Are you tired of doing the same old exercises like bench press and push-ups to get a toned chest? The Svend Press is an underrated but incredibly effective chest exercise that is gaining traction in gyms and home workouts.
This unique chest press variant offers a new avenue to target your chest, deltoids, and even your triceps. It’s a good choice for anyone who wants to try different exercises for their upper body.
In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the Svend Press, including how to do it, sets and reps, common mistakes, variations, alternatives, and more. We’ll also discuss the benefits of the Svend Press and who should do it.
So, let’s dive in
- What is Svend Press
- Svend Press Muscles Worked
- Primary Muscles Worked
- Secondary Muscles Worked
- Tertiary Benefits
- What Are The Benefits Of Svend Press
- How To Do Plate Svend Press
- Equipment Needed
- Steps
- Svend Press Proper Form And Technique
- Set, Reps And Frequency For Svend Press
- Svend Press Variations
- 1. Lying Plate Svend Press
- 2. Incline Svend Press
- 3. Dumbbell Svend Press
- 4. Svend Press With Dumbbell
- 5. Cable Svend Press
- Svend Press Alternatives
- People also ask
- Does Svend press work?
- What can I use instead of Svend press?
- Takeaways
- Know More About Chest Training
What is Svend Press
But what is a svend press? The Svend Press also known as the pinch press is a unique and challenging exercise that targets the pectoral muscles while also engaging the shoulders, triceps, and core. The Svend Press uses an isometric contraction, which can help build strength and emphasize the chest with a lighter weight.
The exercise is done by taking a few plates and pushing them together with your palms at your chest height, then slowly pushing your hands outwards while constantly pushing your hands against the plate. You can also add variations to the svend press by using a dumbbell or cable, or by doing it on a bench.
The standing squeeze press is not a major mass-building exercise.
- You can use it to warm up your chest at the start of a chest workout or to exhaust your chest at the end of the workout.
- You can also do a Svend press as a superset with a primary chest exercise, like the bench press. In other words, as soon as you complete a set of the bench press, you should perform the Svend press.
Svend Press Muscles Worked
Even when it comes to a simple question like what muscles do this exercise work, there are many discrepancies and different opinions.
Primary Muscles Worked
- Pectoralis Major: Svend Press primarily targets the chest.
Secondary Muscles Worked
- Deltoids: Your shoulders and especially your front deltoids will work isometrically to keep your arms and the weight up and moving in a straight path.
- Triceps: They play a role in controlling the motion as you bring your arms back to the starting position.
- Serratus Anterior: This muscle assists in the scapular movement and is often active in pressing movements.
- Core Muscles: muscles of the core work to stabilize the torso during the exercise.
Tertiary Benefits
- Grip Strength: the act of pressing them together works on your grip strength muscles to some extent.
- Forearm Muscles: The act of holding the weights and pressing them together will also engage forearm muscles.
What Are The Benefits Of Svend Press
Many people have their share of doubts about the standing svend press aka plate press. Its overall effectiveness as a muscle builder might be doubtable, but the exercise still has a few benefits.
- Excellent for building upper body size and endurance.
- The svend chest press is quite a budget-friendly exercise, meaning it doesn’t really need any special equipment. It is a good option for a home chest workout.
- The Svend chest press exercise will also help you enhance the mind-muscle connection.
- The horizontal position places less strain on the shoulder joints compared to an upright bench press using a barbell.
- It’s a different way to train your chest and front deltoids. Usually, when we train our muscles eccentrically meaning by movement, either by pulling or pushing heavy objects. Well, the svend press trains your muscles isometrically.
- Overcoming a bench press plateau.
- It can be used as a great finisher to your chest workout
How To Do Plate Svend Press
The Plate Svend Press is a specific version of the Svend Press exercise, where you use weight plates instead of dumbbells or other equipment. It is an alternative and free weight exercise that primarily targets the inner chest, and to a lesser degree that also targets the shoulders and the triceps.
Equipment Needed
- Two weight plates of the same weight (usually light to moderate weight, such as 5-10 lbs each)
Steps
- Starting Position: Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart for a stable base. Grab 2 plates and squeeze them together with your palms.
- Grip: Your grip should be firm, pressing the plates tightly together.
- Press Out: extend your arms straight out in front of you at chest level.
- Isometric Hold and Squeeze: hold for a second and focus on squeezing your chest muscles.
- Return to Starting Position: Slowly bring the plates back towards your chest.
- Repetition and Sets: Perform the 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions.
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Svend Press Proper Form And Technique
Here are some helpful hints (key elements to consider) on how to perform the Svend chest press exercise safely and effectively.
- Make sure to perform a decent and thorough warm-up before starting the exercise.
- Keep the weight pinched between your palms, and do not hold it any way with your fingers.
- When performing the svend press, try to keep your chest and pecs contracted and under tension throughout the exercise.
- Use as comfortable and smooth plates as possible, so it would be better to press your palms against them.
- Do not sway back and forth with your body. Moreover, avoid leaning backward or arching your back at all costs.
- This exercise is all about time under tension, so do not rush here and don’t move your arms too fast. The slower you go, the better.
- Try to move in as a straight path as possible and avoid dropping your arms, lifting them up, or swinging up and down.
- Don’t overdo it with weight. A heavier weight means your form and technique will largely suffer, and the effort will shift more to your shoulder muscles than your pecs.
- As this exercise depends largely on time under tension, then you should keep your repetitions longer, anywhere from 10 to 20 reps.
- Keep your core engaged, and your abs contracted and tight for the whole exercise.
Set, Reps And Frequency For Svend Press
The number of reps you should do depends on your goals, whether they are to increase strength or build muscle mass and endurance.
