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Svend Press – Forgotten Exercise For Chest Muscles

March 28, 2022

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Svend Press is an unusual exercise. Many athletes think it is outdated. However, this is an excellent chest workout using two weight plates, which not all modern athletes know. Try to diversify your workout with it. You’ll like its results. So, let’s talk about Svend Press in more detail.

Which muscles are under stress?

First of all, the Svend press is aimed at the pectoral muscles. Athletes improve their strength indicators doing it. At the same time, the chest receives a good impetus for growth. So, what muscles work during the exercise?

Pectoral muscles
Back muscles
Triceps

Thus, the Svend press will help you progress in other exercises, such as a bench press and various rows for the back.

Svend press technique

Take two weight plates with the right weight for you. If you are a beginner, you can try starting with a lightweight, gradually increasing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIoUZOnypS8

The Svend Press technique looks like this:

1Press the weight plates to each other with your palms. The palms are at chest level. The arms are bent at the elbows. It’s the starting position

2Take a breath. Push the weight plates in front of you, straightening your arms and continuing to squeeze your palms. Of course, try not to drop anything. You can move directly from yourself or slightly upward on a diagonal. Feel the target muscles working. It will help you achieve the perfect technique

3Return to starting position. Go to the next rep without opening your palms. Do 3-4 sets of 10 reps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNxezQEqy6I

Svend Press has a simple technique. Some beginners may feel some of the difficulties. Don’t be upset. Just take less weight.

Are you an experienced athlete? Is the exercise too easy for you? In this case, increase the weight and reps.

Fitness trainers recommend using the Svend press as a final exercise when training the pectoral muscles.

Dumbbell variation

There is an alternative exercise technique using dumbbells. Such variation is essentially similar to a standard dumbbell press. But the dumbbells are parallel to each other and are pressed tightly.

The arms form a diamond shape. Get the dumbbells down. And spread your elbows to the sides. The chest muscles work at the lowest point of the movement. Return to the starting position. It’s not a basic exercise. Therefore, it’s better not to take a heavyweight.

A few words about the exercise’s author

Let’s say a few words about the history of the exercise and its creator. The exercise is named in honor of Svend Carlsen. This is a Norwegian bodybuilder and powerlifter. Many people know the charismatic athlete thanks his cry “Viking Power!”, which he shouted during competitions.

Svend Press was popular exercise among athletes at one time. After a while, they forgot about it. Today there are many effective chest exercises. Bit try the Svend press anyway.

Perhaps, this exercise will diversify your workout program. In turn, this will defeat stagnation and allow achieving the desired progress.