The Secret to a Bigger Bench and Shoulders

The bench press has been considered the ultimate test of upper-body strength since time immemorial. It is also one of the first exercises you learn upon starting your training journey.

It is no secret that some people are better at this exercise than others. While most believe that the superior performance is the result of favorable genetics and biomechanics (bigger chest and shorter arms), the real difference actually comes down to training technique.

As a personal trainer with almost two decades in the trenches, I’ve helped countless lifters break through a bench press rut by addressing an often overlooked issue: scapular strength.

In this article, I’ll share three simple exercises that’ll help you overcome sticking points during bench presses by building scapular and overall pushing strength. These versatile movements will also help avoid shoulder aches and limit injury risk.

Note: The content on Fitness Volt is for informative purposes only. Do not take it as medical advice to diagnose, prevent, or treat health problems. If you’re suffering from a health issue, are pregnant, or are under 18 years old, you should consult your physician before starting any new supplement, nutrition, or fitness routine.

The Role of Scapular Strength in Bench Press and Shoulder Health

Your scapulae (shoulder blades) are flat, triangular bones that sit on your upper back and are guided by upper body muscles, including the trapezius, rhomboids, and serratus anterior. They stabilize your shoulders during heavy lifts, ensuring maximum force is transferred to the bar.

Study the technique of elite powerlifters, and you’ll see the first thing they do when lying on the bench is dig their shoulder blades in.

Ignoring a proper setup and weak scapulae can create a shaky foundation under a heavy bar, hampering your performance and increasing the risk of getting hurt. Learning the right technique will keep your shoulders aligned during presses, allowing you to unleash your maximum strength.

On the flip side, without scapular control, your shoulders bear uneven stress, leading to impingement. This happens when weak scapulae misalign your shoulder joint, pinching tendons during presses, leading to pain, inflammation, and even injury.

Don’t believe me?

A study published in the Frontiers in Physiology journal concluded that lifters with better scapular control increased their bench press one-rep max by up to 10%. (1)

If you ever feel shoulder strain or pain after a bench press session, know that weak scapulae are to be blamed for it.

Scapular Stability and Bench Press Mechanics

A strong bench press hinges on scapular stability. For instance, your scapulae retract and depress as soon as you unrack the bar. This creates a solid base so you can push yourself to the limit without dealing with a wobbly bar and limit rotator cuff and delt strain.

Getting your scapulae in position isn’t just about upper body alignment. It also helps generate more force from your chest, core, and legs, maximizing power output. On the flip side, weak scapulae can force your shoulders to step in, leading to instability.

Many of my clients have added 20 pounds to their bench press within 12 weeks by mastering scapular control.

Why Scapular Weakness Holds You Back

As someone who spends most of his days in the gym, I notice many trainers have their shoulder blades jut out during push-ups. This is a sign of weak scapulae, serratus anterior, or rhomboids. While this might not feel like a big deal in the moment, leaving this issue unattended can invite several other problems in the long term.

Similarly, if your shoulders shrug or the bar drifts from the intended line of pull, it’ll make your joints work harder to compensate. This can hamper your performance and increase the odds of tendon and muscle inflammation or overuse injuries.

A lifter came to me claiming his bench had plateaued at 225 pounds for a year. He added that he experienced shoulder aches during pressing movements, which were strong signals that he needed to work on his scapular strength. He benched 245 pounds pain-free after six weeks of scapular-focused drills.

Contrary to what most people think, scapular training isn’t just for warming up before a session or rehab. These are underrated performance boosters that can enhance your stability and power every press.

The 3 Essential Scapular Strength Drills

Recognizing the signs of weak scapulae is the first step towards fixing this issue and achieving your maximum potential. Although this issue can cause significant damage, fixing it is relatively straightforward.

I’ve helped lifters transform their performance with three simple drills: scapular push-ups, band pull-aparts, and face pulls. Below, I’ll guide you through each lift:

Drill 1: Face Pulls

This movement targets the rear delts and traps, promoting scapular retraction and external rotation.

Some obsess over the bench press and train it every few days, hoping to break through a plateau. However, this can worsen the situation by leading to muscle imbalances and internal rotation.

Making face pulls a part of your arsenal can undo some of this damage if you find yourself in this unfortunate situation.

How To Perform Face Pulls:

You can perform this using a cable machine or resistance bands. We will stick to the banded variation for the sake of this demonstration.

1. Wrap a resistance band around a sturdy object like a pole at face height.
2. Take a big step back and assume a shoulder-width stance while holding either end of the resistance band in each hand with an overhand grip.
3. Your scapulae should be fully protracted, elbows extended, and band taut in the starting position.
4. Flex your elbows and drive them behind your midline in a sweeping motion. I tell my clients to think about bringing their thumbs to their ears.
5. Pause at the peak contraction before returning to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the desired reps.

Benefits:

Face pulls strengthen the rear delts and traps, setting the stage for heavy presses. This movement can also improve your upper body aesthetics, which is always a good bonus.

