Find out why many pro athletes do the basic shoulder exercise while sitting. Advantages and technical nuances of this approach. You've probably heard of such a movement as the army bench press. This is the second name for the seated barbell press, which is not used as often today as it used to be. This happened after there was talk about the high danger of movement for the elbow joints. Now we will try to find out how fair these accusations are.
This is a basic movement and when it is performed, the front deltas, triceps, trapezium and the muscle that lifts the scapula are involved in the work. Here are some of the advantages this movement has:
- Different muscle groups are involved in the work.
- Promotes the development of the upper torso.
- The power indicator is increasing.
- Promotes muscle gain.
- Increases the performance of the shoulder joint.
How to do the seated barbell press correctly?
Sit on a bench and grab a barbell. Use a shoulder-width grip and position the projectile at chest level. Rest your feet on the ground, and your back should be flat.
Inhale the air and as you exhale, begin to squeeze the projectile up in a strictly vertical trajectory. Inhaling, lower the projectile. Although the movement may seem simple, it will require a fairly high degree of coordination from you.
Seated Barbell Press Tips for Athletes
To increase your efficiency while minimizing your risk of injury, you should consider the following tips:
- Take the projectile with such a grip that in the lowest position, the angle between the forearm and the shoulder joint was straight.
- The gaze should always be directed forward.
- When mastering the technique of movement, it is worth using a mirror to see all the shortcomings.
- When you start using medium and then heavy weights, it is better to use a weightlifting belt.
- Do not fully extend the elbow joints in the extreme upper position.
- It is very important to control the movement along its entire trajectory.
- Do not maintain long pauses at the extreme positions of the trajectory.
Seated Barbell Press Options
There are many variations of the seated barbell press. Very often, beginner athletes want to know what is best (barbell or dumbbells) to use when performing a movement. The main advantage of the barbell is the ability to work with large weights. As a result, you can make more progress. Scientists have established with the help of the army bench press you can quickly increase strength indicators, and thanks to the use of dumbbells, you will be able to work out the deltas better, giving them a more attractive shape. Thus, you should alternate between the equipment while doing the seated barbell press.
If we talk about the danger of this movement for the elbow joints, then this is typical for performing the exercise behind the head. In this case, the elbow joints are forced to perform movements unusual for them. In the case of a classic exercise and the use of an adequate working weight, the exercise is not traumatic. It is also necessary to compare the bench press while sitting and standing. As you know, the lumbar spine is not very fond of prolonged "sitting" load. In addition, when performing a bench press, more muscles are involved in the work and, if necessary, the projectile can simply be thrown to the ground, thereby avoiding injury. The seated movement is best done with a companion who can back up if necessary. In turn, head presses are safer to perform sits, and not standing.
It is worth noting that the exercise turned out to be undeservedly forgotten due to unfounded statements about its high injury hazard.
For more on how to properly perform the seated overhead press, see this video:
