat bench press. (8)(16)
Although we must be cautious extrapolating these findings to the hex press, lifters wishing to build their upper chest might consider the incline version of the exercise. The incline hex press is performed just like the hex press, except an incline bench or adjustable bench set to approximately 45-degrees is used.
Hex Press to Flye Press Combo
A potential shortcoming of the hex press is the inability to expose the chest to training at long muscle lengths (e.g. “under stretch”). Enter the flye press. The traditional flye press involves pressing to lockout and then allowing the dumbbells to spread apart in a “flye-like” motion during the downward movement phase, thereby training pectoralis major at long muscle lengths during the eccentric (lowering phase).
For the hex press to flye press combo, get the benefits of the “squeeze” by performing the upward movement phase like a hex press and lowering the weights like a flye. Be sure to use lighter dumbbells than usual for this movement, as the eccentric flye is extremely challenging.
Medicine Ball Push-up
While this final variation isn’t a dumbbell press at all, push-up variations are criminally underrated. They can be done nearly anywhere. Better yet, push-ups increase strength and muscle mass similarly to the bench press. (17)
Performing push-ups with your hands on either side of a medicine ball requires isometric horizontal adduction of the shoulders similar to the hex press, while training through a similar pressing range of motion. Try the medicine ball squeeze push-up as a hex press alternative when dumbbells are scarce, when you want to change-up in the feel of your chest training, or when traditional push-ups become too easy.
FAQs
“Will the hex press build my ‘inner chest’?”
In bodybuilding speak, the “inner chest” refers to the fibers of pectoralis major that attach to the sternum. Specifically, those interested in building their inner chest are likely most concerned with the proximal or most central portions of those fibers. Anyone who performs the hex press properly will tell you they feel a strong contraction of this portion of the pectoralis major. Although no studies have directly tested the hex press, let alone measured its long-term effects on chest muscle thickness, there is a case to be made for its use as an inner-chest builder. Narrow-grip pressing tends to show lower muscular activity of the sternal part of pectoralis major compared to traditional or wide-grip pressing. (18) Although the arm path of the hex press resembles a narrow-grip or close-grip press, hex pressing involves the additional task of keeping the dumbbells squeezed together. Therefore, it’s safe to assume the “squeeze” enhances sternal pectoralis major contraction, a feat lifters may be unable to accomplish during the traditional bench press. (19)
“My gym doesn’t have ‘hex’ dumbbells. Can I use roundhead dumbbells for the hex press?”
Although metal or rubber hexagonal-shaped dumbbells are common, many gyms have round or “pro style” dumbbells. The hex press can be performed with round dumbbells, as demonstrated in the video at the beginning of the article. However, it is more challenging. Round dumbbells demand more precise application of inward pressure to avoid movement between the dumbbells.
“Why not just do pec flyes?”
That’s an option. Both exercises train pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and company. But pec flyes are a single-joint exercise and fail to hit the triceps brachii, which does receive a training stimulus during the hex press. Machine pec flyes and cable crossovers can also be more taxing on the shoulders, especially among lifters with functional anterior instability from a previous injury or cumulative trauma. This pathology is discussed in detail in the Benefits section.
“Can you explain more about why hex press is thought to be ‘shoulder-friendly’?”
The radius of the dumbbells gives the effect of a board press, which limits pressing range of motion. Specifically, shoulder extension is limited. Individuals with certain shoulder injuries, such as functional anterior instability, may not tolerate loaded shoulder extension. Hence, the hex press may be a suitable option. Diving deeper, functional anterior instability is thought to be related to decreased activity of subscapularis — a muscle of the rotator cuff. (4) Squeezing the dumbbells together at the bottom of the hex press elicits strong contraction of the subscapularis. This feature might improve tolerance to exercise or help address subscapularis insufficiency. Generally, hex pressing tends to be better tolerated than pec flyes and traditional bench press variations by those with banged up shoulders. Again, go see a qualified sports medicine practitioner if you’re dealing with a shoulder injury.
Build a Magnum Chest with the Champagne Press
The hex press is performed by aggressively squeezing dumbbells together throughout a neutral-grip dumbbell bench press. The squeeze engages greater portions of your pecs, which may lead to accelerated chest gains. The hex press also reinforces important elements of pressing technique, spares sore shoulders from loaded hyperextension, and creates co-contraction conducive to joint stability. Savor the squeeze and celebrate the hex press.
