Quite right: this press carries the name of the most legendary bodybuilder – Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, not the fact that he invented it. Most likely, it is not so. However, it seems that he “lit up” in front of the journalists’ chambers exactly during the performance of this press – that’s the name and was fixed.
Arnold’s wrestling on the full right is considered one of the best exercises for influencing the deltoid muscles of the shoulders. No bodybuilder can call himself a bodybuilder if he does not have pronounced bulges in this area of the body. It is they who give the figure a characteristic silhouette, along with developed broadest backs. Therefore, Arnold’s press certainly belongs to the category of exercises that every athlete must have in his arsenal without exception.
The Arnold wrestling, unlike many other exercises in bodybuilding, has no variations. That is done exclusively with dumbbells. Although it is permissible to perform both standing and sitting.
What muscles are trained by Arnold bench press
First of all, it is, of course, deltas. More precisely, the front and middle head. To some extent, the supraspinatus, located deep beneath the main deltoid, and subacute muscle, are involved.
Secondarily, the muscle-assistants develop: the trapezius muscle, the triceps, the upper part of the large pectoral muscle, the muscles of the clavicle, the jagged muscles of the ribs.
How to properly perform Arnold bench press
The technique of performing Arnold’s press is quite intricate. Before you start working with large weights, it is recommended for a beginner to practice a technique with vultures without tightening. However, it concerns, probably, all exercises.
If the bench press is sitting, then the back is recommended to hold strictly vertically, you can even make supports on the back of the bench at an angle of 90 degrees. However, in this case, the muscles-stabilizers will be excluded from the work. On the other hand, there will be a better working out of the main target group. It should also be remembered that with an isolated back, the risk of injury increases.
Take dumbbells in both hands so that the palms are in a “to yourself” position, and the vultures are at shoulder level. Elbows are recommended to keep in the initial position slightly forward or on one plane with the trunk.
Without lowering or raising your head, you need to make movement with your hands up, while turning your palms outward. The case should be rigidly stabilized, no cheating is allowed (except at the very end of the set and then a small one). Ensure that the chin is parallel to the floor plane.
In the final phase of the movement up the palms should be directed strictly from themselves, the deltas need to be kept in a state of tension. For a couple of seconds, fix this position.
Smoothly reverse the movement, constantly straining the muscles of the deltas. Palms gradually return to the starting position – “to yourself.”
Return to the starting position.
The secret of working out the deltas in this exercise is that in the initial phase, the front beams of the deltas take part in the work, and as the hands are raised and the palms are turned away, the averages are included. The very last phase stretches the latissimus muscles of the back.
Apparently, this is a remarkable exercise (it’s not for nothing that Arnold performed it so often), but at times for beginners it does not lead to the expected effect. And all because of the fact that they allow a number of unforgivable gross or minor mistakes.
Typical Ernold Arms Error
First, the hands do not always straighten up as much as possible. They linger for a while in a semi-bent position – and then there is a reverse movement. This is unacceptable, since there is no inclusion of the latissimus muscles of the back, nor is there a proper reduction in the trapezius and middle deltoid muscles.
Secondly, even experienced athletes often do not change the trajectory of movements for years. This does not apply to a gross error. However, in order for the muscles to respond more willingly to the load, you need to slightly change the trajectory of the movement from the usual one from time to time.
Thirdly (perhaps, this point should be inserted in the “first”), there is no warm-up phase. As a result – stretching, and even breaking the ligament or even muscle. Before the Arnold bench press, you must certainly perform a warm-up warm-up exercise, so that the ligaments and muscles improve their elasticity.
Fourthly, and this applies mostly to beginners, it is not necessary to take immediately large weights. Even if we admit that there will be no trauma, there can be no question of the correct technique of execution: here, as if to control the weight itself, and not to watch how to properly hold hands …
Early rotation of brushes is a gross error. Brushes should start to rotate about the moment when the palms cross the imaginary line of the top of the head. Thus, both front and side beams of deltas will be involved. If you start the rotation too early – the front deltas will be early and off from work.
It is also inadmissible to perform the exercise with jerks, as well as chilling with the hull.