Historically various forms of bench pressing originated sometime in the 1920’s or 30’s. Athletes would lay on boxes, wooden benches or used a movement  similar to a wrestlers bridge. The wrestling bridge style was called the ‘belly toss’, from the floor with the weight situated across the lifter’s stomach, the athlete would accelerate the weight with their back and hips upwards locking out into a press position. In 1939 the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) moved to standardize the various modes of benching to a ‘pullover and press’ and addressed form and rules.

In the 1950’’s bench press stanchions began to become commonplace negating the need to pullover before pressing. The horizontal bench with uprights graced early gyms and the exercise became the hallmark of bodybuilding, powerlifting and athletics.

With the advent of modern technology this chest pressing exercise can be done in any position from horizontal to vertical. The Pendulum Shoulder/Incline machine allows an athlete to do the movement in an upright position. The seat back is set at an angle that limits arching and stresses all the anatomical structures that maximally augment the traditional horizontal flat back bench press. A great way to Get your chest, anterior shoulder and triceps Strong.

Training the Bench Press Movement on the Pendulum Shoulder/Incline Machine