References
Haff, G. G., & Triplett, N. T. (Eds.). (2015). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning 4th ed. Human Kinetics. Champagne, IL, USA. 351-408.
Kompf, J., & Arandjelović, O. (2017). The sticking point in the bench press, the squat, and the deadlift: Similarities and differences, and their significance for research and practice. Sports Medicine, 47, 631-640.
Schoenfeld, B. J., et al. (2018). Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term resistance training. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(5), 705-712.
Moroder, P., et al. (2020). Characteristics of functional shoulder instability. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 29(1), 68-78.
Kolber, M. J., et al. (2010). Shoulder injuries attributed to resistance training: a brief review. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(6), 1696-1704.
Kolber, M. J., Corrao, M., & Hanney, W. J. (2013). Characteristics of anterior shoulder instability and hyperlaxity in the weight-training population. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 27(5), 1333-1339.
Ackland, D. C., et al. (2008). Moment arms of the muscles crossing the anatomical shoulder. Journal of Anatomy, 213(4), 383-390.
dos Santos Albarello, et al. (2022). Non-uniform excitation of pectoralis major induced by changes in bench press inclination leads to uneven variations in the cross-sectional area measured by panoramic ultrasonography. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 67, 102722
Ackland, D. C., & Pandy, M. G. (2011). Moment arms of the shoulder muscles during axial rotation. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 29(5), 658-667.
Wattanaprakornkul, D., et al. (2011). Direction-specific recruitment of rotator cuff muscles during bench press and row. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 21(6), 1041-1049.
Schoenfeld, B., et al. (2021). Resistance training recommendations to maximize muscle hypertrophy in an athletic population: Position stand of the IUSCA. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 1(1), 1-30.
Lasevicius, T., et al. (2018). Effects of different intensities of resistance training with equated volume load on muscle strength and hypertrophy. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(6), 772-780
Weakley, J., et al. (2023). Physiological Responses and Adaptations to Lower Load Resistance Training: Implications for Health and Performance. Sports Medicine-Open, 9(1), 1-10.
Esformes, J. I., et al. (2011). Effect of different types of conditioning contraction on upper body postactivation potentiation. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 25(1), 143-148.
Demirtaş, B., et al. (2022). The effect of three different sets method used in resistance training on hypertrophy and maximal strength changes. Physical Education of Students, 26(6), 270-279.
Chaves, S. F., et al. (2020). Effects of horizontal and incline bench press on neuromuscular adaptations in untrained young men. International Journal of Exercise Science, 13(6), 859.
Kikuchi, N., & Nakazato, K. (2017). Low-load bench press and push-up induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, 15(1), 37-42.
López-Vivancos, A., et al. (2023). Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major Muscle during Traditional Bench Press and Other Variants of Pectoral Exercises: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Applied Sciences, 13(8), 5203.
Paoli, A., et al. (2019). Mind-muscle connection: effects of verbal instructions on muscle activity during bench press exercise. European Journal of Translational Myology, 29(2).
On May 1, 2023, powerlifter Reece Fullwood shared an Instagram video of himself capturing a 412.5-kilogram (909.4-pound) raw with sleeves back squat during the 2023 Global Powerlifting Committee-Great Britain (GPC-GB) Welsh Championships. The strength feat is an all-time raw World Record in the 125-kilogram division.
Fullwood wore a lifting belt, knee sleeves, and wrist wraps to help him earn the milestone. In the caption of his Instagram post, Fullwood wrote that his body weight at the time of the lift was 125 kilograms (275.5 pounds) exactly. The 2023 GPC-GB Welsh Championships took place on Apr. 30, 2023, in Swansea, Wales.
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According to the all-time leaderboard on Open Powerlifting, Fullwood’s raw record accomplishment officially surpasses a notable peer in the 125-kilogram class by 1.4 kilograms (3.3 pounds)
The second-heaviest squat, 411 kilograms (906.1 pounds), belongs to Phillip Herndon, whose previous World Record mark stood for only about six weeks. At the time of this article’s publication, Herndon still possesses the raw World Record squat of 395 kilograms (870.8 pounds) in the 110-kilogram division.
