After my article on Benching with the Pecs, I got a follow-up question on a forum about pec activation, someone had mentioned looking for tips before and come across the old Vince Gironda bench press to the neck. This type of bench is often used by bodybuilders to ‘isolate’ the pecs. It’s also a great way to ruin your shoulders forever.
In any case, I wanted to do a brief piece on the different ‘styles’ of bench pressing that are most commonly used; my lovely assistant Sarah (who is apparently also IronMan, don’t tell anybody) will be demonstrating once again.
As it stands, the three major types of benching (I’m ignoring the method of bounce it off your chest while your partner does a deadlift and screams “It’s all you” as a type here) are
- Bodybuilder (aka pectacular) bench pressing
- A generic power bench
- A geared powerlifting bench press (sort-of, I’ll explain this in Part 2)
Bodybuilder Style Bench Press
The bodybuilder style of bench pressing, as mentioned, is often used to ‘isolate’ the pecs more.… Keep Reading