Please...help me increase my bench press!!
How to increase my bench press? I’ve asked myself this question many times as I’m sure your asking yourself now.
I’ve tried a lot of bench press programs and bench press tips desperately trying to increase my bench press. There is something magical about the bench press. It's the feeling you get when you pump the chest, deltoid, and triceps up, working the weight up and down. There's no other feeling like preparing for a large bench press, getting your mind and body ready, lying down on the bench and wrapping your fingers slowly around the cold Olympic bar. As you look at the shiny chrome bar, you concentrate only on the weight, you hear nothing else but the sound of your own breathing. You feel strong. You have to love that feeling!! The bench press is in a class by itself. The actual movement itself is pretty comfortable since you lie flat on your back and unlike the squat or the dead lift, your overall body strain is kept to a minimum.
The plan outlined here is aimed at improving your bench press by at least 10% over a ten week period. The plan is outlined as follows:
Part 1: Increase my bench press program prioritizing your chest Part 2: Increase my bench press program Added progressive resistance Part 3: Increase my bench press program Proper form and mechanics Part 4: Increase my bench press program Using core chest exercises to support the bench press Part 5: Increase my bench press program Boosting deltoid and tricep strength Part 6: Increase my bench press program Setting up the 10 week bench system By applying the above techniques, you will at least be able to add 10% to your bench press. Let's have a look at the above concepts. Part 1: Increase my bench press program
Prioritizing your chest
It is of the utmost importance that you train your chest first and foremost. Your priority should be on making your chest the main focus of your training. Chest should be number one and your other body parts number two. In order to do this, you must train chest alone. Do not train any other body part when you train chest. All of your energy must focus on your chest. You will have to cut down on the amount of energy you expend on other body parts, saving it for the chest workouts. You cannot continue to go full out on other body parts while turning up the throttle on your chest workouts. You want your chest to recuperate fully before each workout, otherwise, you'll exhaust your body and the system won't work. Part 2: Increase my bench press program
Added progressive resistance
If you want to boost your bench press by 10%, you're going to have to continuosly add progressive resistance. Progressive resistance is to add more weight over different time periods at varying rep cycles. What you want to do here is find out how much you can currently bench press. Take that number and multiply it by 10%. For example, lets say your current bench press is 250 pounds. Take 250 pounds and multiply it by 10% and you have your goal. In this case it is 275 pounds (250 x .1 = 25 pounds plus 250). I think even the most advanced trainer can attain a 10% increase in their bench press, especially if you've never done a bench press specialization routine before. The next step is to plan out how you need to attain your goal in ten weeks. Of course, what you don't want to do is go for all out one rep maximums every chest workout. This will lead to burn out and/or torn pec. Trust me, you don't want this. Your goal is to make small improvements while slowly lowering the amount of reps your do. For this program, you will use four sets per bench session starting at 12 reps. You will than use progressively heavier weights while reducing the amount of reps you use. At the end of the cycle, you may try for a single max. In each of the four sets, you will add progressive resistance to each set. That is, you will add more and more weight until you reach your desired amount of reps for that set. It is important to note that you will not be taking your first three sets to failure. The very last set should be taken to failure. Also keep adding weight each week as you get stronger. For example, the amount of weight you use for week 8 should be more than for week two.
Here's what your "increase my bench press" program will look like:
Week 1: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute: Week 2: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute: Week 3: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute:
Week 4: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute: Week 5: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute: Week 6: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute: Week 7: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute: Week 8: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute: Week 9: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute: Week 10: Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps - Rest 1 minute: Part 3: Increase my bench press program Proper form and mechanics Make sure your bench mechanics are correct. Proper form is inducive to optimal growth and strength. Focus on moving the weight with your chest allowing for a controlled and fluid movement. Drive the bar up with muscle strength. Follow these techniques and your will ensure that you achieve full stimulation of the pectoralis muscles. 1- Always warm up properly first and foremost. Start by warming up by performing two sets of 15 to 20. Always stretch before, during and after your chest workout.
2- Use a slightly wider than shoulder width grip.
3- The most important part of bench pressing is ensuring that you set up you pec girdle correctly. Lie back on the bench, take a tight grip and press your shoulders down toward your waist and back into the bench. Make sure that you thrust your chest forward when you start.
4- Always use a spotter when using the heavier weights. Never feel that you won't need a spotter because with this program, you will.