- For muscle growth, it is best to do for around 6–12 reps per set.
- Muscle Endurance, do 15-20+ reps per set.
| Level | Sets | Reps | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 2-3 | 8-12 | 1-2 times per week |
| Intermediate | 3-4 | 8-12 | 2-3 times per week |
| Advanced | 4-5 | 8-15 | 2-3 times per week |
Svend Press Variations
The variations are based on the equipment you use and the position you are in. For example, while the original version of this exercise is meant to be done while standing up, it can also be done either by lying down, kneeling, or even sitting.
Also, you can replace the weightlifting plates with a dumbbell, cable kettlebell, or even a medicine ball.
Here we will discuss the following Svend Press variations.
- Lying Svend Press
- Incline Svend Press
- Dumbbell Svend Press
- Kneeling svend press
- Cable Landmine Press
1. Lying Plate Svend Press
Lying svend press is a great and much more effective way to target and of course train your chest compared to the standing version. It can be used as a great at-home bench press alternative.
In this variation, you perform the exercise while lying flat on the bench or on the floor, with your weight on your chest.
The lying svend press will focus a lot more on your whole chest muscles because it’s an upwards pushing movement from a dead stop.
How To Do Lying Svend Press
- Lie down flat on the bench or on the floor. Press the plate and position them in the centre of your chest.
- Keeping the tension, press them up and away from your chest. Try to keep them in a straight line.
- Lower the weights down to your chest again, making sure to maintain the pressure between the plates throughout.
- Keep squeezing the weight and contracting your chest throughout the exercise. Once your arms are completely extended, pause the movement for a few seconds and then slowly return down.
2. Incline Svend Press
The incline variation is done by lying down on a 30 to 45-degree bench. It will target more of your upper chest muscles and your front deltoids.
Muscle Worked
- Primary muscles worked: Upper Chest, Front deltoids
- Secondary muscles worked: Lower chest, Middle deltoids, Biceps, Triceps, and Core
How To Do Incline Svend Press
- Grab a weight plate that you are able to handle.
- Get a workout bench and raise it to an incline.
- Bring the plates to the middle of your chest, extend your arms forward and slightly upward.
- Keep squeezing the weight and contracting your chest throughout the exercise, and then bring it back inward.
- Do this the desired number of times.
3. Dumbbell Svend Press
In this variation, you will be using a dumbbell or even two to perform the exercise. Using dumbbells will allow you to use more weight. It is especially good and useful while you perform the exercise lying position.
How To Do Dumbbell Svend Press
- Lie down on a bench and grab the dumbbell that you are able to handle.
- Press the dumbbells together and position them in the centre of your chest and then, keeping the tension, press them up and away from your chest.
- Lower the weights down to your chest again, making sure to maintain the pressure between the dumbbells throughout.
- Keep squeezing the weight and contracting your chest throughout the exercise. Once your arms are completely extended, pause the movement for a few seconds and then slowly return down.
4. Svend Press With Dumbbell
The Single Dumbbell Svend Press comes with a variety of unique benefits. You only need a single dumbbell to do this exercise, so it’s easy for people who don’t have a lot of gym equipment. You can easily switch to a heavier or lighter dumbbell.
The Dumbbell Svend Press improves your mind-muscle connection. It helps you better engage and activate your chest muscles.
How To Do Standing Single Dumbbell Svend Press
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight.
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands at chest height.
- Squeeze the dumbbell tightly between your palms.
- Slowly extend your arms straight out and slightly up until your elbows are completely locked out.
- Make sure you’re contracting your chest as hard as possible.
- Hold the position for a second or two.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell back to your chest.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
5. Cable Svend Press
The cable Svend press is a variation of the traditional Svend press that utilizes a cable machine rather than free weights. The cables will make the exercise more difficult because they will be constantly trying to pull your hands apart.
It can be done standing, kneeling, sitting, or even lying down.
How To Do Standing Cable Svend Press
- Set the pulley of the cable machine to shoulder level.
- Hold the handles of the cable machine with both hands, palms facing each other.
- Squeeze the handles tightly between your palms.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Slowly extend your arms straight out and slightly up until your elbows are completely locked out.
- Make sure you’re contracting your chest as hard as possible.
- Hold the position for a second or two.
- Slowly lower the handles back to your chest.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Svend Press Alternatives
Below are three alternative exercises to the Svend press that help increase chest strength and muscle hypertrophy.
- Dumbbell Floor Press
- The Landmine Chest Press
- Floor Press with Bands
People also ask
Does Svend press work?
Svend Press Exercise work the chest workout to increase muscle hypertrophy, and create chiseled and defined pectorals. The Svend press can be a great way to avoid strains on your shoulder joints and rotator cuff while still increasing the muscle growth of your chest muscles.
What can I use instead of Svend press?
There are many other exercises that are better than the svend press for training the chest muscles. Below are three alternative exercises to the Svend press that help increase chest strength and muscular size.
- Dumbbell Floor Press
- The Landmine Chest Press
- Floor Press with Bands
Takeaways
The Svend press would primarily boost your chest, so it appears that other accessory exercises such as dips, pushups, and flyes will do much more than that for chest growth. The Svend press does, however, have specific uses.
It can be used to diversify your chest workout and can even help overcome stagnation and help you make continued progress.
Know More About Chest Training
- 10 Best Chest Workout With Dumbbells at Home or Gym
- Incline Chest Fly: Benefits, Muscles Worked, Form
- Upper Chest Cable Exercises for Bigger & Stronger Chest
- Lower Chest Dumbbell Exercises to Build Muscle & Definition
- 12 Chest and Triceps Workout With Dumbbells for Muscle
Manish brings over 10 years of hands-on experience in weight lifting and fat loss to fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.
Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.