The Best (and WORST) Bench Press Exercises For STRENGTH

[@AlexanderBromley]

BaseStrengthAI is more reliable than a coach, cheaper than an Excel template!👇👇👇 www.BaseStrength.com/the-app Bromley Merch from Barbell Apparel only available HERE! 👇👇👇 barbellapparel.com/Bromley

[@smokey_mk2]

im suprised you didnt include larsen presses in this

[@Anduehan97]

babe wake up, new bromley tierlist just dropped

[@booooo-urns]

Tawlmbout Bromley b? great guy never meddum

[@filipdracewicz1446]

Yes.

[@AgentMolder]

@@booooo-urns never medum? Water we dune hair bubba?!?

[@tajvir]

i’m here

[@coughhy]

I tend to use the pause bench the most as a more specific bench press accessory. Incline bench is probably my favorite lift of this list, mainly because I I know I can always do it without getting any shoulder issues and I like that it helps my OHP as well (which IS the superior lift anyway)

[@cheeks7050]

OHP gang

[@FitnessAttack]

OHP gang

[@TTInfiniteGaming]

OHP gang

[@jasontheironhashira]

OHP gang

[@torskenlange1392]

OHP gang

[@ShetharTraining]

I think a pretty viable use for incline work is as a means extending range of motion. You have mentioned how if guys get very specialized comp bench technique with a big arch and maybe wider grip it works great competitively but becomes a worse developmental exercise, i know that the use of close grip feet up or close grip Larsen is the existing meta to work around this but I have found that the use of a 15-30 degree incline works really well as a way of extending the rom in a hypertrophy or even a strength phase for athletes running into that issue!

[@startledmilk6670]

This is very specific but incline work helps A LOT with swimmers. Your upper chest helps with a lot of stabilization and initiates the pull in the freestyle/front crawl. This is with proper technique. Many people who finally get technique down say they feel it a lot in their upper chest. I’m a former competitive swimmer and am now training by myself for once I join a masters team (adults), increasing my incline bench has made my speed and endurance improve a lot in the pool. It also helps a lot with butterfly which is very chest heavy.

[@shortycareface9678]

I always bench with a pause. It's improved my force production off the chest a ton. I'm a lot more explosive now compared to when I did touch-and-go style benching. And I love floor pressing. Don't know why, the movment is just satisfying to me.

[@elliot993]

Completely agree. Love floor pressing, do you have long arms like me? Floor press just feels better

[@SpartanTaylor]

Agree 100%. Every time I reset, I’ll make sure I really focus on pausing. I’ve recognised that I only really end up doing touch and go as I get towards the peak of a block of strength training, maybe in-part due to ego lifting, maybe some mechanical change. But making that intentional shift always keeps me honest and maintains my rep quality over a longer period of time.

[@GG-jn9fx]

Idk why but incline bench just has always felt most natural to me. My incline max is usually only like 25-40 lbs less than my flat bench max.

[@Biglenny-v9r]

Same here bro. 255x5 incline. My flats 275x6 lol

[@ssheikh3598]

Flat Bench always bother my shoulders no matter how correct form I use... On the contrary, I feel no discomfort in Incline Press. Heck, even with flared elbows, I feel no pain...

[@dokkangodklax4814]

345 for flat, 315 incline for me

[@technopong]

Though not a bench variation, I've had some of the best results on my max bench by doing weighted dips.

[@farhanhussain_]

Dips, particularly on parallel bars, mimic the decline bench press.

[@ktaleentkekma5777]

@@darkoutproductions6088 they both work the lower chest more and if you rotate a decline bench to be vertical, it looks like a dip

[@ktaleentkekma5777]

@@darkoutproductions6088 not really. While I do prefer dips, some people may not like them because of the difficulty (lack of relative strength), shoulder or sternum pain etc.

[@Andrew-it7fb]

I like doing dips on rings

[@cjcRacing]

Great tricep strengthening exercise that will greatly improve the lockout position for bench press. At least in my experience.

[@nickmandeville6216]

These are probably my favourite fitness “entertainment” videos you have put out.

