Guillotine press! Awesome exercise to grow your breasts

Share:

What you need

• T-neck

The bent-over T-bar row is a fairly effective exercise for developing back muscles. Fans of crossfit, fitness and bodybuilding often use it instead of bent over rows of a barbell or dumbbell, and there are reasons for this: the axial load on the spine is reduced, and it becomes easier to concentrate on working the latissimus dorsi muscles.

Depending on the position of the body, you can pull the projectile to the chest or to the belt. This also changes the load. You can focus it on both the upper back and the lower part of the latissimus muscles. It is also worth noting that first of all, this exercise, like other horizontal rows, develops the thickness of the back, and not its width. To make your back wider, you need to pay more attention to performing vertical rows, such as pull-ups and wide-grip lat pulldowns.

In this article we will tell you how to properly perform a bent-over T-bar row and what are the benefits of this exercise.

Advantages and disadvantages

In order to understand whether we should even devote time to the Svend Press, we need to weigh the pros and cons.

Advantages

• The pectoral muscles receive not only dynamic (movement) load, but also isometric (maximum tension). Due to this, the strength of the pectoral muscles increases. And performance increases in such basic exercises as bench press or dumbbell bench press.
• No bulky exercise equipment is required to perform. Therefore, it can be done not only in the gym, but also at home.
• Thanks to the close position of the hands relative to each other. The inner part of the chest is being worked on.
• The Svend press is performed with light weight, so the risk of injury is minimal.
• By performing the exercise while standing, the abdominal muscles are included in the work.
• The serratus anterior muscles are actively worked.
• During the exercise, the pectorals are under load all the time. Since we have to squeeze the disks so that they do not fall. This makes the exercise even more effective.
• Improving the definition of the pectoral muscles.

Flaws

• It is impossible to build muscle mass. Yes, unfortunately, this exercise in its classical execution can only affect the relief and strength of the pectorals. But this will not increase the mass.

• It's difficult to progress. If you want to add weight, this will be problematic. Since the exercise is one of the difficult ones.

Benefits of exercise

The main benefits of the T-bar or bent-over barbell row are that it makes your back stronger. This is the basis of any strength sport. Without a strong upper back, there will be no heavy squats, bench presses, deadlifts, or other compound movements. The back becomes not only stronger, but also larger. Note to men: according to statistics, most women first notice well-developed back muscles, for them this serves as a kind of indicator of attractiveness.

It also works on a huge number of small stabilizer muscles. The tilted position is not entirely stable, and we have to use all possible muscle groups to maintain balance. It will not be possible to “hook” them with other exercises.

The handle on most T-bars is designed in such a way that you can use any grip: wide, narrow, medium, straight, reverse, parallel...

This gives you the opportunity to work different muscle fibers and different areas of your back with one exercise. It is enough just to change the position of your hands in each approach.

What muscles does the Svend Press work?

As we said earlier, this exercise works the pectoral muscles.

. Since we are using their main function. Namely, bringing the shoulder to the center. Due to the close placement of the hands, we can work on the central part of the pectorals. Although scientists say that it is impossible to focus on these departments. But most athletes refute this opinion. Proving you are right with the development of your pecs. By doing this exercise, you will also notice a burning sensation in this area.

the serratus anterior muscles take an active part in the exercise

They work when the shoulder blades are pulled back.

And of course, stabilizer muscles that help us maintain weight and an even body position.

• Abdominal muscles
• Forearms
• Back straighteners
• And of course the legs

Svend press

Guillotine press

The guillotine press or guillotine barbell press is an exercise that was invented by one of the greatest trainers, Vincent Gironda.

Once upon a time, Arnold Schwarzenegger himself was among his students.

Before we talk about the technique of performing this exercise, let's remember the anatomy of the pectoral muscles.

