“Hey bro, how much do you bench?”
Perhaps the most famous verbiage in a gym rat’s arsenal.
And perhaps for good reason — because what would the world of powerlifting be without the bench? It’s the quintessential exercise; it’s the one everyone and their grandmother knows in the context of lifting.
While not being as flashy as the snatch or clean and jerk, it’s still a complex movement with a lot of variables to consider when performing. Your chest, arms and shoulders are all an active component — and focusing attention onto these areas independently can give you that true strength to help you reach your potential with this exercise.
These are are a few exercises that we really like as supplemental work or as substitutes when dealing with pain.
The Floor Press
The Floor Press is the absolute bomb, especially if you’re having shoulder pain or are limited by your shoulder in general when performing the bench. It’s great because it requires you to push through a smaller range of motion to perform. If you’re rehabbing your shoulder, for example, this would be a great replacement for the bench.