[@semiferal816]

Sean Nalewanyj, alpha destiny, bromley, and mike Isratel all dropped new full length vids today. I know what my evening will consist of

[@julianclary527]

Evidently it'll consist of beating off to Sean Nalewanyj, alpha destiny, bromley, and mike Isratel

[@gregfrelingos3329]

Have to do this for deadlift and squats too! Another great video Alex 💪🏻

[@muineeguh7011]

already did for dl

[@SIickTurtIe]

I think it’s fair to discern between a low and high incline bench press… An extremely low incline (under 15 degrees) was a godsend for me. High enough an angle that it saved my shoulders, yet low enough an angle that it still hit most parts of the pec, and I didn’t lose much loading potential either. If your bench doesn’t go low enough/bottoms out at 15 degrees, you can use a weight or mats at the foot end of the bench to flatten out the angle to your desire.

[@Beats-By-Anthony]

Looking forwar to the squat/quad version of this type of video Alex! Hope this one will pops out soon because my main goal in 2023 is going from a 285 squat for 3 reps to a 315 squat for 4-6 with pretty much the same bodyweight! (185-187lbs)

[@g__l7217]

17:35 I believe that pause bench can also be very very good for hypertrophy, because we know that the stretch part of any movement is the most beneficial for size gains so chilling at the bottom part of a rep is a good way to add in more tension in that advantageous position

[@DeenoDice]

If you do spotto press yes but if you pause actually on the chest then release the tension under stretch then it defeats the purpose

[@ctsmith2024]

This is by far the best and most detailed Bench Tier List on earth. Thank you, Bromley.

[@TypicallyUniqueOfficial]

I’m a little surprised you ranked the incline bench press where you did. I feel like, for me, the incline bench increased my bench more than the close grip bench did. I like how it helps develop the shoulders with that same pushing pattern.

[@vincenttooles1415]

I kind of gave that the side eye lol

[@lucashenriques4242]

I tend to agree with him, i never flat bench only incline and when i try to flat i just dont have the technique. I'm so specialized on incline that i lack skill on flat

[@marahenao6417]

Loved this one! For the longest time i thought i was a terrible bench presser, but i was simply not doing it enough. As soon as i started to do it three times per week my numbers shot up (i mean relatively i am still a light bencher) i also made the mistake of thinking that i was bad at it and ignoring it during the first year of my training which i am trying to catch up for now. That said my favorite bench variation is floor press!

[@bambostarla6259]

I have began watching your videos and I really like them! Your production and personality are really cool! I have been doing more bodybuilding oriented workouts but I really like adding some strengh exercises and my bench isnt very good, but I have been slowly perfecting it and I really want the 225 bench achievement by the end of the year :)

[@coachbobkapustka4803]

love these tier list videos. absolute Fire channel. keep em coming !

[@chriskim457]

You're dropping new videos left and right! Thank you!

[@Jmack7861]

The best variation for not only bench, but also squat and deadlift is 1 1/2 reps (an extra half rep at the bottom of the lift in between each full rep) for raw lifters IMO

[@flamingosarerad9362]

You make the best Strength info content on YT. Thank you. 🙏🏼

[@CrazedFandango]

Over the last couple of years I've focussed on my OHP and have added 20% to my previous best (not bad for having been lifting for 3 decades). Zero carry over to my bench press, despite my delts looking noticeably bigger.. I agree with CG Bench - That's my main assistance lift for BP.

[@WaskularnyPrawnik2003]

I dont know if u guys experienced the same feeling but when im doing floor press, i feel my chest amazingly pumped. Despite of the fact it's short range of motion it makes my pecs burn!!

[@codz67]

Thank you for making this content Alex.

[@Beats-By-Anthony]

Supreme video! Reverse grip bench? How would you inpliment this exercise into a routine (at all)?

[@6lenWasHere]

Great exercise for triceps

[@mikechristy1840]

I'm liking these tier list videos. Keep them coming.

[@coolazguy15]

I love these videos . Screw the haters if there are any. A+ content.

[@IanSidden]

A small defense of decline bench: it’s a nice variation for benching after over head press work. For example, I’ve been running 531 BBB and using decline for the 5x10 sets, and it gives my shoulders a break.

[@GARIMITO]

I think decline is one of the best for putting muscle on the chest. I do 3 sets of 14 with a pause on the bottom and make sure I feel a stretch. I think it helps

[@MattReads12]

Wow this is really good content. This isn't something I would have said a year ago when I was following Mentzer training. In fact I was probably one of the ones that was critical of this channel. People can change, people can wake up, people can grow up and admit they were wrong. Such was the case with me.

