Intense Chest Workout
- Bench Press Emphasis -
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| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bird Dog Row with RNT Horizontal Band Resistance (Bands Optional) | #1,#2,#3 | 3 | 5 per side | 60" | 8 | 2-3" |
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It’s been nearly 4 years since I introduced the bird dog quadruped row on T-Nation ( article at https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-the-quadruped-row.
Since that time I’ve seen many folks use it for a variety of protocols. Unfortunately I’ve also seen many common mistakes & technique errors that frequently occur. Fortunately the RNT horizontal band resistance protocol combined with the widthwise bench (narrow base) I use here helps eliminate many of those issues as it forces more precise & dialed in body mechanics. With that said here are 12 of important technique cues for quadruped bird dog rows.
Try to form a straight line from head to foot. Oftentimes individuals will have their torso too high producing excessive lumbar extension.
Maintain a slight elbow bend in the support arm as this will allow the torso to tilt over rather than maintaining an overly upright & extended back.
Keep the spine neutral & don’t pull the head up.
Dorsiflex both ankles/feet.
Don’t allow either foot to flare or rotate outward. Keep them straight.
Don’t over-row at the top. Stop at approximately 90 degrees. This represents optimal ROM for most exercises.
Don’t allow the shoulders & spine to round or overly stretch. We want a natural stretch without losing postural alignment & spinal rigidity. This represents optimal protraction whereas the opposite represents excessive protraction.
Use a controlled eccentric isometric protocol to lock the mechanics & form in rather than mindlessly blasting out reps. 9.Try to have the mid shin at approximately the edge of the bench. Any lower down provides too much stability.
Maintain full body tension including core & grip activation.
Full extend the elevated leg.
Don’t jerk the weight up or use excessive momentum. Eyes closed will eliminate this ASAP.
As mentioned the variation in this vid helps reinforces these elements. See Full article on Bird Dog Rows + 10 unique variations at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/quadruped-bird-dog-row-benefits-and-variations
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Bench Press on Bench or Foam Roller | #1,#2,#3 | 6 | 8,5,3,2,1,8 | 90" | 9-10 | 2-3" |
Option #1
Option #2
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OPTION #1
Unless you’re going to be competing in a powerlifting meet in a few weeks, you’re probably better not touching the barbell to your chest on bench press. Instead I recommend performing 90 degree eccentric isometrics.
No, there is not a single research study specifically proving what optimal ROM is one way or another & there likely never will be. However if we examine the research regarding structural physiology, biomechanics, & neuromuscular physiology, all signs point to 90-deg as being optimal when it comes to heavy loads & high impact. Besides saving the joints, I’ve found 90-deg eccentric isometrics to be superior not only in terms of their therapeutic benefit but also for increasing functional strength & size as well as power & proprioception. This is true not only of the bench press but just about every other compound movement including squats.
Additionally I’ve found them to be far superior for maximizing mobility. Yes, you read that correctly!!!!! Limiting ROM to 90-deg (the optimal end range for high load/impact activities) actually promotes increased mobility & ROM. In contrast, performing movements well in excess of 90-deg is oftentimes the very thing that ends up limiting mobility & flexibility as the exaggerated positions often end up gradually producing chronic inflammation over time and inflammation is the very thing that limits our mobility.
You’ll also notice more powerlifters using limited ROM movements in their training such as floor press, board press, pin press, Spotto press, & partials not to mention above parallel box squats. Coincidence? I think not.
OPTION #2
The T-bench chest press is one of my favorite horizontal pressing exercises for reinforcing proper chest pressing technique as it teaches good hip drive and sound T-spine extension with cervical elongation since the head is off the bench.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BANA 2:1 Eccentric Overload Chest Press on Offset Leverage Landmine | #1,#2,#3 | 3 | 4-5 per side | 3 minutes | 8-9 | 2" |
Option #1
Option #2 (Barbell of Dumbbells)
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Although the eccentric accentuated BANA 2:1 method is one of the most effective self-assisted eccentric overload methods, you essentially have a slight break mid rep as you use the other limb to assist the unilateral side. For instance during the concentric phase of any standard BANA exercise (i.e. machine chest press), both limbs will work equally, essentially providing a form of rest.
The offset leverage landmine protocol on the other hand allows the lifter to focus predominantly on one side & crush it with ma intensity as the assisting arm can only provide very light partial assistance on the concentric rather than complete assistance.
As a result both the eccentric & concentric phases end up being close to maximal effort rather than the concentric simply being a “throw away” portion of the movement that provides minimal stimulus. In other words, both the eccentric & concentric phases provide an ample hypertrophy stimulus.
The other reason this is so effective is the eccentric co-contraction element of the protocol which happens to be a critical component of optimal neuromuscular efficiency during all movement. It just so happens this method reinforces it. For instance, during the chest press, the assisting/non working arm is forced to snap into an aggressive rowing position to pull the arm out of the way.
