You will be performing the concentric (up phase) using the stronger flat bench position. Once you finish the press to the top, you'll drop your hips, shifting your body into an incline position. You'll then perform the eccentric (down phase) in that incline position (which is weaker) in order to overload the upper chest.
This method is going to allow you to really hit much more of the overall mass of the pec. The flat position targets the lower and middle while the shift to incline hits the upper pecs.
To do this one, I definitely recommend using a power rack. You COULD potentially use this technique with a very good spotter, but I wouldn't recommend it.
If you don't have a rack, you can use dumbbells for the pressing instead, using the same body position adjustment technique. That will be a much better option than barbell pressing outside the rack with this method.
You'll want to get the rack setup right with just an empty bar first. Set the flat bench halfway inside the rack and set the rails about 18 inches above the level of the bench.
Slide yourself under the bar until just your upper back is supported on the bench. This is what's going to allow you to change body position during the exercise.
The rails should be set so that in this position, the bar is either just slightly above your chest, or right on your chest. With my setup, when get into position, the bar is just slightly off the rails at the bottom with my chest expanded.
Roll the bar up the rails and into position on your chest and raise your hips up so that you're in a flat bench position.
Press the weight to the top, as you normally would. This is a bottom-start bench press, which in and of itself is an excellent exercise for the chest.
Now, holding the bar in that position at the top, drop your hips down and let your head come off the bench. It's important at this point that your bench is not going to slide anywhere as your feet will be pushing backwards strongly to brace your body.
Now perform an eccentric with that load. How you do this will depend on the weight. If it's light enough, you might just be lowering it under control. If it's heavy enough, you might do a TRUE eccentric where you FIGHT the descent of the weight all the way to the bottom, pushing through the bar as though actually trying to lift it.
And, in fact, you might start with the first way where you just control the descent and move to a true eccentric as you get deeper into the set.
Come all the way down until you set the bar on the rails. Control this portion, if you can. Don't just let the bar crash down. This very bottom portion is extremely effective for the upper chest and you don't want to lose tension at that point.
Once the bar is on the rails, bring your hips back up until you're in the flat bench position and repeat the sequence.
Overall, this is a phenomenal way to maximize your bench pressing....you hit pretty much the entire mass of the pec this way.
You can use this method in pretty much any rep range. I used it for fairly low reps in the demo, in order to hit the negative with a decent weight, but you can also very easily do it for higher reps.
---
Want to build muscle without trashing your body with non-stop high-intensity workouts? Time-Volume Training can "sneak" up to 5 lbs of muscle on you in just a few weeks with a unique, volume-based approach.
Share This Page...
Want More Mass-Building Techniques and Programs?
You'll find them here...
- Time-Volume Training - Build Muscle and Strength Like Clockwork
- Muscle Explosion - 28 Days to Maximum Mass
- Metamorphosis - Rebuild Your Body From The Inside Out
Support