Retract Your Scapula - Increase Your Bench

Retracting your scapula, or shoulder blades, is one of the most common cues when it comes to bench press. However if you're like me, getting in the best position or trying to pull them in and down never really made sense. In this video I show you a quick exercise I do as part of my warm up that's helped this cue finally click for me.
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[@BusinessAndFitness]

These videos actually help people... you're so behind on the times

[@BasementBrandon]

Travis S secretly sabotaging

[@calgarybarbell]

Scaps back for harambe

[@BasementBrandon]

let dem titties go!

[@alandaher]

I use to have a bad habit of arching my lower back and not my thoracic back. Did twice as much pulling volume in relation to my pressing volume and was able to get my upper back a lot tighter/bigger which helped me stabilize a lot better with heavier weights.

[@BasementBrandon]

Nice!

[@chrisgoodman227]

What I found worked for me ( and I still need work) is doing floor presses. It's the feedback of broadening my shoulders on the floor and not "winging" out the scapulae... I'm going to try this bandwork as well...thank you!

[@BasementBrandon]

I haven't been able to do much of those since my injury, it really aggravates it :(

[@BrianAlsruheOfficial]

Really useful tip man!

[@BasementBrandon]

Thanks Brian!

[@judofry]

thanks for the tip, will be trying this today, always had problems with remembering to cue scapular retraction

[@BasementBrandon]

hope it helps

[@zaziro]

I watched so many scapula videos to bench better, but yours is the most helpful, thanks!

[@BasementBrandon]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yarkobroda]

The best cue I've found for me is one from Mark Bell and the ST crew. Stick your arms out parallel to the floor and at like 45-60 degrees out from your side with palms facing towards the floor and then externally rotate the arm as you retract the scapula.

[@BasementBrandon]

Nice!

[@Luigiz28]

Grest tip! I tried this today and it made total sense. Thank you Brandon!

[@BasementBrandon]

Glad to hear!

[@PhyFK8]

Scapular control is definitely HUGE in the bench press. Funny that you mention that it's a component in every bench press 101 video cause it is one in my bench press video as well haha. Great and creative drill to get this cue down, Brandon!

[@BasementBrandon]

Hopefully I finally figured it out lol.

[@GinoBrouwers]

Definitely going to try this, thanks!

[@BasementBrandon]

Right on!

[@JayFreizah]

Great video Big Dog Campbell. nice and short very easy to understand, Unlike some people that would make a 10min+ video on about the same subject. You get straight to the point and anyone should be able to do this and understand how to do it.

[@BasementBrandon]

ain't no body got time fo dat!

[@thepowerliftingprofessor]

GANDPA CAMPBELL KNOWS ME BEST BECAUSE UR VIDEO LITERALLY WENT UP 15 SECS BEFORE I WENT ON KZbin. Also dese are really relevant tips as I just hit a bench pr😁

[@BasementBrandon]

Devraj Roy Everything what is a "bench PR?" Not sure I've had one of those.

[@thepowerliftingprofessor]

Brandon Campbell LOL BRANDON, I've only recently discovered them, prettty sweet

[@chrishernandez2797]

Dude my left arm got detached doing this exercise..!!! WTF..!!! My dog just swoop in and took my arm like it was his treats...aha Nice to see Grand Master Campbell still making videos...I've been away but I'm back😈

[@BasementBrandon]

Woo!

[@CGPS2019]

This is really going to help my chest bump celebrations, thank you sir.

[@BasementBrandon]

now just need to work on your dab

[@destro1989]

Appreciate it. Always had a problem with retraction.

[@BasementBrandon]

Sure thing boss

[@PrimeMatt]

Fantastic, I've never seen or thought about doing that before, many thanks.

[@BasementBrandon]

no problem!

[@minecraftlord568]

Thank you Brandon. Another point worth addressing maybe is once you reach up to bar you can lose tightness there

[@BasementBrandon]

True that!

[@EAS573182]

Wow thanks Brandon! I'd never heard of this secret trick before. You're the best man!

[@BasementBrandon]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@JohnmillerPowerlifting]

great video man, I am benching tomorrow so I will give this a bash in the warm ups

[@BasementBrandon]

hope it helps!

[@juanch3z]

Definitely going to give this a try.

[@BasementBrandon]

Hope it helps.

[@ErickMandovalSandoval]

Gotta try this out with my personal training clients!

[@BasementBrandon]

Hope it makes sense.

[@morgangayton6481]

What helped me the most was bringing my arms up in a shrug motion then rolling back my shoulders. Great Video though.

[@BasementBrandon]

Nice! That one never stuck with me.

[@grcomins1283]

Great tip and Video! Keep them coming, Brandon.

