how to be better at bench press

[Triangulo]

Hi, i am now doing bench press...before i just used to do the machines. I can do 3 sets of 10 at 110lbs.
How can I do better?
I weight 162 and prolly used the bench like three times.

 

[Oxide]

if u want to increase the weight, u have to do 4-6 reps on your max weight.

im 155 pounds and i bench 125 pounds like 6-7 times.
just make sure u max out. Good luck

 

[Templeton]

A few ideas - develop strong triceps and front delts - shoulder pressing and close grip pressing. Plyometric movements such as ballistic bench presses where you press a light weight fast and throw the bar from your hands at the top (catch it of course) Smith machine is good for this.

Strong lats will help. Perform bent over row where you are working in the opposite way to a bench press but the plain of movement is the same - pulldown/chin type movements won't have the same effect.

Also ensure your body from feet through legs, glutes, chest, arms - everything is rigid when you perform benches.

The above ideas are all well and good but looking at your numbers you should be benching more without any specialist work - try 3-5 sets of 3 reps at 80-90% of your 3 rep max (after warming up of course) and aim to increase the weight weekly.

You may also want to read up on this further on strength training and in more detail than any of us would be able to provide.

Look at strength training books rather than purely bodybuilding titles. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (NSCA) and available from Human Kinetics is as good as any and pretty detailed although heavy going at times. Provides a good knowledge of exercise performance and physiology though. There are other good strength training books and I will try and check a few out and post again. Hope this helps.

 

[Soshyopathe]

Dont give him all that crap about front delts yet. He's used the bench 3 TIMES!

Come on buddy, you want to be Arnold overnight? You get better at benching by benching.

 

[jakethasnake]

Getting stronger triceps is the key.


At first, your body won't know what it's doing, so you'll probably end up using your TRICEPS to push up the barbell. That's why most beginner have a lot of trouble with the bench press. But as you get better, you'll learn to train your brain to tell the body to utilize primarily the pectoral muscles to do your bench, and less your triceps. Until then, you'll keep doing benches, but with imperfect technique. But it's still a process you have to go thru. Which means the only way to power thru that awkward intro to bodybuilding phase is to get stronger triceps.


So supplement your benching with military presses, overhead tricpes extentions (sitting, with a dumbell over your head).

 

[Templeton]

Originally posted by Soshyopathe
Dont give him all that crap about front delts yet. He's used the bench 3 TIMES!

Come on buddy, you want to be Arnold overnight? You get better at benching by benching.

Yeah, fair point but if you read my 4th paragraph I essentially say the same thing. Plus the info there may benefit others.

 

[flava]

im just curious what is your body type? mesomorph,endomorph, or ectomorph? i find it hard to belive that someone who weighs 162lbs can only lift 110lbs. im not trying to bag on u or anything my friend. but u need to raise the weight, and dont say u cant cause youve given me both the problem and the solution in the same paragraph. u see your doing to many reps with light weight. your focus for gaining mass and muscle (if thats what ur after) is to use maxiumum intensity. this can be acheived by using an amount of weight thats light enough to do more that 4 reps but heavy enough that u cannot do anymore than 6. only then by doing this will u not only see yourself pumping out more weight each week. but omg u will actually stimulate your muscles for growth!!!.

 

[Shiftkey]

Don't use machines, you need to work the stablizing muscles too. A sh1tty personal trainer at the gym I go to suggested I use machines instead of the bench and I just got weaker and weaker. Now I'm trying to recover from his idiotic advice by going back to real bench pressing, as well as dumb bell presses.

 

[ThunnusThynnus]

I agree with Shiftkey

Yeah, you will definitely want to avoid machines for the initial phases of your weightlifting education. Especially when any kind of overhead/body press is concerned. There exists a certain amount of control over the free weights, which if harnessed and perfected, will give you BLAZING results. It comes from those "stability" muscles, which all need to work to get the job done. I'ts also true that your arms must be up to the task as well. But that doesn't mean you have to bust out your biceps and triceps right away in your quest for 440lbs. By perfecting the muscles in your arms that help stabilize weght overhead, by going slow, going often, and making each rep perfect, all the tiny muscles in your arms which alot of gym rats never receive will appear. Then your arm workouts will take care of themselves. I guess it does not really matter which order you hit it, as long as you get good form, respect the free-weight, and avoid machinery until you've paid some dues with iron. And there really is no substitute for bench, like that other dude said; however, don't underestimate the power of 1000 pushups per week to keep the pump alive and keep your back strong. Ladies especially enjoy a strong back...

 

[One on One]

I just started doing bench press a few months ago. I'm 185 lbs. and when I started I had a hard time doing 135 lbs. It wasn't that I wasn't strong enough, but it takes time for your muscles to adjust and learn how to control the bar. Now, I do work from 145 lbs. up to 205 lbs. on most of my workouts. I also did the NFL test the other day to see where I stand and did 3 reps on 225 lbs.

 

[misunderstood??]

Just be patient, it'll come, nothing in weight lifting comes fast enough