Wide shoulder bench Press
The wide shoulder bench or shoulder press bench is a great tool for effectively developing the deltoid and triceps muscles. The military press style exercise done with the wide shoulder bench works the side and front deltoid muscles very effectively.
The free weight style motion that is used when executing a shoulder press with the wide shoulder bench is much prefered to the machine or smith press type of resistance trainer. With a free weight military press, you get a true range of motion, and better develop the deltoid muscles. Additionally, the machine type deltoid presses can cause injury unless they fit exactly to your size and shape.
The shoulder press can be done from a standing position; but the wide shoulder bench better isolates the shoulder muscles as you lift the weight, as it forces you to have better form.
What muscles are worked with a shoulder press using a wide shoulder bench?
The shoulder press is a compound muscle movement. The deltoids are the primary muscle group worked, but the triceps are also worked, especially at the top of the range of motion of the press
What is the appearance and dimensions of the wide shoulder bench?
The wide shoulder bench is a slightly reclined bench seat, with two upright arms at either side with barbell rests upon them. The wide shoulder bench is made of heavy gauge steel, and is designed to support the heavy barbells that can sometimes be dropped forcefully on the supports at the end of a tiring set. The dimensions of the wide shoulder bench are 120 cm x 90 cm x 160 cm.
Correct technique while using the wide shoulder press machine
You should be sitting with your feet flat on the floor, and your back and head resting against the back of the bench. You should grasp the bar with a shoulder width overhand grip. The palms of your hand should be facing out away from your body. Lift up the bar and hold it at shoulder level, Exhale as you lift the bar in front of your head, straight up until your arms are extended straight above your head. Lock your arms at the top, and inhale as you smoothly lower the bar down in front of your head down to shoulder level again. Repeat to failure, and re rack.
If using heavy weights, you should have a spotter available to assist you to re rack the weight should you be unable to at the completion of your set.
Incorrect technique can lead to shoulder injury
Incorrect technique can lead to shoulder strain, and can even result in a torn shoulder tendon or ligament.
The biggest mistake commonly made is to lift the weight up over your head and back behind your head at the shoulder level. This places great and unnatural strain on your deltoid muscles and tendons, and the greatest unnatural strain is at the lowest point, near your shoulders. This behind the head shoulder press should never be attempted.
Wrist strain and the possibility of dropping the weight can occur should you position your hands facing inwards to your face. The bar should always be grasped so that your palms are facing out, away from your body.
You can avoid a great deal of injury by ensuring that you are properly warmed up prior to attempting heavy weight lifting with a wide shoulder bench press.
The shoulder press machine can help you to reduce the occurrence of injury, by forcing you to perform the movement with proper form.
Variable wide shoulder press machine techniques
You can focus the strain on different areas by differing the technique that you use. You can increase the muscle strain on your triceps, by performing a shoulder press that goes to full arms straight extension, but only returns half way to your shoulders. This will focus much of the exercise on the tricep muscles.
You can also use the seated bench with a pair of dumbbells to perform a variation on the barbell press. The seated dumbbell press has the palms facing in towards your head as you grasp a dumbbell on each side of your body, raised above your shoulder. This different hand position transfers the strain to the side of the deltoid muscle, and the increased balancing required for the two dumbbells, also changes the muscle movement exercise.
Why you should consider a wide shoulder bench
A wide shoulder press machine will give you a great piece of equipment to correctly perform seated military style shoulder presses. The free weight and free range of motion with this type of bench allows, develops increased strength in comparison with a machine shoulder press, and the seated position encourages better form and leads to increased focus on the deltoid muscles.
The wide shoulder bench press makes it easy to lift heavy weights to failure, and the heavy barbell can be easily re racked with the help of a spotter after a strenuous set.
The wide shoulder bench press is a complex muscle movement, that when done correctly will develop powerful deltoids, as well as triceps.
You should always use a spotter when lifting heavy weights.