Australian powerlifter Vasa Samataua has a personal best bench press of more than 600 pounds and recently shared his top three steps for lifting heavier.
“There’s three things that you need to remember,” said Samataua, who has a bench press PR of 611.7 pounds (277.5 kilograms) and is a regular top 5 competitor on the powerlifting circuit. Like Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Samataua trains under Sebastian Oreb and recently laid it all out on Instagram, so if you’re ready to boost your bench-pressing game, give these pointers a try.
Step 1: Your Feet
Knowing exactly where to place the feet during a bench press is often a cause for confusion, and a heels-up approach may not work for all, but if you have good mobility and want to try something different, this could spell success for you. “Slide your feet back as far as you can,” explained the powerlifter. By moving his feet back so that they are practically underneath his hips, the heels become raised off the floor.
In the demonstration, Samataua pushed down on the balls of his feet rather than his heels. The 45-degree angle that his feet were at meant that his heels wouldn’t connect with the floor. Pushing down with the balls of the feet allows for better leg drive and stability and puts the feet in an arched position that generates more power.
Step 2: Your Shoulders
“The position I want you in is the same position as what you would achieve in a lat pulldown,” explained Samataua, who showed that by mimicking a lat pulldown motion while lying on the bench, your shoulders will be square rather than rounded, and your hands will grip the barbell in the correct position, wider than shoulder width apart.
Step 3: Your Breath
Lifters are often told to inhale on the negative and exhale during the positive part of an exercise but holding on to your breath during short sets can be a great way to center yourself during heavy movements.
“Hold your breath for as long as you can from start to finish,” explained Samataua, who uses the stillness of his torso to maintain stability, bracing his core as he goes through the bench-pressing motions. This tip drew the most attention as users got to grips with the idea of holding their breath, but the same approach is also often utilized for maximum effect during deadlifts and squats. “If you feel like you’re going to pass out, tag me,” joked Samataua. Of course, putting safety first, remember that these are advanced steps for competitive powerlifters, so try going lighter with the weight while practicing your form. “Free benching tips form the strongest bencher I know,” praised The Australian Coach, Sebastian Oreb. What’s not to like?
To follow Vasa Samataua on Instagram, click here.