5- Your feet should be firmly planted on the floor with your butt on the bench at all times.
6- Lightly touch your chest at the bottom of the movement and never bounce the weight.
7- Keep your elbows in a vertical line with the bar. That is, your elbows should be directly under the bar.
8- Use an over hand grip. I seen this one guy use an underhand grip and the weight slid off his hands and on to his chest. He had 520 pounds on the bar. Ouch!
9- Always inhale as the weight goes up and exhale as the weight comes down.
10- Always make sure the weight is controlled. Once the weight starts to get away from you, lighten the load. You can get it next workout.
11- Don't lock your elbows out except on the last rep.
Follow these techniques and your may well be on your way to a monster bench.
Part 4: Increase my bench press program
Use core exercises to support the bench press
When I mean core, I don't mean cable cross overs or pec deck. I'm talking basic chest movements that support power and size. You will want to include movements like the bench press (of course!), incline presses, and dips. Nothing fancy here, just the basics. With a full week to rest your chest between workouts, and reduced intensity for your other body parts, you should be able to pack on the weight.
Here is the chest workout you are going to follow for the next 10 weeks for your "increase my bench press" routine.
Bench press Four working sets. The weight is progressively added (pyramid)
Incline Barbell press Four working sets of 8. The weight is progressively added (pyramid)
Incline flyes Three working sets of 8. Use a bench that is at roughly 30 degree angle. Really focus on your upper chest
Dips Two working sets of 10. Really lean into these and focus on your chest as opposed to your triceps
Part 5: Increase my bench press program Boosting deltoid and triceps strength
If you want a strong bench press, your gonna have to have strong delts and triceps. These two muscles are fundamental when doing the bench press. If you have weak triceps, your gonna have a weak bench press. Remember that when you do the bench press, the first muscles to give out are the delts and triceps. Therefore, to achieve a big bench, you have to concentrate on improving these two body parts. The "increase my bench press" program outlined here, is designed to improve not only your bench press but to improve the secondary muscles that support the movement. Chest will be completed on day one in the program with delts and triceps being completed on day four. This allow ample time for your pushing muscles to completely recover. The shoulder and triceps workout uses core exercises to support maximum power and strength.
Part 6: Increase my bench press program
Setting up the 10 week bench press system
In order to support a big bench press, you need a full body training program that supports a big bench press. In the following program, you will train four times a week, on a two on, one off, two on, two off basis. Each body part is worked once a week. Here is the program your will be following for the next ten weeks. Day one (Monday) - Chest Chest Bench press 4 sets (see previous progression on the table) Incline barbell press Warm up - 1 set of 15 reps Flat Bench fly 1 set of 8 reps Dips 2 sets of 10 - with body weight Day two (Tuesday) - Quadriceps, hamstring, calves and abs Quadriceps Leg extensions Warm up - 1 set of 20 reps Squats Warm up - 1 set of 20 reps Hamstrings Leg curls 3 sets of 8 - 12 Calves Calf raises 4 sets of 15 Abdominals Cable crunches 4 sets of 15 - 25 Day three (Wednesday) - Rest Day four (Thursday) - Deltoids(Shoulders), Traps, and Biceps Deltoids(Shoulders) Press behind the neck Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps Side laterals 3 sets of 10 -12 Triceps Close grip bench Warm up: 1 set of 15 reps Skull crushers (lying triceps extension) 1 set of 12 reps Day five (Friday) - Back Back Barbell rows Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps Pull downs 1 set of 8 reps Traps Barbell shrugs 3 sets of 10 Biceps Barbell curls Warm up: 1 set of 15 reps Seated curls 3 sets of 8 Day six (Saturday) - Rest Illustrations and Method Day one (Monday) - Chest Bench press
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Lie back on the bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor and back pressed firmly against the padding. 2. Take a tight grip of the barbell (overhand) with your thumbs roughly 3 feet (90cm) apart. Make sure that your grip is balanced between both sides of your body. Once your grip is set, press your shoulders down and back into the bench. This will push up your pectoral girdle and allow for a much better stimulation. 3. Lift the bar from the rack Execution 1. Take the barbell from the rack and lock your elbows at the top position. Lower the barbell to the nipple area of the chest, slowly and under control, keeping your elbows away and outward from the trunk of your body. 2. As the weight lowers, be sure not to bounce the weight - very important - do not bounce the weight from the chest. Lightly touch the chest and push the weight back up in a controlled fashion. Beginners may find that the weight starts to fall forward or backward or that the weight is rising unevenly because one arm is stronger than the other. Don’t worry too much about this and concentrate on the movement itself. After a couple of weeks you will develop a groove and this movement will be second nature. 4 sets (see the rep scheme in the above table): Weight increments: See above percentage weight increments. Incline Bench Press