Here is the anatomy of the pectoral muscles:

We see that the pectoral muscles consist of:

• Pectoralis major (m. pectoralis major) – brings the arm to the body, turns it inward (pronation), and the part that is attached to the collarbone bends the arm and is involved in pulling the body when climbing somewhere;
• Pectoralis Minor (m. pectoralis minor) – when contracting, pulls the scapula forward and down;
• The serratus anterior muscle (m. serratus anterior), together with the rhomboid muscle, which is also attached to the medial edge of the scapula, forms a wide muscle loop that covers the body and presses the scapula to it;

The pectoral (pectoral) muscles are unique in nature because they attach at different angles to the sternum and collarbone.

Visually, you can see the letter “G” if you pay attention to their fastening.

That is why they need to be trained from different angles to maximize the involvement of all muscle fibers of the chest.

But the guillotine press is a unique exercise because... is capable of involving almost the entire chest mass into work, and is also extremely effective.

The fact is that when studying the electrical activity of muscles using EMG (electromyography), it was found that the guillotine is only 2-3% less effective for the UPPER CHEST than the dumbbell bench press, but for the middle and lower chest it has been proven that it is best exercise.

Moreover, Bret Contreras studied the involvement of muscle fibers precisely from the point of view of muscle growth, and not strength growth, which is especially important for us.

Exercise technique

The technique is simple, but it’s better to start practicing it without weights. And then gradually increase the weight. But remember, even professional athletes rarely reach heavy weights. Basically these are 2 weights from a barbell, each weighing 10 kilograms.

Initial position:

• Take two barbell discs in your hands and fold them in front of you, holding them between your palms. This happens due to tension in the pectoral muscles, not the arms.
• Stand up straight. Bend your legs slightly at the knees for greater stability.
• Raise your elbows up until your forearms are parallel to the floor.
• Pull your shoulders back until your shoulder blades are completely brought together. To stretch the pectoral muscles as much as possible.

Performance:

• As you exhale, we begin the movement, simultaneously with your shoulders and arms forward. Until they are completely straightened.
• Our movement should resemble a basketball pass. That is, as if we are trying to throw discs to someone.
• At the end point, squeeze your pecs until you feel tension in the entire muscle.
• As you inhale, we begin to bend our arms and move the discs back. Then slowly move your shoulders back until your shoulder blades are completely brought together. By performing this exercise in this way, we use the full range of motion. Stretching your pectoral muscles as much as possible.

Remember, in the Svend press, our task is to feel the work of our target muscles. And not to set a strength record. As for moving your shoulders back, everything is simple. Remember how to do a regular BENCH PRESS. As we take the starting position, we also squeeze our shoulder blades together to push our chest out. This stretches the muscle fibers as much as possible.

Recommendations for implementation

• In the Svend press, you can work the top (clavicle part) or the middle of the pecs. To do this, we must perform the exercise along a different trajectory. For the clavicular part, we move our arms up a little, approximately to the level of the chin. The middle of the chest is worked on strictly horizontally.
• Do not stick your fingers into the disc holes. This way you will lose the main benefit of this exercise. Namely, constant static tension in the chest. Which occurs due to holding the weight using compression.
• Concentrate your attention on working your pectoral muscles. You should feel how they stretch and contract.
• Don't drop your elbows down. So all the load will go to the front deltoids.
• If you can't complete 10-15 reps per set. It means you took on too much weight.
• Beginner athletes are recommended to start with one weight plate. The effectiveness of this implementation will be significantly worse. But on the other hand, you can practice the movement itself.
• Professionals can use not two 5 kg disks, but three 2.5 kg disks. Yes, the weight will be less. But the compression force will have to be increased.
• If your palms sweat a lot. And you feel the pancake slipping out. Use magnesium. It will dry out your hands a little. If you don't have it. Then regular sports gloves will do.

All these technical points will help you get the most out of the exercise. Thanks to this you will save time and effort.

