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Heavy/Intense Bench Press & Rack Pull Workout

- Bench Press Emphasis -

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**WORKOUT SUMMARY (+ CLICK TO ENLARGE)**
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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Rack Pulls	#1,#2,#3	3-4	4 per side	60"	8	2"

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OPTION #1

Here’s an “old-school meets new school” bodybuilding move. Specifically, it's a reverse grip combination rack pull above the knees mixed with underhand grip shrugs that he crushes with 425.

One of the most common issues on shrugs is shoulder rounding & forward head tilt with sloppy posture. Adding the rack pull combined with a reverse grip helps remedy this as it helps reinforce proper postural mechanics & spinal alignment as the reverse grip combined with pulling heavy weight from above the knees insures the posture & spine are set tight.

Generally speaking I don’t have my clients do direct trap work as we typically rely on deadlifts, loaded carries, Reeves trap bar deadlifts, Olympic lifts, heavy overhead power holds, & farmers walks to blast the traps. However I’ll periodically add a few trap exercises particularly for individuals training for aesthetic purposes, mass building, & or football athletes.

OPTION #2

This is a great way to crush rack pulls with high intensity while also minimizing strain on the low back and spine – a common issue with rack pulls. The goal should be to use a load that’s 2/3 or 67% of the typical weight you use on rack pulls. For instance Leslie typically uses 275 for sets of 4-6 reps and she was able to use 185 for several sets of 4.

Another way to gauge the weight is to try to use the heaviest load you can handle with a traditional double overhand grip. For Leslie that’s approximately 185 regardless of whether she does the same movement single or double leg.

Focus on bracing the core and maintaining full body tension from head to toe. Start with the back leg extended up (without allowing significant lumbar extension) in order to drive that knee forward during the pull which inevitably will produce greater activation in the glutes and hamstrings of the supporting/drive leg.

As an added bonus these also target full body stability, balance, and foot and ankle strength all of which are elements nearly every athlete could use more of.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Hip Thrust Chest Press	#1,#2,#3	6	6,5,4,3,2,8	90"	9-10	2-3"

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OPTION #1

This next exercise is a hip thrust chest press. Think of this as a push press but for the bench press. The hip thrust chest press is very similar to the pivot press I’ve posted over the years. This is both an explosive power exercise (on the concentric phase) & an eccentric overload stimulus on the eccentric or negative phase. The eccentric overload is a result of handling supramaximal loads in the high incline position due to the strategic adjustments in body positioning. In other words it’s a biomechanical drop rep (adjusting to a weaker position during the eccentric phase & stronger position on the concentric) thereby maximizing the overload effect on both phases. Read more at: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/most-effective-chest-press-pivot-press

OPTION #2

The table top squeeze press shown here is a form of eccentric overload exercise. When it comes to maximizing muscle growth, emphasizing the eccentric phase of the movement by slowing down the negative is one of the most effective techniques you can do. Overloading the eccentric phase of the movement by performing heavy negatives with supramaximal loads (heavier than 1RM) further enhances the hypertrophy-inducing stimulus.

To perform these, simply have your training partner or spotter place a weight plate on top of the dumbbells while you perform the eccentric phase of the movement then have them lift the load off immediately before transitioning into the concentric pressing phase.

Make sure the spotter keeps their hands close to the weight plate to ensure it doesn’t slide off. With that said, the table top squeeze press is very conducive for teaching the lifter how to slow the movement down and control the eccentric phase as a means of ensuring the plate remains stable on top of the dumbbells.

Just be prepared for some serious intramuscular tension in your chest, triceps, and shoulders followed soon thereafter by significant hypertrophy.

If you don’t have access to a partner check out this article as it explains how to accomplish something similar while training solo: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/dumbbell-squeeze-press-eccentric-overloadLink in comments.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Glute Ham Raise Med Ball Chest Pass Slam	#1,#2,#3	3	8	3 minutes	8-9	2"

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OPTION #1

This can also be performed on a back extension station if you don’t have a GHR. This is a full body explosive movement that’s much more challenging than it looks & has 4 unique benefits.

Most athletes struggle on medicine ball chest passes to keep their shoulders pinned back without allowing excessive protraction on the release. Because you’re hanging from the GHR station it forces perfect posture & shoulder packing.
Lack of upper back tension particularly during the coil phase (90 deg position) is another common problem on chest passes. Again, due to hanging off of the GHR station the lifter is actually performing a bent over row in order to drive the weight up. As a result this aggressively activates the upper back & lats as it produces a strong spring-like coiled position in the top resulting in greater power output during the concentric launch.
Learning to maintain proper postural alignment, body control, & engaged core is critical during explosive drills & power exercises. This drill helps to reinforce that.
Besides acting as a great upper body power drill particularly for the pressing muscles (chest, shoulders, & triceps), this also fries the entire posterior chain & backside as you’re holding the top contracted position of a glute ham raise.

