What is a highly effective, yet often underutilized, accessory exercise for men looking to significantly improve their bench press strength?
Unlocking Your Bench Press Potential with an Underutilized Gem
For many men, the bench press is the ultimate test of upper body strength. The pursuit of a bigger bench is a common goal, often leading lifters to focus solely on increasing volume or intensity on the main lift. However, true strength gains often lie in strategically incorporating accessory exercises that target specific weaknesses and build foundational power. While many accessory movements are popular, one particular exercise stands out as highly effective yet surprisingly underutilized: the Floor Press.
Why the Floor Press is a Bench Press Game-Changer
The Floor Press is essentially a bench press performed while lying on the floor, rather than a bench. This seemingly minor change has profound implications for strength development, particularly for improving your conventional bench press.
1. Builds Raw Triceps and Lockout Strength
Without the aid of leg drive or the typical stretch reflex from the bottom of a regular bench, the Floor Press heavily isolates the triceps. This direct focus means you’re forced to generate all the power from your upper body to press the weight, leading to significant gains in triceps strength – a common limiting factor in the lockout phase of the bench press.
2. Enhances Upper Body Stability
By removing leg drive, the Floor Press emphasizes core stability and the ability of your shoulders and chest to stabilize the weight. This translates to a more controlled and powerful conventional bench press.
3. Reduces Shoulder Strain
The limited range of motion, stopping when your elbows touch the floor, means less stress on the shoulder joint. For lifters with pre-existing shoulder issues or those looking to train heavy without excessive impingement, the Floor Press offers a safer alternative to build pressing strength.
4. Teaches Explosive Pressing
The pause at the bottom, with your elbows resting on the floor, eliminates momentum and forces you to initiate each rep from a dead stop. This develops explosive power and the ability to drive through sticking points in your bench press.
How to Properly Execute the Floor Press
Performing the Floor Press correctly is crucial to maximize its benefits and prevent injury.
Setup:
- Lie flat on your back on the floor, with your feet flat on the ground or extended straight out. Some prefer feet up for more core engagement.
- Have a barbell loaded in a power rack at a height that allows you to unrack it with locked arms, similar to a regular bench press. Alternatively, a partner can hand you dumbbells.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width, ensuring your wrists are straight and elbows are directly under the bar.
Execution:
- Unrack the weight and hold it directly over your chest, arms fully extended.
- Slowly lower the barbell towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked slightly (around 45 degrees relative to your torso).
- Continue lowering until your triceps or upper arms make solid contact with the floor. Pause briefly to eliminate momentum.
- Explosively press the weight back up to the starting position, focusing on driving through your triceps and chest.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Integrating the Floor Press into Your Training
To effectively use the Floor Press to improve your bench, consider these programming tips:
- As a Main Movement: On a dedicated upper body day, you can use the Floor Press as your primary pressing exercise, especially if you’re battling shoulder fatigue from regular benching. Aim for 3-5 sets of 4-8 repetitions.
- As an Accessory: Perform the Floor Press after your main bench press sets. Here, it can serve as a triceps and lockout strength builder. Focus on 3-4 sets of 6-10 repetitions, using a weight that challenges your triceps intensely.
- Variations: Experiment with Close-Grip Floor Presses for even greater triceps isolation, or Dumbbell Floor Presses for unilateral strength and increased range of motion.
- Frequency: Incorporate it once or twice a week, allowing adequate recovery for your triceps and pressing muscles.
Conclusion
The quest for a stronger bench press doesn’t always require more bench pressing. Sometimes, the most effective path involves intelligently integrating exercises that target specific weaknesses and build a more robust foundation. The Floor Press, with its unique ability to isolate triceps strength, enhance upper body stability, and reduce shoulder strain, is an incredibly potent yet often underutilized tool in any strength athlete’s arsenal. By incorporating this powerful accessory into your routine, you’ll be well on your way to smashing through plateaus and significantly improving your bench press numbers.
