Bench Press Help

[Rebs63]

Thanks again. I might try a supplement and some of the mental things. I do need to try to get psyched up when i bench thanks

[WaggleRT]

Work Tricepts, Shoulders and Chest exercises. These three areas are key to a good bench.

[boneal52]

Lift with someone stronger than you. Brings out the competitor inside you. Mentally, helps you push yourself.

[billygoat2]

I used to struggle in the bench also, but not anymore. I got some of those concrete weights, but didn't fill them up with anything. I throw several 45 plates on there and throw it around like it's nothing, meanwhile impressing everybody. The key is you can't let anyone spot you or use your weights. Tell em you bought em and to keep their paws off em. You'll also have to take em home with you everyday, but that's a small price to pay.

[Nizbelf]

Mr Billy Goat II, thats great ill have to tell my son this great idead. lol

 

On the other hand he's struggling on his bench, it's not his triceps however because he has no problem locking it out. Its more the innitial start up off the chest. Any ideas?

[bosshog1]

Well, definately make sure he avoids bouncing the weight. That is a very bad habit that a lot of early lifters get into. But, the key is explosive power on that first rep. Make sure he concentrates on slowly going down, making sure his breathing is correct, and explode as soon as it touches his chest. A lot of young lifters think that lifting is a very slow drawn out event. Lifts have to be explosive. BREATHING AND TECHNIQUE ARE THE KEYS!!

[Time2Play]

I would not advise supplements. Be sure and allow your muscles time to heal. Something that worked great for me was working on bench twice a week instead of three times a week. Mon. Light work out, 6 sets, lots of reps. Thurs. Medium weight workout 6 sets lots of reps. Monday go light again. Last set every day put what you had on for your first set and do as many as you can. Then Thursday, Heavy workout, 5 sets 10 reps, 8 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps, 2 reps, then on the 6th set put what you had for the first set and do as many reps as you can. I repeated this for a total of 6 weeks, then took a week off. I was gaining about 35 pounds every 7 weeks for 21 weeks. Then it slacked off. This may not be for everyone, some peoples bodies heal differently. But It worked great for me.

[Guest bwill99]

chains are good for the experienced bencher. Try to indivedually work each primary(lats, pecs, triceps, shoulders) muscle required in the bench. But as it has always been said,"you have to be ready mentally not hust psyhically. you should only bench twice a week. One day you should go real heavy and one day you should ho real lite. But no matter what you do you should always have a spotter. Do not forget to warm Up before every thing you do. GOOD LUCK!!!!!

[926]

I know I'm going to get shoo-shooed for this, but what the heck. Big benchers, not unlike used car salesmen, are born, not made. You can improve your strength with a strictly regimented routine...and certain non-steroidal OTC supplements. Find your max then work out with about 70% of that max twice a week, 3 to 4 sets to failure. Then max out again. Use this new max and do 70% of it and repeat. If you do this, eat like a horse and get plenty of sleep, you should see an improvement in your bench (and overall strength if same principle is applied to all lifts). But the bottom line is that if you aren't one of the gifted ones (i.e. "naturally freaky strong") odds are that you can do anything short of a neck-down body transplant and you still will not be as strong as that stout dude who just strolls in off the street and waxes everybody in the gym. My son is ahead of the curve, but I wouldn't quite put him in that "freaky" category just yet. He's in the 8th grade and just turned 14 less than a month ago. He's 5'9" - 173# and he maxed on bench last week at 225#. He also powercleans 175# and squats 250# (can't quite get used to the bar on his back). His goal is to bench 300# before the beginning of is freshman year and powerclean 225#. He hates squats, so he really hasn't expressed his goals for that movement. My guess is that he secretly hopes the coaches and I will forget about that movement altogether. Squat? What's that?

[Guest bwill99]

YOU TRUELY DO NOT HAVE TO BE GIFTED TO BE A FREAK ON THE BENCH YOU JUST HAVE TO WANT IT AND WORK YOUR BUTT OFF.

[foxtrot11]

..Thats true. You don't have to be a freak of nature to go up in the weight department. It all depends on how hard you work, and if you want to work. When I first came to highschool I scrawny..weighing only 100 lbs and benched about 90lbs. The thing that helped me is watching all the upperclassmen around me doing alot of weight. That in turn motivated me to do more.....it all depends on how much you want it............