Whether a powerlifter or not, everyone wants a big bench press don't they? In powerlifting, although a big bench is not going to win the meet on its own, it can keep you in the running. Although I am not a bench press specialist, my own bench is very strong compared to my squat and deadlift. I'd like to share some of the powerlifting techniques that have helped me build a bigger, more powerful bench press.
Competitive powerlifting is different than other forms of strength training or body building. The focus is not on working the muscle as hard as you can during every repetition of every set. Your goal is to lift the most weight you can with as little effort possible. The key is to complete your lift as efficiently as possible. You are likely to see significant gains in the amount of weight you can lift simply by improving your lifting technique, even if your strength remains constant. Powerlifting bench press technique can be summarized in three points:
- Conserve your energy
- Reduce the range of motion (ROM) of your bench press
- Involve many muscle groups in the lift
For a video demonstration of the powerlifting bench press, I've included a link at the end of this article.
The Lift
You should train just as you will compete from your first warm-up set to your last working set. To help you with this mindset, I've interjected the competition commands into the lifting sequence below. Treat each rep of every set as if it were a competition lift. Keep your form correct and pause briefly between each repetition. This will train your mind and your body to complete lifts that will get white lights from the judges in competition.
Setup: You want to make your setup as efficient as possible. Your goal is to get the bar into position to begin your bench press as quickly and with as little effort as possible. The judge is not going to give you the "start" command until you have the bar under control, locked out, and motionless. A clean setup, therefore, is a crucial part of your powerlifting bench press.
- If your weight bench has an adjustable rack height, make sure you have it set for the proper height. You don't want to have to lift the bar too far, but you want enough clearance so you don't get caught on the pegs of the weight bench. Take into account that as the weight increases the bar will begin to bow reducing the clearance. You may think this point is insignificant, but improper rack height cost me my opening bench press at a national championship competition.
- Make sure you can plant your feet flat on the floor for a strong leg drive. If the bench is too high, you may want to place plates or blocks under your feet, this is legal in competition.
- Get into a comfortable position on the bench so that your traps and shoulders, head, and buttocks are in contact with the bench, and your feet are flat on the floor. Once you begin your bench press with the judges "start" command, you cannot change your elected position.
- Find the proper placement for your hands on the bar. By International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) rules, your hands cannot extend wider than 81cm. On a competition bar, this means your thumb and index finger cannot be outside the ring on the knurling. In the gym, you should be cautious as different bars have this mark at different positions. Narrowing your grip shifts emphasis away from your chest and lats, to your triceps. It will also increase the range of motion of your lift.
- Arching your back will reduce the range of motion of your lift, will allow you to use your lats more effectively in your lift, and will help you keep your entire body tight providing a stable platform to perform your bench press. If you'd like more information on using a back arch during the bench press, you might check out this article specifically on the technique: "Powerlifting Basics: Arching Your Back to Increase Your Bench Press"
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together. This will reduce the range of motion of the lift; it also helps you keep your upper body tight and ready to explode.
- Always take a liftoff from your spotter. You don't want to waste precious strength taking the bar out of the rack. The handoff should be quick-the longer you hold the bar, the more energy that drains from your body. Your spotter should give you the weight quickly but smoothly. You don't want your spotter dropping hundreds of pounds suddenly on you, but also don't want the handoff to take excessive time. If you can, it's wise to have someone you trust give you a liftoff so you know you will get the handoff cleanly.
- Take a deep breath into your chest and hold it as you take the bar out of the rack. Once locked out and waiting to begin the lift take short quick breaths.
