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More Than a Bench Day.
Everyone loves to press. I won’t pretend this isn’t everyones favorite of this series.
It’s the lift that fills shirts, builds confidence, and is always part of the gym bros first convo with anyone.
Most people just use the bench press to skip out on leg day; but a strong press is a skill.
It’s not about pushing a bar up and down. It’s about generating power through stability, leverage, and precision.
And when you learn to press the right way, it doesn’t just build your chest; it builds your shoulders, triceps, and total upper-body strength.
This week we’re breaking down the press: the setup, the cues, the variations, and how to actually program it for strength that transfers over.
"The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing, in so far as it stands ready against the accidental and the unforeseen, and is not apt to fall."
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The Setup: Where Every Strong Press Begins.
A great bench starts before the first rep. Solidify your structure and the reps will feel & look cleaner. Don’t underestimate taking the first few seconds after offloading the weight to situate your pressing foundation:
Foot Placement:
Your feet should drive into the floor.
Don’t dance around with your legs, dig them in.
This anchors your body and creates full-body tension from the ground up.Grip Width:
Start slightly wider than shoulder width.
Too narrow and you’ll strain the elbows; too wide and you’ll shorten your range and stress your shoulders.
Your forearms should be vertical when the bar touches your chest.Back & Chest Position:
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and down into the bench.
You’re building a solid platform, not lying flat.
Think “puffed chest” and “locked lats.”Bar Path:
The bar should move in a slight “J” curve; down to the lower chest, then back over the shoulders as you press.
Not straight up and down. That curve is what keeps the bar stacked over your joints for power & structure.Breath & Brace:
Take air into your stomach before lowering the bar.
Hold it as you press. That internal pressure keeps your spine and ribs stable.
Exhale only after the bar passes halfway up.
The Key:
Structure first. Movement second.
Good pressing is full-body control, not just upper-body effort..
The Cues That Keep You Safe & Strong
Most pressing mistakes come from being loose or impatient.
Follow these cues:
Pull the bar down. Treat the eccentric like a row. This keeps your lats engaged and sets your chest high.
Break the bar. Imagine snapping the bar in half to activate the upper back and triceps.
Drive through your legs. Your lower body helps stabilize and transfer power.
Press back, not straight up. Keeps shoulders healthy and the bar in the right path.
Stay tight. The most overused cue, but the one that matters most.
If your shoulders ache after pressing, it’s usually not the exercise; it’s the setup and control.
Methods: How to Program It
The press responds best to volume, control, and tempo.
Unlike the deadlift, you can train pressing more often, but you still need structure.
Heavy Work (3–6 reps):
Builds maximal pressing strength.
Keep total sets around 4–5 and rest fully between them.
Volume Work (8–12 reps):
For muscle growth and joint health.
Use dumbbells or slight variations to spread the workload.
Speed or Dynamic Presses (6–8 sets of 3 reps):
Use 50–70% of your max. Focus on explosive intent.
Great for athletes developing upper-body power.
Accessory Work:
Triceps dips, push-ups, skull crushers, overhead extensions, and rows.
Pressing strength is limited by what holds your shoulders in place: build the back as much as the front.
Variations: More Than Just a Bench.
The bench press gets all the attention, but pressing comes in many forms; each with unique benefits.
Barbell Bench Press
The foundation. Builds maximal strength through the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Incline Bench Press
Adds upper-chest development and challenges shoulder stability.
Close-Grip Bench Press
Targets triceps and teaches tight pressing mechanics.
Dumbbell Press
Improves balance and stabilizer strength. Forces equal work between sides.
Floor Press
Reduces shoulder stress and isolates lockout strength. Great for lifters with cranky shoulders.
Overhead Press (Standing or Seated)
Trains the shoulders and upper back to work as stabilizers. Improves posture and real-world strength.
Landmine Press
Excellent hybrid for athletes. Great shoulder health movement that blends pressing and core control.
Pressing is a spectrum, not a single lift.
Rotate through them to build strength, muscle, and resilience.
Programming Example:
Week 1: Heavy Barbell Bench (5x5) + DB Incline Press (3x8)
Week 2: Speed Bench (8x3 at 60%) + Landmine Press (3x10)
Week 3: Overhead Press (4x6) + Close-Grip Bench (3x10)
Accessory Work: Rows, triceps work, face pulls, rear delt raises
If you’re an athlete, not just a lifter, pressing is about power transfer; not just pump.
It should make you hit harder, push stronger, and stabilize better.
Thanks for reading this week’s edition of The Weekly Standard!
If you found value in these insights, share it with a training buddy or post it on your social feed; let’s spread the knowledge and push each other to new levels. See you next time!
COACH’S INSIGHT
Don’t forget: a strong press starts with a strong upper back and stable base.
You can’t press from a weak foundation.
A few quick reminders:
Shoulder pain? Check your scapular control and setup.
Weak lockout? Train close-grip or floor press.
Elbow strain? Adjust grip width and warm up triceps more.
Plateaued press? Add paused reps or controlled eccentrics.
Keep the long view in mind: you don’t need to hit PRs every week.
You just need to get a little stronger, a little sharper, and a little more confident every time you grab the bar.
Read part 3 in this lifting series:
or if you’re feeling like taking the next step: