The Spoto Press is an awesome exercise that can help you build muscle and strength.
While it is usually employed by powerlifters to bring up their Bench Press, bodybuilders and casual lifters can benefit greatly from adding this exercise into their arsenal.
Activating the chest, shoulders, triceps, and upper back, this movement significantly increases time under tension (TUT) to make the Bench Press even more challenging.
What is The Spoto Press
Put simply, the Spoto Press is an invisible board press. You pause the bar an inch or two above your chest, killing any momentum from the stretch-reflex cycle dead.
The beauty of this movement is that you can pause wherever you want — starting the lift from any sticking point or weakness.
First pioneered by former Bench Press world record holder Eric Spoto, this eponymous variation of the Bench activates the pecs, triceps, and anterior deltoids while increasing TUT and stimulating your Central Nervous System (CNS) to become a more efficient Bench Presser.
The Spoto Press is typically used as an accessory movement to help lifters clear a midway sticking point — as most lifters are strong off the chest due to increased upper back activation — that can stifle your progress.
You can program the Spoto Press as a primary movement, but, be warned, it is very humbling and it isn’t advisable to attempt it at similar working loads to your Bench Press.
You should try 3 sets of 6 at 60-70% of your Bench Press 1 rep max to start.
And, as a word of caution, it is pretty taxing on your CNS and shoulders so be sure to do shoulder prehab work, mobility drills, and use it in training cycles rather than a staple.
Don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected] for personalized coaching and a client questionnaire if you’d like DEDICATED tailor-made personal training on strength training, building muscle, losing fat, developing athleticism, and more — all to your liking, lifestyle, habits, and taste!
Otherwise, don’t forget to claim your FREE eBook detailing how to lose 20lb of fat while building muscle in 12 weeks! You can claim it here.
Alternatively, you can pick up a FREE eBook on fundamental strength principles offering an introductory workout program.
