Pushups: The Bench Builder

The simple movement that transforms your bench press potential

If your bench press has been stuck at the same weight for months, you're not alone. The bench press is notorious for creating stubborn plateaus that seem impossible to break. While most lifters chase complex solutions, the answer might be simpler than you think: pushups.

Why Pushups Work When Other Things Don't

The bench press relies heavily on upper body muscle mass, something that takes time to build. Your chest, shoulders, and triceps need significant muscle tissue to press heavy weights. Pushups provide the perfect tool for building this muscle without the recovery demands of heavy barbell work.

Think of pushups as your daily muscle-building supplement. They stimulate muscle growth consistently while allowing your body to recover from intense bench press sessions. This combination creates the perfect environment for breaking through plateaus.

Three Ways to Progress Your Pushups

Range of Motion Modifications Start where you are, not where you think you should be. Beginners can perform wall pushups or use an elevated surface like a bench. As you get stronger, progress to floor pushups, then deficit pushups (hands on blocks or bumpers), and eventually single-arm variations (one hand on a block or bumper plate).

Time Under Tension Training Building muscular endurance translates directly to better bench press performance. Try maximum pushup tests lasting 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Add slow tempos (3 seconds down, 2-second pause, 3 seconds up) to increase difficulty without adding weight.

Load Progression Once you can perform 50+ pushups easily, add resistance. Use a weighted vest, resistance bands, or have someone place a weight plate on your back. This progression builds the raw strength needed for heavier bench pressing.

Sample 3-Week Programs

Beginner: Week 1: Wall pushups 4×15, Week 2: pushups off a bar 4×15, Week 3: Floor pushups (as many as possible), then back to bar pushups 3x15

Intermediate: Week 1: Tempo pushups 5×10, Week 2: Deficit pushups 5×10, Week 3: Maximum pushups in 1 minute

Advanced: Week 1: Deficit pushups 8×10, Week 2: Weighted pushups 10×6, Week 3: Loaded pushups with pauses 10×6

Daily Implementation Protocol

Here's where the magic happens: pushups can be performed daily. Start with a modest 50 repetitions per day; think of it as your minimum effective dose of bench press improvement. Each week, add 10 repetitions until you reach 100 daily pushups. This systematic progression allows your body to adapt gradually while avoiding the recovery demands that plague heavier training methods.

The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity: distribute these repetitions throughout your day rather than grinding through them in a single soul-crushing session. Your shoulders will thank you, and your bench press will respond accordingly.

The Bottom Line

Pushups offer something rare in strength training: a movement you can do anywhere that directly improves your bench press. They build muscle, improve endurance, and enhance recovery between training sessions. Best of all, they require zero equipment and take just minutes per day.

Stop over complicating your bench press training. Sometimes the most effective solutions are also the simplest ones, though explaining why simple solutions work often requires considerably more complexity than the solutions themselves.