Many in the fitness and lifting communities have claimed that the lats are important for bench press performance. Is this true, or do we need to dig deeper?
This study confirmed the popular theory that using a mind-muscle connection can increase muscle activation. Subjects were able to increase activation in either their pectorals or triceps depending on coaching cues during the bench press. Source: Snyder, B. J., & Fry, W. R. (2012). Effect of verbal instruction on muscle activity during the bench press […]
Accessory exercises can be important for improving strength in the bench press. This study found that dumbbell bench and dumbbell flyes induced similar amounts of pectoral activation when compared to barbell bench. This means that these movements can be used to further strengthen the chest muscles in new ways as opposed to just bench pressing. […]
