Bench press Arnold

Arnold Schwarzenegger loved to do shoulder presses. One of the options with which Iron Arnie lit up in front of the cameras was a bench with a turn of dumbbells sitting from the chest. Sounds complicated ">

Exercise develops the front and middle bundles of the deltoid muscles. As stabilizers, the muscles of the body, the long muscles of the back, the abs, the front and back surfaces of the thighs, the buttocks are involved in the movement, if the movement is performed while standing.

In the initial position "sitting on the bench" the body and legs work less, stabilization is due to the quadriceps and the press, and then when using significant weight weights.

Arnold Bench Press Technique

Movement by some is mistakenly considered difficult. In fact, it is completely natural. If a person needs to wave a handkerchief or a flag above his head, raising an object, he will perform this same U-turn, over which some people have to think for a long time.

The technical features of the bench press are as follows:

The bench is set so that the back is strictly at an angle of 90 degrees. This removes the load from the stabilizers. The athlete takes the dumbbells with a direct grip, sits on the bench and leans on the back:

  • Then the shells are brought to the shoulders so that the forearms are pressed against the body, and the palm is looking at the shoulder;
  • A bench press is performed, while due to rotation the palm at the top point of the exercise looks forward;
  • Lowering occurs smoothly, with reverse rotation of the projectile;
  • Additional "bouncing" from the chest, or acceleration of weight due to the repulsion of shells from the shoulder is prohibited;
  • It is not recommended to take too heavy a weight

Standing exercise involves stabilizers a little more, and requires the ability to maintain the so-called “neutral spine”, that is, to stand straight, lifting the stomach, and resting the feet on the floor so that the back does not stoop, and the movement in the shoulder joint remains natural.

Many people believe that the exercise does not have variations, that is, it is performed only with dumbbells. In fact, there are several. First of all, this is a bench with weights. Most likely, the mechanics of the movement were “spied” in the bench press from the chest, or this movement was originally performed with weights, since the turn of the wrists from the body is characteristic of the kettlebell press.

The second variation is a bench press with one crossover handle. The block is attached at the bottom, and an upward movement is performed with a turn of the brush. The exercise is rehabilitative in nature, or is performed “for finishing” at the end of the training. The classic bodybuilder rarely chooses such movements.

The third variation is a bench press of one dumbbell or kettlebell standing on one knee in scissors. This movement is used to eliminate the muscle imbalance that occurs in some athletes due to scoliosis. Options are possible when the bench press is performed with the same arm or with the opposite supporting leg.

The secret to the effectiveness of the “Arnold bench” is that, performing it, the athlete gradually turns on muscle bundles. It starts at the expense of the front delta, reaching the middle of the amplitude, turns on the middle, and at the top point the back delta and back begin to work. The rear deltoid bundle stabilizes the weight at the top, and receives a slight load. But still, he is involved in this exercise.

For beginners, it is difficult to perform Arnold's press correctly just because of the lack of stabilization and discomfort in the shoulder joints. This exercise should be included in the plan only when a person can fully raise his hands above his head, without experiencing pain.

Common mistakes

The list of errors resembles what we see with the ordinary dumbbell bench press and army bench press:

  • If the movement is carried out in a rack, the athlete reads the body, performing a half-half-schwung. This technique is not acceptable. If this is the only way, it is better to choose the option from the starting position “sitting on a bench”;
  • Some violate the track of the bench, and pull the dumbbells forward and up. This leads to a dangerous overload of the joint and the anterior bundle of deltoid muscles, as well as ligaments. It is better to avoid unnatural trajectories of movement, although some athletes advocate for them;
  • A bad option is to perform an exercise with a weight that is too heavy and not suitable for the athlete. This is the beginner's sin. It seems to them that if every person in the hall can boast of performing such a movement with great weight, then they should. This leads to improper technique, and disruption of the trajectory of movement.

A mistake is also too early a turn of the wrists. They need to be deployed when the dumbbells are raised above the crown. Otherwise, part of the load will not be transferred to the middle deltas.

The movement should be smooth along the entire trajectory, without obvious cheating, shocks and jerks body and "throwing" dumbbells.

This bench press option is ideal for those who need to grow impressive shoulders, but swings and other insulation do not work.

How many dumbbell presses can be done ">