[@BasementBrandon]

Thanks man!

[@MarkMacqueen]

This looks great, going to give this a go today Brandon!

[@BasementBrandon]

You're an animal. You don't need my tips.

[@guscastro1152]

Great suggestion. My first time seeing this video.

[@BasementBrandon]

hope it helps

[@starblazer32]

Another great tip can't wait to try this

[@BasementBrandon]

Hope it helps!

[@jaypark7207]

Good fucking morning goddamnit! Ops wrong channel. Useful content as usual from Brandon Campbell. Thanks again!

[@BasementBrandon]

Hah thanks Jay

[@EliteThrowsCoaching]

Hey man if you have a light slingshot you can perform a similar type movement. I like the scapular push up as well. What helped me the most was retracting them on a floor press and on a fat pad.

[@BasementBrandon]

Nice! Didn't think of the Sling Shot.

[@Adam-bq2vw]

I absolutely HAVE to retract my scapula during pressing exercises due to my slouching posture. If I let my shoulders roll forward, I am encouraging the bad posture, if I keep everything locked back, I am discouraging it.

[@BasementBrandon]

Right on

[@AsifIqbalMunir]

Forgot bout shoulder depression tho. Helps more if the shoulders are back & down to be more tight

[@BasementBrandon]

that's what this exercise reinforces.

[@MarkReadsReddit]

Kind of looks like part of my mating dance. Keep up the good info dude, always helpful.

[@BasementBrandon]

haha just wait for the remix.

[@piotrrekas942]

You can also attach a band in front of you and do the same movement - I found it more armpit skin area friendly

[@BasementBrandon]

Nice!

[@adambannon91]

Nice tip!

[@BasementBrandon]

hey now!

[@lukeinthehouse]

Standing high rows on the lat pulldown to where the bar touches on bench, mimicking the movement in reverse

[@BasementBrandon]

nice!

[@JMBBproject]

Useful information! Gotta try that!

[@BasementBrandon]

Hope it helps.

[@LukePowner]

Thanks Brandon I'm gonna try this out! I have troubles with inward rotated shoulders so I'll you know how it goes!

[@BasementBrandon]

will be interested to hear

[@VALIANTTHOR383]

Many thanks as always Brandon.👍🏽

[@BasementBrandon]

for sure!

[@Nemesis093781]

Thank you for the video, thumbs up.

[@BasementBrandon]

Sure thing!

[@jayk1984]

Thank you!!!! Game changer! ❤️

[@BasementBrandon]

Hope it helps.

[@javierdiaz9497]

Protraction of the scapula is equally important when benching. While on the bench, imagine yourself hugging a barrel when pushing the bar up. This will ensure that the right muscle, mainly the pectoralis, act as the prime mover, and thus the movement is performed correctly.

[@BasementBrandon]

Hmm, I'm not sure I'd agree with that.

[@javierdiaz9497]

Brandon Campbell Ok.

[@JustinMorgan105kg]

I've got Brandon Diamond written in lip stick on my bathroom mirror. Rocky Style, except a lot weirder.

[@BasementBrandon]

at least it's not written in bodily fluids.

[@urbanalbino619]

Great vid

[@BasementBrandon]

Thanks dude!

[@mbuckler123]

Great tip, thanks.

[@BasementBrandon]

sure thing

[@Rev0UK1]

this works if you have a sling shot too

[@BasementBrandon]

Rev0UK1 good call

[@adaptone9777]

scap plank to can can (way to hard to describe. you have to watch it to understand the movement. Theres a video on omar's channel "bench activators") reverse bench pulldowns (performed on lat pulldown station, retract scapula 3x, then perform pulldown, pause 2s at chest) graston TENS machine

[@BasementBrandon]

Nice!

[@robistole6572]

you should put your band on oposite side, so your romboideus and other muscles involved with retraction must get activated to counter the band..

[@BasementBrandon]

that's what's happening here. You have to squeeze and pull back. If you did it the other way it would be ineffective.

[@robistole6572]

Nevermind :)

[@jamesketcham635]

Scapular push ups work great

[@BasementBrandon]

True that!

[@SethSlaymaker]

This is great! I'm going to try this tomorrow...after I take a big shit of course....always include a pre-dump...I sip my preworkout during it...and watch KZbin channels...like....this one 😍

[@BasementBrandon]

Sounds like a lovely time lol

[@alexandrusalar4531]

Good content 👍🏻👍🏻

[@BasementBrandon]

Thanks dude!

[@nguyenq1775]

Can you make a video of how to fix your hips?

[@BasementBrandon]

Fix them how?

[@nguyenq1775]

Brandon Campbell like for squats. I started to have a lot of hip pain when I squat

[@DaveLotito]

Definitely going to try this man, thanks for the tip!!

