STOP OVERLOADING YOUR PRESS: A Smarter Way to Bench Big

Oct 1

If you’ve been chasing a bigger bench press, chances are you’ve been told to overload your eccentric. The logic seems simple: if you can control heavier weights on the way down, you’ll naturally be stronger on the way up. But a new study suggests this approach may backfire. In fact, pushing your eccentrics too far might actually hurt your pressing mechanics instead of helping.

Strength training is full of misconceptions. Lifters often assume that “heavier is better,” especially on the eccentric phase of a lift. But when it comes to the bench press, more weight on the way down doesn’t automatically equal a bigger lift. If you want to increase your max safely and effectively, you need a smarter approach — one that overloads your muscles without compromising form or power output.

A recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) using 100–110% of your max on the lowering phase doesn’t consistently improve performance. In other words, overloading the negative can actually destroy your lift mechanics.

So, how should lifters overload their bench press? Let’s break it down, starting with the fundamentals.

Eccentric and Concentric Contractions

To understand why eccentric overload can be risky, you first need to understand the two key phases of every lift:

Concentric contraction: This is the lifting phase, when the muscle shortens. For the bench press, it’s the phase where you press the bar away from your chest. Concentric strength is what ultimately gets the bar moving and determines how much you can lift.
Eccentric contraction: This is the lowering phase, when the muscle lengthens under tension. In the bench press, it’s lowering the bar to your chest with control. Eccentric strength allows you to handle heavier loads, absorb force, and prepare for the concentric phase.

Both phases matter, but they are not interchangeable. Too often, lifters assume that maximizing eccentric overload automatically translates to better pressing strength. However, research shows this can lead to:

Compromised mechanics at the bottom of the lift
Reduced bar speed on the press
Increased risk of injury

Eccentric work is still valuable — it builds muscle and improves control — but it needs to be applied intelligently. This is where the study by Michalak et al. (2025) provides critical insight.

What Did the Study Find?

Michalak and colleagues examined how lifters performed when lowering weights at 100% or 110% of their max before pressing submaximal concentric loads (40–80% 1RM). The participants were 18 strength-trained men with an average bench press of 120 kg.

Here’s what they discovered:

Heavier eccentrics didn’t consistently improve pressing performance.
Even when the eccentric load was heavier than their max, lifters didn’t show significant gains in force, velocity, or power.
Concentric load mattered more than eccentric overload.
The amount of weight lifted concentrically (pressing up) had a larger effect on performance metrics than the AEL condition. In other words, practicing with appropriate concentric loads was more effective than smashing the negatives.
Too much eccentric weight disrupted mechanics.
Overloading eccentrics at or above 100% of your 1RM altered bar path and pressing mechanics, which reduced the potential benefit of the lift.

The takeaway? Simply adding more weight to the eccentric isn’t the golden ticket. If done excessively, it can impair technique, reduce bar speed, and ultimately hurt your bench instead of helping it.

3 Ways to Overload Your Bench Correctly

So, if crushing eccentrics isn’t the answer, how do you overload the bench press safely and effectively? Here are three proven strategies:

1. Heavy Holds

Heavy holds are a simple yet underused method to train the nervous system to handle heavier weights without destroying mechanics.

How to do it: Set up in a power rack with 105–110% of your max and hold the bar in the lockout position for 5–10 seconds.
Why it works: Your body learns to stabilize extremely heavy loads while maintaining proper shoulder, wrist, and back positions. This builds neuromuscular familiarity with weight heavier than your max, which can make your actual bench press feel lighter.
Common mistake: Holding too long or letting your form collapse. Keep the shoulder blades retracted, elbows locked, and spine tight.

Heavy holds prepare you for maximal efforts while protecting your pressing mechanics, unlike AEL at 100–110% eccentrics, which can throw the bar off path.

2. Slingshot Bench Press

The slingshot is a piece of equipment that allows you to overload the press safely.

How to do it: Wrap the slingshot around your upper arms and chest, then perform standard bench presses. The elastic assists at the bottom while letting you handle heavier loads at the top.
Why it works: You get the benefit of overloading without compromising technique. You can safely train at 105–110% of your max and reinforce correct bar path and shoulder mechanics.
Pro tip: Use slingshot work strategically — not for all sets, but as a tool to push heavier weights while maintaining control.

The slingshot essentially gives you the “eccentric overload effect” without the negative consequences of going too heavy on the lowering phase.

3. Eccentric Hooks (With Limits)

Eccentric hooks are chains or straps that increase load only on the lowering phase, then drop the weight at the bottom.

How to do it: Load 90–95% of your max on the eccentric, then release at the chest to press the bar concentrically.
Why it works: This overloads the muscles in the lowering phase without compromising the press at the bottom.
Key caution: Avoid going to 100% or beyond. The study shows that pushing eccentrics past max can disrupt mechanics and reduce performance.

Eccentric hooks are ideal for advanced lifters looking for controlled eccentric overload, but technique must remain a priority.

Speed Work MATTERS!

Not all overload is about moving heavier. Sometimes, the smartest way to improve your bench is by moving lighter weights faster.

How to do it: Use back-down sets at 50–70% of your max, focusing on bar speed and explosive acceleration.
Why it works: Submaximal speed work trains the neuromuscular system to generate power quickly, reinforces correct form, and improves sticking points.
Bonus: This type of training is easier on the joints and helps maintain bar path while teaching your muscles to fire efficiently.

Speed work complements heavy holds and slingshot variations, giving you a well-rounded approach to strength, power, and efficiency.

Think of it like sprinting vs. jogging. Max effort training is the sprint — you build absolute strength. Speed work is the jog with explosive bursts — you teach your body to apply that strength faster and more effectively. Both are necessary for a stronger bench.

Conclusion

Stop mindlessly overloading your bench press with crushing eccentrics. Research shows that more weight on the lowering phase doesn’t automatically make you stronger. Instead, focus on intelligent overload strategies that preserve mechanics while stimulating growth and strength.

Use heavy holds to teach your body to stabilize weight heavier than your max.
Use slingshot presses to handle heavier weights safely while reinforcing proper technique.
Use eccentric hooks carefully to overload the lowering phase without breaking form.
Don’t forget speed work — moving submaximal loads explosively reinforces acceleration and bar control.

Strength isn’t just about moving more weight — it’s about moving it better, faster, and more efficiently. Smart overload, paired with technique-focused training, is the key to a bigger, stronger, and safer bench press.

Sources:

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/2025/10000/the_effects_of_maximal_and_supramaximal.2.aspx

Joseph Lucero