In addition to eclipsing Herndon’s squat World Record in the 125-kilogram weight class, here’s an overview of Fullwood’s all-time raw competition bests:
Reece Fullwood | All-Time Raw Competition Bests
Squat — 412.5 kilograms (909.4 pounds) | All-Time 125KG Raw World Record
Per his personal page on Open Powerlifting, Fullwood has a relatively limited sanctioned competitive history. Including two appearances in the GPC-GB Welsh Championships (2019, 2023), Fullwood has participated in just three official powerlifting competitions to date. He has never lost a contest and once competed in the 139.7-kilogram division during a first-place performance at the 2022 GPC-GB Tattooed and Strong.
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In another post on his Instagram, Fullwood seemed to take heart in his latest GPC-GB performance. While nursing an apparent elbow injury with nerve damage, the athlete came in with modest goals and surpassed his wildest individual expectations.
“Goal for the competition [the 2023 GPC-GB Welsh Championships] was not to get injured, break or tear anything, don’t be [expletive], and take a legitimate shot at an all time World Record Squat, to as good of a standard as I could execute!” Fullwood wrote. “I’m satisfied with the results given the condition I went into this competition knowing I wouldn’t be able to put together a competitive bench press. My elbow didn’t break, pec didn’t tear off. Came away with a few small strains and a big smile on my face!”
After injuring her lower back (date and severity undisclosed), it wasn’t clear when Prescillia Bavoil would regain the form that once helped her win International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) championships in 2021. The athlete’s timeline is now very clear.
On Mar. 25, 2023, during the 2023 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships, Bavoil captured the IPF raw World Record back squat of 211 kilograms (465.1 pounds) in the 69-kilogram division. She wore a lifting belt and knee sleeves to assist with the strength feat. By the contest’s end, Bavoil’s overall performance led her to capture the total IPF raw World Record total of 548.5 kilograms (1,209.2 pounds) in her weight class. According to an Instagram post where Bavoil features her squat, she had a body weight of 66 kilograms (145.5 pounds) for the competition.
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Bavoil’s current IPF World Record squat surpasses her own previous raw record mark of 205.5 kilograms (453 pounds) by 5.5 kilograms (12.1 pounds). Per the IPF database, the athlete accomplished that milestone at the 2021 European Championships.
In addition to her IPF World Record squat and total, Bavoil also tied her all-time raw competition best bench press of 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds).
Here are the athlete’s top stats from the contest:
Prescillia Bavoil (69KG) | 2023 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships Top Stats
Squat — 211 kilograms (465.1 pounds) | IPF Raw World Record
Bench Press — 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition Best
In addition to her most recent record-setting performance, Bavoil also holds domain in the 63-kilogram (138-pound) division. She holds the IPF World Record raw squat of 213 kilograms (469.5 pounds), World Record raw deadlift with 231 kilograms (509.2 pounds), and World Record raw total of 556 kilograms (1,226.8 pounds) — all achieved at the 2022 Arnold Sports Festival UK.
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In a post on her Instagram, Bavoil was emotional over her comeback and all the injury-related adversity she endured. They were the appropriate words of a true superstar finding a way to battle back.
“After weeks of rehab, I stepped on the platform with only three weeks of training, doubting about my capacities to perform and if my back will be able to handle such a stress without breaking down,” Bavoil started “… Failing heavy squats in training, barely deadlifting, I became a bench specialist. I thought about not showing up [at the Sheffield Championships) and pulling out but that’s not me. Despite all the fears, I [showed] up and gave all my best on the platform.”
On Mar. 9, 2023, the King of the Lifts Instagram page reposted one of powerlifter Kasemsand Senumong’s recent raw deadlift build-up sessions. The clip features Senumong pulling 70, 120, 170, 220, 260, 290, 310, and 320 kilograms (a range of 154.3 to 705 pounds) from a sumo stance, with support from a lifting belt, during a staggering training session.
According to Open Powerlifting, the last deadlift in the clip — 320 kilograms (705 pounds) — is 19.7 kilograms (43.6 pounds) more than Senumong’s all-time raw competition best. That competition pull is also the all-time raw World Record for the 66-kilogram division under the International Powerlifting Federation’s (IPF) jurisdiction. The athlete achieved that mark, along with the raw total World Record (710.5 kilograms/1,566.4 pounds), during the 2022 Asian Powerlifting Federation (AsianPF) Championships.
