What secondary press to do on Lyle McDonald’s GBR?

[Odifududix]

Been doing full body but keep half-assing leg work so I am switching to U/L to keep myself accountable. On the original template, you can do bench and incline (or OHP) on the first day and make slight “adjustments” on the second upper body day.

I intend on benching and incline work for the first upper body day; what should I follow up OHP (my first press) with for the next upper body day?

[leidenesLK]

DB flat bench, low incline bench, decline bench, machine press, cable press, chest dips etc. Any horizontal-ish press works fine.

[BeginnerGainz]

DB flat bench, low incline bench, decline bench, machine press, cable press, chest dips etc. Any horizontal-ish press works fine.

What he said ^ pushups would be good too

[WolfRose7]

In addition to the other options.

Long pause bench
Tempo bench
Larsen bench
Close grip bench/incline

[sooby]

close grip bench is probably one of the best "secondary" benching movements although you just said pressing

great for building that tricep power for benching, longer ROM and hypertrophy

[MyEgoProblem]

You have flat, incline and vertical...

What about dips? (or ****ty decline I guess)

[Odifududix]

Thanks for the ideas everyone, will probably stick to the Hammer Strength Incline Press. I feel it nicely on my pecs.

You have flat, incline and vertical...

What about dips? (or ****ty decline I guess)

Dips hurt my shoulder, plus my gym is outdoors and there's a lack of dip bars- though there IS a a Hammer Strength Dip machine.

Don't do decline much but I do feel it work my chest great. Will give that a shot lol

[Odifududix]

Forgot to add: I'm doing trap bar deads on my non-squat days. Should I add more leg exercises besides the leg curl/press seeing how trap-bar deads are a bit more quad-focused?

As for why I do them: there's only two deadlift platforms at my outdoor gym and there's a literal line for that. When your doing your set, there's always some ***hole just staring at you the whole time due to how the line is positioned. Greg Nuckols published articles explaining how it's a viable hip-hinge movement so I see no problem keeping trap bar deads.

[leidenesLK]

Forgot to add: I'm doing trap bar deads on my non-squat days. Should I add more leg exercises besides the leg curl/press seeing how trap-bar deads are a bit more quad-focused?

As for why I do them: there's only two deadlift platforms at my outdoor gym and there's a literal line for that. When your doing your set, there's always some ***hole just staring at you the whole time due to how the line is positioned. Greg Nuckols published articles explaining how it's a viable hip-hinge movement so I see no problem keeping trap bar deads.

Are you able to do RDLs or goodmornings? They are ‘truer’ hip hinges with better posterior chain stimulus and less fatigue than trap bar deads.

[BeginnerGainz]

Forgot to add: I'm doing trap bar deads on my non-squat days. Should I add more leg exercises besides the leg curl/press seeing how trap-bar deads are a bit more quad-focused?

As for why I do them: there's only two deadlift platforms at my outdoor gym and there's a literal line for that. When your doing your set, there's always some ***hole just staring at you the whole time due to how the line is positioned. Greg Nuckols published articles explaining how it's a viable hip-hinge movement so I see no problem keeping trap bar deads.

Regular deadlifts bother my lower back, trap bar deadlifts done by not squatting down to the handles (more “hinge”) light up everything deadlifts do but I get a better stimulus out of it. Also, no mixed grip past 365 like on a straight bar. (I do use straps on 4+ plates though)

[MyEgoProblem]

Trap bar tugs are great For most people if you can get enough wheels on them...

And Greg is very much correct that they are a great hinge! Period.

I HATE the high handles tho. They feel ****, and it takes me around 300kg to get a good set with em. And the bar I have access to won't hold more than about 6plates a side.


Oh the decline hammer strength is a brilliant piece of kit!... And fits really well as a secondary press movement!
Superior IMO to a barbell decline

[Odifududix]

Trap bar tugs are great For most people if you can get enough wheels on them...

And Greg is very much correct that they are a great hinge! Period.

I HATE the high handles tho. They feel ****, and it takes me around 300kg to get a good set with em. And the bar I have access to won't hold more than about 6plates a side.


Oh the decline hammer strength is a brilliant piece of kit!... And fits really well as a secondary press movement!
Superior IMO to a barbell decline

Weird, I have short arms so I almost have to use high handles. I can grab low handles but my back is almost parallel like a pendlay row.

Wish I had access to a hammer strength decline. I focused too much on free weights but my upper back exploded when I started doing t bar rows. At my gym they only have HS back machines, HS dips and an incline press

[BeginnerGainz]

Weird, I have short arms so I almost have to use high handles. I can grab low handles but my back is almost parallel like a pendlay row.

Wish I had access to a hammer strength decline. I focused too much on free weights but my upper back exploded when I started doing t bar rows. At my gym they only have HS back machines, HS dips and an incline press

I like the high handles, less quad and more posterior. For me, anyway.

[MyEgoProblem]

I like the high handles, less quad and more posterior. For me, anyway.

The problem is most people aren't this honest to them selves with their form.

They will jam their knees forward every single time on high handles... Like in higher rack pulls, they wedge under with cert torso and its a leg press..

I pull FAR more on high than I do on straight bar blocks. (i keep a solid hinge not squat).. Its absurd. But I'm certainly only against me doing it 😂 I like it very much for others I program for.