Bench press with one hand. Dumbbell bench press with one hand standing - a quality alternative to the military press

Fitness expert Sergey Strukov translated Greg Dea's text about the best exercise for the shoulder.

One-arm kettlebell press is for everyone

Whether you're looking to improve power and strength or are doing rehab with movement pattern recovery, the one-arm kettlebell press is the way to go.

I have used this exercise to compensate for the high volume of throws, catches, serves and contacts of international level volleyball and handball players. Athletes who systematically perform one-arm presses within training program, increase punching power and stamina.

But even if you're just doing fitness, you can use it to improve your posture and increase strength. shoulder girdle.

The one-arm press is the best because it meets the following criteria:

1. Safe start and end position.
2. Safe movement pattern.
3. Development of "jogging" power.
4. Identification and protection of weak links.

Now let's take a closer look at each of these benefits.

Safe start and end position

The starting and ending position in the one-arm press is safer than in other popular strength exercises for the shoulder, such as front and side raises. Long leverage when lifting weights in front of you and through the sides often forces the shoulder blade to move away from a stable position at the beginning and at the end of the movement. It is like lifting a crane off the ground before lifting a load onto a tall building.

Front and side raises cause more shoulder girdle problems than any other exercise, affecting the muscles that try to keep the shoulder blades in relation to the neck and torso (trapezius and rhomboids).

The main role of the scapula is to support the hand. It can move freely to maintain the correct position of the glenoid fossa in relation to the head of the shoulder. When the scapula is "pterygoid" (the medial edge moves away from the chest or leans forward), or the medial/superior part of the scapula is higher than the lateral part, which puts the glenoid fossa in a position that limits arm elevation. This is wrong and not stable. In this position, the scapula loses the necessary orientation.

The one-arm press, on the other hand, offers correct position. With one-hand presses, the shoulder blade is dynamically stable, there is unlimited freedom of movement with situational support and maintaining the correct position.

The movement begins in a stance, with the kettlebell directly in front of the shoulder. The weight is located on the forearm, with outside hand clenched into a fist, elbow pointing forward. The palm of the hand is directed towards the face. In the final position, the weight is strictly above the shoulder, the elbow is straightened. Both of these positions, initial and final, stabilize the position of the scapula.

Safe movement pattern

The bench press from the starting to the final position should be vertical. The elbow in the initial position is directed forward, and in the final position - to the side. This means that the shoulder joint moves from a neutral position to an outward rotation position, while the scapula moves in a safer position of upward retraction and rotation, allowing room for rotation and gliding. shoulder joint in a well balanced position.

Another useful overhead press variation suggested by the author of this article is Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Presses for Solid Shoulders.

Kettlebell press with one hand - a "clean" movement. It is practically impossible to determine the correspondence between the temporal parameters, sequence and coordination of the motor pattern. However, if the pattern is unstable, abrupt, or divided into stages, we call the movement "dirty and heavy." The opposite in fact movement is smooth, which we call "clean and light."

One-arm press position does not result in dovish movement: Many shoulder strength exercises that require lifting weights from behind the head result in an attempt to remove the weight from the neck. The result is a movement reminiscent of the movement of a pigeon's head, hence the name "pigeoning" ("pigeon" movement). The "pigeon" movement leads to displacement of the joints and activation of the muscles of the upper part of the neck, which leads to pain and restriction of movement of the head and neck. If you want to avoid "dove" movements, watch your neck when pulling to the chest or lifting in front of you. When pressing the kettlebell with one hand, the kettlebell is squeezed out of the normal position of the neck above the head, so there is no "pigeon" movement.

In the bench press pattern, the scapula additionally leans back, freeing up space for the rotator cuff to work and minimizing the risk of impact. In addition to tilting back, the shoulder blade rotates upward, opening up even more space. Rotation of the scapula requires coordinated contraction of all back muscles.

Jogging power development

This is a great exercise to develop inching power". Power is work done per unit of time, so it requires strength, speed, and movement control.

