Army bench press - a basic exercise that involves the entire shoulder girdle, additional arm muscles and stabilizers. It is considered basic for the study of the shoulders. Came to the "Russian" bodybuilding from the west. The original is called Military press, that is, military press.
An interesting fact: back in the 1970s, this movement was considered an absolute indicator of strength. It was very appreciated by weightlifters around the world, as previously the bench was part of the program of performances. The legendary Soviet hero Yuri Vlasov also spoke flatteringly about him. According to Arnold Schwarzenegger, no movement is able to work out shoulders as much as the army press.
It is worth noting that shoulders have always been an indicator of a strong athlete. If the press is a beautiful attribute that is not visible under the clothes, then you can’t hide wide shoulders with anything. From time immemorial it was an indicator of physical power in the male half of the population.
What muscles work in the army bench press
The movement is multi-articular. The shoulder and elbow joints are involved. The main load is received by the front and middle deltoid bundle. Triceps is also well developed. Its stress is unique, since at the moment of maximum tension the deltas are peak stressed.
The upper part of the muscles of the chest is quite tense. Muscle stabilizers are involved , such as the abs, legs, lower backs, ligaments of the hand and back.
All this makes the exercise energy-intensive, which spurs the body to increased production of hormones and accelerate metabolism.
Training exercise options
The first option is a classic army bench. It is performed standing with a barbell. It is also permissible to work with dumbbells. This will allow you to slightly twist the brush, reducing pressure on them. The method will be useful to people with injuries to the forearm.
The second option is performed while sitting. Amplitude and general requirements remain unchanged. Leg stabilizers turn off. The loin gets complete safety. Recommended for people with back injuries. Often, such a method is used by all beginners, arguing this is a fear of injury in the classic performance.
The third option is a bench press. Such a movement is difficult to attribute to the army, but sometimes it is called so. The head press is performed sitting with the help of a barbell. In some cases, dumbbells are used. Movement from behind the head gives a more emphasized load on the middle bundle of deltoid muscles.
It happens that they confuse the bench press with the army bench, but you need to understand that these are different exercises.
It is worth noting that all “sedentary” options successfully protect the athlete from injury. But you should not use this method because of a simple fear of injury. Due to the fact that muscle stabilizers rest and the body as a whole receives less stress, this makes it less effective in terms of anabolism. With proper fulfillment of all technical requirements, the risk of injury is practically reduced to zero.
What harm can exercise do?
The spine is at greatest risk of injury. This happens most often from an incorrect calculation of forces, when a weight is taken that is greater than the athlete can handle. Lumbar fixation is also important. At the moment of movement, the body should be as stressed as possible, the spine is strictly vertical, with no signs of deviation.
On the balance, when the repetition is less than 5 times, you need to use a weightlifting belt. It increases pressure in the lower back by 30% and allows you to more rigidly fix the back. But no need to wear it unnecessarily. If always used, then the muscles of the lower back and cortex will get used to abut against something and lose their strength. Therefore, it is recommended to periodically use hyperextension and abs exercises in the training. This will be useful for all basic movements.
Elbow joints also get strong pressure. At the lower point, the elbows are excessively turned forward, which makes the army bench exercise dangerous. To eliminate the risk of injury, you do not need to relax your hands and put the projectile on your chest. You must always keep them in suspense.
Army bench press technique
In order to avoid injuries and for proper study of the shoulder girdle, it is worthwhile to keep the following points:
- The bar must be set slightly below shoulder level.
- Hands are placed on the bar at a distance of 10-15 cm from the shoulders.
- With one foot, a substep under the bar.
- The body is as stressed and concentrated as possible. On exhalation, the shell is removed from the racks.
- Step back. Starting position - feet shoulder width apart.
- Deep breath. On exhalation, the projectile rises horizontally up.
- Delay 2 seconds. Vulture falls down.
Travel Tips and Tricks
At the top point, do not extend your elbows to the end. The maximum stretching of the hands will create an additional burden on the elbows, and the shoulders will not feel any difference. All movement is smooth, without sudden jerks.
Do not lower the barbell on your chest, giving your hands time to rest. This will disable the muscles, and with a sharp tension will create a risk of injury to the elbows. On near-maximal scales the position of the feet is permissible, when one foot is slightly in front and the other, on the contrary, is behind. This will allow more stable balance. The knees should always be slightly bent, absorbing the weight.
It is worth remembering the importance of warming up. Newcomers often miss this point. It is necessary to warm up not only the shoulders. Since the movement is basic, it is necessary to stretch the triceps, hands, legs, lower back and abs. With a high-quality warm-up, the risk of getting a sprain or other injury is practically eliminated.
The main mistakes when doing the exercise
The main mistake that occurs with beginners is an unsecured barbell at the top point. Ideally, it is located exactly above your head, but due to a lack of experience, people start it back. This situation is dangerous not only by injury, but also by the fall of a projectile, which can lead to damage to property. At the initial stages, you should train in a pair or ask to insure other visitors to the hall. Even on small scales.
The next error is the deviation of the pelvis back. With a sharp progression of the scales, the technique suffers. The body tries to push the shell out not only with its shoulders. With insufficient fixation of the lower back, the hips go back, and the pressure on the spine becomes uneven. On large scales, this promises the appearance of protrusions and hernias.
The bench press with the “swung” element is another mistake. When a person unnecessarily tilts the body back, trying to bend and helping the pectoral muscles, the spine suffers greatly.
Is it worth using in training
Definitely training with the army bench press is almost indispensable if you want to build a powerful shoulder girdle. Increased anabolism, increased production of hormones, the development of general physical strength - all these are the advantages of this movement.
The risk of injury is present, as in almost any exercise. Compliance with the technique and the gradual progression of the scales will make this movement the best friend of a beginner athlete.