[@yukkuri_lifter]

Pin press, especially the dead-bench pin press, is an amazing exercise. Its like pause benching without the stretch-reflex assistance, helps me so much with building power off my chest.

[@homeslice4551]

I think Alex Leonidas used to be big on dead bench. Haven't heard him talk about it lately, not sure if his opinions have changed

[@AlwaysTired554]

Yep I always utilize Dead stop pin presses. Great accessory

[@yukkuri_lifter]

@@homeslice4551 Haven't been up-to-date with is content for years, I assume the reason for that may be that he's done with his bench press goals and has shifted his focus elsewhere.

[@simondean5227]

@@yukkuri_lifter Yeah he hit 405 last year and hasn't been as worried about it lately

[@ryanrogers8211]

It's one of the favorite accessory lifts by Josh Bryant the Bench Press coach King

[@lennartmartin7361]

Thanks, a lot of food for thought. I've used the guillotine press, for getting my chest used to loads again, after an injury. Very light, very controlled, slow tempo, higher reps. It really hits your upper chest like nothing else. Not the first excercise after the injury, but when i felt a little better and a little more secure in moving through that range of motion again.

[@gregoriomiller8241]

Guillotine press is sketchy.. that's Prob what caused you're injury to begin with.

[@BluegillGreg]

For pin presses I use the axle bar so as not to degrade the knurl on my good bar. Keeps it neurological. Prevents it from getting anti knurl-logical.

[@chonzen1764]

Love coming in strong with the CG Bench in S tier.

[@criticallyunderfunded3707]

Good tierlist. You forgot the S Tier Shouldersaver, the reverse grip bench press, though.

[@dog-yk1wh]

continue the series man. love your content

[@griff5713]

Giving credit where due, Pin Presses were also known Anderson Presses after Paul Anderson who used them. Always nice to keep the great names alive and honour their contribution.

[@linoxexor3010]

Same style of tier list for deadlifts squads and maybe ohp would be nice. Ist not a new topic but a different angle on this topic (not of a powerlifter) is always nice to see alwys nice too

[@amazingpotato781]

For me my pecs only started to really grow when i started incorporating a pause to my bench, not sure why you think it isn't great for hypertrophy? The reps are more standardized and it works the chest harder in the bottom stretched position. I like to use a t-shirt touch pause now like bald omni man suggests for all my presses and the gains have been great

[@anthonyponafala7973]

Not good for hypertrophy depending on HOW you do the pause. Most people pause by resting the weight on their chest. You lose tension doing this. If you "pause" an inch or so off your chest it's fire for hypertrophy

[@zyncarla]

Try paused Larsens takes lag drive and leg stability out and forces it all on the pec

[@koleary1798]

@@anthonyponafala7973 agree here. I've been doing a Spotto press larsen style recently after my heavy bench work for this reason. Pecs are FUBAR afterwards and with less weight than I'd normally need to use for backoff work, which is great for my elbows.

[@drinkinouttacups2665]

@@koleary1798 ever try them banded?

[@hardcorejab]

Damn you are grinding. Keep it up. There is only BENCH!

[@jackdemoguitar]

Ha! I know Leroy Walker. He worked out at big Tex gym…and he was always incline pressing!

[@Ibitaress]

i find decline press taught me to really tuck in my shoulder blades properly because when you dont tuck properly on a decline press you basically shrug and it just hurts

[@KayakCampingOffGrid]

Me too. ALSO, my shoulders feel much more comfortable, no clicking noises! They say it reduces the ROM, but I think that's not true - it changes the ANGLE ONLY! It's STILL really strecthing the Pecs at the bottom nicely!

[@pretty_flaco]

i like your self awareness of how these tier lists are outta control right now😂

[@alexw.8999]

Always great content

[@Gonzomedic1]

Great vid! Thanks!

[@posthawk1393]

I like the decline bench press a lot. When you push down closer to your legs with your arms, you get better chest activation. I look at the decline press as kind of a reverse dip. Just stick your arms straight out and try to tense your chest. Then bring your arms down and watch the difference once you get to about 30 degrees lower.