The advantage of the vertical press is the ability to lift more weight than in front of you or through the sides due to the relatively short leverage. Stimulation upper limb more, and the scapula remains stable. When the weight is too high, the movement loses speed, and therefore power. It becomes dirty and difficult. In this situation, you can do more work with a stable shoulder blade and more weight in the bench press than in competitive exercises (pulls, side raises, or front raises).

By the way, Zozhnik also has a review scientific research American Council on Exercise However, that study did not test kettlebell presses with one arm.

Protection of weak links

The final advantage of this great exercise is the ability to eliminate weak links that are associated with the risk of injury.

The thoracic spine and ribcage, and everything attached to them, are involved in the one-arm press just as they are in the two-arm press. It is difficult for us to understand and imagine precise movements in the joints, requiring complex coordination between the stabilizers and the main movers. When someone can't do any more reps or the weight being lifted reaches a plateau, we assume they've just reached their limit. But the reason is not always fatigue.

If you get a different number of kettlebell press repetitions with your left and right hand, we understand that the cause of the asymmetry may be in the thoracic spine, chest, all associated muscles, neck and shoulder girdle. Identifying side differences guides us to improve function in these areas, removing barriers to bench improvement. When a weak link is identified with dirty and heavy reps, we can change the weight and execution conditions for further improvement.

When the weight is too heavy for a normal pattern, compensatory movements appear. Most compensation occurs with the person leaning back to turn the movement into an angled chest press. In this case, the neck makes a “pigeon” movement, the lower back bends, and the shoulder blade moves away from the optimal position. "Pigeon" neck is a dysfunctional compensation that worsens the stability of the trunk. It can lead to pain, restriction of movement, and loss of motor control—three well-known risks of injury.

There are two simple ways to fix a similar error:

1. Sit down and complete the set. This reduces the demands on the hips and pelvis while providing a stable position for the lower back. Or you can stabilize your hips and pelvis by placing one foot on a chair or bench. The bent hip of the raised leg reduces the likelihood of forward tilt of the pelvis and arching of the lower back.

Put your foot on the bench - it will help.

If your lower back is still arched, just lift your leg off a chair or bench to prevent it. I prefer this single leg variation as it involves ground pressure through the feet, ankles, knees and hips rather than through the six bones of the pelvis. This is a more complex exercise, loading not only the shoulder girdle.
Placing the foot on a box can help correct pelvic rotation.

2. The second way is to reduce the weight and cleanly complete the set.. Is not the best choice as long as the person makes up for the light weight by chasing reps. It is also a less favorable strategy because it requires conscious control of technique. Self-limiting methods are preferable for adaptation than methods with conscious control. This helps keep the pattern in your nervous system better than weight loss.

Balanced Leverage - Strong Leverage

If you want good shoulders, then you need to switch to the one-arm press in your bench workout.

I have used this simple strategy for many years to train athletes with high shoulder volume. The combination of position, pattern, and effort power adjustment provided protection for athletes in preseason, just as it did with other core lifts. Using the one-arm press, I improved the shooting ability of the Chinese national handball superstar with a torn lip and rotator cuff tendon. I used the bench press for my own development and surprised the big guys with no problem. initial weights greater than their maximum lifts in front of them.

Despite the apparent complexity of the position and pattern, none of my athletes who pressed to failure experienced injury or post-exercise soreness. Try this exercise. It works.

Anthony Mychal

It's been twelve days since you've stopped doing any barbell presses and it's not fun at all.

Your rehabilitation protocol for the shoulder girdle muscles is very depressing. You're missing a load, a big heavy iron, and my god, what about your shirts? You can't let your pecs and shoulders start to shrink as you've just moved up to size XL.

However, you cannot press through pain. In a wise decision, you refrained from doing so.

What if I told you that there is a bench press that can change your life? The bench press, which in this case acts not as a destroyer, but as a healer. A bench that can add serious size where no other bench can.

If you think you are dreaming, then it's time to wake up, because this exercise should be added to your program, regardless of the condition of the shoulders.