[@BasementBrandon]

Hope it helps!

[@boxerfencer]

Do you ever incline bench and if so how does scapular retaction play into it with your bum shoulder/s?

[@robcor80]

1:30, I must I must I must increase my bust. Goofin aside great video.

[@BasementBrandon]

lol

[@MarantoPower]

i didnt read any previous comments... if you havent done so yet, check out Donnie Thompson on youtube/FB/IG for his shoulder protocols. this has literally saved my shoulders!

[@BasementBrandon]

Been wanting to get a fat pad!

[@MarantoPower]

Makes two of us!! Ive been waiting for them to come back in stock.

[@HaarisMajidTraining1]

Cool drill. Got anything for leg drive?

[@BasementBrandon]

what's that?!

[@hillbillybarbell1536]

if you purchase the new program by Garrett Blevins, the one that's on sale until January, can you start it anytime or is there a certain start time? the reason I was asking is because I know he coaches you throughout program.

[@BasementBrandon]

There are some variable dates.

[@goodnotgreatt]

I put a needle in the middle of the bench.

[@BasementBrandon]

goodnotgreatt that's one way to "pin" your shoulders back.

[@greysson2933]

Wouldn't it be better if you stand facing the other way, with the band around the back of your shoulders or something? That way when you retract your shoulders the band is actively trying to pull you into protraction so you'd have to resist against that, whereas here it looks the band would be helping to pull you back

[@BasementBrandon]

Valid point, you could, you could also just take a step back under the bar and it would do the same thing.

[@doyourbest999]

Brandon, have you found that this technique helps with other movements as well? I feel like it's been a godsend for me when doing pull ups and incline and OHP. Does that sound right, or nah? Thanks brother.

[@nbalover1022]

DYB not brandon but from my experience it definitely does

[@BasementBrandon]

DYB agreed!

[@fujic8659]

I find Spoto Presses help me with scapular retraction.

[@BasementBrandon]

Right on!

[@samfitzpatrick1866]

So retracting your shoulders reduces ROM which can increase strength but wont benching with no or little shoulder retraction increase strength in the long term as you are using a full ROM?

[@BasementBrandon]

No, as retracting your shoulders properly puts the emphasis more on your chest, instead of your front delts and you're still using a full ROM.

[@samfitzpatrick1866]

Appreciate the response

[@MrFyce]

how to Kee scapula retracted?

[@BasementBrandon]

Imagine trying to squeeze a ball between your shoulder blades.

[@andrewha8914]

How much resistance for the bands do people normally use? I see some that are 15-35 lbs and like 50-125 lbs

[@BasementBrandon]

I like to use a green band for this (which is rated at 65lbs)

[@nbalover1022]

would you recommend this stretch everyday or just do it on days that I bench?

[@BasementBrandon]

nbalover1022 I bench 4x a week currently so I do it a lot. It's not taxing so you could do it everyday to reinforce.

[@K1xa]

RETRACT THE FUCKING SCAPULA

[@platnum960]

K1xa 😂😂😂 all I could think of....s/o sensitive Chris Jones

[@BasementBrandon]

amateur!

[@platnum960]

lmao

[@FIFAxxgamig]

How heavy is your resistance band, wich level is resistance band in kg?

[@BasementBrandon]

You can use whichever one you want depending on level. The one here is rated at 65lbs or roughly 30kg

[@matthewlaroche3265]

What was ur dead, squat and bench when you first started working out?

[@BasementBrandon]

First time I tested my bench max it was about 110lbs. Don't recall the others.

[@matthewlaroche3265]

Brandon Campbell thanks

[@ChanceNguyen]

Just curious, what camera and you using and do you have dedicated lights in your basement?

[@BasementBrandon]

This was shot on a Sony A6500 and I use the overhead lights in the basement in conjunction with some box lights.

[@fred6986]

When unracking the bar for bench press do you recommend doing so w/ locked elbows/straight arms before the first rep descent?

[@BasementBrandon]

I would aim to, but this also depends on your rack height and if it's adjustable.

[@fred6986]

Like if it's too high it'll probably ruin your position and too low will make you almost do a half rep to get the bar into place?

[@BasementBrandon]

fred right. I think ideally you want to be able to pull the bar out of the rack and be as close to a start position as possible.

[@johnandstephanie377]

@2:01, you look a lot like the guy I left in my basement. Minus the Avenged Sevenfold hoodie.

[@BasementBrandon]

lol

[@andrewcameron4277]

Your right shoulder sits Lower then your right

[@BasementBrandon]

Yep

[@theannoyingfan100]

Brandon when did you start lifting? also i'm 17 and i've trained for 2 years now but i want to get really serieus you know tracking my macros and stuff but as a student i find this to be very difficult i have a rough estimate of what i eat but nothing precise do you have any tips?

