Bench press

[mrmyz]

Im just starting to work out and I started to bench press and im pretty weak. My max is 115 and i can only do it once is there a way to be able to bench more quicker?

[IPON]

Umm you are only supposed to do your max one time. If you want to bench quicker remove 50-60% of the weight and you can bench faster.

Now if you want to increase your press....well let's know your current routine, how much do you weigh, etc.

[mrmyz]

Originally posted by IPON
Umm you are only supposed to do your max one time. If you want to bench quicker remove 50-60% of the weight and you can bench faster.

Now if you want to increase your press....well let's know your current routine, how much do you weigh, etc.

This is my routine

SET 1 - Warm up
Bar 10 times

SET 2 - Medium Intensity
95 - 8 times

SET 3 - High
105 5 times

SET 4 - High
115 2 times (I can only do it once though) and the spotter helps you do two more

what i was planning to do was once I could hit 115 twice either move up in weight by 5 or 10

[Sean Dempsey]

Experiment with weights for another week or so loosening up, and then here is what I want you to do for bench press:

12 reps,10 reps, 8 reps, 6 reps.

Those are the sets, you do 12, 10, 8, 6 reps. On each set, I want you to find out what is near failure for each one.

So, for 12 reps, I bet you can do like 65-75 lbs. Do it so that the 12th rep is REALLY hard.

Then do 10 reps, probably about like 85. Again, make the last 1 or 2 reps so they are hard. IF you can do 10 easy, then you need more weight.

Then the 8 reps, these should all be really difficult, but doable. Probably push like 100 lbs. The 8th rep should almost kill you, but you should do it CLEAN and without a spotter.

The for the 6, these should be real gut busters. They should be hard and difficult, but still doable. Probably do like 105 for this.

This is the type of lifting you should do on all your lifts. Each set should be hard, but doable without help. If the spotter is touching the bar, stop and remove the weight. This is the solo bench press, not the team bench press/lat row. If you cannot do 6 reps of 105 by yourself, ITS TOO HEAVY, take off ten pounds. When a spotter helps it does nothing but cheat you and give you false confidence.

Do this for a while. Don't ever do less than 6 reps, and make sure they are all hard.

(also, about the spotter thing... when a spotter "barley lifts" on the bar with his fingers, like spotters do, they are typically lifting about 10-15 pounds off the bar. I've tested this scientifically. It's not worth it, if you can't lift it, then take the weight off. The ONLY time a spotter should help is when the bar is pinned to your chest and you cannot lift it off no matter what...)

[Seiryuzenshin]

You also might want to try what is called a "drop set." There have been recent studies into "drop sets", and they show that they actually speed up the strength gain by a significant amount.

Basically, a drop set is a "half rep." You do your reps until fail, or until you reach your last rep, then you do a few half a reps (if you are benching, you would start the half-rep from the lowest position).

Good luck.

[mrmyz]

when you guys bench do you drop the bar till it touches your chest?

[mafiaboy]

I do but I'm not sure if you should or not.

[bvermillion]

i stop about a half inch above my chest

[Seiryuzenshin]

I do too, although I'm sure it's fine if you don't. My basis behind actually letting the bar touch (touch, not rest on) my chest is it takes you through the complete range of motion of the rep.

[bvermillion]

i think alot of people bounce it of there chest

[Sean Dempsey]

don't bounce it off your chest

don't arch your back

touch and go... touch it, hold it for half a second, then push it.

Slow, controlled.

If a spotter has to lift some of the weight, it's too heavy.

[bvermillion]

if you can do it more than three sets of ten it is too light.

[SeanReady2Rmble]

Bench press

Sean Dempsey, you said to do 12, 10 , 8 then 6 reps ( or something like that). What are the benefits are doin it that way?

[Sean Dempsey]

It's called a pyramid and it's one of the standard ways to build size and strength. As the reps get lower, the weight get's heaver

I used to do

10 @ 135
8 @ 155
6 @ 175
4 @ 185

[SeanReady2Rmble]

Excellent Sean, I've heard of pyramid before but I wasnt too sure about the effects. Your regime- is that kg or lbs?