This in turn creates enormous lat activation & co-contraction of the chest & back during the eccentric, which produces very strong concentric contractions due to enhanced reciprocal inhibition where the back muscles release on the concentric. Simply, it creates a slingshot effect or spring loaded mechanism that sets the lifter up for max concentric torque & muscle activation.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overhand Weighted Pullups | #4 & #5 | 3 | 4,3,3 | 60-90" | 7 | 2" |
Option #1
Option #2
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Performing pull-ups with chains hanging from the upper shoulders and neck is a great variation for teaching proper pullup mechanics. This specific variation tilts the lifter back to a slightly greater degree than normal pullups thereby emmphasizing proper shoulder mechanics. Most lifters try to stay too upright when performing pullups. This variation teaches you to lean away from the bar which is ideal.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BANA 2:1 Landmine Overhead Press (Up with 2 Down with 1) | #4 & #5 | 3 | 3-5 per side | 2-3 minutes | 8-9 | 2-3" |
Option #1
Option #2
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This next exercise is a BANA 2:1 (bilateral assisted negative accentuated) protocol (up with 2 down with 1). One of the most simple yet effective methods for applying eccentric overload without the use of a spotter or advanced tools. Essentially what you’re doing is performing the concentric phase of the lift with 2 limbs & the eccentric phase with 1 limb, thereby providing greater eccentric overload during the eccentric or negative movement. Think of these as self assisted negatives.
Although I’ve highlighted many BANA 2:1 variations over the last few years, landmine variations are particularly joint friendly, simple, & effective. I’ve also seen other strength coaches such as Ben Bruno use these.
Just be prepared to brace the daylights out of your core as the unilateral eccentric overload phase of each rep requires extreme anti-rotation strength & core stabilization not to mention full body strength & motor control. Additionally I’ve found the BANA protocol to be incredibly effective for improving asymmetries & imbalances due to the unilateral eccentric overload. Also see 7 other eccentric overload protocols on the landmine in full article at https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/eccentric-landmine
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunging Cable Chest Press | #6,#7,#8 | 2 | 5 per side | 60-90" | 8-9 | 2-3" |
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The standing cable chest press is one of the most functional horizontal pressing exercises there is. Unfortunately, it’s oftentimes an overlooked and undervalued gem of a movement. Besides providing high levels of tension to the chest, shoulders, and triceps they also hammer the core, hips, and spinal stabilizers. Additionally, they’re quite versatile and adaptable as they can easily be modified in a number of ways. Here are 6 of my go-to cable/band chest presses as I showcase here alongside several of my awesome clients including Leslie Petch, Ben Lai, Elizabeth Yates, and Mike McIntyre. With that said there are 10 reasons why these standing and kneeling chest presses are so effective.
Due to the upright or standing posture involved, cable chest presses are arguably one if not the single most functional horizontal pressing variation there is particularly when it comes to transferability to athletic performance. Most if not all other chest presses involve a supine (laying on your back) or pushup position. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with these as in fact a majority of the chest presses I program actually fall into such categories, periodically implementing standing presses into your routine is great for transferring the strength and hypertrophy benefits of traditional chest presses into more functional standing positions. In fact, world-renowned strength coach Nick Tumminello makes it a point of consistently using standing cable presses for many of his athletes noting the functional benefits of such movements.
Standing and kneeling cable chest & band presses require greater core strength and rotary stability than most chest pressing variations simply because the lifter is unable to rely on a bench or rigid structure to help lock them into position.
Cable chest presses are surprisingly joint friendly particularly on the shoulders, elbows, and wrists as well as the pectoral tendons. If you’re looking for a way to crush your upper body pressing muscles while saving your joints these are just what the doctor ordered.
The level of constant tension involved with cable chest presses is much greater than most traditional free weight chest presses simply because the strength curve of the cable pulleys more closely matches that of the movement/muscles. Instead of having excessive levels in the stretched position with little tension in the contracted top position, the tension is fairly equal from top to bottom. Although a similar result can be produced from properly crafted variable resistance machines, the lifter would miss out on the stabilization component. Fortunately, cable chest presses provide similar if not greater instability as dumbbells and kettlebells.
Besides the greater transferability to functional tasks and athletic performance, standing and kneeling chest presses also expose and address many imbalances throughout the body. That’s because they’re essentially full body movements that require every muscle from head to toe to work in unison. If there are any energy leaks, imbalances, or weaknesses anywhere in the body, you’ll likely notice them.
Similar to the above point, standing and kneeling chest presses require high levels of full body tension and spinal rigidity. Besides the associated strength benefits this also has greater transfer to larger compound movements where the lifter must learn to stay incredibly tight and maintain full body tension.
Most traditional free weight chest presses involve the lifter laying on a bench or floor with their scapula pinned to a rigid structure. Standing and kneeling cable presses on the other hand allow the scapula to move freely through its natural scapulohumeral rhythm thereby optimizing centration and packing of the glenohumeral joint. This also has a significant impact on improving posture as well as shoulder mechanics and horizontal pressing technique.