[@Bootyeater999]

Just do dips 😂

[@davidroob4835]

Pausing ALL of my bench reps has helped more than anything for myself. Great info here

[@mattdahamilton]

good stuff Alexander

[@stefanomagaddino6868]

Great vid Brom. What is the difference between paused bench press vs.spoto/tempo bench presses ?

[@chadliampolley6991]

Paused Bench - Comes down to the chest at your usual pace, touches your shirt/rests lightly on your chest, is paused for 1 count or 2 count, then is pressed. Spoto - Comes down to your chest but the pause/hold is about two or three inches above your chest Tempo Bench - Comes down to your chest at a slower pace for anything between a 2/3 count to something like a 5 count, the press back up is usually at your normal pace but can also be slowed down. These can be paused at the chest too, but usually aren't.

[@stefanomagaddino6868]

@@chadliampolley6991 Thanks

[@KyleDaybreak]

No Larsen press? Been my number 1 bench variant.

[@RenovatedCarpet]

Larsen press and feet up bench for me has helped alot.

[@notdescartes4538]

Can we get an OHP one? And also i think incline press was too low, I get is your take so I have no say, but having it lower than guillotine and bands and chains feels off

[@victorjimenez7213]

Alex do a GPP tier list!!! Air bike vs bike vs treadmill vs farmers walks lol

[@Marc98338]

Incline bench by far my favorite.

[@joshdawson5850]

Yes… Yes… YESSSSSSS Can we get Rows next?

[@michaelflorer3509]

One push back on decline. Got two iffy shoulders. Good way to handle heavy weight with minimal impact on iffy shoulders.

[@baconblaster6422]

Decline kills my shoulders but I can do dips and not go too shallow and. I’m good

[@saje1988]

I use the close grip technique, and my bench increased masterfully.

[@RoidfreeSenior]

Yeah, I have those dodgey shoulders and always use a relatively close grip on bench variations

[@johnhall2187]

Floor press is a favorite though . My to go to press at this point.

[@aidangittings]

I always thought the incline bench did very poor in terms of strength carry over to regular bench. I would have times where my incline was progressing like crazy but my flat bench wouldn’t budge

[@rickyspanish5316]

Decline is nice if you have a shoulder injury

[@MorethanGUNZ]

Very helpful!

[@joshuavd5194]

I like decline bench press at the moment, it feels good.

[@BeaterCar]

No Larsen press?

[@jdiritto]

I'm a big fan of small incline/decline pressing (a bumper or two under the bench) from john meadows (RIP). The duffalo bar and cambered neutral grip bars are amazing for all angles, too, and even using the cambered squat bar to bench is an novel stimulus. Haven't had access to a bamboo bar for a few years but it's very high on my wish list. Fat bar floor presses are pretty amazing as well but board presses with fat gripz aren't unless you're going light. I need to get the bench block designed for a fat bars as I'm pretty sure blowing up some heavy fat bar board presses would be a good time

[@harjad9546]

Would love to try some actual specialised bench equipment. I've been using a trap bar but it seems to work fine.

[@nickzardiashvili624]

10:25 Top notch pun!

[@Adam-nk3hx]

Awesome video! I was hoping you would talk about reversed grip bench press 😅 personally, I would say C tier

[@ElloAsty]

John Haack said in his Elitefts talk with Dave Tate that he busts out bands when he feels he's starting to lift the bar slowly. But it's not a staple once he gets that skill back.

[@KindaAmazing667]

Surprised the larsen press wasn't mentioned. Love me some close grip benching though.

[@MrClassicmetal]

​ @Alexander Bromley How about the reverse grip BP?

[@samcambouris700]

I never saw the benefit of decline bench until recently. I discovered that if you close grip bench on the decline it will blast my triceps. A tier for the tris

[@xarmy12]

what's your thoughts on larsen bench press ?

[@Elias-pu9jf]

that close grip pic 💀dude is floating

[@bradleygregg7522]

Why no ranking of DB Bench?

[@xReMi13x]

im curious as to how diamond push ups might correlate with close grib bench benefits?

[@zerrodefex]

Been doing a 1.5" board press for a few months now. Not only has it saved my shoulders but I've seen better chest growth from it as well. Sounds like maybe I have doing the Spotto Press by accident.

