THE ULTIMATE BENCH PRESS

REVIEW

by the staff of FitStep.com

Author: Danny M. O'Dell, MA. CSCS*D

Pages; 253

The Ultimate Bench Press Manual is almost fully true to its name. Very detailed, with loads of exercises and photographs it is one of the most comprehensive books I’ve read on bench press training. The writing is simple and the book actually reads very ordinary in the beginning. UBPM however is the kind of book that gets better and better as you delve deeper and deeper into it.

The starting chapters are very basic and therefore not so very interesting. But once you get to chapters eight and nine you’re hooked; hit chapters seventeen and eighteen and you won’t stop reading till the end!

UBPM is a huge book. I’ve decided therefore to list the table of contents and then review the chapters by making small notes of my own (in italics) below the interesting sections.

Here goes!

Table of Contents

1. The bench-press introduction and goals

2. Injury attention

Mostly notes on identifying injuries and what happens when they occur (a little technical here). Very basic information on treating injuries.

3. Ten steps to training success

4. Exercise definitions

Explanations of the words adduction, eccentric, concentric, etc.

5. Basic muscle anatomy

6. The warm up

7. Static stretching and peak torque output

Some sections of this book get really technical and this is one of them. Check out the paragraph below which I picked out from this chapter. I’ve read it three times and I still don’t understand what it means!

Mechanical factors involving the viscoelastic properties of the muscle.

Several contributing factors lead to this lowered output. Among them are the altered length-tension relationship, an increased sarcomere shortening distance and velocity, and decreased force production due to the force-velocity relationship. Bear in mind some of these were at lowered velocity of high torque production and slower speeds of execution (as in a max lift). An increase in the joint angle resulting form the stretch may also have a bearing on the outcome but more study needs to be conducted in this area before formal conclusions can be made.

8. Low back sparing movements

Good exercise for loosening the lower back muscles.

9. Breathing considerations

10. Abdominal bracing

11. The bench-press from the athletes view (the exact steps the trainee must perform and keep in mind while performing the bench press exercise)

12. The bench-press from the coaches’ viewpoint (what the trainer must look for and ensure while guiding the trainee to performing the correct bench press)

13. Grip and wrist positioning

Good photos and explanations to the dangers of using hyper extended wrists, suicide grips etc.

14. Bench press guidelines to a stronger lift;

Using the lats in benching, retracting shoulder blades, foot placement, cobra stretches (exercise for increasing the flexibility in the lower back), etc.

15. ‘Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Pattern’ development:

Basically stuff about working the muscles synergistically, correct posture, balance, etc.

16. Major muscles used during the bench press

Pretty technical. Though there are also exercises and photographs in this section.

17. Muscle actions during the bench press movement. 18. Concentric muscle actions during the bench press movement. 19. Rotator cuff muscles

These three chapters are excellent for the sheer variety of exercises (with photographs) explained. The chapters are an encyclopedia of exercises in themselves. There are some great exercises for exercising and strengthening the rotator cuffs.

I also picked out many names belonging to muscles that I’ve never heard of before. Here are some of them; Extensor Digitorum Extensor, Digiti Minimi Brachioradialis Flexor, and Digitorum Superficialis. There are not even any sketches or diagrams locating these muscles or explaining them. I do hope the authors take note of this and include explanatory diagrams at least in their next edition.

20. Exercises for improvement in the various stages of the movement

21. Bar speed enhancement;

Band training from West Side Barbell Club!

22. Different training methods

23. Nine advantages of using partial movements

24. Breaking the move down for closer technique examination

Video taping yourself while performing bench presses, sticking points, etc.

25. Self-massage- by Tamera Snelling

Fifty pages that I skipped! The notes actually seemed pretty good and would be very interesting for someone interested in the subject.

26. Recovery methods

Contrast baths, music, cross training, ice massage, static stretching, etc.

27. Appendix A-Shoulder pain and injury resistance training

28. Appendix B-Repetition hyperbole exposed

29. Appendix C-Loading patterns

30. Appendix D-The Bench press check performance list

31. Appendix E-Essential items

32. Appendix F-Elastic band cautionary notes

33. Appendix G-Grip anatomy

34. Appendix H-Description of Body Work Modalities

35. Appendix I-Building your personal strength home gym

I’ve already mentioned at the beginning the last chapters (appendix A – I) are very interesting.

One of the drawbacks of UBPM is that it does not include a specific training program. Something like; Tuesday you will perform the following exercises for the following number of sets and reps. And Thursday you will do these exercises and so on. Bench press manuals a fourth of this size include training programs. UBPM must provide a good training program.

Another one of the drawbacks is that there is absolutely no information on nutrition in this book. I can understand that UBPM already being a huge book additional information on diet might make it too big; but with a little more editing and tightening up of the 253 pages a good amount of space could be created to include at least one chapter on nutrition.

Rating 3 1/2 stars on a 4 point scale!

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The Ultimate Bench Press Manual
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