Exercise Comparison
Bench Press - Powerlifting vs Lying Triceps Press
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Bench Press - Powerlifting
Instructions
Bench Press - Powerlifting
Begin by lying on the bench, getting your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement.
However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar. Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart.
Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
Lying Triceps Press
Lie on a flat bench with either an e-z bar (my preference) or a straight bar placed on the floor behind your head and your feet on the floor.
Grab the bar behind you, using a medium overhand (pronated) grip, and raise the bar in front of you at arms length. Tip: The arms should be perpendicular to the torso and the floor. The elbows should be tucked in. This is the starting position.
As you breathe in, slowly lower the weight until the bar lightly touches your forehead while keeping the upper arms and elbows stationary.
At that point, use the triceps to bring the weight back up to the starting position as you breathe out.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the triceps. Bench Press - Powerlifting is a intermediate exercise using barbell, while Lying Triceps Press is intermediate and uses e-z curl bar. Choose Bench Press - Powerlifting if you have access to barbell, or Lying Triceps Press if you prefer e-z curl bar. Bench Press - Powerlifting is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Lying Triceps Press isolates the target muscle for focused development.