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Senumong, sometimes referred to as Sensei Opor, posted the original video clip as part of a training montage on his own Instagram page on January 13, 2023, but it was recently reposted on his gym’s page. The recent repost brought the feat of strength to the attention of King of the Lifts, which regularly features powerlifting PRs from lifters around the web.
A dominant force in the Asian continental powerlifting scene for several years, Senumong is both the reigning 66KG Thailand National Champion and the Asian Powerlifting Federation (AsianPR) continental Champion. Based on his deadlift polish, it looks like the young man in his late 20s is ready to add another title to his resume.
Here’s an overview of Senumong’s all-time raw competition bests:
Kasemsand Senumong (66KG) | All-Time Raw Competition Bests
Deadlift — 300 kilograms (661.4 pounds) | IPF World Record
Total — 710.5 kilograms (1,566.3 pounds) | IPF World Record
After coming in seventh place in the 66-kilogram division during his 2022 IPF World Championships debut, Senumong likely isn’t done. The competitor apparently intends to have another crack at it this summer. Even if he doesn’t come out on top, he may drastically improve his initial performance.
Should Senumong transfer his recent top training deadlift to the 2023 IPF Worlds in Valetta, Malta, it seems apparent he’ll extend both of his record marks while potentially taking home a World title. Sweden’s Eddie Berglund is the defending 66-kilogram World Champion, and the 2023 IPF Worlds contest is scheduled for Jun. 11-18, 2023.
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On purely a statistical basis, Senumong might already be the best 66-kilogram powerlifting competitor in the world. He just has to show it on the biggest IPF stage. On this front, the coming June could be a fruitful and historic event for the athlete.
It might be the most frequently asked question among hardcore “gym bros” and experienced gym veterans looking to establish a pecking order, as well as curious beginners looking to strike up a conversation. It’s also one of the most popular (if misguided) ways to inquire about someone’s strength, fitness, and general capability in the gym.
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Some might consider the notion of bench press-specific status ridiculous, but you can’t erase the reality of the situation. Also, some people just want to have a big bench press for themselves. You may as well position yourself to move some impressive numbers, and move the weight safely.
Here’s how to fine-tune your bench press, optimize your technique, and set up a plan to start pushing bigger weights.
Bench Press Technique Review
A strong bench press is built around one thing: Stability. Here’s a step-by-step approach to creating a good environment for a big lift. It all begins with a good starting position before you even unrack the weight.
Step 1 — Find Your Contact Points
Credit: Morit Summers
Once you’re positioned on the flat bench, the bench press requires four points of contact. Your two feet placed firmly on the floor counts as one point. Your butt and upper back are two more points, as they’re pressed hard against the bench and remain in place throughout the lift.
Lastly, your head must also be firmly against the bench and stay put during each repetition. When you set up, get your eyes directly under the bar before taking the weight out of the rack. This four-point setup is the foundation for a good quality set.
You may have noticed that your lower back is not in contact with the bench, and that’s actually an important distinction. Some lifters believe that having an arch in the lumbar region (lower back) when bench pressing is dangerous for your spine, when truthfully, the arch must be there.
The bench press is considered a horizontal pushing exercise (due to the position of the load relative to your body), which means the force angle doesn’t line up to create spinal loading the way a standing overhead press, squat, or deadlift would affect your lower back. The joint that bears the most load during a bench press is your shoulder joint, not your spine, so arching your lower back doesn’t expose it to any significant strain.
Once you’re in place, it’s time to get your hands on the bar.
Step 2 — Get a Grip
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Most barbells you’ll find at a typical gym will have knurling on either side for grip, but also some shiny “rings” on even points on each side. In competitive powerlifting, those rings represent grip-width boundaries a lifter isn’t allowed to exceed.
If you’re not a competitive powerlifter, you can use the rings as reference points as to where your hands belong. Depending on what’s comfortable for your arm length, align the same finger on each hand with the ring on either side. Many lifters will opt for either their middle or ring fingers, but everyone’s preferred grip will be slightly different.
Just be aware of setting your hands too close together with your pinkies far inside of the rings. This morphs the exercise from a standard flat barbell bench press to a close-grip bench press which emphasizes your triceps. (1)
Once your hands are in place, close a strong fist around the bar and you’re ready to lift.