Barbell Problems

Complaints related to bench presses and shoulder pain are common, and of all types of bench presses, barbell presses cause largest number problems, because they change the correct relationship between the work of the wrist, elbow and shoulder.

There are people who do bench presses and overhead presses with no problems. I know in the old days everyone used a barbell for bench presses and overhead presses and never had a problem, or at least that's what everyone tells me.

However, perhaps you do not belong to this category of people. No need to worry if this is the case, and do not force yourself to perform these exercises at all costs. You just have a different anatomy and body structure.

Whether you're training yourself, clients, students, or athletes, pain can't be ignored. I am sure that if Tiger Woods were paying you millions of dollars to coach, you would in no way force him to do something that could put his game at risk.

So why force others to do it? Being forced to miss work because your trainer beat you up last night isn't hard training, it's violence.

So what can we do to break the deadlock associated with bench presses? Swiss barbells and push-ups are common methods for pressing with shoulder problems, but not everyone has such barbells, and weighted push-ups are extremely unpleasant.

Use one-arm dumbbell presses on the floor, the new/old solution to pressing problems.

Why with one hand?

Exercises that use one hand are often considered less effective than their bilateral counterparts because they cannot use the same heavy weights. Also, due to the asymmetry of the load, more reliable stabilization of the whole body is required. This means that sometimes the difficulty may cause something other than the main motor muscles. Those who have tried dumbbell bench presses know what I mean.

For this very reason, lifters often perform bench presses while standing. They seek to use the entire kinetic chain to simulate the movements performed in both sports and sports. real life. This might be called "functional" nonsense, but something tells me that engaging the glutes and stabilizing the core to perform the shoulder movement is a good idea.

Due to some of the difficulties associated with strengthening the torso, the one-handed version works better. I even have a very scientific theory explaining the reason for this fact, which is as follows - you can not walk and chew gum at the same time.

All available attention is focused on one hand, which is 50% more for math gurus than in the bilateral version. This reminds us that we are not just doing an exercise, we are striving to achieve a specific goal.

Another advantage is the freedom of movement and adjustment of body position. If during the bench press you lose tension in the upper back when you remove the bar from the stoppers, then it will be impossible to return it back.

Dumbbells are easier to set up, however, when you use both of them, they swing over your face, making you look like you're trying to scratch your back at the wrong time. But during the work of only one shoulder, it is already easier to take the correct position.

Great benefit

But what if you possess impeccable healthy shoulders And with the development of the upper chest are you all right? Well, Mr. Franco Columbu, this exercise is great for triceps and elbow extension strength, among other things, just like any other floor press variation.

Dumbbell floor presses will help you build strength so you can use more heavy weights while doing various presses, and heavier weights are usually a plus.

Thus, you have a choice. You can do tricep curls while standing with dumbbells backwards to develop triceps, or the above exercise on the floor. However, in the latter case, not only the triceps will be grateful to you, but also the shoulders and upper chest.

healthy shoulders

One-arm floor presses protect the shoulders because there is no Bottom part amplitude of the bench press, and that is the whole point. In the lower section of the amplitude, the arms rotate outward uncontrollably, entering the pinch zone. The slow and controlled descent turns into a ballistic rebound. It is better to exclude rebounding, even if the amplitude of movement is reduced from this.

However, the real magic happens in the off position. The dumbbell presses the shoulder into its glenoid fossa and apparently eliminates postural problems. At correct technique the shoulder blade should lie completely on the floor, and the whole body should remain motionless.

Another beauty of this exercise is that the dumbbell wobbles back and forth slightly. The shoulder stabilizes, as it does during the performance of more specific movements for the muscles of the glenoid bag of the shoulder girdle.

Develop the upper chest
Guys can feel insecure for many reasons, but nothing compares to a lack of upper chest development.