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Lie back on an incline bench (35 to 45 degrees) with your feet firmly planted on the floor. Your back should be pressed firmly against the padding. 2. Grip the barbell with your thumbs roughly 3 feet (90 cm) apart. Make sure that the grip is balanced between both sides of your body. Lift the bar from the rack. Execution 1. Take the barbell from the rack and lock your elbows at the top position. Keeping the arms away from the body, lower the barbell to the upper chest area slowly and controlled. 2. Lightly touch the upper chest area and push the weight back up in a controlled manner to the starting position. Try and keep your eyes on the barbell at all times as this will help out with balancing the weight and movement. 3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Warm up - 1 set of 15 reps Weight increments: I suggest you start out with about 50% to 55% of you max for the first set and add 5% to 10% for sets two and sets three. You should be using 80% to 85% of your max for your last set. You should just barely be able to complete the last 8th rep on the last set. I suggest you get a spotter for this set. Rest periods between sets: 1 minute to 1 ½ minutes. Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly Dumbbell fly’s are an excellent isolation exercise for the chest. This exercise will add a little variation to your program.
Weight lifting exercise position 1. While seated on the edge of a flat bench, grasp two dumbbells in an overhand grip. 2. Rest the dumbbells in an upright position on the edge of your knees. 3. Carefully lie on the flat bench, bringing the dumbbells to the sides of your torso at chest level. Make sure to bring the dumbbells up simultaneously. Feet should be planted firmly on the floor. 4. Slowly adjust the dumbbells with your arms fully extended at right angles to the floor. Press the weight up to the locked position. The dumbbells should be held directly over your chest area, slightly touching each other with palms facing inward. 5. Elbows must remain flexed throughout the entire movement. Execution 1. Slowly lower your arms out to the side of your body with your arms at right angles. The dumbbells should be slowly lowered in an arc like motion toward the floor until your chest is comfortably stretched. 2. At the bottom position of the exercise your hands should be parallel the trunk of your body. Raise and repeat. The elbows should be slightly bent throughout the whole movement and should not be altered from start to finish (imagine your arms wrapping around a large tree). 3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled Set one: 1 x 8 reps Weight increments: Try and use a slight increase in weight. You should slightly increase the amount of weight you used, if at all. The reason being is that this exercise is all about form. You want concentrate on the exercise and really feel the chest working. Really squeeze your pectoral muscles throughout the whole movement, especially at the top. What you want to start doing is “flushing” your chest and filling it with blood in order to really get the “pump” happening. Rest periods between sets: 45 seconds Parallel Bar Dips Weight lifting exercise position 1. Support your body at straight arm’s length. 2. Keep your back straight, torso straight, knees flexed, and feet behind you Execution 1. Lower your body to a point where you feel a comfortable stretch. 2. Slowly push your torso upward back to the starting position. 3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Set one: 1 x 10 reps Weight increments: Use your body weight for this exercise. Really squeeze your pectoral muscles throughout the whole movement, especially at the top. What you want to start doing is “flushing” your chest and filling it with blood in order to really get the “pump” happening. Rest period between sets: 30 to 50 seconds. Day two (Tuesday) - Quadriceps, hamstring, calves and abs Leg extensions
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Sit on the leg extension with your back firmly on the back rest. 2. Press the back of your knees firmly against the edge of the seat. 3. The leg extension pads should be set just above your ankles. Place your ankles under the extension pads. Keep your head level and place your hands on the grips. Execution 1. Slowly raise the weight by extending both legs upwards to the straightened position. Do not jerk the weight up. 2. Hold this position for one second. Slowly lower the weight back to the start position. Repeat movement. 3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.
Warm up - 1 set of 20 reps Weight increments: The main purpose of this exercise is to give your quadriceps a good stretch and get the blood flowing to the muscle. This movement is not meant to be a compound exercise. Remember to really concentrate on the movement and not so much on the weight. Really squeeze at the top of the movement and “feel” the weight. Rest periods between sets: 45 seconds Squats The king of exercises! Squats is the exercise that will add strength and power to your whole body. It is very important however that you practice proper form and technique with this exercise.