OPTION #2

One of the biggest mistakes I see on renegade rows is touching the floor and placing the weight back down. If you want to maximize the benefits of renegade rows then please stop touching the floor but instead use constant tension eccentric isometric as illustrated in the video.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Overhand Weighted Pullups	#4 & #5	3	4,3,3	60-90"	7	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.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Bent Leg Z Press Barbell	#4 & #5	3	5,4,3	2-3 minutes	7-8	2-3"

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OPTION #1

This next exercise is bent leg Z press. This is a modification of the traditional straight leg Z-press that Ben Lai came up with as it’s easier on the hips & spine than the straight leg version. Read more about the Overhead Z-Press in full article at: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/z-press-overhead-press

OPTION #2

I don’t typically recommend behind the neck strict press for safety reasons. However I am a fan of behind the neck push press. Here’s why.

Performing a strict press behind the neck is not ideal, as relying exclusively on the shoulders to press a load up from a biomechanically vulnerable position isn't optimal for the joints & connective tissue. However, behind the neck push press or thruster is a different story provided you have the mobility to perform traditional barbell back squats seeing as the first half of the move mirrors a back squat with the lifter simply holding the weight on the upper back. In fact, the shoulders do very little to initiate the movement & press the weight off the shoulders/traps. Rather, it’s the legs that launch the bar.

Once the lifter has launched & the bar has reached mid height, the upper body & shoulders kick in, taking over in nearly the same position as a traditional push press or overhead press. While a controlled eccentric down to the midrange position is likely ok on the shoulder joint I typically don’t recommend doing so due to the vulnerable shoulder position, the same reason I don’t recommend the strict press from behind the neck. With that in mind I recommend performing a free fall & catch as by simply using the legs to absorb the impact as the bar lands back into the starting position on the traps.

This is a technique that’s been employed for decades by Olympic lifters & is relatively safe provided the lifter is efficient with the mechanics. In fact, the drop & catch here is a very effective rapid eccentric training method that teaches the lifter how to handle impact, force absorption, & deceleration, particularly with the core, hips, & legs, as they have to rapidly decelerate the barbell, similar to rapid eccentric isometrics.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Single Arm Floor Chest Press with Horizontal RNT Band Resistance (Bands Optional)	#6,#7,#8	2	5 per side	60-90"	8-9	2-3"

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OPTION #1

This next exercise is a single arm chest press with reactive neuromuscular training (RNT) using horizontal band resistance. This variation of RNT requires the lifter to depress & retract their shoulder blades, flex their lats, tuck their elbows otherwise the weight will be pulled back & they will lose control. Many lifters allow the weight to drift too far back towards their necks during bench press & chest press variations while also allowing too much shoulder elevation. This variation forces the lifter to position the weight straight up & slightly forward without posterior drifting which represents ideal mechanics for the shoulder joint as it promotes optimal shoulder packing & centration of the glenohumeral joint. This method can also be applied to any other chest press variation including traditional bench press. Once you return to normal chest presses after this you may find your more stable & can handle more weight due to improved horizontal pressing mechanics & shoulder centration.

In addition the core musculature is forced to work overtime to resist the extension forces the bands are placing on the lifter's body. As a result this minimizes low back arch while maximizing lat activation & t-spine extension. This represents an ideal scenario when it comes to horizontal pressing movements as many lifters compensate with excessive lumbar arch rather than lat activation.

OPTION #2

Here I have NPC physique champion Eric McIntyre performing a brutal upper-lower body combo (ULC) a topic I discuss in my article with dozens of variations where you “kill 2 birds with 1 stone” (link below). This specific ULC involves an eccentric isometric Chaos Bulgarian split squat lunge with a dumbbell chest scoop.

Here are 10 Quick Tips.

This is a great full body finisher that blasts the chest, shoulders, & biceps while also improving lower body stability, mobility, motor control & overall function throughout the lumbopelvic hip complex.
Focus on maintaining a slight forward lean by keeping the hips set back rather than allowing hips, knees, & low back to move too far forward.
This slight forward lean position also maximizes tension to the chest when performing this scoop exercise.
Try to emphasize a strong muscle mind connection by attempting to use your pectorals rather than your deltoids or arm to initiate the movement.
Focus on keeping the shoulders down & back throughout & don’t try to drive the weights higher than lower chest height.
Another great cue is to focus on pushing your body away from the weights as you drive them up (while still keeping the hips back) as this will help isolate the chest.
I employ drills such as these on days where we’re trying to isolate the upper body muscles but also need to address muscle function in the hips & legs.
Many folks find their upper body gets torched more so during ULC’s than traditional variations because the instability in the lower body forces them to slow the movement down & use controlled tempos with full body tension.
For athletes as well as folks who spend a significant amount of time sitting this can do wonders for restoring the natural length tension relationship around the hips & thighs.
Read more about the benefits of ULC’s in article at: https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/functional-arm-training

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Band Resisted Goblet Squat	#6,#7,#8	2	5	60-90"	5	2"

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OPTION #1

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.

