The Ready State: Mobility Training with Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › General › bench press warm up

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    • 10/14/2013 at 4:50 pm #70528
      Avatarsimon brooks
      Participant
      So I was just wondering what you guys do for a bench press warm up?

      It seems like it takes a long time for me to get properly warmed up. I usually do 4 pretty light warm up sets.

      The program I am doing now has me doing 6 sets of 2 for the work sets. What is weird is my 6th set is better than my first. What should I be doing different?
    • 10/19/2013 at 9:43 pm #73011
      AvatarAnonymous
      Guest

      You may want to add a dynamic movement piece to your warm up.
      Get the joint moving that you will be using.
      You could do this:
      3 rounds:
      15jumping jacks
      15 sit ups
      15t mountain climbers
      15t air squat.

    • 11/17/2013 at 7:13 am #73229
      AvatarKatie Hemphill
      Participant

      Hey Brenley,

      I would usually start off a warm-up with some general activity to wake up the system and warm. If I was benching, I’d probably want to see the shoulders moving, since that’s the main joint of interest here.
      As far as specific prep for the bench, you say you do four fairly light warm-up sets. You might have better results with more progressive warm-up sets. I usually start with a bajillion or so reps with the empty bar, just to start grooving the technique, then slowly progress it up to my working weight. It kinda depends on what kind of time you have to work with, but if I was planning on doing 6×2’s (some fairly freakin’ heavy loading), I’d probably check out at least six warm-up sets.
      This might be why you’re feeling that last set is the best one, simply because your technique is finally online and you’ve finally got the system completely fired up. That said, sometimes that last set is the best just because you’ve been practicing like a boss. In general, even though you’re fatigued, you’ll probably be at your technical best a little ways into the working sets.

      Treat your benching as much like benching practice as skill training. Extend your warm-up, get a ton of practice reps in (with adequate rest, and performed sub maximally), and I think you’ll see good results.
    • 11/19/2013 at 8:04 am #73249
      AvatarLuis Marquez
      Participant

      A progressive warm up is a great idea for prepping for any heavy,”meat and potatoes” lift. Before I get to those sets I like to use super bands to get my shoulders going and prepped for the stress of benching. Im not sure of the exact names of the videos but there are several on getting into the shoulder.

      My favorite is “setting the shoulder with super d” Getting that motion prepped and ready always helps my shoulders with benching.

      Also,try warming up and stretching out your rhomboids(weird I know). Getting them loose and ready will give you more ROM for your scapula at the bottom of your bench and help with setting that shoulder.

      Hope that helps

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