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A 1,200-Pound Bench Presser Reveals 4 Overlooked Exercises to Break Through Plateaus and Bench Heavier

By Kelsey Kryger Men's Journal

Updated June 3, 2026 11:57 AM

If you want to lift heavier on your bench press, it's not as simple as hitting more reps. While most lifters think of the bench press as a strict chest exercise, achieving a bigger bench often comes down to strengthening the muscles that support the movement, especially the back and triceps.

Few people understand that better than powerlifter Tony Carlino. An all-time world record holder, Carlino owns records in the 275-pound and 308-pound weight classes and has posted bench presses of 1,207 pounds unlimited, 1,036 pounds multiply, 900 pounds single-ply, and 515 pounds raw. Safe to say, he's a trustworthy source when it comes to lifting heavier.

Below, Carlino shares several back and triceps exercises he recommends for anyone looking to increase their bench press and push past stubborn plateaus.

Back Exercises

"There's a saying: big back, big bench. And it's true. Focusing on the lats is going to help create a better, more stable base," Carlino shares. "It's like the foundation of a house. If you have a small and weak foundation, the house will crumble. The back lends to stability and power output in the bench."

Along with the following back exercises, make sure to also hit a variety of rows.

How to Do Lat Pulldowns

"Sometimes changing the angle can help engage your lats better," he says. "If you lean back at a slight angle and pull to your chest, you can really get great engagement. However, you want to avoid swinging. If you have to swing back and forth to complete the pulldown, it's too heavy, and you're not really engaging the lats for the best benefit."

Sit at a lat pulldown machine and grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width.
Pull the bar down to your upper chest, squeezing your lats.
Slowly return to the starting position.

How to Do Straight Arm Cable Lat Pullovers

"Straight arm cable lat pullovers will mimic the lat engagement you want when you're unracking the bar during the bench," he explains. "If you work heavy on these, you'll get more used to that lat engagement and be more successful on the unrack, leading to a more successful press."

Stand facing a cable machine with a straight bar or straps attached high.
Keeping your arms nearly straight, pull the attachment down toward your thighs.
Slowly return to the start.

Triceps Exercises

"Triceps are another underrated muscle group for bench. A lot of people only hit pecs, but the stronger your triceps are all around-all three heads-it will help your lockout," Carlino says. "To properly work all three heads of the tricep, sometimes it's just a matter of switching your grip."

How to Do Triceps Pushdowns

Doing triceps pushdowns, flaring the elbows at the bottom, can target different heads of the triceps. An underhand grip will hit the back of your triceps, for instance. It's all about grip and elbow angle.

Stand facing a cable machine with a rope or bar attachment.
Keep your elbows tucked at your sides and extend your arms downward until fully straight
Return to the starting position.

How to Do Overhead Triceps Extension

"Most people start over their heads and extend over their heads, but that doesn't mimic the bar path for bench," he adds. "If you start at your forehead and press forward, ending with full extension over the top of your chest, you better simulate the bench press lockout and work strength in that position."

Face away from a cable machine and hold a rope attachment at your forehead.
Keeping your elbows close to your head, extend your arms until straight.
Return back to the starting position.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 10:52 AM.