Increase starting strength with this lift. Bring the bar down controlled and rest it for a half-second without letting the bar sink. Accelerate with as much force and speed as possible.
Medium-grip dead start bench presses build starting strength in the horizontal push pattern. Using a medium grip increases the range of motion and adds another variable to help develop strength from different angles.
Cues
Bring the bar down controlled and rest it on your chest (or pins) for a half-second without letting the bar sink.
Accelerate with as much force and speed as possible.
This exercise teaches you to hold the shoulder girdle rigid to avoid strength leaks in pressing lifts. It strengthens the front delts, rotator cuff, and even the lats.
Besides meaty arms, the pectorals are probably the best of the "showy" body parts. Somewhere in time (oddly enough at the same time as the rise of Arnold Schwarzenegger), the chest became the ultimate sign of manhood. Thick pecs give a three dimensional look to the upper body, and a well-defined chest makes your torso look like an old Roman soldier's breastplate.