The many benefits of using a bench sling
Many people ask what is the point of using a bench sling, or is it just cheating by helping you lift a bit more than you normally could?
One of the main benefits for training is the increase in strength that can be achieved by allowing more overload and more stimulation resulting in you being able to handle heavier weights. This then carries over to training without the sling too over a consistent period. If you have stagnated in your bench level for a while a sling can really be the thing to break you out of that plateau.
As a guideline we recommend that you build up to for example a 5 rep set so if you could bench press 100kg for a good set of 5 you can then overload by another 10% to 110kg for the same amount of reps. This gives your nervous system a taste of something more intense and promotes strength gain.
Note: There is a major difference between using a sling and using bands and that is the weight in your hands always stays the same (getting you used to it through all positions). with the bands the weight changes constantly as does the weight in your hands.
Other benefits:
- It keeps your elbows tucked and your form tight, promoting good benching habits.
- Builds lockout strength for all. Olympic lifters, cross fit athletes, Throwers etc.
- Training while injured. Many people can carry on training as it takes pressure off the shoulders and elbows and puts you in a perfect groove.
- Training with a strained pec. Used as part of rehab to ease back in to training with a strained pec.
- Can be used with many other exercises for example helping somebody to learn to do press ups and dips quicker or simply to overload these exercises.
Khalid Beasting out using our yaybprotein bench press sling to hit an all time PR of 150kg!