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Take a barbell from a squat rack and hold it at the back of your neck with your hands on the bar. Keep you back and head straight. Your feet should be spaced at shoulder width. If you cannot squat flat footed, try placing a two by four block of wood under your heel to improve balance. 2. Grasp the bar with your hands spaced slightly wider than shoulder width apart. 3. The bar should be resting comfortably across your trapezius muscle. Execution 1. In a controlled fashion, slowly squat down until your knees are parallel to the floor. Remember not to bounce at the bottom of the movement. 2. Slowly straighten your legs and return to the start position. Keep your head level at all times. 3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.
Warm up - 1 set of 20 reps Weight increments: You should choose a weight that allows you to perform the repetitions comfortably. If you have never done this exercise before, you might find your balance a little off. Just remember to concentrate on the movement. Keep your head level and back straight. After a couple of sessions, you should be able to find the right balance. For the first set you should be using 50% of your max. Increase the weight by 10% to 15% for each successive set. By the time you reach your fourth set, you should be at 80% of your max. Remember, always use a spotter when you are using 80% of your max. Rest periods between sets: 60 to 90 seconds. Lying leg curl
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Lying face down on a leg curl machine, hook your heels under the leg curl pad and grab hold of the handles. Execution 1. In unison, curl your legs upwards until you cannot go any further. Hold for a second and slowly extend your legs back out. Do not bounce the weight at the bottom. Warm up: 15 repetitions Weight increments: For each successive set, increase the weight by about 10% to 15%. By the third set, you should be at 80% of your max. Remember to drink some water in between sets. Rest periods between sets: 50 seconds Standing calf raises
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Standing upright, place you toes on the apparatus platform. Ensure that your are on the balls of your feet at the edge of the apparatus platform. 2. Slowly drop you heels as far as they can go. 3. Place your hands on the shoulder pads. Execution 1. Rise up as high as possible on the balls of your toes without excessive knee bending. 2. Slowly lower your heels as far as possible. Do not bounce at the bottom of the movement. Repeat. 3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Warm up: 25 repetitions Weight increments: Keep on increasing the weight by 5% to 10% for each set. On your final set you should feel a burn in your calf muscles. Remember to drink some water in between sets. Rest periods between sets: 45 seconds Cable crunches Weight lifting exercise position 1. Attach a rope handle to the overhead cable pulley apparatus. 2. While kneeling, hold the rope handle with both hands in an overhand grip. 3. Hold the rope behind your neck keep you body upright and head turned downwards. Execution 1. Slowly bend the trunk of your body downwards until your abdominal muscles are fully contracted. Raise and repeat. 2. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Set one: 1 x 25 reps Weight increments: Try and add weight to each set. Aim for a 5% to 10% increase in weight for each set. You should be using 70% of your max for your final set. Rest periods between sets: 40 seconds Day four (Thursday) - Deltoids(Shoulders), Traps, and Biceps Press behind the neck
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Sitting down on a bench with back support and special supports. Press your back firmly against the padding for support. 2. Grasp a barbell with your hands spaced a little wider than shoulder width. Keep your back and head straight with your feet firmly planted on the floor. 3. Take the weight off the rack and press the bar directly over your head in a vertical line. Execution 1. Slowly lower the bar behind your head to just below the ears. 2. Push the bar back up without bounding the weight. Remember to keep the back straight and flat (no arching) Repeat the movement. 3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps Weight increments: Try and use a weight that allows you to perform the repetitions in good form. Try not to jerk the weight too much to get the weight up. Your first set should be 50% of your max. The weight for each set should increase by 10% to 20%. On set four, you should be at 80% to 85% of your max. Rest periods between sets: 60 seconds. Side lateral raises
Weight lifting exercise position 1. This exercise can be performed standing or seated. 2. With both hands, grasp the dumbbells with the palms facing each other. The arms must be bent in order to stress the lateral deltoids. If you are standing, make sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor spaced evenly at a little less than shoulder length. If you are seated, make sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor and the ankles almost touching each other. Execution 1. Keeping elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells in an arc from the side of your body to level with your head. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the start position. Repeat movement. 2. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Warm up: 15 repetitions Weight increments: This exercise should be used with moderate weight since you want concentrate on the exercise and feel the deltoids working. This exercise is all about technique and form. Try and keep your arms level at all times. Don’t swing the weight. Your shoulders should be burning by the end of the third set. Rest periods between sets: 30 seconds Close grip bench press A great mass building weight lifting exercise for the triceps.