Those who suffer from it try everything. Breeding hands, mixing hands while standing in a crossover, presses on incline bench. Most often, these exercises do not help, because, like in other lagging parts of the body, there is no neuromuscular connection. Most compound exercises force you into an unfavorable position for optimal activation, and this includes incline presses. With a combination of bad activation and sub-optimal mechanics, you won't be able to get a good contraction.

One-arm floor presses develop the upper chest because this exercise solves both problems. First, one arm remains free, so during the presses you can feel this part of the chest, and now you can no longer just hope that these muscles are contracting, but know for sure that they are. In addition, sensory communication will enhance activation.

Secondly, this biomechanics causes more effective activation of the upper chest. Dr. Clay Hite explains in his article "Building a Bodybuilders Chest":

“Using a narrower grip has been shown in at least one study to improve upper chest activation even more than an incline bench. This is due to the fact that applying a slightly narrower grip causes the elbows to move slightly closer to the body (i.e., adduction occurs). humerus), but does not diverge to the sides.

In this regard, the clavicular pectoral muscles are in a more favorable mechanical position for performing their main functions - contraction and horizontal adduction.

Dr. Hite means more narrow grip when using a barbell. However, when using a barbell, no matter how narrow the grip is, there is still a predisposition to flaring the elbows out as the arm is pronated, thus placing the load on the lower chest.

With a dumbbell, keeping track of the elbows is easier because the wrist is in a neutral position, thereby allowing the upper chest to take on more work.

Preparing for the exercise

The hardest part about floor presses is getting into the starting position with the dumbbell in the off position without hurting yourself. There are two ways.

The first option is the flip method. You don't have to be a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion to do it, so don't be intimidated. You need to know just a few principles in order not to twist the spine into a pigtail.

Lie on your side, bend your knees and press the dumbbell to your body. This will reduce the leverage and reduce the bending moment that occurs in the spine. You need to hold the dumbbell with both hands, but grab the handle upper arm, and the second performs a supporting function.

After that, you begin to roll over, looking through upper arm. Where the head goes, the body follows, so the head always leads. Once you feel the pull of the dumbbell, use your hands to roll it onto your chest and abs. Here she should lie down comfortably.

Straighten both legs and use your hands to move the dumbbell to the desired position.

Photos are good, but videos are often more effective. Here is a video demonstrating flipping and pressing

The second option is the one-two-take method, which is more like the one we use during traditional bench presses. Spread your legs out to the sides in a "V" shape and place a dumbbell between them.

Tilt it so that the side closest to you is on the ground and the other is in the air.

Interlace your fingers in a lock around the handle. Bend forward forcefully and then lean back, lifting the dumbbell to the off position.

And another video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF6ww2LDeUo&feature=player_embedded

Initial position

Regardless of the method you use, you will end up in a straight-legged off position. Reduce gluteal muscles and a press to stabilize the body. As the working weight increases, the importance of this stabilization increases.

Move the dumbbell to the right hand and make sure your shoulders are pulled back and down. Simply put, the shoulder blades should be brought together and fit snugly on the floor.

However, do not forget that since you are working with only one dumbbell, you have more freedom of movement. If necessary, you can fidget back and forth to set the shoulder in the desired position; this is one of the benefits of this exercise.

Once you're sure your shoulder is in the right position and your shoulder blade is fully on the floor, either place your free hand on your chest or keep it in the air to further improve your balance. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds and just "feel" the head of the shoulder pushing into the glenoid socket as the upper back tightens. Now you are ready for the actual exercise.

Movement technique

After an isometric hold in the off position, lower your arm, bringing your elbow close to your body. When the shoulder section of the arm reaches the floor, pause for a second, while tensing all the muscles, as in squats on the bench. What you have achieved bottom point amplitude, does not mean that you can take a nap.

After a pause, straighten your arm in starting position, reminding yourself to keep your shoulder blade on the ground. This will help you load your shoulder. The elbow stays close to the body; don't let him step aside.

After completing the approach, hold the dumbbell in the off position for 5-10 seconds. If you want to work on shoulder stabilization, you can do what I call a "compass". After completing the set, slightly move the dumbbell to the north, south, east and west. It can be dangerous when using heavy weights, so save this technique for warm-up sets.

