Train the Upper Body in More Than One Plane

The bench press is horizontal.

That does not mean every upper-body exercise should be.

Powerlifters may perform several weekly bench variations, horizontal rows, pec work, and triceps work while giving very little attention to other directions of shoulder and scapular movement.

That can create a very narrow training menu.

Keep Competition Work Specific

The competition bench should remain specific.

Accessory work has more freedom.

Vertical pulling, landmine pressing, incline work, single-arm rows, pulldowns, and diagonal cable patterns expose the upper body to positions the competition bench does not provide.

This can help build muscular development around the shoulders and upper back while distributing accessory stress across multiple patterns.

Use Accessories to Fill What Competition Training Omits

The idea here is to organize accessory movements by direction of movement, rather than simply muscle group.

One simple model:

Horizontal: bench variations and rows
Vertical: pulldowns, chin variations, overhead patterns
Diagonal: landmine presses, cable rows and presses on an angle

Powerlifters do not need equal volume in every direction.

Competition specificity still wins.

But accessories can strengthen what highly repetitive competition training leaves relatively underexposed.

That makes accessory work more than “extra bench muscles.”

It becomes a way to build an upper body capable of tolerating a great deal of bench pressing.

Exclusive Powerlifting.com content drawing on published research and industry expertise to ensure accuracy and relevance for powerlifters. Certain statements in this article represent the author’s perspective and may not reflect the views of Powerlifting.com.