Coach's Corner: D1 Training's Clif Marshall On How To Perfect Your Bench Press Form | D1 Daily

Clif Marshall is D1 Training's Senior Director of Coaching and Pro Training. Clif recently had the opportunity to contribute to an article in Men's Journal about the bench press. What follows is some of the information Clif submitted to the publication's editors. To read the full article, click here. 

Everyone wants to get better at the bench press. It's a signature strength movement and has been popularized by its inclusion in the NFL Scouting Combine, where athletes try to rep 225 pounds as many times as they can.

I am currently training over 20 NFL Draft prospects through D1 Combine Training, and this is the same technique I teach them for the 225-pound bench press drill. 

The trick to increasing your bench press max isn't always more effort. Instead, it's better form. I use what I call the “Lock-In & Pause” technique, which improves setup and creates more tension in your body.

After 20 years spent training hundreds of athletes, this has consistently been the most important key to improvement.

What To Do

Before the bar leaves the rack, pull your shoulder blades down and back like you're “putting them in your back pockets,” plant your feet, and create light leg drive into the floor. Lower the bar under control and pause for a full one-second count just above the chest before pressing back up.

Why It Helps

Most lifters lose tightness at the bottom of the bench, that's the weakest point of the lift. The pause removes the stretch reflex and forces you to generate strength from a fully controlled position. Over time, this improves bar path control, increases pressing power off the chest, and typically translates to a heavier max. The goal isn't just lifting more, it's lifting stronger and more efficiently. When athletes learn to control the bottom of the movement, the numbers follow.

How To Replicate It

• Use it on your main working sets once per week.
• Do 3-4 sets of 3-5 reps with a deliberate one-second pause.
• Keep the load around 75-85% of your normal working weight.
• Focus on the same setup cues every rep: scapula tight, feet planted, breathe and brace.

Warm-Up Strategy

Start with light band pull-apart and scapular push-ups (10-15 reps each) to activate the upper back, then do two to three progressive ramp-up sets on the bench before your working sets. This primes the shoulders and reinforces tension before you touch heavier weight.

For more strength training insight from Clif Marshall, click here.