Remember, never let your elbows drop below shoulder height while performing this exercise, as it limits rear delt activation. Lower the weight if you find yourself leaning back and prioritize contracting the target muscles throughout the ROM.

Drill 2: Scapular Push-Ups

This push-up variation is incredibly effective for targeting the serratus anterior, which are the muscles that lock your shoulder blades against your ribcage. This helps stabilize your bench press while protecting your shoulders.

How To Perform Scapular Push-Ups: 

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and body in a straight line from head to heels.
2. Keeping your arms straight, bring your shoulder blades closer to each other (retraction).
3. Push through your hands and spread your shoulder blades apart (protraction).
4. Limit the movement to the shoulder blades throughout this exercise.
5. Repeat for the recommended reps.

Benefits & Common Mistakes:

Scapular push-ups build serratus anterior strength, creating a rock-solid base for pressing. They also enhance bench press stability, reduce shoulder strain, and improve posture.

In my opinion, this is also one of the most unintimidating exercises, making it excellent for people starting out on their fitness journey. If you cannot perform a bodyweight push-up, start with scapular push-ups until you develop the necessary strength.

At the same time, avoid shrugging your shoulders toward your ears while performing this exercise, as it disengages your scapulae and engages other muscles like the anterior delts, traps, rhomboids, and chest. Keep the movement restricted but perform it with a picture-perfect form.

Drill 3: Band Pull-Aparts 

This is one of the most underrated exercises for rear delts, rhomboids, and traps, which all play a key role in scapular retraction.

Making this movement a part of your exercise arsenal can create a stable platform for benching and improving posture. I’ve seen lifters fix slouched shoulders and boost their bench by just adding this exercise to their routine.

How To Perform Band Pull-Aparts: 

1. Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
2. Grab each end of a light resistance band with an overhand grip in front of your chest.
3. Pull the band apart by squeezing your shoulder blades together while keeping your shoulders relaxed, core braced, and elbows extended.
4. Pause briefly in the fully shortened position for optimal scapular activation.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.
6. The band should remain taut throughout the range of motion.

Advantages of Band Pull-Aparts:

People with desk jobs tend to develop a slouch, which can hinder their training performance and lead to other chronic health conditions. Band pull-aparts can counter the forward pull by strengthening your upper back.

It can also limit the risk of shoulder impingement and enhance scapular retraction, improving your performance on the bench and other pushing movements.

Band Pull-Apart Variations:

You can keep your workouts interesting by employing different variations of this exercise. Switch to an underhand grip to hit the target muscles from a different angle or slow down the rep tempo to increase the time under tension (TUT) and ignite new muscle growth. (2)

Using a wide grip shifts focus to the rhomboids, and a narrow grip fires up the traps.

Switching to a heavier band can help boost strength gains, whereas a lighter one allows you to focus on your endurance with more reps.

Programming Scapular Drills for Maximum Results

There are multiple ways to incorporate scapular drills into your workouts. I’ve laid down three different splits for lifters of varying experience levels:

Beginner: 3-Day Full-Body Split

Aim for three sets of 12-15 reps of each exercise to fix any weaknesses or imbalances. The goal here is to maximize muscle stimulation, so avoid the urge to lift super heavy.

Intermediate: 4-Day Upper/Lower Split

As you get comfortable with this new split, do two scapular drills in a single workout twice a week to speed up your progress.

Advanced: 5-Day Split

Lifters on a regimented bodybuilding program can perform the following exercises on chest, back, and shoulder days. Use any two of these drills on your recovery days to ease the tension and build a solid foundation.

Things To Consider For Improving Overall Shoulder Health

Improving scapular strength doesn’t end at performing these three exercises. You must also follow these steps to achieve your goals:

• Mobility Work: Make mobility training a part of your daily routine, as it can improve your posture and fire up muscles you didn’t know existed.
• Dynamic Warm-Ups and Static Stretching: These should be an indispensable part of your workouts as they can improve flexibility, performance, and recovery.
• Balance Your Workouts: Most have their strong suits. Some are stronger in pulling exercises, whereas others excel at pushing movements. Ignoring the lagging muscles can lead to muscle imbalances and subsequent plateaus.

Following a balanced routine ensures you don’t leave any muscle group unattended, which could hamper your training performance.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a gym novice or an elite athlete, working on scapular strength will help build a solid foundation that will improve your performance in training and day-to-day activities. Ignoring these muscles limits your potential and can increase injury risk.

Make these scapulae drills a part of your training routine and stay consistent to build a bigger bench and improve shoulder health. Start small and gradually increase the frequency and intensity of your scapular drills. Best of luck!

References:

Fitness Volt is committed to providing our readers with science-based information. We use only credible and peer-reviewed sources to support the information we share in our articles.

1. Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, Little JP, Cochran AJ, Hector AJ, Cashaback JG, Gibala MJ, Potvin JR, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012 Jan 15;590(2):351-62. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200. Epub 2011 Nov 21. PMID: 22106173; PMCID: PMC3285070.