Similar to the above point, I’ve found cable presses to be highly conducive for reinforcing the all-important elbow tuck while also ensuring the shoulders aren’t over crowded (i.e. over tucking). This is particularly true when the lifter places the handle/cable under the arm (near the arm pit) rather than over/on top of the arm. That is my recommended setup for these exercises although some individuals may find the latter method more comfortable.
Cable chest presses are very safe with little room for injury (provided sound form is employed). With this in mind they’re actually quite conducive for taking to failure as there’s really no safety ramifications unlike dumbbells or barbells where the load could fall on the lifter if he or she fails and looses control. With that said, the high degree of mechanical tension, metabolic stress (from constant tension), and ability to reach muscular fatigue/failure (which further enhances the aforementioned hypertrophy mechanisms) makes cable chest presses a legitimate choice for triggering significant strength and hypertrophy. Additionally, the lack of safety issues make them suitable for beginners and advanced lifters alike.
Few if any gyms carry dumbbells that go past 100 pounds. For seasoned lifters and larger athletes this can create difficulty when it comes to fully challenging their pressing muscles. While it’s difficult to give an exact ratio, I’ve found that a standard full cable stack is roughly equivalent to a 120-130 pound dumbbell. Thus, cable chest presses provide ample overload even for the strongest iron game warriors, allowing them to use heavier loads than what they might typically be limited to with traditional unilateral and isolateral loading modalities (i.e. dumbbells and kettlebells).
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band Resisted Goblet Squat (Band Optional) | #6,#7,#8 | 2 | 5 | 60-90" | 5 | 2" |
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Here my awesome figure athlete Leslie Petch and I are demonstrating 6 unique ways to load goblet squats. These same principles can also be used with front racked kettlebell squats. With that said, goblet squats and front rack kettlebell squat and goblet squats are amazing lower body exercises. Unfortunately they have 3 main downsides all of which these unique variations address.
Most gyms rarely have dumbbells that go past 100-120 lbs. For stronger athletes this can represents a limitation to overloading goblet squats. Each of these variations overcomes that issue. For instance in most of the videos the dumbbell I use ranges from 100-120 lbs yet I’m receiving 50-65 additional pounds of added tension from the bands and chains making the goblet squat well over 150 lbs. For most athletes this will provide ample tension and overload.
As effective as goblet squats and front loaded squats are, the upper body oftentimes ends up being the limiting factor due to fatigue as there is only so much the arms and upper torso can hold. As a result the lower body doesn’t always get taxed as heavily as it should especially if ample growth and strength gains are desired. The last 4 variations shown in the video resolve that as the added tension is directly applied to the lower body without placing any additional tension on the upper body or arms.
Accommodating resistance oftentimes only applied to barbell squats and deadlifts when it comes to primary lower body movements. However, goblet squats and front rack squats are also quite conducive for applying accommodating resistance to as the bottom tends to be exponentially more challenging than the top. Several of these variations provide ample accommodating resistance in the form of band tension thereby overloading the stronger top position and deloading the weaker bottom position.
| EXERCISE | SUPERSET | SETS | REPS | REST | RPE | EI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Leg RDL Med Ball Chest Slam | #6,#7,#8 | 2 | 6 per side | 2-3 minutes | 8-9 | N/A |
Option #1
Option #2
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OPTION #1
Here’s one of my favorite advanced medicine ball drills demonstrated by Pittsburg Pirates baseball player Austin Meadows. Essentially this single leg RDL med ball chest pass is targeting a number of different biomotor qualities including power output, symmetrical loading, lower body stability, postural alignment, foot and ankle mechanics, posterior chain strength, and full body motor control. This is also a progression of the more traditional double leg version I stole from expert strength coach Dr. John Rusin. Make sure you master that double leg version before progressing to this.
There are several benefits of performing this movement in a single leg fashion. First, it’s quite easy to rely on one side of the body when performing explosive power movements. If one side tends to dominate on this version, you’ll immediately noticed a loss of balance and stability as the asymmetrical force will produce rotational torque on the core and lower body.
The single leg version is also very conducive for reinforcing optimal postural alignment. If the shoulders round over or the lifter loses proper spinal alignment this will also disrupt posture al alignment making it feel very difficult to stabilize your body particularly when producing high power output.
This is also one of the best stabilization movements as it crushes the posterior chain as well as the foot and ankle complex. If you really want to assess and expose any movement aberrations and imbalances, this drill is perfect. Any form of muscular dysfunction makes it nearly impossible to perform these with high power output and motor control. Oh and just in case you were wondering, yes, if it feels difficult to produce high power output from a single leg position that’s because you need to work on foot and ankle strength.
OPTION #2
These are great for developing power, speed, and explosiveness as well as strength and hypertrophy particularly throughout the posterior chain, upper back, traps, and more.
| EXERCISE | DURATION | # OF DRILLS | REST BETWEEN DRILLS | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Intensity Interval Cardio | 30 minutes | 6 | 15-30 seconds | 4-7 |
Low INTENSITY Interval CARDIO
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