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Getbig Misc Discussion Boards => Powerlifting / Strongman => Topic started by: cl on January 17, 2008, 11:33:36 AM
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I was wondering what the best way to increase your max bench was? Current workout to help with bench is dumb bell bench. flies, lat pulls. and the 4 sets of heavy 3 reps. My question is should I use lower weight more reps or stay with the heavier weight and less reps? Any other advice would be appreciated as always.
Thanks in Advance
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Eat more
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Gonna have to part with some details, bud.
What are your stats? How long ya been doing this?
Quick answer = check the bench press setup thread. I added 40lbs on my bench just with form modification. Some may add even more weight, try it.
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Gonna have to part with some details, bud.
What are your stats? How long ya been doing this?
Quick answer = check the bench press setup thread. I added 40lbs on my bench just with form modification. Some may add even more weight, try it.
That's right... your first and number one thing to work on is to learn how to bench and not only properly bench but to bench for POWER! Doing so will usually add close to 50lbs or better on your bench. The average I've seen is about 40lbs.
I'll simply a few things that I have been playing with for awhile now...
learn to use your legs..leg drive will save your ass and create more power through the movement...
grip the bar like you're trying to put your finger indentions into it. This will help stabilize you..
find the proper grip width for benching. Not everyone is the same. Experiment until you find a grip width that's the most comfortable...
FULL ROM! If you're not already doing that get the fuck out of here...
Do alot of benching with just the bar. Don't worry about what people think about it. Learn and engrain your benching bar path and groove into your being. That way when you're under heavier weight you do it without thinking.
Get a stronger back, triceps, and delts. Duh. The more overall stronger you get the stronger your bench will be. A stronger back and thicker back will help stabilizer your press and also make you thicker meaning you have less distance to go for your bench. Triceps as well... these are HUGE in the bench press. Work them hard and heavy and delts as well.
BENCH press more! I don't care what people tell you. Flyes, pec dec, dumbbells..whatever wont' give you a bigger bench. You want a bigger bench.. then bench. All that other shit is just there AFTER benching.
Bench twice a week... once day working on your speed i.e. Dynamic work..and one day doing HEAVY benching in the 90%-95% range for triples and doubles for no more than 3-6 sets after warmup.
EAT RIGHT!
...there's a shitload more but most of it we've all had to learn the hard way or have done alot of research and work to get there. That's all I'm giving you for now.
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I think u are doing the right things now..lat pulls are good...benching with dumbbells...flyes...you are doing what I myself am doing...I went from 135 to 265 in one year and trying my best to get to 315, although I feel I am reaching the point where my strength can't go any higher (hope I am wrong)...I can only do 265 for one rep...I do 100 lb dumbbells (one in each hand)...trying to get up to 120 lbs which is the limit for dumbbells in my gym
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I think u are doing the right things now..lat pulls are good...benching with dumbbells...flyes...you are doing what I myself am doing...I went from 135 to 265 in one year and trying my best to get to 315, although I feel I am reaching the point where my strength can't go any higher (hope I am wrong)...I can only do 265 for one rep...I do 100 lb dumbbells (one in each hand)...trying to get up to 120 lbs which is the limit for dumbbells in my gym
;D
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I still think I had the best advice
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I still think I had the best advice
I agree with your advice to eat more...I have really begun to add one or two protein shakes a day and it is making a difference with strength and size...also don't overlook the psychological aspect...don't be afraid of the bar...load it up and get under there and lift...don't worry about what guys in the gym will think if you fail...I was once afraid of the bar but wouldn't admit it and kept making excuses....until I really hunkered down psychologically and decided to become determined to lift heavy and endure the pain and discomfort
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I was out on travel but I want to thank everyone for the input. I currently bech 305. I do reps of 3 and 5 between 245 and 265 depending on the day etc. I work myself up from 135, 155, 185, 205, 225 245 265 etc maybe benching too much to many reps ??? Thanks again
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if you only bench once a week you should try buckeye training..
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bump
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I think u are doing the right things now..lat pulls are good...benching with dumbbells...flyes...you are doing what I myself am doing...I went from 135 to 265 in one year and trying my best to get to 315, although I feel I am reaching the point where my strength can't go any higher (hope I am wrong)...I can only do 265 for one rep...I do 100 lb dumbbells (one in each hand)...trying to get up to 120 lbs which is the limit for dumbbells in my gym
Thanks for explaining.
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Train bench every 5 to 7 days depending upon your recovery ability, and on training day start with benches 4*6 and then do a compound tricep exercise which mimics the bench press ie. floor presses, JM presses, close-grip bench presses, also for 4 sets of 6. Also, eliminate direct delt work, except for maybe some rotator cuff work.
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Train bench every 5 to 7 days depending upon your recovery ability, and on training day start with benches 4*6 and then do a compo a und tricep exercise which mimics the bench press ie. floor presses, JM presses, close-grip bench presses, also for 4 sets of 6. Also, eliminate direct delt work, except for maybe some rotator cuff work.
interesting..I'll give it a try
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Also, stick with the same weight for all 4 work sets, and then once you can get 4 sets of 6 reps with the same weight, increase the weight on your next workout.
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Also, stick with the same weight for all 4 work sets, and then once you can get 4 sets of 6 reps with the same weight, increase the weight on your next workout.
thanks dude
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Watch Ed Coan's tape - The Bench.
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also depends if you are doing raw benching or a shirted bench,some of the assistant work will be different,shirted-do board presses,reverse bands,floor pressesetc. for raw try illegal wides,heavy inclines,have a sperate day for shoulder work,delts seem to need to be stronger when raw benching.and for both have a seperate dynamic day doing speed work with bands and chains.
