Get Huge - Increase Max Bench Press

Sticking Point

marks1972 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:31:31 -0400

I think it helps to identify your sticking point and work on that.

I stalled for a long time at 350lbs, the negative phase was killing me and i was crashing the last 2-3 inches a lot. So i worked on my lats and got my Barbell rows up to around the same weight i was sticking at.. terrible form that would make a bodybuilder cringe, but it made my lats far more comfortable with the heavy load on the bench.

Progressive overload

blackbeard09 — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:36:58 -0400

I see some people recommending some particular workout and others saying work on your sticking points and so on. At the end of the day, to increase your bench or any other lift:-

1. Progressive overload.

2. Periodization.

Your diet has to be in order and you have to be working on your back and the rest of your body. What concerns me is when the OP says his max is estimated at 225 lbs. Don't estimate your 1RM or use 1RM calculators. You should also have a detailed log of your actual lifting so that you can say on Mar 1st i lifted 200 for 8 but struggled on the 8th rep and then say on May 1st see you lifted 225 and struggled on the 6th rep. Just guessing your 1RM is not good enough.

increase bench

blbraner — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:51:41 -0400

I currently use the 5x5 program for my bench real simple 5 sets of 5 reps. Each set should be a struggle to get the 5th set up. Set youself weekly goals. ie: two weeks ago I was stuck at my last set up do do 5 reps of 355. You have to push yourself past that and now I am at 5 reps of 375 without an issue. This also realizing that it isnt just your bench that increases your bench, if you bench for power you learn you user your back and realize that your shoulders and triceps play a huge role too. I am in no way "ripped" as I am sitting at 29% bodyfat but I am 5'7 and 290lbs maxing at 425

MM2K

boilslaw — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:55:37 -0400

@leegundus: Thanks for the suggestion!

I just started the MM2K program. I'm really excited about it.

I didn't think I could bench 160 until yesterday. It is very different from the workout programs I've done in the past, and I'm excited to see what results I'll get with it.

nforsa — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:37:32 -0500

I agree with all comments, and want to push for doing a full chest work out..upper middle and lower...and not just be a brute and pump out the flat bench reps..so add incline and decline in there. try and end on a good note and pump out something light untill your muscle don't want or can't go any more...

Also resting your muscles are just as important as working them out so don't forget to have a rest day.

I personally feel that each muscle needs it's own time eg.. day 1=chest & tri's,day 2= biceps and back,day 3= deltoids and shoulders

acconrad — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:26:49 -0500

2 things:

increase weight 5 lbs a week until you can't keep climbing

then simply find out what the weakest part of your lift is...you're only as strong as your weakest muscle.

if you get stuck at the bottom, its your chest. do more flies and cable crossovers.

if you get stuck in the middle, its your shoulders. bradford press and lat raises will fix you right up.

if you can't lock out, its your tris. skull crushers and close grip bench are mandatory.

after a month of working especially hard on your weakness, try your 1 rep max again and see if it goes up. if it does, start bumping that weight up w/ the 2.5 lb plates

wash, rinse, repeat...

Add one pound each time.

StonedLogic — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:25:00 -0400

A good way to increase your bench in my opinion is to increase the weight by one pound each time you workout. If you workout once a week, in a year you've increased by 52 lbs. If you bench twice a week, 104 lbs. in one year. Just a suggestion.

The key is...

mrwhite — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:29:00 -0400

Very proper form and execution when working chest. And also when you try maxing, grip a lil bit more narrow than a normal wide grip so your tri's can help

I weigh 164, am 5'6" and just maxed 365 last week

MM2K Bench program

leegundus — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:06:29 -0400

If you want to increase your becnh you should really try the MM2K bench program. You can go here to see how to do it. It has printouts for tracking also. http://www.geocities.com/~slopitch/mm2k/

I did this almost almost a year ago. When I started my 1 rep max was 185. By the end of the program my 1 rep max was 225. I only weigh 140 lbs. I just did this program once a week on my chest day. There is a new version on the website, but I just used the original one. I think I am going to try it again in a couple of weeks. Hopefully I can add another 40 lbs to my max.

Wrestlers Tip

JWay5929 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:28:49 -0500

Hey, I had a similar problem for about a year. I just had a hard time putting more weight on the bar. I got a good tip from a wrestling friend that has helped me go up 70lbs in the last year (3set 8rep).Hey, I had a similar problem for about a year. I just had a hard time putting more weight on the bar. I got a good tip from a wrestling friend that has helped me go up 70lbs in the last year (3set 8rep).

