Board press for a raw lifter.

[Sergeant]

I lift to be strong. I don't plan on competing and will probably never buy a bench shirt. Will board presses help me and if so how many boards should I use. I do use a cambered bar every other week as I am weeker on the bottom will the opposite help?

[Screwball]

If your bench is weak right off your chest then good exercises to eliminate the weakness are:

Cambered Bar Presses
Illegal Wides
Dumbbell work (full ROM)
Exercises that work the lats & upper back

If you have a sticking point at any point 1"-2" above your chest up to your lockout range then you need to work your boards at the height where your sticking point lies. If your typical sticking point is 3"-5" off your chest then you need to work:

2-3-4 Boards
Floor Presses
Pin Presses
1/2-3/4 Presses

[brianmincher]

I compete in a double denim shirt. But I can bench more now without a shirt than I could 8 months ago with a shirt, and let me tell you, I get a lot out of a shirt. Things that make you stronger, like good exercises, increasing bar speed, increasing maximal strength, will benefit you whether you wear a poly shirt, a denim shirt, single layer, double layer, or no shirt at all. If you don't get stronger, your bench will not go up, shirt, raw, whatever.

Work in the different board presses on max effort day. Getting the bar off your chest is often a product of bar speed, and the ability to stay tight in the bottom of the lift. To get the bar off the chest as fast as possible, train for speed, and get your lats and upper back built up. Also do a lot of work for your rotators.

Good luck,

B