Step 3 — We Have Lift Off
The way you take the bar out of the rack is more important — and more technical — than meets the eye. Safe and efficient technique requires your shoulder blades to remain retracted (pulled together) on the bench. This helps to arch your lower back while elevating your chest and ribcage.
The small “press” that might happen as a lifter takes the bar out of the rack can pull your shoulders out of position (with protraction, the opposite of retraction). Protracted shoulders will make your chest sink down and place more stress on the shoulder joints as a result. This is difficult to correct by the time the weight is in your hands, making it tough to re-adjust.
Making the effort to raise your hips during lift off can help with this, placing them back down as soon as the bar’s unracked and in position over your chest. Lifters without a spotter can use this method to begin the movement in a strong position without sacrificing form.
Step 4 — Lower and Press
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The bar should descend under control to make contact on your chest. Aim for touching the bar to your mid- or lower chest, and make that point of contact consistent from rep to rep. The finished, locked out position should be a bit more in line with your upper chest or shoulder-level, meaning the bar will travel on a slightly slanted path.
Always remember that a true testament of strength in a big lift like this doesn’t come from how quickly you can perform the reps, it comes from how slowly and well-controlled you can perform them. Especially on the eccentric (lowering) phase, take the speed down a couple of notches. You can even add a pause with the bar on the chest to exert even more control over the weight — just be sure to stay tight and not relax under the weight.
Make each individual rep count and you’ll slap on strength and size.
Bench Press Mistakes to Avoid
Nobody wants to become the next “YouTube fail” video, usually featuring people butchering the bench press movement or, worse, getting into life-threatening situations due to a disregard for safety. Make sure you’ve got your bases covered by stopping these issues before they start.
Lifting Your Hips
Aside from giving yourself a lift off (if needed), your glutes should never leave the bench during the exercise. Lifting your hips won’t make you any stronger on the lift. It’s simply a cheat tactic and an indicator that the weight is too heavy to lift properly. This is the bench press equivalent of doing standing biceps curls and leaning your upper body back to get the weight up.
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Keep the movement honest to your ability. You’ll build strength over time when you apply good form.
Half-Repping
Stopping shy of full range of motion — from full lockout to the bar touching your chest — does nothing to properly service your chest muscles (the prime movers of the bench press) or access the strength the body can put into the weight. (2)
If you feel like you can only perform half reps, chances are the weight is too heavy, your shoulders are too unstable, or both. Instead, reduce the load and practice staying tight through full range of motion.
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If that still hurts your shoulders, it could be due to weakness in the movement itself or it could stem from a lack of upper back strength to stabilize and protect the shoulder. Make sure your training plan includes plenty of upper-back pulling exercises like face pulls or reverse flyes.
Using Collars on the Bar
This isn’t necessarily a point about increasing your bench press, but it’s an important issue any time you’re benching heavy. It might sound counterintuitive or controversial but, if you’re lifting alone, securing the weight plates with collars is a potentially high-risk maneuver.
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Common sense would say you usually “should” secure the weights to prevent them from moving around. The truth is that, if you do fail a rep and manage to get pinned to the bench, it could spell danger if you’re not strong enough to press the bar off your chest all the way back up to the rack. You can’t always rely on rolling it down over your hips and waist (which can be extremely painful and uncomfortable on its own).
If you’re a person who lifts unsupervised at home, it’s best to leave the weights unclipped so that, in the event of failure, you can tip the weights off one end of the bar and free you from being stapled. It’s better to crack a couple of tiles on the workout room floor than to crack a couple of ribs or your larynx.
Three Tips for More Gains
Getting the basics down is a good first step, but taking things to the next level involves a little deeper thinking, where this exercise is concerned.
Leg Drive
Tuck your feet closer to your butt to create a knee angle inside 90-degrees. This is essential to taking advantage of a very important and overlooked principle — the bench press is more than just an “upper body” exercise.
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In truth, your legs have a serious role to play in promoting overall bracing and tightness. As you press, think about driving your feet into the ground hard. The bar isn’t just moving away from your chest, it’s moving away from the floor, so this cue will come in handy to add more strength to your lift by increasing overall muscle recruitment. (3)
Tuck Your Elbows
If you want to protect your shoulder joints, focus on improving bench performance while using a slightly narrower grip (as opposed to a relatively wide grip) and tucking your elbows during the movement.
