Learn how to do a basic barbell movement to develop powerful deltoids. The muscles of the shoulder girdle are involved in many strength movements. For example, when performing a bench press in a prone position with a wide grip, the shoulder girdle is actively involved. Moreover, it is often the lack of development of these muscles that interferes with the improvement of results in the bench press. There are many exercises for pumping the shoulder girdle and many of them are basic. However, the best of these is undoubtedly the standing barbell press or the army press. With its help, you will not only gain weight, but also significantly increase the power parameters.
Delta structure
The human body has a large number of muscles and the deltas are some of the most important. They are used to perform a variety of movements, such as raising the arms upward, abducting to the side, rotating inward and outward, abducting the shoulder joint, and rotating horizontally and vertically.
As we already said, when performing many exercises, the deltas work quite actively. By and large, all hand movements involve deltas to one degree or another. It is this fact that is decisive in the meaning of the shoulder girdle, and especially in sports.
The siloviki, thanks to their powerful deltas, are able to push out a lot of weight. In hockey, the power of the throw largely depends on these muscles, and in boxing, the blow. There are many similar examples, but you have already understood the very essence. The deltas are located around the shoulder joint and are divided into three sections. Their presence and absence is easy enough to notice with the naked eye. If girls don't need big shoulders at all, then for men deltas are of fundamental importance. Even if by nature you have decent shoulders, they need to be developed.
Of course, you can put on a jacket or jacket and hide undeveloped muscles, but sooner or later this lack of figure will come out. Agree, it is much more pleasant on the beach to straighten your mighty shoulders and catch the enthusiastic glances of others than to try to hide your lack of physique. The desired result can be achieved only through hard work in the gym, which will pay off quickly enough.
When you have well-developed deltas, the figure takes on its classic form, namely the shape of a triangle. Strong shoulders will give your figure a brutal look, and will definitely attract the fairer sex. Pay attention to the young builders who like to flaunt in sleeveless T-shirts in the summer. Thus. To create beautiful shoulders, you should pay sufficient attention to the standing barbell press.
Technique for performing a barbell press while standing
The bench press is used in many sports during the off-season. We can say with confidence that this is one of the most demanded movements. Let's deal with the technique of the exercise, because the effectiveness of your lesson directly depends on the observance of all the nuances. The sports equipment must be taken with a grip slightly wider than the level of the shoulder joints and held in the lowered hands at the level of the thigh.
Place your feet about the width of your shoulder joints and bend them slightly at the knees. Raise the shell to your chest so that your palms are facing up. The shoulders need to be straightened, and the back should be slightly bent in the lumbar region. This will be your starting position.
Inhale and begin to smoothly push the projectile in a vertical plane. In order for the muscular corset to work as actively as possible in the work, it is worth holding your breath at the time of the bench press. Also watch out. So that the projectile moves as smoothly as possible and there are no jerks.
When the projectile passes the most difficult point of the trajectory for you, you should exhale. When reaching the uppermost position of the trajectory, do not straighten your arms completely. This will reduce the stress on the elbow joints. Also at this moment it is necessary to pause for two counts and feel the tension of the deltas. Inhale again and lower the projectile to the chest.
When you do a standing barbell press, you need to tighten your abdominal and back muscles. Failure to do this can result in annoying injury. Throughout the entire set, your gaze should be directed forward, but you cannot turn your head, even if a cute fit girl passes by you. Such behavior can result in a loss of balance and a fall for you. Since the standing barbell press is a basic movement, it should be performed at the beginning of the session. Note that the movement can also be performed with dumbbells. In this situation, it is worth increasing the range of motion by bringing the sports equipment as close as possible in the upper position.
The number of sets and repetitions in them depends on the tasks you set. If you want to gain weight, then do five to eight reps per set. If you reduce their number, then the emphasis will shift to increasing power parameters. It should also be remembered that the use of excessive weights not only leads to a violation of technique, but also increases the risk of injury. The number of approaches most often ranges from three to five. Do not forget to perform at least one, and preferably two warm-up approaches before the main part of the training.
Bench press standing from behind the head
If, when performing the classic barbell bench press, almost all the load falls on the deltas, then in this version of the movement, the triceps are also involved. In terms of the degree of difficulty, this exercise is considered average. Let's take a look at the features that this movement has.
When you take the shell in your hands, try to keep your back as straight as possible. Raise the projectile over your head and lower it behind your head. In this case, the elbow joints should be bent at an angle of 90 degrees. When performing the movement, the torso must remain motionless.
In this movement, choosing the right weight is even more important in comparison with the classic version. Returning to the starting position, the elbow joints should not uncontrollably spread to the side, and when using excessive working weight, this will happen.
Remember to pause at the top of the trajectory. With the correct working weight, you will not only get the maximum effect from this movement, but will also be able to avoid damage. Many professionals perform this movement in dedicated barbell racks. This will allow you to adjust the required height of the projectile for your height. After that, the bench press will be easier and safer. For added stability, spread your toes apart.
Bench press standing from the chest
This exercise is essential if you want to have powerful shoulders. Note that this exercise is one of the main ones during the training of American military personnel. Use a working weight that can do eight to twelve reps in a single set.
When the projectile moves up, the shoulder joints should be slightly pulled back, and the chest should be moved forward. This will give the spine a natural curve. Do not lower your sports equipment below your collarbone to reduce the risk of injury. If your back is rounded, it will be difficult for you to maintain balance.
If a large working weight is being used, there is a good chance that the bar will be pulled backwards and you may fall. The grip is also important, namely the position of the thumb, which should reliably cover the bar. Also, make sure that the projectile moves in a vertical plane and you cannot feed the bar forward. Do not forget to properly stretch your shoulder joints. If you have serious problems with the spinal column, then the barbell press is contraindicated for you.
Bench press standing or sitting: which is better?
Since this movement can be performed while standing and sitting, the question among athletes has long been what to prefer. Someone performs the movement in a standing position, while others prefer a sitting position. You may know the name of Dr. Ken, who has studied muscle growth for many years. This person is confident that the most effective press is in a standing position.
This is due to the fact that it is much more difficult to perform it this way and a large number of small muscles are connected to the work, which play the role of stabilizers. If you have health problems, in particular with the spinal column, then you should definitely prefer the army bench press in a sitting position. On our own behalf, we recommend that you do the following: if you are confident in your abilities, then perform the movement while standing. Otherwise, it is better to work while sitting.
When you stand and press the bar up, you should feel good about your body and control the sports equipment. To maintain balance, the muscles of the lower back, as well as the hips, come into work. The negative stress on the spinal column is dissipated through the legs and thus the risk of injury is reduced. If your coordination of movements is poor, then be careful when choosing a working weight.
The army press in a sitting position can be called even more basic, but this option of movement also has a serious drawback - the compression of the spinal column is much higher. Whichever type of army press you choose, with the right movement, your shoulders will grow rapidly. Also, deltas can be trained using various layouts and lifting weights in front of you. However, only the bench press is basic and allows you to achieve maximum progress.
And in the next video, check out the standing bench press technique:
