Norwegian bodybuilder’s exercise for pumping chest. Learning how to perform the Svend bench press

The exercise was invented by Norwegian powerlifter Svend Carlson, the author of many strength records. It looks quite simple, but the first impression can be deceptive. Svend’s press can give a full load only in combination with other exercises.

Pasaules klases fitnesa treneris

Most often, exercises that bear the names of athletes from professional bodybuilding are not suitable for everyone. So, if you have started exercising quite recently, it is unlikely that they will help you to achieve your sporting goals.

What is the Svend bench press?

This is an isolated exercise for the pectoral muscles, which came to the world of fitness from bodybuilding. It should be understood that it can be used only as a preliminary fatigue or in a set with basic pectoral exercises. It will not pump up the chest, it is only needed to give relief. The bench press is usually performed with pancakes clamped between the palms of the hands.

Pre-fatigue is a technique that allows your muscles to develop and pump evenly. Before you begin the main set of exercises, you perform additional ones to work out the accessory muscles. They will get tired, and during the workout the main load will be taken by the muscle group you need.

What muscles are worked when performing the Svend bench press?

It simultaneously works several large muscles: some to a greater extent, some to a lesser extent. With proper technique, the main load is on the large pectoral muscle, but the anterior delta, triceps and biceps are also involved.

Boris Ilyin: in this exercise pectoral muscles, biceps and delts work in isometric mode.

How to do the Svend bench press correctly?

The main difficulty is not in the technique. The Svend bench press is done quite simply, it all depends on the weight you choose. If it’s your first time, start with a small weight, which you may not have worked with in other exercises for a long time. But when you feel confident, you can gradually raise the bar.

Tehnika

• Starting position: feet at pelvic width, legs slightly bent at the knees.
• Take one or two disks and clasp them between your palms at chest level.
• Bend your arms at the elbow and tense your abdominal muscles.
• Squeeze the disks with your hands, exerting constant pressure on them.
• On exhalation, unfold your arms in the elbow joints in front of you strictly in a horizontal plane, continuing to keep pressure on the palms.
• Ieelpojot atgriezieties sākuma pozīcijā.
• Keep a moderate pace, do not hurry.

Boris Ilyin: extend and flex your arms strictly in a horizontal plane. Bring the humerus as close to the body as possible. Keep pressure on the palms throughout the exercise.

Variations of the Svend bench press

It is original in itself, but even more interesting it can be made by different variations of performance, and there are plenty of them. Everyone will be able to find something to his taste.

1. Standing with disks.
2. Lying down with disks.
3. Lying down with a dumbbell.

The Svend bench press with a “pancake” is performed in the same way as the classic one, but now you lie down instead of standing. Here you can see what you like. The important thing is that the variant with lying down allows you to better emphasize the work of the pecs, rather than the initial position of standing and holding the body and abdominal muscles. So it’s kind of easier.

As for Svend’s dumbbell bench press, it’s the same. Only the pressure is exerted with the palms of the hands on the handle, not on the disks.

Boris Ilyin: in fact, this bench press is rarely done with a dumbbell. It is better to take 2-3 disks of 5 kg. The larger the support area, the more pressure and more motor units are statically involved in the work.

Who is suitable for the Svend bench press?

We already said that this exercise was invented by a professional athlete for bodybuilders. So if you’re strictly into fitness and decide to try iron pulling, this isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. We also don’t recommend the Svend bench press to people who have recently gotten into the sport, it will be ineffective.

But for those who already have a developed large pectoral muscle and want to improve its relief or eliminate asymmetry, the Svend bench press will be perfect.

What is a substitute for the Svend bench press?

There are no direct health contraindications to this exercise. But suppose you are looking for another similar exercise. Let’s say at once that an identical isometric load is quite difficult to find.

As a variant in terms of trajectory and plane of motion, we suggest horizontal shoulder adduction in a trainer with a pause at the end point, as well as shoulder flexion and adduction in a DRT (double adjustable pull) or in a crossover. Also with pause and slow negative phase.