5 Exercises To Increase Your Bench Press

by Robert Papa August 08, 2017

The Bench Press is one of the most utilized exercises in the fitness world, used by everyone from bodybuilders to athletes to everyday gym-goers. It is also one of the "Big 3" lifts in powerlifting, along with the Barbell Squat and Deadlift. The popularity of the Bench Press stems from its ability to simultaneously train the chest, shoulders, and triceps. In this blog post, I will cover 5 complementary exercises that will strengthen your bench press.

#1- Standing Overhead Press

The Overhead Press is a compound movement just like the Bench Press and is widely regarded as the best exercise to strengthen the entire shoulder (front, medial and rear delts). Along with the shoulder, this exercise also targets the triceps, in turn, building 2 of the 3 essential muscles used in the bench press. If you're serious about increasing your bench press, you NEED to be doing the Overhead Press.

#2- Floor Press

The Floor Press is a pretty strange exercise, but the benefits of the exercise make looking a bit odd in the gym worth it. The floor press is perfect for strengthening the portion of the bench press right before the lockout, which is where many people fail when trying to lift heavy. Along with that, the floor press can help build explosive power which will help with bar speed.

#3- Close Grip Bench Press

The Close Grip Bench Press is a popular movement used primarily to build the triceps. It is an excellent complementary exercise to the bench press because weak triceps are a common flaw of lifters, which results in not maximizing bench press potential. When using this exercise, make sure to keep your grip in a position that doesn't risk injury to your wrists or elbows.

#4- Incline Dumbbell Press

The Incline Dumbbell Press can be used effectively in addition to the close grip bench press. While the close grip bench primarily targets the triceps, the incline dumbbell press puts more focus on the shoulders than a standard dumbbell press. Using dumbbells also benefits the smaller muscles in the chest and shoulders that are used for balance, which can result in total strength gain.

#5- Band Bench Press

The Band Bench Press is a variation of the standard Barbell Bench Press where two resistance bands are used to anchor the bar to the ground, making the lift more difficult. Since the band is on the ground, the easiest part of the lift will be at the bottom of the movement, with the hardest being at the lockout position. Incorporating bands into your Bench Press routine can help increase bar speed as well as lockout strength.