[@CRCfail]

Videos on each one would have been helpful. Have to leave this video to go see what they are

[@noobgainz1132]

i’m surprised the wasn’t a larson press, fire list though, think ima start incorporating a close grip bench

[@soarinpenguinlive6372]

Larson pressing will put serious weight on your bench. There is a reason it done by all the best powerlifters.

[@Atg.po1]

Daddy Bromley Posted!!

[@dougjones3391]

Where would you put reverse grip bench?....Especially with a wide grip.

[@qbas14]

What about Larsen press?

[@andresruval]

Yeah. I’m working with Larsen and CGBP as my variations. 4x /week frequency. Love Larsen presses

[@quyiter]

Larsen Press?

[@pvbarbell1904]

What about drop off weights? Weight that overload the eccentric then drop off at the bottom?

[@johnro8ot]

I have a reverse logic anecdote about strength “overlap”. I am 35 and hadn’t lifted a weight for 20 years, but look strong from boxing etc. 210 lbs and tall, punch well above my weight. I couldn’t bench 135 even once a few months ago.

[@catfish1161]

Thoughts on weighted dips?

[@michaellupu2080]

Perhaps I missed it, but was Larsen press or feet-up bench pressing discussed in the video?

[@oliviermorneau2819]

I find neutral grip bench press or over head press to be way easier on the wrist to the point that i don't need to use wrist wraps on them, if i don't wear wrist wraps with a straight bar my wrist are generaly gonna hurt within a month

[@racerx2580]

My question with neutral grip bars or angled is are the muscles needed for bench NOT engaged as much as they are when using a straight bar? In turn being a recovery type bar when overuse is appearing.

[@mdd1963]

I often spread my hands an extra half inch out to the side , just on the last set.

[@bigman9854]

I know this is an old video but paused bench is awesome for hypertrophy it forces you to milk the stretch

[@ZAlbertto]

Would have been nice to have this information before I spent all that time with Westside style speed bencing some 20 years ago. I did realize at the time that I was not getting returns for my investment but still continued to believe. Good information here!

[@sym_riot1276]

Pause bench is king.

[@kukysgod]

came back to this video and I wanna ask what you think about heavy dips? I personally don't do them but calisthenics guys who dip heavy usually have a pretty big bench too. Could be a pretty decent non specific accessory?

[@absw6129]

Great video. I have a small critique to bring up about your comments on speed benching. One point you bring up is that of force production, and how speed benching doesn't produce maximum force. This is true, but that's why the Westside system includes a max effort day, which is designed for force production. The speed strength work (which without bands and chains would be 75-85%) is there to improve your rate of force development, not maximise force production. It does in turn make it easier to break PRs on max effort. Just to illustrate: say you have a lifter who can press 200 lbs overhead. This lifter sticks mostly with doing doubles and triples with 150-170 lbs. Over time, they get really fast with these weights. If they then decide to peak, it will be easier to break that 200 lbs record.

[@AlexanderBromley]

How do you increase the rate at which you get to maximal force if you physically can't get anywhere near maximal force during a rep? Time is the factor here. Consider where the bar is a fraction of a second after you push; on a speed rep its almost to lockout and in a working rep its barely off the chest. Either way, my hypothesis doesn't matter. There just aren't any examples of what you describe occurring in real life which is why, after all these years, virtually no one does it.

[@absw6129]

@@AlexanderBromley good points. I'm convinced. Do you think there is still some merit to doing doubles and triples in that 75-85% range? Putting the idea of "speed work" aside, there are plenty of lifting programs using those percentages for low reps but many sets (say, 10 sets of 2-3), making sure each rep looks the same. Seems like a good strategy for perfecting the movement pattern at least.

[@jrwitherite12]

Bench is more important than overhead press for overall balance of physique.

[@tristensifuentes1712]

make one for hypertrophy

[@meatbasedvegan4859]

No JM press? and do OHP next!!

[@stranger2035]

Hey alex does close grip incline benchpress work pretty well?

[@RandyMass]

Another difference between floor press and board press is specificity. Floor press set up feels very novel, whereas board press is your full comp set up + the board.

[@HazmatEsports]

What about reverse grip bench press??

[@Joac1193]

No thoughts on Larsen/feet up bench?

[@strongmansam289]

Specialty bars is one worthwhile you could do?

[@ilyadeclerck9727]

could you do one for the ohp?