The California Barbell Press is a powerful basic exercise for pumping the triceps. It is quite rare but quite effective.
Content
It is a hybrid of two movements - a bench press with a narrow grip and extension to the triceps.
Not everyone has heard about it, and even more so, not many people know how to perform it correctly.
The movement is also called JM-press, in honor of the creator Jim Blakely (J.M Blakely). However, as Jim himself admitted, he spied him from the legendary powerlifter Louis Simmons.
Applications and benefits
It can be used in any strength training, both in bodybuilding and in powerlifting and strong. However, beginners should first learn simpler exercises, and then proceed to perform the California bench press.
The main advantage is a comprehensive study of the entire triceps.
Variations
There are two variations of the technique, the first is the original, which is used in the American power school.
The main difference of the second variation is characterized by the fact that approximately in the second phase of the movement, a fairly strong displacement of the bar occurs and then its rise.
However, this is not all, the lowering of the bar here does not occur along a straight path, but along an arc.
California bench press techniques
So let's first consider the first option, which the primary sources talk about:
- We take the starting position on the bench, the shoulder blades are tightly pressed, emphasis on the legs;
We take the neck with a narrow grip, the elbows are brought together and pressed to the sides;
We carry out the lowering of the bar clearly along a straight path approximately to eye level, while the elbows are directed forward
In the same trajectory, we raise the neck back up
Don't lower the bar too low when your biceps touch your forearms, this is the extreme low point. This is especially true for those with long arms.
Watch the technique for performing this variation in the video:
And now the second variation
The first phase is lowering the bar to the forehead in an arc
The second phase is the displacement of the neck to the chest.
The third phase is pushing the bar back up.
As you can see, the principle of performing this exercise is similar to the narrow grip bench press familiar to everyone, but with some differences in technique. Which option to choose is up to you, but there is every reason to trust the primary source more, and these are the students of Louis Simmons and Westside Barbell.
It’s definitely not worth chasing the working weight here, first you need to clearly work out the movement itself so as not to lose its effectiveness.
You can use the California bench press not on every triceps workout, but sometimes alternate it with others. However, remember that as a finisher it is quite difficult to perform, so prioritize correctly.