Completion

After completing a set for one arm, return the dumbbell to your chest. Take it with the other hand, but use both to reach the off position. After both hands have completed a set, return the dumbbell to the floor using the reverse procedure for any method of getting to the starting position.

If you are reversing the flip, place the dumbbell on your chest, tuck one leg to the side (which you are about to flip), look over your shoulder, roll over, and place the dumbbell on the floor.

If you are reversing the one-two-take method, hold the dumbbell in the off position with both hands, create a momentum in the thoracic spine, then, applying force, direct this moment forward and sit with the dumbbell between your legs.

Call to action!

Add muscle mass triceps, pump up your upper chest and increase your cutting power while restoring shoulder health.

Stop wallowing in your pressing problems and start solving them. Maybe you can't do overhead presses or bench presses only temporarily, so take care of your problems and build strength at the same time. Regardless of your goals, dumbbell floor presses are worth your attention.

It often happens that bodybuilders and powerlifters need to do dumbbell presses. This projectile has many positive properties, which include the involvement of a large number of muscles. However, in order for the one-arm bench press to be beneficial, it is worth knowing about some of the nuances of performing this or that exercise with dumbbells. To begin with, it is worth noting that dumbbell presses come in, you guessed it, two types: presses with both hands and presses with one arm. In addition, there is also some middle type - alternating with two dumbbells. Presses with two dumbbells are usually performed to work out the side deltoid muscles and pectoral muscles. Each of these exercises should be performed by synchronous movement of both hands. Left and right hand at the same time, they should be mirror reflections of each other, i.e. repeat the same path. If this is not taken into account, then it is quite possible to earn yourself an asymmetrically developed body. Whether you're doing a one-arm bench press or a two-arm dumbbell press, you need to remember that tucking your arms forward or backward is not allowed. Otherwise, you can earn a shoulder injury. In addition, during the dumbbell press, the triceps are constantly involved in the work, so you need to take this into account and add such exercises to the training program on the days when you work out the triceps. Pressing one dumbbell implies the presence of a previous situation. However, there is a certain minus of such an exercise, which consists in the alternate involvement of hands in the work process. Thus, performing, for example, a bench press with one hand, you are pretty tired. But you will need to repeat the same exercise for the second hand, despite the fact that it is not always possible to reproduce this. In the end, the athlete can earn himself an imbalance in the development of the right and left muscles. In addition, in such an exercise, at the time of its execution with one hand, the supply of oxygen and glycogen is higher than when it is repeated with the second hand. And this causes a decrease in the effectiveness of training. In fact, this is very easy to avoid if you remember to change the order of hands in each subsequent approach. It is worth noting that the bench press with one hand, despite the fact that its execution technique is almost identical to the bench press with a barbell, is too uncomfortable and inefficient. Therefore, it is best to pay attention to other exercises with dumbbells.

Initial position

Place the kettlebell on the floor and lie down so that it is at shoulder level. Turn your body towards the kettlebell and grab it. Lie down on the floor gradually lifting the weight. Bend your arm at the elbow and put it next to the body, if you put it close, the load will fall on the triceps. If you put your hand at an angle of 45 degrees, the load will be more chest muscle. Shoulders should be fully pressed to the floor. If you took the kettlebell in your left hand, then the right leg remains straight. The left leg is bent at the knee and rests on the floor with the toe or foot, depending on flexibility. At the same time, the pelvis must be torn off the floor and put on its side as far as possible. The second hand lies on the floor at an angle of 90 degrees as a support. The stomach will need to be pulled in, and the lower back must be tightened.

Kettlebell press technique with one hand lying on the floor

Squeeze the weight up while exhaling, straighten your arm completely. At the top point, tighten the pectoral muscle and triceps, and then slowly lower your arm. Lowering your hand, the weight should not lie on the biceps itself, put it on the brachialis, the outer part of the arm.