Weighted Svend Bench Press

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet planted firmly on the floor for stability.
2. Hold two small-to-medium weight plates pressed together between your palms at chest level.
3. Retract your shoulder blades into the bench and maintain a slight natural arch in your lower back.
4. Position your hands so the plates are centered over your sternum, palms flat against the sides.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you press the plates directly upward, focusing on squeezing them together as hard as possible with your palms.
2. Fully extend your arms at the top of the movement, emphasizing the peak contraction in the pectorals.
3. Inhale as you lower the plates back to your mid-chest with a controlled 3-second eccentric phase.
4. Maintain constant inward pressure on the plates during both the ascending and descending phases.

Form checklist

• Do not wrap your fingers around the edges of the plates; keep palms flat to ensure the chest does the work.
• Keep your elbows tucked at a 45-degree angle relative to your torso to protect the shoulder joints.
• Ensure the plates remain pressed tightly together with no daylight between them at any point.
• Maintain a slow, controlled tempo rather than using momentum to drive the weight up.

Pro tips

• Visualize trying to crush the plates into a single piece of metal to maximize muscle fiber recruitment in the inner chest.
• Focus on the mind-muscle connection by feeling the tension shift from the triceps to the pectorals as you squeeze harder.

Make it harder

• Incorporate a 3-second isometric hold at the top of each repetition while squeezing the plates with maximum effort.
• Perform the movement on an incline bench to increase the demand on the upper pectorals and anterior deltoids.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the weighted svend bench press work?

The weighted svend bench press primarily targets the pectorals, and also works the abs and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the weighted svend bench press?

The weighted svend bench press uses weight plate.

Is the weighted svend bench press good for beginners?

The weighted svend bench press is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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