Benching help

[Iraqivet]

I'm in the academy now, and I need to improve my bench press. Is push ups the best way to improve? I need to bench about 185lbs. I'm benching about 155lbs now. I've always had a chicken chest, ha. I've got about 9 weeks to improve. Any help?

[brownj21]

Do this program. Follow it exactly as it says.
http://www.geocities.com/~slopitch/mm2k/

I have done it, it worked for me. 3 of my friends did it and it worked for them.
Each of us upped our max by AT LEAST 50 lbs. (one guy went up 65 lbs!)

It is a 14 week program, but in 9 weeks, you shoould have your 30 lb increase that you want.

[SCHPapplicant21]

Having such a limited amount of time to increase your bench press makes things difficult for you. What I would recommend is to really focus on your form. If you walk around the gym and see people bouncing the bar off their chest or arching their back like a rainbow you know what I'm talking about. It's much better to be able to bench press 185 using correct form than doing 225 bouncing it off your chest like a tennis ball. There are many work outs out there but maybe you should consider purchasing whey protein. I have put on plenty of muscle over the years but got much more stronger when I consistantly started using whey, goodluck ... work ethic/determination is key

[Columbus]

Do this program. Follow it exactly as it says.
http://www.geocities.com/~slopitch/mm2k/

I have done it, it worked for me. 3 of my friends did it and it worked for them.
Each of us upped our max by AT LEAST 50 lbs. (one guy went up 65 lbs!)

It is a 14 week program, but in 9 weeks, you shoould have your 30 lb increase that you want.

Is that just for beginners or were you already experienced when you did it?

[Yogy26]

Get a spotter and try to do negatives. In case you dont know what negatives are put 185lbs on the bar and then lift the bar off of the resting position. Allow the weight to come down slowly to your chest. Your spotter should have both hands on the bar or close to it in case you drop the weight and you need it lifted off of you. Once the weight is on your chest or as close to your chest as where you feel comfortable have your spotter grab the bar and lift it off of your chest all the way up to a point where your arms are extended but not all the way extended because you do not want your arms straight or locked. Then repeat 9 more times or as many as you and your spotter can handle. Try to do 5 sets of ten reps. If 185 is too much weight try to gradually build your way up to 185.
What will happen is you will get used to the weight and will be able to bench 185 in no time. When I started lifting weights I could only bench 150lbs. I started to do negatives and I built my way up to 250lbs very quickly and I was able to bench 250lbs.
Do not bench everyday because your muscles need time to rest and heal. When you are lifting weights you are ripping your muscles and when you sleep your body releases testosterone which allows your muscles to grow. If you constantly are ripping and tearing your muscles everday they will never heal properly.
The only muscles you can really work out everyday are your abdominals and your legs. You can also try incline and decline bench press they will work your pecs and you will have a nicely formed muscles like Arnold. Some of those other guys who only work out on a flat bench have messed up looking muscles because they dont work out correctly.
Also remember to drink lots of water. Also do not use creatine it will depelete the amount of water in your muscles which will make you cramp up and fall down during runs. If you want to take that stuff once you get out of the academy go ahead but research it first. I also wouldnt take whey or any kind of protein shake. Those supplement will help you to gain body mass but you dont need more mass right now Im not bashing on what SCH is saying but I dont think right now is the time to take that stuff.
Try using free weights as well instead of just using the bar. The free weights will allow you to independently work out your pecs but also allow you to work them out at the same time. Use free weights for incline bench exercise as well as decline bench exercise. If you do all of this you will for sure be able to get some one off of your chest if your out there and the fight happens to go to the ground to allow you to be the man controlling the fight.

[brownj21]

Is that just for beginners or were you already experienced when you did it?

I had been lifting for about 2-3 years.
I was stuck @ 215lbs if I recall (I weighed 170 at the time). And I got 265 at the end of the program.

My friends were a bit newer at it.

[pc2761]

I'm in the academy now, and I need to improve my bench press. Is push ups the best way to improve? I need to bench about 185lbs. I'm benching about 155lbs now. I've always had a chicken chest, ha. I've got about 9 weeks to improve. Any help?


if your goal is to increase strength then push-ups are a waste of time. If your trying to just gain strength then stick with bench press (dumbbells) nothing wrong with barbell however in your situation dumbbell bench will benefit you more. Incline also dumbbell.....forget decline press its a waste of time also. replace decline with dips(weighted dips if you can)...throw in some dumbbell flys at the end of your workout....with 9 weeks if you stick to bench, incline, dips and flys with the dumbbells you will reach your goal...example of my routine


dumbbell bech 4sets 8-10 reps heavy as possible with good form
incline bench 4sets 8-10 75% max weight with slow reps
dips-until failure
flys 3sets 6-8 reps

mix it up, eat right, lift with good form and you'll be alright. Good luck.

