Military bench press standing bench press from the chest while standing what muscles work, technique

The California press is an excellent way to develop the triceps, but it will only be most effective if the athlete has some experience and at a time when he is working with fairly heavy weights.
The exercise is very similar to the close grip bench press. The main difference between them is the grip width. When performing the California press in bodybuilding, the arms should be located at the level of the shoulder joints or even slightly wider. At the same time, it is important to understand that it is not only grip width that affects the development of the triceps. The position of the elbow joint is of primary importance here. You've probably already noticed that when pressing with a close grip, most of the load falls on the chest muscles, and not the triceps. This occurs due to the large extension of the elbow joints to the sides. To emphasize the load on the triceps, you need to turn your elbows towards the body. You should also avoid using an overly wide grip. This will reduce the amplitude, and for the full loading of the triceps, the upper part of the trajectory of the sports equipment is of greatest importance. Thus, you need to choose a grip width that allows you to place your elbow joints in the correct position without reducing the amplitude.

If you are a beginner athlete and have been training for less than three months, then it would be best to use a classic close-grip bench press. This is due to the fact that the muscle-neural connections are not yet well developed, and you will not be able to focus the load on the triceps. You not only need to train your muscles, but also your muscle sense.

What is it aimed at?

As mentioned above, the California bench press is used to work the triceps. This is its main goal; we try to exclude other muscles from the work as much as possible. The beauty of the exercise is that it uses all three heads of the triceps, which allows you not only to build muscle mass in a relatively short time, but also to improve strength indicators, which affect performance in powerlifting.

At the same time, for example, the mentioned press with a narrow grip is less effective for the triceps, since part of the load is distributed on the large pectorals and deltoids, and the French press (especially when lowering the barbell behind the head) works to a greater extent the long head of the triceps and is more traumatic for the elbow joints.

The California press, in turn, allows you to place your hands in a more comfortable position and carefully adjust the position of your elbows to maintain the correct technique and, as a result, achieve better results.

California press exercise for triceps arms

Type of exercise:
Strength
Muscle group:
Arms
Target muscles:
Triceps
Equipment:
Barbell
Difficulty:
medium

A basic exercise for working three triceps heads at once. Includes the muscles of the chest and forearm. Suitable for intermediate level training.

The triceps of the arms are the target muscles in the exercise.

California press exercise: video

The California press is an effective exercise for working the arm muscles. Include it in your training program for your arms and forearms. You can learn how to perform this exercise correctly from the video below.

Bodysportal.ru

2017-02-15Technique for performing the California bench press

Load on target muscles on a 10-point scale

Triceps	10 (high)
Inner chest	3 (weak)
Forearms	2 (weak)
Type of exercise	Power – Basic
Total load	15 (weak)

Application of the exercise

For: Athletes of intermediate level and above.

When: At the beginning of your workout, warm up with light weights. Or at the end of a workout for maximum fatigue of the triceps muscles.

How much: 4 sets of 15, 12, 10, 8 repetitions. Take a 90 second break between sets.

California press: execution technique

Starting position:
lying on a horizontal bench. Hold the barbell in your hands in front of you at neck level. Grip the barbell at a distance of 20-30 cm. Arms are slightly bent.
Inhale and lower the barbell vertically down to your chin. Try to bend your arms at the elbow and shoulder joints at the same time. Move your elbows slightly forward.
Return the bar to the starting position. Exhale.

Main mistakes when performing the exercise:

Bending the arms exclusively at the elbow joints. Do not lower the bar without bending your shoulders and moving your elbows forward.
Choosing the wrong position of the bar at the starting point of the movement. Don't pull the bar forward toward your stomach or back toward your head. The task is to keep it at chin level.
Uneven flexion in the elbow and shoulder joints. The exercise is performed by synchronously working the shoulders and elbows.
Turn your elbows to the side. Keep your elbows pointing forward, do not spread them to the sides.
Wrist flexion. Keep your hands level, relative to your forearms.
Movements with jerks and swings. The exercise is performed carefully.