[@MuscleEire]

hey i'm fine start by just tracking your protein intake and making smart choices the rest of the time. Also track your weight on a weekly basis to ensure you're gaining/losing at the desired rate :-) sub to my channel for an in depth look at natural bodybuilding and what it takes to be the best!

[@theannoyingfan100]

my protein in take is around 160 ish and my calorie in take is 3000 calories (rough estimate) but i'm not gaining weight at the rate i want to i couldn't possibly eat more right? (sorry if my english is bad)

[@BasementBrandon]

Around 15 or so. I wouldn't worry too much about intake at your age, just try to get enough food in to support growth.

[@theannoyingfan100]

Well i do need to worry about it because all of the muscle gains i made came with some fat and i'm starting to become puffy on my stumach so i might need to cut out some carbs and do some cardio

[@daredevilsingh6803]

should I take creatine in off days

[@BasementBrandon]

Ideally you should take it every day, but if you don't it won't make a huge difference.

[@mikejlawrence0788]

I can't squat without falling forward and even after months of putting 5lb plates under my heels when I squat I still cannot even air squat without falling. my heels don't stay down and my left ankle isn't even close to flexible compared to my right one and that left heel is the one that lifts up first

[@BasementBrandon]

what have you been doing for mobility work?

[@mikejlawrence0788]

Nothing really. Don't know what to do and feel like it wont get better cause of injuries I've had to my ankle and knee from football

[@chesscarl7331]

This might be late but I’m gonna right it anyway. I also struggled greatly with this I always fell forward when squatting. What I did was I changed my form. I pointed my toes and and jam my knees out. Now I can squat correctly and it feels great.

[@X3GN]

Just standing there, retracting my scapula like the white guy in the club who got the moves

[@BasementBrandon]

fynn g I filmed myself doing the "Bernie" but didn't end up adding it in.

[@rorylabron722]

where do you get those bands from?

[@BasementBrandon]

These are from Rogue/EliteFTS but lots of places sell them.

[@mlitalie]

How tall are you?? You make your rack (no pun intended ) look super tiny!

[@BasementBrandon]

6'4"

[@albertvannijhuis8970]

I just think about pulling my shoulder blades into my back pocket.

[@BasementBrandon]

albert van nijhuis that one never worked for me unfortunately

[@Jackmerius_Tacktheritrix5733]

That's great advice and all, but 'What Would Dick Diamond Do?' is the real burning question we all want answered - Sincerely, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of All Things Dick Diamond (SPAATDD)

[@BasementBrandon]

E Dick Diamond doesn't pull sumo or conventional, he just pulls hot ass.

[@Jackmerius_Tacktheritrix5733]

Brandon Campbell Yek Semesh!

[@psWotDoUThink]

Are you supposed to maintain scapula retraction throughout a deadlift? Thanks

[@BasementBrandon]

I don't think about it TBH. A lot of people use the cue to tuck your lats into your pockets, so that's somewhat similar.

[@candacelin4115]

Retract those shoulders ALL day every day, like you're posing for physique comp or just like ronda rousey in her weigh-ins. Its not good just retracting shoulders for the bench then walk around like a hermit shrimp the rest of the day x

[@BasementBrandon]

lol

[@BJLS19]

That sweater looks like the length runs short on you

[@BasementBrandon]

Perfect length IMO

[@mattlesperance4695]

You can also use a sex swing to perform the same exercise

[@BasementBrandon]

hey now

[@owennbeats]

Brandon Campbell Diamond where’s the lie

[@MrDevianceh]

White balance is off.

[@BasementBrandon]

MrDevianceh no it's not. I'm this white IRL

[@freakied0550]

Other tip that works: get fat

[@BasementBrandon]

Hah more mass, less ROM, makes sense.

[@freakied0550]

Brandon Campbell sprinkle in just a hair or 2 of getting stronger, and you're on the road to success

[@fabio0897]

I just noticed you had braces

[@BasementBrandon]

Hah yeah, almost 8 months now!

[@coachlift5260]

Hmm, listen to a guy that benches less than me or have fucked up shoulders?

[@BasementBrandon]

best bench to date is 800lbs.

[@coachlift5260]

shit dude, youre weak

[@tommyguns9780]

"Increase your bench" = ultimate click bait

[@BasementBrandon]

If it wasn't about something to do with bench perhaps.

[@KizaWittaker]

Way to tell everybody that you dont lift

[@bryanyang2097]

It's hard to see your face lately.

[@BasementBrandon]

i get see through in the winter.