I was taught a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away that if you wanted a big bench you better lay the foundation and get a really big back! I have followed that advice my entire life. I work my back like crazy. Upper, lower, mid, everything that will help me bench-press the big weights. I see guys all the time negleticing the most important part of the bench equation all too many times then ask why they can bench big! I tell them your foundation is too small. Its like trying to squat with small quads or hammies. Its not happeneing. I make sure all my lifters understand this important info, and not just for the bench but for all your lifts. Your back is the biggest overall muscle you have. Work it! A big back will help you pull more (except for me!), a big back will help you squat more and handle that heavy weight resting on your back. If you have to think about weather you do enough back work then you probably need to do more.
My favorite back movements:
- bent over bb rows
- bb shrugs
- t bar rows
- wide grip lat pull downs
- wide grip seated rows
- seated bb overhead
- db rows
- pull ups
- standing pull downs
- deadlifts!