Important ! Do not neglect technique and use huge weights. Excessive stress on the elbow joints can lead to injury.

Pros: Effective exercise for triceps. Includes all three heads: outer, middle and inner.

1. External (Lateral).
2. Middle (Medial).
3. Internal (Long).

Minuses:

Great risk of injury. Heavy stress on joints.
Complex execution technique.

Advice ! Perform the California Press at the beginning of your workout to warm up or at the end to tone your triceps muscles. Don't use heavy weights.

Exercise option

Execution technique

Take the starting position - lie down on a horizontal bench. The back and buttocks are pressed against the bench, while the legs rest on the floor.

Grasp the bar with a straight and moderately narrow grip. The hands are located slightly narrower than shoulder width (about 30 cm from each other). As you work, you will feel and select the optimal grip width for yourself.
Remove the barbell and place the bar at the level of the very top of your chest (approximately under the chin, just below the neck). At the top point, the arms are almost straight, minimally bent at the elbows.
As you inhale, slowly lower the barbell to your upper chest. At the same time, the elbows do not spread to the sides, but are pressed against the body, and at the same time brought forward beyond the line of the bar. Work only with the triceps, otherwise you may end up with a regular close-grip bench press.
As you exhale, from the bottom point, press the barbell to the top point. Don't forget to focus on the triceps. Complete the required number of repetitions.

California press

The California press is a bodybuilding exercise that helps to pump up the triceps and also create beautiful definition. This is one of the few exercises with which you can pump up the triceps without putting a lot of stress on the elbow joint. However, it is very traumatic, so you need to know the technique for performing it.

General recommendations

The California press is recommended for athletes with an average and advanced level of training. Beginning bodybuilders should not do it due to the complex technique. This type of bench press should be performed at the beginning of training before isolating arm exercises. The number of repetitions should be no less than 10 and no more than 12 times in 1 approach. A total of 3-4 sets should be done.

Please note that this exercise is optional. However, its implementation will provide maximum load on the triceps with minimal risk of injury to the elbow joint. Therefore, many professionals include it in their training program.

Rules for performing the California press

The California press has its own execution rules that must be followed, here they are:

Warm up before your workout. If you do the exercise without warming up, you can pull the muscles.
Don't do the exercise alone. Ask someone to back you up. If suddenly you cannot do a bench press, an assistant will take the barbell from you and you will avoid injury.
Take the minimum weight to start. When you master the technique of doing the exercises, you can increase the load, but not immediately, but gradually.
The elbows at the lowest point should be pressed to the torso.
Lower the bar slowly. This will effectively affect the size of the triceps.
At the bottom of the exercise, you do not need to place the barbell on your torso. If you hold it, the triceps will receive additional load, therefore, you will increase the effectiveness of the workout.

California press technique

California press should be done like this:

Sit down on a horizontal bench. The buttocks should be pressed tightly against it, and the back should be in a natural curve. Place your feet on the floor. There is no need to place them on a bench, since in this case you may lose your balance and fall.
Grab the barbell. This should be done with a direct grip, i.e. The palms should be on top of the bar. In addition, the grip should be narrow, i.e. The palms are located at a distance slightly narrower than shoulder width (about 30 cm from each other).
Lower the barbell and fix it slightly below your neck, i.e. in the upper chest. Do not put the barbell on top of you so that the triceps receive the necessary load.
Exhale and move the barbell to the top point. You should not fully extend your arms. This will also challenge your triceps, making your workout more effective.
Inhale and return the bar to the position you originally occupied, i.e. The elbows are pressed to the torso, and the barbell is located just below the neck.
Perform the required number of repetitions and approaches in this way.

The California Press is a basic exercise for those who want to pump up their triceps. If desired, it can be a good alternative to classic barbell press exercises.