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The closer your upper arm is to your torso, the less vulnerable position your shoulder joints will be put into. Your shoulders will instantly feel happier, more stable, and more powerful by aiming your elbows more forward than sideways.
Use a Thicker Bar or Thick Grip Attachments
Using a larger diameter bar with more surface area spread across the palms of your hands usually feels more comfortable once you get used to the unique grip. It also can reduce joint stress in the elbows and shoulders by increasing forearm recruitment and muscle tension for added stability. (4)
The greater diameter disperses the load and reduces the pressure transferred to your joints. If you don’t have access to thick barbells, you can use thick grip attachments like “Fat Gripz.” This simple pair of removable handles can be one of the most useful tools to have in your gym bag, since it can be used with any exercise that requires grabbing a barbell, dumbbell, or handle.
Build a Better Bench: Methods That Work
If you’ve been training in the gym for a while, the classic 3 x 10 or 4 x 6 might not really be doing the job to get you past your strength or size plateau. If your lifting numbers aren’t budging, it’s worth thinking a bit further outside the box to find ways to stimulate your chest.
One-and-a-Half Rep Bench Press
Especially if a lifter has longer arms, it can be a hassle adding muscle to the chest for a better aesthetic. The relatively long range of motion and massive amount of lockout space a lifter will have to move through can make the triceps and shoulders take over a typical chest pressing pattern. This leaves the chest less fatigued over the course of a set.
Performing a “one and a half rep” bench press involves unracking the barbell and lowering it all the way to chest level. Remain tight and press the weight from chest level to halfway up, and pause. Your upper arms should be at roughly 90-degrees. Lower the weight once more to chest level, and then press all the way up to the top — that entire series counts as one single repetition.
This high-tension technique will make your chest work more than your triceps and shoulders because the latter two muscle groups aren’t significantly involved in the bottom-half of the movement.
Your chest is in the strongest biomechanical position, and is the most involved, through this section of the exercise, and the one-and-a-half rep technique takes advantage of that. Three to four sets of four to six reps would be ideal here, remembering that each “one and a half” equals one rep.
Cluster Sets
Cluster sets deserve more mention than they often get when it comes to increasing your strength and size. Understanding how the body works from a physiological level can help create more appreciation for cluster training and its import.
When it comes to short bouts of explosive power like a 100-meter dash, a first down in football, or a heavy, low-rep set of weight training, the body relies on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as its primary source of energy to make muscles work hard.
The ATP stores leave the body after 10 to 15 seconds and the primary muscles in use begin to shut down and create lactic acid as a byproduct. It usually takes one to two minutes to sufficiently replenish these stores of ATP in the affected muscles.
Knowing that, you can take advantage of this replenishment phase while still lifting heavy weights. A set of three reps can be extended to four or even five total reps if short breaks are taken between each individual repetition.
This mini-rest will partially replenish the stores of ATP available in the body. This can improve your strength over time and also expose you to a higher cumulative volume of heavy reps, which can lead to more muscle growth. Here are some of the most effective ways to use clusters.
Single-Rep Clusters
Put 90-95% of your one-repetition max on the bar. This weight is typically a two-rep max, but you’re about to do four reps with it. Perform one repetition, and rack the weight for 10 to 15 seconds. Then take the weight off the rack and perform another before re-racking it. Repeat until you’ve performed four reps. Rest at least two minutes and perform a total of two to three full sets.
Resetting between single reps also allows you to ensure correct technique on each separate effort.
Multi-Rep Clusters
Put your five-repetition max on the bar. Perform four reps before racking the weight and resting for 10 seconds. Take the bar off the rack and perform two more reps. You’ve just performed six reps with your five-rep max. Complete three to five full sets.
This is a good way to increase time spent under tension (TUT), which benefits muscle growth, while working with slightly lighter-than-max loads, which won’t impact recovery as much as very heavy lifting. (5)
High-Rep Clusters, aka Ladders, for Size
Plenty of heavy lifting can do a number on the nervous system, especially if heavy lifts are employed on the regular. A good change of pace (that doubles as a great way to break a size plateau) is to use high-rep methods with the same approach.
