This section sets out a summary of the research that has explored the external moment arm lengths
during the bench press exercise, using motion capture analysis.
They reported that the triceps brachii displayed significantly greater (21 % and 31 %) muscle
activity during the bench press performed on a stable bench compared with the balance cushion and Swiss ball, respectively.
Norwood et al. (2007) explored the effect of increasing instability on latissimus dorsi by measuring muscle activity
during the bench press performed on a (1) stable bench, (2) with the feet placed on a BOSU ball, (3) Swiss ball, or (4) Swiss ball with feet placed on a BOSU ball.
Assessing the effect of training variables, Newton et al. (1997) found a main effect of load on average and peak velocity
during the bench press throw exercise.
Muscle
actions during the bench press (counter-movement vs. concentric - only) do not appear to affect biceps brachii muscle activity, nor does stability of the pressing surface (Swiss ball vs. stability cushion vs. bench).
Similarly, Barnett et al. (1995) reported a trend towards greater bench press strength with wider hand
spacing during the bench press performed at different bench angles.
In summary, it appears that the barbell and smith machine variations are superior to dumbbells for producing triceps muscle activity, in addition to greater levels of triceps muscle activity
during bench pressing compared with shoulder pressing.
«º» º The stability gained during this exercise transfers to the ability to control the
bar during bench press, which increases the maximum weight able to be pressed.
For football players, the ability to lift a lot of
weight during a bench press and squats, demonstrates power and earns them plaudits from teammates.
Let's take a closer look at one of the main functions of the
pecs during the bench press — horizontal flexion and horizontal adduction, which are very similar but differ in elbow position.
The serratus anterior, anterior deltoid, triceps brachii, and the coracobrachailis muscles are all recruited for support and thus
developed during the bench press.
Saeterbakken et al. (2013) compared triceps muscle activity between different levels of stability on base of support, including stable bench, balance cushion and swiss
ball during a bench press.
Assessing the effect of intrinsic factors, Garcia - Lopez et al. (2014) explored peak velocity, mean velocity and
acceleration during the bench press performed with 85 % of 1RM load in recreationally - trained individuals (> 6 months resistance training) and professional rugby players.
This indicates that the triceps muscle activity is very
high during the bench press and may increase as the elbow joint angle increases (straighter arm), which is in line with the theoretical implications based on moment arm analysis, described above.
Assessing the effect of bench press muscle action and region, Newton et al. (1997) found that a greater concentric average velocity was achieved at all loads between 15 — 90 % of
1RM during the bench press throw when preceded by the eccentric muscle action compared to the concentric - only muscle action.
Lehman et al. (2005) compared narrow, middle and wide hand spacing
during the bench press by comparing the muscle activity of the triceps performing an isometric contraction with the weight near the chest.
They reported that the strongest players displayed significantly greater peak
power during bench press throws (715W vs. 645W).
You will also observe terrible exercise form used in the exercises, such as barbells swinging with arched backs in the barbell curl, bars being bounced off the
chest during bench presses and rapid downward movement in the barbell squat.
With the shoulder and triceps getting large pieces of the
action during a bench press, there simply isn't a better upper body exercise for muscle gain.
However, when performing the bench press at 80 % of 1RM, pectoralis major EMG amplitude is almost maximal (at 93 % of MVIC), which suggests that loads of 80 % of 1RM are sufficient to train the pectoralis
major during the bench press.
Comparing the effect of exercise variation, Santana et al. (2007) explored the muscle activity of the
abdominals during the bench press and standing single - arm cable press with similar relative loads.
Norwood et al. (2007) explored the effect of increasing instability on latissimus dorsi muscle
activity during the bench press performed on a (1) stable bench, (2) with the feet placed on a BOSU ball, (3) Swiss ball, or (4) Swiss ball with feet placed on a BOSU ball.
During bench press throws, Baker et al. (2001) explored the effect of load between 40 — 80 kg (31 -62 % 1RM) on peak power output in highly trained rugby players.
Norwood et al. (2007) explored the effect of increasing instability on abdominals by measuring muscle activity
during the bench press performed on a (1) stable bench, (2) with the feet placed on a BOSU ball, (3) Swiss ball, or (4) Swiss ball with feet placed on a BOSU ball.
This section sets out a summary of the research that has explored the muscle activity of each of the main trunk and lower body muscles
during the bench press exercise, using electromyography (EMG).
During the bench press, she starts in horizontal abduction, scapular depression and retraction, elbow flexion, internal rotation, and spinal extension.
Since the front deltoids are a very small muscle compared to the huge pectoralis major of the chest, it stands to reason that
during the bench press the deltoids of your shoulders will fatigue way before your chest even starts to get a proper workout.