Recommendations

By following these recommendations, you will get much more positive effect from the press:

• In order to shift the load to the chest area as much as possible, we try to keep our shoulders and forearms in a position parallel to the floor. The lower the elbows, the more non-target muscles are included in the process - the anterior deltoids and biceps.
• In some cases, it is possible to move the weights along an upward trajectory. But in the process, the shoulders come into play. If there is no goal to emphasize the load, you can successfully practice this method of performing the Svend press.
• There is no need to help with weight lifting on your back. Stretching and contracting movements of the latissimus muscle greatly simplify the process, which negatively affects the results.
• We perform the exercise without pauses. We maintain a slow, calm pace, but do not stop at all. We constantly keep our muscles in good shape.
• If your hands slip, we recommend wearing gloves. This way you will stay healthy, avoid injury and maintain maximum technique.
• If during the exercise you cannot maintain the trajectory, we advise you to reduce the weight to a comfortable one, at which your arms will not “walk.”

Basic errors during execution

Too much weight

And again everything comes down to this problem. As already mentioned in this article. The Svend press is not a mass-gaining exercise. Therefore, there is no point in taking heavy weights. Yes, and doing this will be quite problematic. After all, the technique of execution requires its precise execution. And if you cannot hold the discs, then your legs will come under attack. Which they might fall on. Do you need such consequences? I think no. That's why we work on technology. Even with a weight of 2.5 kilograms.

Relaxation of the chest

If you feel that you no longer have the strength to squeeze the discs with your hands. Then just stop doing the exercise. And after you rest, reduce the weight and continue doing it for the specified number of times. If you don't take this break. Then there will be a risk of dropping the discs. This means that the legs will be hit again. Over time, your pecs will get stronger, and you will be able to safely do the set number of reps per set.

Converting the exercise into an arm extension

This is the most common mistake. Instead of pulling their shoulders back, people simply bend their arms. Thus, the movement is performed using the biceps, not the pectorals. But our task is not to develop the biceps brachii muscle. Therefore, we focus on breast work.

Advantages

• The Svend press is not a foundation or foundation. However, it perfectly strengthens the pectoral muscles and helps increase strength.
• When performing a bench press, your grip strength develops significantly, which is good for barbell bench presses or rows for the back muscle.
• The Svend press is often recommended for girls to restore breasts after childbirth and breastfeeding. This exercise perfectly tightens a “tired” bust.
• Using a bench press, you can shape the outline of your chest.
• The exercise is easy to master. It is not necessary to take heavy weights. Small pancakes are enough for successful work.

Interesting fact. The only noticeable drawback is the load on the ligaments of the chest and deltas. Many athletes experience discomfort when performing the exercise.

Execution options

In the world of bodybuilding, new exercises are constantly being invented. This helps to load the muscles in a new way and give them the necessary stimulus for growth. The same thing happened with Svend's bench press. And at the moment, we can distinguish two options that are most similar to the original. Although they are inferior to him in many ways.

Svend bench press with disc

This exercise is performed while lying on a bench. Everything is as in the classic version. We take the disk and squeeze it with our palms. And we begin to squeeze through the work of the chest. By performing the exercise while lying down, you can quickly increase the weight of the weight. But before you do this, listen to common sense. After all, if the pancakes fall out of your hands. Then the chest and face will be under attack. And this one is no longer a joke.

Svend press in the Smith machine

This is a very rare variation of this exercise. But it still happens. We lie down along the barbell. Takes it with both hands (one higher, the other lower). And we do bench presses. Of course, this exercise can be more close to a regular bench press. Only instead of a wide setting, we use a narrow one. But still, if we look at it from the point of view of the movement itself, there are similarities.

Inclusion in the training program

The Svend press is a more formative exercise. Therefore, it is mainly used at the end of a workout. Finishing off their pectoral muscles. But not everyone will be able to do this. Just imagine what you will feel like after heavy basic exercises, when you are already tired. We need to do one more exercise where the chest is in constant tension. And not 1 approach, but 3-4 for 10-15 repetitions. For me, this is just self-mockery.

It would be more rational to use it in the middle of a workout. Replacing the LYING DUMBBELL FLIES or CROSSOVER HANDS.

Also, many people do the Svend press before the basic ones. To fatigue the pectoral muscles. In short, you have the task of experimenting. And choose the optimal operating mode for yourself. And starting from it, find a place for this exercise.

As you can see, the Svend press has every right to exist. And our task is to restore it to its former glory.

Good luck to everyone in your training!