Finally, the secret of the most effective bench press for building huge muscles in bodybuilding has been revealed. Hurry up to learn the technique of golden age bodybuilders right now. The California bench press is an excellent way to develop the triceps, but it will only be most effective if the athlete has some experience and at a time when he is working with sufficiently large weights. The exercise is very similar to the close-grip bench press. The main difference between the two is the grip width. When doing the California bench press in bodybuilding, the arms should be at the level of the shoulder joints or even slightly wider.
At the same time, it is important to understand that not only the width of the grip affects the development of the triceps. The position of the elbow joint is of primary importance here. You've probably already noticed that when pressing with a narrow grip, most of the load falls on the muscles of the chest, and not the triceps. This is due to the large separation of the elbow joints to the sides. To emphasize the load on the triceps, you need to turn your elbows towards the body.
Also, do not use an overly wide grip. This will reduce the amplitude, and for a full load of the triceps, the upper part of the trajectory of the sports equipment is the greatest value. Thus, you need to choose a grip width that allows you to place the elbow joints in the correct position without reducing the amplitude.
If you are a beginner athlete and have been training for less than three months, then it is best to use the classic narrow grip bench press. This is due to the fact that the muscle-neuronal connections are not yet well developed, and you will not be able to accentuate the load on the triceps. You need not only to train your muscles, but also your muscle sense.
Technique for performing the California bench press in bodybuilding
Your main goal when doing the California bench press in bodybuilding is to load your triceps as much as possible. However, it should be remembered that this exercise is a basic one and other muscles will be involved in its implementation.
In addition to the triceps, most of the load will be on the lower chest, as it actively works to stabilize the position of the sports equipment. If the bar is lowered and rests on the chest, then the latissimus dorsi muscle is also involved in the work. Equally important is the work of the forearms, which allows you to control the sports equipment.
You will also have to exclude the legs from participation by placing them on the bench. This will allow the lumbar spine to snuggle more tightly against the bench, as well as accentuate the load on the triceps. When performing the California bench press, the elbow and shoulder joints will be involved, and the main load will fall on the elbows. This is due to the need to turn the elbow joints towards the body, as well as to shift the trajectory towards the abdomen. Thus, the sports equipment will be lowered onto the solar plexus. It is also important to ensure that the trajectory of the bar is straight.
And now it is necessary to talk directly about the technique of performing the exercise:
- Sit on a bench with your shoulder blades slightly flattened. The legs should be on the bench, and the lumbar region of the body is pressed tightly against it.
- Take a bar with your arms about shoulder-width apart. Turn the elbow joints towards the body. Remove the sports equipment and hold it with outstretched arms at the level of the solar plexus.
- Controlling the movement, start lowering the projectile without touching the chest. In this case, the elbow joints should not go beyond the body.
- Squeeze the projectile to the starting position, while fully unbending the elbow joints.
- Without pausing at the top of the trajectory, begin the next repetition.
Practical tips for doing the California bench press
Hold the sports equipment with a closed grip, and do not wring your hands. This will help eliminate the possibility of injury. When removing and placing the barbell on a rack, it is best to use the help of a friend to do this.
When doing the California bench press, you should use ten to twelve reps, and one set should be 40 to 50 seconds long. This time will be enough for the stores of creatine phosphate and glycogen to run out. In turn, this contributes to the onset of muscle tissue hypertrophy.
Your arms should be positioned so that the elbow joint in the lowest position of the trajectory forms a right angle. This hand position is the safest. Remember to warm up before starting the exercise. The first couple of sets must be warm-ups. In this case, the first set is best done with an empty neck at a slow pace. As the working weight increases, so should the pace.
Although the triceps is a small muscle, it is very important, as it accounts for two-thirds of the volume of the arm. If you want your arms to appear powerful, then special attention should be paid to the triceps, not the biceps.
Many people know that the triceps consists of three sections, the weakest of which is the inner one. To gain the greatest possible mass, special attention should always be paid to the weakest muscles. In relation to the triceps, this will be the internal section. For this reason, when performing the Californian bench press, it is necessary to press the elbow joints against the body, which will emphasize the load on the desired head of the muscle.
The main disadvantage of this exercise is the heavy load on the elbow joint. However, by following the technique, you can reduce the risk of joint injury. Pay the main attention to the technical side of the issue, and only when you learn how to do everything correctly, you can move on to working with large weights.
You can visually familiarize yourself with the technique of performing the California bench press in this video:
