Training Bench Press Muscle Groups With Accessories

​In the next phase of our accessory and supplemental exercise series I will dive into accessory exercises for each movement and what muscle groups are responsible for each of the fundamental movement patterns. In terms of your programming, you will now be learning about the next piece following our fundamental movement and the supplemental exercise you have just completed.
 
 
Main Areas Involved In The Bench Press
 
            Aside from the chest, there three areas that play a pivotal role in the bench press and your ability to target these areas effectively can help you build your bench and all pushing movements. Essentially, you should target your triceps (main muscle used during the latter 1/3 of the range of motion in a bench press), upper back (crucial for stabilizing and drive off the bench during a press) and shoulders. The following are some of my favorite exercises to build each of these areas.

• French Press
  • Here is a great exercise to build mass in your triceps and work your way towards a better bench press. As I have said before, work your accessories in hypertrophy ranges (12-15 repetitions).
• Rear Deltoid Flyes
  • Keep the weight low with these and focus on a fluid retraction of your shoulder blades in conjunction with the movement. Again, moving big weight with these exercises is not a goal or necessity.
• Cuban Press
  • I love the Cuban Press because it hits all areas of your shoulders (anterior with the raise and press, medial and posterior with the press and eccentric portion). Remain seated and be particularly strict with your form.

 
 
Always remember that our goal with accessory exercises is to build muscle mass that will directly translate into building strength with our main movement patterns. The bigger a muscle is the more potential it has to be strong!