Source: MonsterBody.net

Useful tips

And, as usual, in the final part we will give a number of recommendations that will help you get the maximum effect from the exercise:

At the lowest point, the barbell is held suspended, which, on the one hand, increases the difficulty of performing this exercise, and on the other hand, allows you to keep the triceps under maximum tension, achieving better development.
Do not move your elbows to the sides, try to keep them pressed to your body, watch the amplitude.
Don't lower the bar too quickly. Moreover, try to deliberately lower the bar as slowly as possible (2-3 times slower than raising it). You and your triceps will love it!
There is no point in chasing more weight. Technique is much more important here than increasing the weight. The heavy weight of the projectile will prevent you from fully controlling the process, avoiding mistakes, and ultimately can lead to injury.
Don't forget about warming up. Do a couple of warm-up sets with lighter weights. This will help warm up the muscles and prepare for the load.
If you have little experience performing such exercises, use the help of a partner. Ask for backup and to ensure proper technique is followed.

The California Press can be used in an arm training program as a basic triceps exercise. Performed in 3-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions. Then you can move on, for example, to performing bent-over arm extensions with dumbbells.

California press

triceps exercises, barbell exercises

In bodybuilding, there are many ways to develop the triceps muscle. The most famous and effective exercises are the classic, French press, arm extensions, and push-ups. Few people know and rarely use a barbell exercise called the California press. It is a hybrid of the regular and French press, so it works all three heads of the triceps.

The California barbell press is a basic exercise aimed at increasing strength and gaining muscle mass. Due to the specific movement, the load on the elbow joints becomes insignificant. During the execution, all bundles of the triceps muscle, the lower pectoral region, biceps as stabilizers and forearms, on which the main control of the projectile depends, are tensed.

California Press: Technique

The effectiveness of any exercise depends on the quality of its implementation, so to get a positive result you need to follow the correct technique:

Lie down on a horizontal bench or similar device (you can even lie on the floor). Press your back tightly, rest your feet, keeping them balanced;
Grasp the barbell with a moderately narrow overhand grip, with your hands slightly narrower than your shoulders. During the process, you will feel which position of your hands will be more convenient;
Remove the apparatus and hold it above you at the level of the upper chest area or just below the chin. Hold your hands with a slight bend at the elbows;
Inhale and lower the bar to the top of your pecs or neck. And now the main trick: do not spread your elbows to the sides, but press them to the body and at the same time bring them forward. It turns out that the projectile moves in one vertical plane;
As you inhale, press the barbell up in reverse order. Work through the triceps, concentrate on this, otherwise you will end up with a regular bench press. Complete the required amount, rest.

California press: video and photos

Recommendations for implementation

Let's consider a number of nuances necessary to study that will improve your technique and increase the efficiency of performing the California bench press:

When you lower the barbell, do not put it on yourself, but keep it suspended, so the muscles do not relax and receive a static load. Thus, the execution becomes much more difficult, but high-quality muscle development is achieved;
Try to keep your elbows close to your body and not pull them to the sides. Control the range of motion;
Lower the bar slowly, take your time. This process should take about 3-4 seconds. Lift with a powerful movement;
Do not rush to use large weights; in the California press, correct execution is important, and a heavy barbell will not allow you to fully control the movements;
Be sure to start your training process with a warm-up and one set with light weight. This is necessary to warm up and prepare the muscles for stress;
Ask a friend to check the correct execution from the side or contact a trainer.

Using the California bench press helps increase strength and muscle mass. The main thing is to do it correctly.

To whom, when and how much

To whom: The exercise is aimed at any level of professionalism of the athlete;

When: At the beginning of the training, since first there should be a “base”, and then isolation exercises such as extension of the arms from the upper block and French press;

How much: Perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

Including the California bench press in your training program is not necessary, but if you need to surprise your triceps or simply diversify your training, then this bench press will be very useful. It includes all triceps bundles, develops mass and increases strength, which means it is a worthy replacement for the classics.

That's all, ask questions or share your impressions in the comments.

Masses and relief to you!

Source: sportmake.ru

Technical errors

Wrong trajectory

Some people manage to make this movement into a parody of the bench press. They press straight up at the highest point, pushing the barbell away from the body. This turns out to be a rather traumatic variation for the shoulders, which, as the weight increases, also becomes a cause of falls. Another trajectory error is placing the barbell sharply behind the head; this option is not acceptable because it contributes to unnatural overload of the cervical spine. The third trajectory error is the “nose press,” that is, performing the exercise at half the amplitude.

