Use The Sandwich Squeeze Press To Crush Your Chest

By Dr. Joel Seedman, Ph.D.

This is the full-length version of Dr. Seedman's article that was originally featured on T-Nation

Want to recruit as many chest fibers as possible? Of course you do! Add this Exercise to the end of your next chest workout.

The squeeze press is quickly becoming one of the most popular pressing movements amongst bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts alike.  Why?? Because it works. Besides crushing the chest, (particularly the inner fibers) it also does wonders for teaching lifters how to fire their lats and tuck their elbows when pressing – a key component for pain-free pressing mechanics and healthy shoulders. 

It's also quite effective for targeting the front delts and triceps while simultaneously placing high levels of continuous tension across the targeted musculature.  With the squeeze press you're actually performing a combination of a press with an isometric fly in the contracted position.   Unfortunately it requires only moderate effort to keep the dumbbells pressed together in this fashion.  As a result this can negate the lifter’s ability maximally engage the chest fibers.

To truly ramp up the intensity and maximize the hypertrophy-inducing stimulus of the squeeze press, try holding a bumper plate between the dumbbells.  I call this the sandwich squeeze press. 

The Sandwich Squeeze Press
- A Better Squeeze Press for Huge Pecs -

You reap the same benefits of a traditional squeeze press but with even greater stimulation to the pectoral fibers as you're forced to produce a maximal isometric contraction similar to the top of a machine or cable chest fly.   The mechanical tension, metabolic stress, cellular swelling, and overall pump make this an incredibly effective hypertrophy exercise that's very conducive for adding as a finisher after you've crushed your pressing muscles with heavy weights on traditional compound movements. 

Just be prepared for a burn like you’ve never experienced.  However, the substantial strength and size gains will be well worth the momentary discomfort.