how to identify and correct the weak point in your bench press so you can increase your 1RM for powerlifting.
The Powerlifting Bench Press is a fickle mistress. It can be a lift that not only requires good programming, but also fairly precise technique.
Below, I will discuss how to navigate decisions around the to structure your bench press training, based on your weak points. Throughout, I’ll include guidelines on specific exercise choices to strengthen the bench press in common weak points that powerlifters often face.
Weak Point #1: Bottom of the Press (0-3″ off the chest):
When I start working with a beginner or even intermediate powerlifter, the most common weak point I will see in the bench press originates out of the bottom of the press. In a max attempt, this can either present as an inability to get the bar off the chest or even failure as high as ~3 inches (8cm) off of the chest.
In a powerlifting competition, the bar needs to come to a complete stop on the chest. According to the IPF Rulebook (2023), after the lifter has lowered the bar to their chest, they must “…hold it motionless, after which the Chief referee will signal the audible command ‘Press’. The lifter must then return the bar to straight arms’ length elbows locked”
I’ll keep this simple as can be. For the raw lifter who is weak in the bottom of the bench press, the majority of the pressing work should be performed with at LEAST a 1-count (if not longer) pause.
For specific exercise selection, I’m a big fan of the long pause (3, 4 or 5 count) bench press variations for sets of 1-5 reps. In addition to this, the Dead Bench with pin height set to just above the chest allows the lifter to develop strength out of the bottom of the lift with minimal stretch reflex from the pecs. The Dead Bench, while a bit cumbersome to set up in some gym environments builds a brutal amount of strength out of the bottom of the lift due to the need to start from a complete dead stop on each rep with no tension before initiation of the press.
Both the long pause and Dead Bench can be programmed as primary bench movements for a block, a secondary bench exercise to accumulate more volume after main work on your primary bench session, or as a secondary/tertiary bench day. Keep in mind that intensity still matters here, so simply adding in an exercise as a light training addition is unlikely to create the adaptations you are looking for if the goal is develop strength in the weak part of the ROM.
Additionally, supplemental work such as cable/db flies can be added in as a way to develop additional muscle in the pecs. This in turn can help to develop the bench press by establishing a larger muscular base.
Weak Point #2: Failure at the Mid-Point (4-8″ off the chest):
Similar to a weak point at the bottom of the press, failure around halfway up can be a frustrating area to miss on a bench. This is typically characterized by weakness in two key areas: the pecs and the shoulders.
If the majority of your bench training is performed without a pause, adding in one (or both of the following bench variants can be quite beneficial:
- Long Pause (3-5 count) Bench Press – similar to the suggestions outlined above for Weak Point #1.
- Dynamic Effort/Speed Benching.
According to Boris Sheiko, “Analysis of typical cases of slowing down during the ascent shows that if either the speed at the start of this [middle] phase [of the bench press]is not greater than 10 cm/s or the length of …[time] in the middle of the phase is greater than 1 s, the attempt is usually unsuccessful with submaximal weight” (Page 119, Sheiko Powerlifting Foundations and Methods).
Being able to develop enough speed out of the bottom of the press to carry some momentum through the middle and avoid decelerating below the “minimum speed threshold” of ~10cm/s can significantly increase your bench press.
For the bench press where a sticking point is present in the mid-range, the ability to press explosively will reduce how much time is spent in the middle of the press, resulting in a higher bar weight that can reach lockout.
This can be programmed as a secondary bench press day with multiple sets of 3 reps. For more information on programming dynamic effort work, see the Upper Body training guidelines outlined in this Westside article on Dynamic Effort.
If you already perform a good amount of pauses with weights in excess of 80% of your 1-Rep Max, then adding in more pause work is unlikely to be of merit and instead, focusing on developing the strength at the specific point of the range of motion you are deficient in can be of merit. In this case, I am a big fan of the tunability of board presses and other partial-ROM bench press variations for their ability to be adjusted to specific weak points as well as the ability to overload inherent to the movements.
Weak Point #3: Failure at Lockout (9″ Inches from the chest):
Finally, we have the lifter who will miss their presses at or very close to the top, just before the elbows can fully extend.
With the lifter that misses at lockout, pauses CAN be a useful tool in developing the maximum strength in the bench press but largely due to the technical benefits of the pause rather than the mechanical benefits offered to lifters with weak point #1 or #2. If you are prone to losing position as the bar approaches your chest on the eccentric or as you initiate the press, it’s not uncommon to lose strength at the lockout because of the compromised shoulder blade and thoracic position you can get put into.
Assuming you’re able to hold a properly packed scapular position and extended thoracic spine, then dedicated tricep-focused work is the next place to look. Working in Close Grip Bench as a primary/secondary movement and JM presses as a tricep accessory would be my first recommendation here. Both will target the triceps effectively and in a bench press specific manner.
A quick note on both of these bench variation: it’s very common for lifters with weak triceps to flare the elbows out so that they are no longer in line with the wrists. This will tend to load the shoulders more and not stress the triceps as much. Keep this in mind when training the movements so that you can properly target the triceps which will help maximize your strength in the bench press lockout.
Other Considerations:
While understanding where you are weak in your bench press and what exercises/tempos can help to correct specific positional deficiencies, the above suggestions for powerlifting programming operate on the assumption that you already have a solid foundation of mobility and technique in the bench press.
For more information on improving the “skill” of bench pressing, see the free content below on several aspects of bench press training for powerlifting:
- 3 Programming Tips for Bench Press
- How to Use Leg Drive
- 6 More Bench Programming Tips
- Understanding Common Bench Press Cues
- How to Grip the Bar for Bench Press
- Improving Shoulder Stability for Bench Press (Live Training)
- Tech Corner: Bench Press
The guidelines presented here are intended as a starting point for troubleshooting your bench press and are of course, not comprehensive. There are a nauseating amount of variations that can be trained and I have tried to include some of the solutions that I have found personally useful in my ~9 years of powerlifting coaching experience, including both coaching powerlifters in Vancouver, BC and as an online powerlifting coach helping lifters all over the world. Each situation is different, but the basics are the best place to start before looking for exceptions to the rule.