[basspro]

Just a question, why do you need to bench 185 in 9 weeks? and why are you focusing on just your bench?
You need to be training you whole body including your legs and back. Believe it or not increasing your squat also increases your bench. Too many guys get caught up in how much they bench and neglect the rest of their body. You dont want to be one of those guys that everyone laughs at when you wear shorts.
Work your whole body, eat healthy, get lots of protien, and plenty of rest and you will grow and get stronger.

[GrayPatriot]

I'm in the academy now, and I need to improve my bench press. Is push ups the best way to improve? I need to bench about 185lbs. I'm benching about 155lbs now. I've always had a chicken chest, ha. I've got about 9 weeks to improve. Any help?

Typicially pushups don't do anything to help your bench though plyometric pushups are like speed benching which the likes of Louie Simmons from Westside Barbell and Milan Jovanovich from strongbench both endorse.


Do this program. Follow it exactly as it says.
http://www.geocities.com/~slopitch/mm2k/


I have done it, it worked for me. 3 of my friends did it and it worked for them.
Each of us upped our max by AT LEAST 50 lbs. (one guy went up 65 lbs!)

It is a 14 week program, but in 9 weeks, you shoould have your 30 lb increase that you want.


It is a 7 week program which I have used twice with gains of 20 and 25 pounds. I couldn't imagine anyone who has been benching a while gaining too much more. Most people who are new to benching will make massive gains in the beginning anyways.

I would without question recommend the OP do this program above any others. If you do it as rx'd you should have reach your goals w/o any problems...

Colombus, you should also give it a try and post your results. If you are lifting heavy right now take a breather of 4-8 weeks on the heavy weights before starting this program. When I mean heavy I mean 1-4 reps close to your max.

OP go with the whey protein and creatine as you need all the help you can get and they will help with strength gains and muscle recovery.

[C-15]

Having such a limited amount of time to increase your bench press makes things difficult for you. What I would recommend is to really focus on your form. If you walk around the gym and see people bouncing the bar off their chest or arching their back like a rainbow you know what I'm talking about.

actually arching your back is legal in competition as long as you keep your shoulders, but and feet on the floor, i do agree with the bouncing though it can be dangerous,

[Iraqivet]

Just a question, why do you need to bench 185 in 9 weeks? and why are you focusing on just your bench?
You need to be training you whole body including your legs and back. Believe it or not increasing your squat also increases your bench. Too many guys get caught up in how much they bench and neglect the rest of their body. You dont want to be one of those guys that everyone laughs at when you wear shorts.
Work your whole body, eat healthy, get lots of protien, and plenty of rest and you will grow and get stronger.


All of the other physical fitness categories I'm passing.... enough to graduate. 300 meter dash, 1 1/2 mile, sit ups. The last one is I need to bench press 100.6% of my weight.

[Iraqivet]

Another question..... Is there a difference in difficulty as far as how far apart I place my hands on the bar? Closer together or further apart? Also, during the test, the spotters lift the bar off, and then place it 1 inch away from your chest, then you can lift. It stops people from bouncing the bar off their chest. It makes it a little more difficult.

[Yogy26]

Put your hands should width apart. If you place your hands at a wide grip like past where your shoulders are then you wil lhave a harder time lifting the weight off your chest. Try reverse bench press too. Instead of being able to see your knuckles put your hands shoulder width apart and put your knuckles facing your legs.

[GrayPatriot]

Another question..... Is there a difference in difficulty as far as how far apart I place my hands on the bar? Closer together or further apart? Also, during the test, the spotters lift the bar off, and then place it 1 inch away from your chest, then you can lift. It stops people from bouncing the bar off their chest. It makes it a little more difficult.

Hand placement hits different muscle groups. The closer your hands are together the more you are using your triceps and the further you go out the more you are using your shoulders and chest and less of your tris.


I think 3 of us recommended Shawn Philips's routine -- the link which was posted above. I would add floor presses to get used to lifting from 1 inch from your chest. I don't have a partner so I place the barbell on the lowest spot on the rack I use and slide under the bar. My first rep is basically from an inch over my chest and yes, it is much more difficult than starting from the top...



Get off this forum and start lifting.

[brownj21]

Typicially pushups don't do anything to help your bench though plyometric pushups are like speed benching which the likes of Louie Simmons from Westside Barbell and Milan Jovanovich from strongbench both endorse.





It is a 7 week program which I have used twice with gains of 20 and 25 pounds. I couldn't imagine anyone who has been benching a while gaining too much more. Most people who are new to benching will make massive gains in the beginning anyways.

I would without question recommend the OP do this program above any others. If you do it as rx'd you should have reach your goals w/o any problems...

Colombus, you should also give it a try and post your results. If you are lifting heavy right now take a breather of 4-8 weeks on the heavy weights before starting this program. When I mean heavy I mean 1-4 reps close to your max.

OP go with the whey protein and creatine as you need all the help you can get and they will help with strength gains and muscle recovery.

My bad, I got that backwards..7 weeks, 14 "benching" workouts.
And yes, creatine wouldnt hurt for this goal.