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Train bench every 5 to 7 days depending upon your recovery ability, and on training day start with benches 4*6 and then do a compound tricep exercise which mimics the bench press ie. floor presses, JM presses, close-grip bench presses, also for 4 sets of 6. Also, eliminate direct delt work, except for maybe some rotator cuff work.
dj181 what's the reason for eliminating delt work?
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Well, those aren't necessarily my own guidelines, those were the guidelines that were presented to me by JM Blakely, and he said the reason for no direct delt work is because the delts get plenty of work from benching and most tricep work, since the tricep work always involves compound moves (close-grip benches, floor presses, etc). Also, he believed that the delts were very easily over trained. I remember when I told him that I want broad delts, and he said to me, "Do I look narrow to you?" At that time he was near 300 pounds. ROFL!
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Well, those aren't necessarily my own guidelines, those were the guidelines that were presented to me by JM Blakely, and he said the reason for no direct delt work is because the delts get plenty of work from benching and most tricep work, since the tricep work always involves compound moves (close-grip benches, floor presses, etc). Also, he believed that the delts were very easily over trained. I remember when I told him that I want broad delts, and he said to me, "Do I look narrow to you?" At that time he was near 300 pounds. ROFL!
Ok thanks, I'm trying some differnt routines. Trying to increase my max by 40lbs or so, want the 550Lb press. I have focused on increasing it in awhile had to let some joints and muscle strains recover. It's time now.
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Do you compete in bp comps, or do you just bench to bench? Also, if you do, or will compete, will you compete raw, or with a bench shirt? Just curious.
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Do you compete in bp comps, or do you just bench to bench? Also, if you do, or will compete, will you compete raw, or with a bench shirt? Just curious.
Its just a personal goal, always had a good bench, it will be a raw lift.
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That's cool man, good luck and train hard.
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I was wondering what the best way to increase your max bench was? Current workout to help with bench is dumb bell bench. flies, lat pulls. and the 4 sets of heavy 3 reps. My question is should I use lower weight more reps or stay with the heavier weight and less reps? Any other advice would be appreciated as always.
Thanks in Advance
dips and then dips with with weights attached. if you weigh 250 when you can dip with a 150 lbs you can now bench 400 big uns.
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dips and then dips with with weights attached. if you weigh 250 when you can dip with a 150 lbs you can now bench 400 big uns.
I don't believe this to be true
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My best dip performance was bodyweight plus 100 pounds for 8 reps when I weighed about 175, but there is no way in hell that I could have bp'ed 275 for 8 reps at that time. In fact, I was doing 225 for 6 reps at that time.
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^^^^
Iono about funks numbers but the dips suggestion is a good one, they help build up your tris and shoulders which really does help your bench. I always noticed that when my weighted dip numbers where going up so was my bench.
dj's numbers are more along what i experienced too, ive gotten up to 8 reps on my last set with 145 with a body weight of probably 205 and I was still probably only repping 305-315 or so for bench on my last set for maybe 6-8
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Any updates? cl? adrain? andreisdaman?
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My best dip performance was bodyweight plus 100 pounds for 8 reps when I weighed about 175, but there is no way in hell that I could have bp'ed 275 for 8 reps at that time. In fact, I was doing 225 for 6 reps at that time.
but what could you do with weighted dips for a good single than tell me the result. i'm betting on you being able to do 130 lb db plus 175 = 305 for a single bench press.
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but what could you do with weighted dips for a good single than tell me the result. i'm betting on you being able to do 130 lb db plus 175 = 305 for a single bench press.
I'm not sure what I could have did for a single on the dips at that time, but I could only do 255 for a single on the bench, when I was was able to do 225 for 6 reps. Maybe it's because I benched with excellent form on the bench press, no bridging or bounching.
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Find your weakness...
Having long arm bench press have always be a pain in the ass. Always trouble to start from chest lock out even if the bar feel light.
Then one day i tried floor press, just 4 set of 5 reps with medium/heavy weight during my light bp training on thursday.
my bench press increase since, it feel like the range of motion was shorter now.
Same thing for the squat, got trouble to keep my back straight and not bending forward.
just add heavy abs work, then my squat increase.
Solution is never more rep, more exercise.
Find your weakness.
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Train bench every 5 to 7 days depending upon your recovery ability, and on training day start with benches 4*6 and then do a compound tricep exercise which mimics the bench press ie. floor presses, JM presses, close-grip bench presses, also for 4 sets of 6. Also, eliminate direct delt work, except for maybe some rotator cuff work.
Exact, for mimic exercise, and avoiding heavy delt work, especially military press kill my bench press.
at one point i was able to press 200 for 7 reps in standing military press and only a hard 275 for 5 reps in bench press, in complete shitty style (rebound + arching back).
now i'm able to bench very strict 300 for 5 good rep, which seems to me honest for a weak bencher.
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Any updates? cl? adrain? andreisdaman?
haven't tried them yet....gotta work them into my routine
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Has anyone discussed form?
I found my bench increased when I learned to tuck my legs as far under the bench as possible, create the proper arch, squeeze the bar as tightly as possible, mimic "bending" the bar on the descent, then driving up from the legs.
Also, I'm twink status here, but I did this program twice ten years ago, and got my max up to 325 for a single at 180. Nothing earth shattering but, it did work (it was a gain of about 35lbs for the one rep max in 7 weeks). The progression tables provided make it easy to follow and monitor if you're on track and make adjustments.
I might try it again soon, since I've lost my bench over the years.
http://www.timinvermont.com/fitness/benchpgm.htm
Good luck!