Increase Your Bench

Louie Simmons Special Exercise and Stretch

By Jim Smith, CSCS, RKC

As all of you know, I just got back from the first ever Westside Barbell certification.  I had a blast and learned a ton.  I worked on my bench, squat and deadlift form and learned the Westside methods.  I also got a chance to do a cool interview with my boy AJ Roberts.

While I was there, one lifter had a monster deadlift.  He was a big dude with long arms.  This is typically the body type for a good deadlifter but bad bencher.  His dead was 800+ but his bench was in the 500’s.  Louie had him lay on the bench to check his form out.  Louie noticed that his triceps were under developed and he could use some direct volume for this weakness.

As Louie went on to tell the crowd his favorite tricep exercise, I broke out the flip camera.  This is what he showed.

Louie Simmon’s Secret Tricep Exercise

The movement starts like a JM press and the barbell is lowered with the lifter flexing at the elbow.  The barbell is brought to the neck and the elbows are driven up.  From there, a powerful tricep extension drives the bar to lockout and the movement is repeated.  It goes like this:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Louie Simmon’s Secret Shoulder Stretch

Then Louie showed a stretch he uses for the shoulders and upper back.

Modifications

For many of us, the movement with the barbell is murder on the elbows.  The simple substitution of 2 dumbbells instead of the barbell will eliminate 99% of the elbow pain.  The dumbbells are held in neutral (with palms facing) and the exercise is performed.  Works perfectly.

Volume

You want to hit this exercise for lots of volume and AFTER your primary worksets.  Look to hit 3-4 sets x 12-20 reps.

What to do NEXT

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