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Lie face up on a flat bench. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and keep your back flat against the bench. 2. Grasp a bar with a narrow grip so that your hands are about 2" to 3" (5 to 9 cm) apart. 3. Arms should be fully extended and palms should be facing forward. Execution 1. Keeping your elbows close to your body, slowly lower the weight slowly to your chest. Lightly touch your chest and push upward. Do not bounce the weight. Repeat the movement. 2. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Warm up: 1 set of 15 reps Weight increments: This is a great mass building exercise for the triceps. For the first couple of workouts, choose a comfortable weight that allows you to perform the exercise in good form. Keep the weight constant for the first couple of workouts. After you have gotten used to the exercise, try and increase the weight by 5% to 10%. Remember not to bounce the weight off your chest. You want to keep all of the tension on the triceps. You should be at 80% to 85% of you max by set four. Rest periods between sets: 60 seconds Lying triceps extensions
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Grasp a barbell or an E-Z using an overhand grip with hands less than shoulder width apart. 2. On a flat bench, lie on your back with your feet firmly planted on the ground and your back flat against the bench. 3. The bar should be should be directly over your head and your arms fully extended. Execution 1. Keeping your upper arms straight and fixed, slowly bend your elbows and lower the bar to your forehead. You should be almost touching your forehead. 2. Using your triceps, push the weight back up to the starting position. Repeat the movement. 3. Keep your elbows in at all times. 4. When your finished the movement, you can either sit up with the weight or drop it to the floor while you are lying on the bench. 1 set of 12 reps Weight increments: Increase the weight for set two that allows you to perform the prescribed repetitions in good form. Try and aim for a 5% to 10% increase in weight from set one to set two. Rest periods between sets: 60 seconds Day five (Friday) - Back Bent over barbell rowing This exercise is a true mass building exercise and should become one of the exercise staples in your back program. Bent over barbell rowing’s main purpose is to add slabs of beef to your mid back, if it’s done right. It’s very important that you get the form and technique of this exercise down to a science.
Weight lifting exercise position 1. This exercise can be done while on a block or bench. Grab a barbell with your hands placed about 24" (60cm) apart and remove the bar from the racks. 2. Place your feet at shoulder width and keep them flat on the ground. 3. Slowly bend forward at the hips keeping your back flat. 4. Slightly bend your knees and keep your head as high as possible. Remember to keep your torso parallel to the floor keep your lower back flat and your butt thrust outward. Execution 1. In a controlled fashion, pull the bar upwards until you touch the lower part of your rib cage. 2. Lower the weight until your arms are straight. Repeat the movement without letting the bar rest on the bench. 3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Warm up: 1 set of 20 reps Weight increments: You should use enough weight that allows you to perform the prescribed repetitions in good form. Remember to keep you legs slightly bent and your back straight. Once you start bending your back, your using too much weight. For the first couple of sessions, keep the weight relatively constant with no increases. Once you get the hang of the exercise, slightly increase the weight from sets one to three. That is, add about 5% to 10% more weight for set two and set three. Rest periods between sets: 40 to 60 seconds. Lat machine pull downs
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Stand in front of a lat pull down apparatus and grasp the bar using an overhand grip at least one foot wider than your shoulders on each side. 2. Sit down with your feet firmly planted on the floor with your body straight and thighs secured underneath the thigh pads. 3. Slightly arched your torso. Keep your body straight and rigid throughout the whole movement. 4. Hold the bar overhead with your arms at full extension. Execution 1. In a controlled fashion, pull the bar down in front of your head until you gently touch the upper chest area. Pause. 2. Slowly bring the bar back to the starting position. until your arms are straight. 3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. 1 set of 8 reps Weight increments: The weight for set one in this program should be more than set one for the intermediate program. Aim for a 5% to 10% increase in weight. Increase the weight for set two that allows you to perform the prescribed repetitions in good form. Try and aim for a 5% to 10% increase in weight for set two and another 5% to 10% increase for set three. If you can handle a little more, great! Just remember that as soon as you find yourself rocking, swinging or swaying, you using too much weight. Remember to drink some water in between sets. Rest periods between sets: 50 seconds Shrugs
