Bench help

[Evil Ryu]

I wanna get my Flat bench press up, but don't really know where to start. I bodybuild so my chest has good size and is in proportion to the rest of my body, but generally weak especially when flat benching. My current routine starts with Flat bench and I work my way up to ( don't laugh) 185 6 reps, then 205 3 reps.....then I go to the incline and work my way up to 185 6 reps. My goal is to bench at least 250 for reps. Not that it would matter to a bench press but I weigh 178 and my other two lifts are....deadlift 405 x 2 no straps and squat 315 x 1 no wraps.

[FUZO]

Re: Bench help

TRY AND STRENGTHEN YOUR TRICEPS MORE DUDE. DIPS MAN

[6p6]

Re: Bench help

DIPS are the true key to getting the bench higher. Get a dip belt and start adding weight to your dips. I believe on the bench the tricep is the weak link so strengthen but dont overtrain the tricep.

[bowbow]

Re: Bench help

How many sets and reps are you doing while working your way to the numbers you posted?
How often are you working chest?
When are you working triceps and how much?
I can give you a better answer with this info.

[Evil Ryu]

Re: Bench help

Heres my routine.....After warming up

Bench Press- 135/4, 155/4, 185/6, 205/3
Incline Bench- 135/6, 185/6
Hammer Incline- 180/12
DB Pullover- 75/12
Dips- 0/12, 25 lbs added/8 reps
2 hand overhead DB ext.- 45/8, 65/12, 75/8
1 hand overhead DB ext.- 20/12, 25/10
Rope pressdown-30/10, 40/10, 50/10, 60/10 Giant set non-stop 1 cycle

I do that maybe once every 6 or 7 days.....

[badasz32]

Re: Bench help

i would really start doing 4 sets of ten. then once u can push 225 once. i would work my way up after getting a good base. it will come bro. how old are you?
135x10
185x10
205x8
225x6

[bowbow]

Re: Bench help

Your volume may be a bit high for your triceps.
I would try to incorporate DB's into your chest workout once inawhile and alternate which you start with. Like do incline first every other time.
Just some things that may help.

I lowered my volume and increased my frequency and that has helped my numbers.

[kite]

Re: Bench help

Dips are great if your shoulders can handle them, mine just can't. Here's a general rule of thumb when it comes to bench presses. If you're weak of the chest, do more db benches, speed work, strengthen your shoulders and one of the most over looked things is stronger lats. If you tend to stall a couple inches or higher off the chest, do board presses at various heights, triceps extensions, close grip benches (pinky an inch or two inside the power rings) and JM presses. You may also need to tweak your form, video yourself and you'll be suprised.

[NICKD]

Re: Bench help

CGBP and JM's are great for getting tri's up.

[6p6]

Re: Bench help

Dips are great if your shoulders can handle them, mine just can't. Here's a general rule of thumb when it comes to bench presses. If you're weak of the chest, do more db benches, speed work, strengthen your shoulders and one of the most over looked things is stronger lats. If you tend to stall a couple inches or higher off the chest, do board presses at various heights, triceps extensions, close grip benches (pinky an inch or two inside the power rings) and JM presses. You may also need to tweak your form, video yourself and you'll be suprised.

this is a good point. Try finding what your weak point is and work on that sticking point. Try after your main sets doing a rest pause set and then next set hit a speed set so you hit both problem areas.

[Evil Ryu]

Re: Bench help

Thanks for the suggestions....I think i'm gonna hit the dips hard and heavy and add a Db press to my routine for starters.....

[FUZO]

Re: Bench help

Dips are great if your shoulders can handle them, mine just can't. Here's a general rule of thumb when it comes to bench presses. If you're weak of the chest, do more db benches, speed work, strengthen your shoulders and one of the most over looked things is stronger lats. If you tend to stall a couple inches or higher off the chest, do board presses at various heights, triceps extensions, close grip benches (pinky an inch or two inside the power rings) and JM presses. You may also need to tweak your form, video yourself and you'll be suprised.

GOOD POINT

[T-Man007]

Re: Bench help

I would go away from bb bench for a while and focus on weighted dips and db presses. Those two exercises have great carry over into the bb bench press. One thing that helped my bench go up was tempo training. I use a much slower controlled rep than I used to and the increased time under tension really made my pecs stronger. I'm not a strong bench guy but I'm a lot better than I used to be from using slower reps.

[pigmeat]

Re: Bench help

i love dips...elbows wide for more pec/shoulder work, and narrow to kill the tri,s...lat year all i did for upper body for a few weeks was dips, chins and pushups....my strength skyrocketed from it..