A hodgepodge of styles and exercises

Some athletes confuse this movement with the barbell overhead press due to technique. They do not press their forearms to the body, but do all the work by pushing the weight away from themselves and moving it behind the head. In this case, the elbows are spread to the sides, and the shoulders at the start are parallel to the floor. Everything would be fine if this particular initial position did not cause subacromial syndrome. Using this technique is fraught with joint pain.

Big ego

Huge weights lifted up look cool. But then treating inflammation of the ligaments and muscle tears is not at all as great. Working weights should be increased only when the movement technique allows them to be increased. Everything else is still superfluous.

Engaging your legs, back, and core

Some athletes, instead of bench presses, perform a half-push, a push-up, anything to push the weight with their legs. If you can’t squeeze the barbell smoothly with your hands, you should simply reduce the weight of the weight. It is not necessary to work with the help of the body and legs.

Heel-to-toe rolls

Many people find it difficult to hold weight without losing balance during exercise. Such people should try to carefully maintain their balance by placing their weight in the middle of the arch of the foot. If this doesn’t work out and all you can do is roll, you should switch to a seated press and simultaneously work on developing the muscles of your legs and core.

Excessive training volume

This is common for all beginners. It seems to them that the program is for hacks, and they train less than everyone else in the gym. So the person begins to perform all the approaches that, in principle, he can perform. The volume increases significantly, but the intensity stops growing. The athlete experiences pain in his ligaments and joints, he does not get stronger, and his training simply becomes another attempt to overcome himself. Over time, cumulative injuries appear, and the person refuses to exercise.

Lack of mobility in joints

Sometimes they write that movement cannot be performed only with arthrosis and osteochondrosis, but the problem is that a completely healthy person may be unable to make a movement of exactly this amplitude due to “office posture,” that is, weakness of the back muscles when the trapezius and pectoral muscles are overloaded. Over time, as your back strengthens, you will be able to lift weights overhead more effectively. Until this point, it is recommended to work with dumbbells.

The military press is a heavy compound exercise. But the norm for an amateur is to lift about half of his weight in this movement; there is no need to force things. If a person cannot lift more weight without pain, progress must be taken gradually, and be sure to actively engage in injury prevention.

The exercise should be included in your training on a regular basis, but it is better not to train your shoulders more than 2 times a week if you are a beginner, and try not to overload them even if you are an experienced athlete. It makes sense to perform either a heavy bench press or a heavy standing press, rather than constantly doing both heavy. Try to work efficiently, and you will always be able to train effectively.

How to soar correctly

Steamers distinguish two methods of vaping:

Analog puff. This is a replacement for smoking cigarettes, when the steam goes first into the mouth and then into the lungs.
California puff. The so-called hookah method, in which the vapor from the liquid is immediately sent to the lungs.

The Californian technique appeared relatively recently. The first electronic cigarettes were inferior to the current box mods and drips, which opened up the field for experimentation.

To achieve an analog (cigarette puff), it is important not only to select the device and e-liquid, but also the appropriate evaporator configuration. The best option is atomizers with high-resistance winding

These are models with 1.3 Ohm and above. The top places in the ratings are occupied by atomizers from KayFyn and Taifun. The power when vaping is relatively low - 13-15 V.

If you don’t have the desire or funds to buy a new vaporizer with a cigarette draft, you can upgrade it yourself. All you need to do is rewind the evaporator and change the wick.

The main thing is not to focus on subohm winding: this will lead to an increase in the vaping temperature, which will cause discomfort.

Varieties

A complete classification of the entire variety of bench press variations is worthy of a separate book, but if we omit purely powerlifting practices and less popular unusual presses (for example, on the floor), then it is worth highlighting the following variations that are applicable in bodybuilding.

1. The grip width can be classic (medium), wide and narrow. In the classic grip, the palms are located slightly wider than the shoulders, which usually corresponds to a distance of 50-60 cm.

