Spoto Press

Technique

The Spoto press is a bench press variant in which the bar stops just above the chest on every rep instead of touching it, which removes the bounce off the chest and builds strength through the sticking point. Set up on a flat bench with a standard bench press grip and your feet planted firmly on the floor, unrack the bar, and lower it under control to a point about one inch above your chest. Pause there for a full count without resting the weight on your chest, keeping your shoulder blades pinched and your core braced, then press back up to lockout. The pause is the whole point of the exercise, so resist the urge to touch your chest or rush through the stop.

Steps

1. Set up on a flat bench with feet planted and a standard bench press grip
2. Unrack the bar and lower it under control toward your chest
3. Stop the bar about an inch above your chest and pause without touching down
4. Keep your shoulder blades pinched and core braced through the pause
5. Press the bar back up to lockout

Common mistakes

• Letting the bar touch the chest, which turns the set back into a regular bench press
• Rushing the pause instead of holding a controlled, dead-stop position above the chest
• Losing shoulder blade retraction during the pause, which shifts stress onto the shoulders
• Bouncing the bar off the pause point instead of pressing it with a controlled drive

Variations

• Close-grip Spoto press for more triceps emphasis
• Spoto press with chains or bands to add resistance near lockout
• Dumbbell Spoto press for a greater stretch and independent arm control
• Paused incline press using the same above-chest stop for upper-chest emphasis

FAQ