Ladder sets are just the ticket. Use your 10 to 12-rep max weight. Perform a mini-set of two reps, then three reps, then five reps, and finally 10 reps with 10-second breaks between each mini-set.
This creates 20 reps of muscle-building stimulus with a weight that “should have” only allowed 10 to 12 reps. One or two sets can be plenty. It’s a psychological killer as much as it is a muscular killer, all while keeping the nervous system in check due to the higher rep range and relatively lighter weight.
Go Build a Bigger Bench
The bench press is arguably the most popular lift in the gym. With that prestige, it should be the most properly executed, but that’s not always the case. With this information now in hand, you’ll be set apart in the gym and will have found a way to train smart while also training hard. Soon your performance will be turning heads and you’ll have a reliably impressive answer next time you’re asked “how much do you bench?”
References
Saeterbakken, A. H., Stien, N., Pedersen, H., Solstad, T. E. J., Cumming, K. T., & Andersen, V. (2021). The Effect of Grip Width on Muscle Strength and Electromyographic Activity in Bench Press among Novice- and Resistance-Trained Men. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(12), 6444. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126444
Pinto, R. S., Gomes, N., Radaelli, R., Botton, C. E., Brown, L. E., & Bottaro, M. (2012). Effect of range of motion on muscle strength and thickness. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 26(8), 2140–2145. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31823a3b15
Gontijo, L. B., Pereira, P. D., Neves, C. D., Santos, A. P., Machado, D.deC., & Bastos, V. H. (2012). Evaluation of strength and irradiated movement pattern resulting from trunk motions of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Rehabilitation research and practice, 2012, 281937. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/281937
Krings, B. M., Shepherd, B. D., Swain, J. C., Turner, A. J., Chander, H., Waldman, H. S., McAllister, M. J., Knight, A. C., & Smith, J. W. (2021). Impact of Fat Grip Attachments on Muscular Strength and Neuromuscular Activation During Resistance Exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 35(Suppl 1), S152–S157. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002954
Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
Most familiar with Jen Thompson’s exploits, both in the gym and on the lifting platform, understand she’s usually prepared for greatness. In a career spanning back almost a quarter-century, Thompson has usually stood tall atop the podium. In recent years, the athlete seemingly has more first-place finishes than ever. For example, between her last 16 competitive appearances since June 2021 — which sometimes featured cameos in various weight classes — Thompson has fallen short on only three occasions. If one of her newest feats with a barbell indicates anything, the powerlifter seems inevitably due for more greatness.
On Feb. 7, 2022, Thompson shared an Instagram video of herself capturing a 147.4-kilogram (325-pound) bench press during a training session. Per a caption in the video itself, Thompson completed the press while weighing 144 pounds meaning, for context, the lift was 2.25 times her body weight. Such a body weight would also translate to the 67.5-kilogram division, Thompson’s usual recent category as a United States Powerlifting (USAPL) competitor. Thompson completed the lift wearing wrist wraps and no other supportive gear.
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Thompson’s lift at her body weight might have been more notable considering what it portends for her potential competitive ambitions.
This bench press from Thompson is only one kilogram (2.4 pounds) off her all-time raw competition best. Thompson achieved that top American Record press of 148.5 kilograms (327.4 pounds) at the 2022 USAPL Carolina Primetime contest during a third-place performance in the 75-kilogram weight class.
After noting the ease with which Thompson completes this press, it seems likely she’ll only add to her best soon. Per the caption of the post, Thompson in planning to compete at the Arnold Sports Festival, March 2-5, where she seems to have to the potential to break her own record.
As for official record marks, Thompson holds the bench press World Record in both the 60-kilogram and 67.5-kilogram categories. Thompson pressed 136.9 kilograms (300.9 pounds) at the 2012 North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) Raw Challenge for the 60-kilogram mark. Meanwhile, the athlete scored a 144.4-kilogram (318.5-pound) bench press for the 67.5-kilogram record. On an International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) scale, in the IPF’s 69-kilogram weight classes, Thompson possesses the IPF World Record of 144 kilograms (317.4 pounds). She achieved this record amidst a second-place performance at the 2017 IPF Reykjavík International Games.
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In line with how her recent competitive pursuits have gone, 2023 might be another notable year for Thompson. If the athlete is already dropping not-so-subtle hints of what she’s capable of the gym, another record may soon be added to her resume.