It balances the load on all muscles involved in the exercise, without creating a distortion. On the other hand, such versatility does not allow you to fully work out any muscle group.

Therefore, to target a specific muscle group, you need to use more specialized grips: wide and narrow.

A wide grip involves a greater distance between the palms than a classic grip and significantly engages the pectoral muscles and those areas that are inaccessible to work with a classic grip.

With a wide grip, many athletes are tempted to use their chest as a shock absorber, “bouncing” the barbell away from it as they lower. This is a gross violation of the technique of performing the exercise, since “beating” disrupts the breathing rhythm and increases the risk of injury to the chest.

A narrow grip puts more stress on the triceps, and there is minimal space between the hands.

People with weak hands should be careful when performing this variation of the press, because a narrow grip on the barbell significantly increases the pressure on the wrist joint.

2. Reverse and open grips are also interesting ways to hold a barbell.

A reverse grip differs from a direct grip in that here the palms are turned towards the athlete, and not away from him.

This allows you to reduce the load on the hands and use the biceps to a greater extent as a stabilizer, which makes this exercise suitable for training it.

With a reverse grip, it is worth doing multi-repetition approaches and taking relatively light weights (to avoid injury to the elbow), and lifting the barbell only with a partner, since it is simply impossible to do this alone.

READ MORE: Deadlift: technique of performing on straight legs with a barbell, differences from the deadlift and what is the difference with the Romanian

The open grip is unique in that here the thumb does not “lock” the fist, grasping the barbell on the side opposite to the other fingers, but rests on the same side.

Of course, this is very dangerous and the athlete can easily drop the barbell on his chest with extremely negative consequences, but it is believed that opening the finger “lock” allows you to connect the triceps more strongly and increase the weight lifted.

In any case, this is a huge risk that non-professional athletes are strongly discouraged from taking.

3. The overhead bench press is performed on a bench raised 30-40 degrees, the load is directed to the deltoids and the upper part of the pectoral muscles. Compared to the classic bench press, the weight on the bar should be less.

The low-incline bench press engages the deltoids and lower pectoral muscles, is also undemanding to the weights on the barbell and is not recommended for people with increased intracranial pressure. The legs should be securely fastened to the bench, and it is better to remove the barbell together with a partner.

4. The Smith machine bench press is safer and does not require wasting effort on independent control of the range of motion. However, it only complements and does not replace the free weight press, allowing you to place small accents in the training process.

5. The meaning of a bench press with chains or rubber is to change the load depending on the distance between the barbell and the chest: the closer the projectile is to it, the lighter the load; the further away, the more it increases.

Working muscles

The movement is carried out by the triceps, the anterior and middle heads of the deltoid muscles and partly the posterior deltoid. The muscles of the legs, buttocks, and core work as stabilizers. It is a mistake to think that the military press is an exercise that involves the calf muscles. It is a technical fault if the lifter pushes the weight upward with their legs. If performed correctly, the result will be a shwung; if performed incorrectly, it will be a mediocre imitation.

Some articles actually claim that this movement helps pump up your breasts. In fact, the pecs contract, acting as a shoulder stabilizer, and gradually stretch as the lifter lifts the bar behind his head. But the load cannot be considered sufficient for their hypertrophy. Significant confusion has also arisen because many authors of articles confuse the military-style bench press with the army one. A military-style press is usually called a bench press without supporting your legs, and a military-style press is a standing press.

It is not possible to turn off the stabilizers while standing. Therefore, it is better to leave ideas about performing this movement in Smith without implementation. The Smith machine is a fixed barbell with a trajectory that is exclusively suitable for seated overhead presses, not chest presses. Some machines simulate an elliptical path to make pressing movements more natural, but not every shoulder can work in this exact path. Therefore, it is better not to use the Smith machine option.

Turning off stabilizers from work in basic exercises is a very irrational exercise. Athletes make a base in order to develop all the muscles of the body and activate neuromuscular connections, and not in order to later think about how exactly to adapt it so that the base is not a base.