OPTION #2

Want to perfect your squat form? Try performing eyes closed eccentric isometrics squats. The front curled variation is also very conducive for locking in form and mechanics. Remember to use 90 degree joint angles and perfectly in-line body position.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Super Slow EI Single Arm Rotational Bent Over Barbell Row	#6,#7,#8	2	2-3 per side (10" per rep)	2-3 minutes	8-9	2-3"

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Want to crush your back & lats while improving shoulder health, motor control, grip strength, & shoulder stability? Try this single arm super slow eccentric isometric rotational barbell row. There are 7 reasons why this is so effective.

The rotational barbell protocol is perhaps the single most effective technique I’ve ever employed for eliminating excessive momentum and forcing the lifter to use smooth, controlled mechanics. In reality it requires that the lifter perform the exercises in an almost slow-motion fashion in order to lock the movement in. Additionally, the barbell can only rotate at a very slow speed regardless of how strong you are. In order to synchronize the rotational component of the barbell with the actual lifting segments of the movement, the lifter will be required to perform the exercises exceptionally slow and controlled. This does wonder not only for placing very high levels of constant tension on the targeted musculature but also for eliminating stress to the joints and connective tissue. Whether you have shoulder or elbow issues, these are incredibly joint friendly.
As previously mentioned, the slow-motion quality of rotational barbell movements produces incredible intramuscular tension. The combination of heightened mechanical tension combined with metabolic stress as well as muscle damage (from the slow eccentrics) makes these incredibly potent for triggering functional strength and hypertrophy.
Besides inducing a strong hypertrophy stimulus, rotational barbell drills are exceptional for improving motor control, kinesthetic awareness, proprioception, and overall body mechanics. That’s because anything but perfectly dialed in technique will cause the barbell to twist, shift, tilt, or rotate in an uncontrollable fashion. To eliminate these issues the lifter will be forced maintain full body tension and eliminate any and all energy leaks throughout their entire body. This also has a significant impact on teaching individuals how to remain tight during high tension movements which has incredible transfer to more traditional strength movements. Learn more about isolateral barbell movements here.
Besides crushing the larger muscles of the upper body such as the chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps, rotational barbell movements provide an inordinately intense stimulus to the grip, hands, and forearms. If you’ve ever performed traditional javelin or suitcase barbell exercises you’ll understand how intense those can be on the grip and forearms. However adding in the rotational feature magnifies the grip and forearm stimulus even further. Just be prepared to squeeze the daylights out of the bar throughout the entire duration of the set as anything less will make it impossible to control the barbell.
A very common problem lifters have when performing upper body exercises is allowing excessive protraction (shoulder rounding). This typically happens when the arm extends such as the top position of a press or the bottom position of a bent over row (straight arm position). The goal when extending the arm during any press or row is to fully extend and lengthen the upper back and lat muscles without allowing the shoulders to round. In other words, full extension without losing perfect postural alignment. Unfortunately most fitness professionals, trainers, and lifters have erroneously bought into the idea that they need excessively high levels of protraction to complete the movement. However this can lead to serious joint issues especially in the shoulders and elbows, not to mention the entire spine. Fortunately the rotational barbell movements teach optimal level of protraction as even the slightest collapse or shoulder rounding will cause the lifter to lose control of the barbell. However, for those who fall on the opposite end of the spectrum and have a tendency to short change this end range of motion, the rotational nature of the barbell will also force the lifter to complete the movement and fully extend.
Besides requiring the highest level of motor control and kinesthetic awareness, you’ll also have to resist extreme rotational forces at the shoulder joint as the bar will want to pull the glenohumeral joint out of alignment each time it rotates. To resist this the lifter will be forced to pack and centrate the glenohumeral joint into the most biomechanically sound position in order to decelerate the rotating barbell. This requires incredibly high levels of shoulder stability, lat activation, and postural alignment. With that said I recommend starting very light such as with the empty bar before moving to heavier loads.
Stabilizing the shoulder joint is only half the battle when it comes to rotational barbell movements as the core musculature gets equally pummeled. Not only do you have offset loading to deal with (one side of the body loaded at a time) which already produces significant levels of anti-rotation and anti-lateral flexion of the spine but the rotating barbell exponentially enhances these factors. That’s because each time the bar twists and rotates, there will be tremendous torque on the entire body that wants to move the torso and spine out of alignment. To resist these forces, the lifter will be required to fire the daylights out of the entire musculature of the core.