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Stand straight with your feet planted firmly with a shoulder width stance. Your knees should be slightly bent. 2. Grasp a barbell with your hands spaced shoulder length apart. Keep the bar held at straight arms length with a slight bend in your arms. Execution 1. Raise the barbell upwards toward the ears, as high as possible and rotate them backwards and down. Repeat. This exercise can be performed with dumbbells or a universal machine bench press. 2. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. 3 sets of 10 Weight increments: Try and use a weight that allows you to perform the repetitions in good form. Try not to jerk the weight or bend your arms too much to get the weight up. Concentrate on squeezing your trapezius muscles at the top of the movement. You should be increasing the weight by 10% to 20% for each successive set. Rest periods between sets: 50 seconds. Standing barbell curls
Weight lifting exercise position 1. Standing upright, grab a barbell using an underhanded grip. 2. Hold the bar in the arms down position. Hold the bar slightly wider than shoulder width. 3. Keep your feet close together with your back straight and head level. Keep your arms close to your body. 4. The bar should be resting across the thighs Execution 1. Curl the weight up in a controlled fashion until the bar is under your chin. Pause for a second and slowly lower the bar until your arms are fully extended in the arms down position. Repeat the movement. 2. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Warm up: 1 set of 15 reps Weight increments: You should be starting with about 50% of your max on the first set. Increase the weight by 10% to 15% for each successive set. By the time you reach set four, you should be using 80% of your max. The movement should be under control and fluid. Try and aim for a 5% to 10% increase in weight from set one to set two in this program. For your last set, you should be using weight that allows you to perform 6 to 8 reps but with some difficulty. You want to just barely complete 8 reps in good form. Remember to drink some water in between sets. Rest periods between warm up and set one: 50 seconds Seated alternate dumbell curl
Weight lifting exercise position 1. While seated on a preacher bench, hold your arms over the pad, keeping your back straight and head level. 2. Grasp a barbell in an underhand grip and extend your arms. Execution 1. Curl your arms up to your chin and then slowly extend your arms back down. Do not bounce the weight at the bottom portion of the movement. Raise and repeat. 2. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled. Set one: 1 x 8 repetitions Set two: 1 x 8 repetitions Set three: 1 x 8 repetitions Points to remember:
1) Always warm up before each workout by doing 10 to 15 minutes of the exercise bike. Stretch before, during and after your workouts
2) Warm up with 1 sets of 15 to 20 prior to the first set for each body part
3) Try not to go to failure for any other exercise other than the bench press.
Nutrition Make sure that you eat at least one gram of protein per pound of body weight and at least 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates of per pound of body weight. Your ideal meal ratio should be 20% fat, 25% protein, and 55% carbohydrate. Forget about dieting while following this program. You really gonna have to eat alot of quality calories on this program. For more great information on building an optimal nutritional plan, please see Building-muscle101's weight lifting diet page. If you want to gain, you gotta eat, and I mean a lot. I want you to eat at least 500 more calories per day on top of your usual diet. I want you to consume the following drink upon completion of your workouts (it will add roughly 550 calories to your daily nutritional intake):
2 scoops optimum nutrition's 100% whey protein powder- 40 grams protein- vanilla
Blend all ingredients for 1 minute or until smooth.
The following drink will put a serious kick in your gains if you remember to drink it immediately after your workouts. You should follow up with a well balanced, muscle building meal. I suggest you eat 6 meals per day, spaced about two hours apart. With the "increase my bench press" program, you're gonna need a lot of energy. I recommend that you consume a good carbohydrate drink 1/2 hour before your workouts. If your workouts last more than one hour, I suggest you sip one as your train. You will also need to add a quality vitamin/mineral supplement to your diet while on the "increase my bench press program". I suggest you take the supplement immediately after consuming your first meal. Try going to Building muscle101's supplement page for more information on setting up an optimal supplement schedule. How would you like to add another 50 pounds to your bench press? If you said yes, I strongly suggest you give Lee Hayward's bench press routine a shot. This routine will add pounds to you bench press and will bring your program to a whole new level. You'll be absolutely amazed at the results!
Didn't find the weight lifting routine your looking for? Looking for other bench press routines? Try searching here:
Good luck and remember to use the "increase my bench press" program whenever you need to add a few pounds to your bench press.
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