Board Bench Press: Alternatives for Lockout Strength, Triceps, and Shoulder Health

What is an alternative to a board bench press?

For individuals seeking to replicate the benefits of a board bench press—such as enhanced lockout strength, triceps development, or reduced shoulder stress at the bottom of the lift—numerous effective alternatives exist, ranging from other partial range-of-motion exercises to targeted accessory movements.

Understanding the Board Bench Press: Its Purpose and Benefits

The board bench press involves placing one or more boards on an lifter's chest, reducing the range of motion (ROM) of the barbell bench press. This technique is commonly used in powerlifting training and by strength athletes for several specific purposes:

• Overloading the Top Range: By shortening the ROM, lifters can handle heavier loads than their full-range maximum. This allows for supramaximal training in the stronger, lockout portion of the lift, enhancing strength and confidence with heavier weights.
• Triceps Development: The reduced ROM, particularly when using multiple boards, shifts a greater proportion of the work to the triceps and anterior deltoids, as the chest's contribution is minimized in the top half of the press.
• Strengthening Sticking Points: For lifters who fail at or near lockout, the board press helps to build strength in this specific range, directly addressing a common weakness.
• Shoulder Health: By preventing the bar from descending to the chest, the board press can reduce the stress on the shoulder joint, making it a viable option for individuals with shoulder impingement or discomfort at the bottom of a full bench press.
• Specificity for Powerlifting: It helps powerlifters practice the "feel" of heavy weights without the full eccentric demand, contributing to meet-specific preparation.

Categories of Alternatives: Targeting Specific Goals

When seeking an alternative to the board bench press, it's crucial to identify which primary benefit you aim to replicate. Alternatives generally fall into categories based on whether they focus on partial range of motion, triceps emphasis, or overall pressing strength with reduced shoulder strain.

Alternatives for Lockout Strength and Triceps Development

These exercises mimic the board press's ability to overload the top portion of the lift and heavily recruit the triceps.

• Floor Press:
  • Description: Performed lying on the floor, the elbows naturally stop when they contact the ground, creating a built-in reduced range of motion similar to a 2-3 board press.
  • Benefits: Excellent for triceps and lockout strength, naturally limits shoulder external rotation at the bottom, making it very shoulder-friendly. It also eliminates leg drive, forcing greater upper body stability and pressing power.
  • Variations: Can be performed with barbells, dumbbells (allowing for more natural wrist rotation), or even kettlebells.
• Pin Press (Rack Press):
  • Description: Performed inside a power rack with safety pins set at a desired height (e.g., just above the chest, mid-range, or near lockout). The lift starts from a dead stop on the pins.
  • Benefits: Allows for precise control over the starting point and range of motion. It eliminates the stretch reflex, forcing maximal concentric contraction from a static position, which is highly effective for building strength through specific sticking points and developing explosive power. Offers extreme overload potential in the top range.
  • Setup: Ensure the pins are set symmetrically and at the desired height.
• Close-Grip Bench Press:
  • Description: Performed with a narrower grip than a standard bench press (typically shoulder-width or slightly narrower), placing a greater emphasis on the triceps.
  • Benefits: Directly targets the triceps and contributes significantly to lockout strength in the bench press. It's a full range-of-motion exercise that still heavily involves the triceps.
  • Considerations: Too narrow a grip can place undue stress on the wrists and elbows. Find a grip that feels natural and allows for maximal triceps activation without discomfort.
• Weighted Dips:
  • Description: A compound bodyweight exercise performed on parallel bars, where the body is lowered by bending the elbows and shoulders, then pressed back up. Weight can be added via a dip belt.
  • Benefits: Highly effective for developing the triceps, lower chest, and anterior deltoids. It allows for a significant overload and can build substantial pressing strength, particularly in the lockout phase.
  • Progression: Start with bodyweight, then gradually add weight as strength improves.

Alternatives for Shoulder Health and Reduced Range of Motion

These options are suitable for those who use a board press primarily to mitigate shoulder discomfort or stress.

• Dumbbell Floor Press:
  • Benefits: Offers the same reduced ROM and triceps emphasis as the barbell floor press but with added advantages. Dumbbells allow for independent arm movement, promoting greater unilateral stability and balance. They also permit a neutral grip or a more natural rotational path for the wrists and shoulders, which can be even more comfortable for sensitive shoulders.
• Spoto Press:
  • Description: Named after powerlifter Eric Spoto, this variation involves lowering the bar to a specific distance above the chest (e.g., 1-3 inches) and pausing there for a count (1-3 seconds) before pressing back up, without touching the chest.
  • Benefits: Mimics the reduced ROM without needing boards, while the pause increases time under tension and forces greater control and stability throughout the mid-range. It builds strength at the bottom of the press without the "bounce" or stretch reflex, improving force generation from a dead stop.
• Paused Bench Press (Mid-Range Pause):
  • Description: Similar to the Spoto press, but the pause occurs at the chest (or just above it) for a specified duration before pressing. A mid-range pause involves stopping the bar at a point where you typically struggle, holding it, and then completing the press.
  • Benefits: Improves strength through specific sticking points, enhances control, and increases muscle activation. The static hold challenges stability and builds isometric strength.

Accessory Exercises for Specific Muscle Groups

While not direct "bench press" alternatives, these exercises strengthen the primary movers involved in the board press, supporting overall pressing strength.

• Overhead Triceps Extensions (various forms):
  • Examples: Dumbbell overhead extension (single or dual arm), cable overhead extension.
  • Benefits: Directly targets the long head of the triceps, which is crucial for lockout strength and overall triceps mass.
• Skullcrushers (Lying Triceps Extensions):
  • Examples: Barbell, EZ bar, or dumbbell skullcrushers.
  • Benefits: Isolates all three heads of the triceps, effectively building strength and size necessary for the final push in any pressing movement.
• Push-Ups (various forms):
  • Examples: Elevated, decline, weighted, deficit, diamond push-ups.
  • Benefits: A versatile bodyweight exercise that builds foundational pressing strength, core stability, and can be modified to emphasize triceps (diamond push-ups) or chest (decline push-ups).

Selecting the Right Alternative

Choosing the most suitable alternative depends on your individual goals and circumstances:

• Identify Your Primary Goal: Are you aiming for maximal lockout strength, triceps hypertrophy, or a shoulder-friendly pressing option? Your goal will dictate the most appropriate alternative.
• Assess Your Equipment: Do you have access to a power rack for pin presses, or are you limited to dumbbells and bodyweight?
• Consider Your Current Strength and Mobility: Some alternatives, like weighted dips, require a baseline level of strength. Others, like the Spoto press, demand excellent control.
• Listen to Your Body: Always prioritize pain-free movement. If an exercise causes discomfort, explore another option.

Conclusion

The board bench press is a valuable tool, but it is not indispensable. By understanding its specific benefits, you can strategically select from a wide array of alternatives that effectively target lockout strength, triceps development, or provide a safer pressing option for your shoulders. Incorporating these variations into your training can help you continue to build pressing strength and muscle mass, addressing specific weaknesses and promoting long-term progress.