I see alot of posts about guys looking to increase there Bench or are just plain stuck. I am 44 years old and have been training since I was 16 and my Bench Press has never been impressive. A little over a year ago I started training at a gym that was mostly an old school power lifting gym and I started listening to the owner and former junior olympic record holder Ed Puopolo. Ed explained to me how you need to train specifically for that lift and how to figure out your sticking point.
Things to look for: Lets say for example we are looking at my 1 rpm......and I failed! Well...where was my sticking point? Ususally it's in one of two places. The first is that you could not get the weight off of your chest and the second is that you could not finish the press once you got it off of your chest and missed the lockout.
How can I improve this: If you could not get the weight off your chest then you are not exploding off of your chest. Remedy: incorperate training with bands, chains, pin presses, or the cambered bar. These are all effective tools that you can incorperate into any type of rep scheme. The idea is to check your ego in at the door and allow these tools to let you strengthen that area of your Bench. Another approach is to incorperate speed Bench's (say 50% of your 1 rpm max for 3 reps of 8 sets with a 45/60 sec rest between sets.
One thing to note is how your bring the weight towards your chest before you press it. Most bodybuilders bring it down slow almost like a negative. This approach although an effective BB tool will not aid you in exploding with the bar when it is sitting on your chest. A better approach would be to lower it in a controlled manner without taxing your triceps so they are fresh when you go to press the weight. This should obviously be something you are aware of and practice with your chest routine.
The second big sticking point is the lockout! If you cant lock it out or finish the rep that means your triceps are weak. The tricep needs to be hit with heavy compound movements and they should be hit twice a week. One thing to keep in mind is grip width on the bar. The proper hand grip to maximize your tricep growth is to place your thumbs where the bar is smooth and the rest of your fingers on the knurled part of the bar and yes .... wrap your thumbs under the bar, not over it. You will get a better hit this way and your triceps will develop more. Some major tricep building exercises are: the JM press, Paul Dick's press, close grip bench presses with and without a block. You can add chains to these exercises depending on what level you are at but try all of them even the awkward ones.....save pushdowns and dips for a finisher as they will NOT make your bench go up.
If you are having a hard time with the bench, long arms etc. these things can help you strengthen those areas because they are specific to the Bench press. Be patient with these exercises.....yes, some are awkward and can be a little frustrating but if what you are doing isnt working then obviously you need to make a change in your program. Hope this helps.....Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!!!
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Originally Posted by Chicagotarsier