First I have to stress form. I have seen WAY too many people in the gym using their shoulders and not their chest, or bouncing the weight, or going way to fast, or just being plain unsafe. Form is really really important to making gains. I feel if I don’t have perfect form, I am not getting every drop of benefit from every rep and therefore cheating myself. If anyone isn’t sure what the correct form is, please look it up on a bodybuilding/personal training website.

With proper form, and pushing yourself to muscle failure ever single set, you will see gains (with proper nutrition). However, the following helped me set schedule I push myself to meet.

I added 15-20 lbs on each side to my normal 8rep 3set weight. I then did the following: 6 sets of 3 reps. If on the last rep of the last set you don’t need a spotter, add more weight. If you need a spot the 4th or 5th set, lower the weight.

After the weight is set, I do 6 sets of 3 reps for a workout or two. When you feel like you can do another rep the first set, you progress to the next stage which is 5 sets of 4 reps. When you can do 5 reps still do 5 sets. Then 4 sets of 6 reps. Followed by 3 sets of 7 reps. I then stay at 3 sets until I can do 3 sets of 9 or 10 reps. I then add another 10-15 lbs per side, and repeat.

NOTE: I follow the gain/cut approach to getting huge, not the lean gain. I only do this when gaining. When cutting I drop the weight and do 10-12 reps for as many sets as I can before I collapse.

reply

TLNinja — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 18:48:12 -0500

Sorry it was unclear. I mean to alternate every week. If you only train heavy then your muscles get use to it and begin to slow their growth. Alternate a lighter work out in so that you can get higher reps and gain endurance. This will sufficiently confuse your muscles and ensure stimulated growth across the growth/endurance spectrum.

@TLNinja: A little more clarification

absmith — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:42:05 -0500

Thanks for the post. However, I am a little confused.

Do you recommend going one week at 65%, and then the next week at 85-90%, and then back and forth? Or, do you recommend staying at 85-90% every week?

try this, it helped me

TLNinja — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:39:52 -0500

I started working out about 4 years ago. At that time my bench was pathetic. I remember having a hard time with 150lbs. I am only 5'8". But, I have put in a hard road and currently have a pretty good home gym and have gotten some good results. I've tried a lot of methods/techinques but the one that I have found that works for me is pretty simple.

I currently BP work out w/285lbs 10reps and can one rep max 335. I weigh 188lbs.

Try going one week on the bench press w/about 65% of your max for 10-12 reps. The next week go w/about 85-90% of your one rep max for 6-8 reps. Work your chest only once per week. Try 3 press excercises each time. Ex. (bench press, incline bench press, chest press machine, dumbell presses incline/decline/flat) and throw in a fly or cable crossover for a total of 4 sets per work out.

Every week try to increase the amount you pressed by at least 5lbs. Don't ever stop pushing the amount up or your muscles will get use to the stress and stop growing. Always try to get at least 6 reps on an excercise. If you can't, go down 5lbs until you are able to do so easily. You may be stuck at a weight for a couple of weeks ("the wall") but don't get discouraged; just know it happens to everyone. When you hit the "wall" just make sure you get some rest the night before, eat a lot of protein and carbs so that you psychologically believe you are ready, and break through, i.e. increase the weight. Don't give yourself excuses.

Also, vary the routine. I Always include flat bench press and incline press as staples, but one week maybe do decline press, the next week maybe do dumbell flyes instead. I'm a big fan of dumbells so try adding them as one of your press excercises.

Eating is as important as anything so make sure you eat before you workout; get plenty of complex carbs and a minimum 100 grams of protein per day the more the merrier (but no more than 35 grams at any one time). Get plenty of rest.

You will get to know what your body responds to and what it doesn't in time. Keep a chart of your progress, obviously this site is a good idea. Get plenty of rest and don't get discouraged. Remember that the hard work you put in, is in direct relation to what you get out. Good luck, hope it helps.

Help! I want to get my max to 315!

absmith — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:40:31 -0500

Hey everyone.

I have been working out regularly for over a year. A few years ago, my one rep max on bench was 240lb. Pretty weak, considering I am 200lbs. Right now, I would estimate my one rep max to be around 225. I can do 200lb for 5 reps at the end of my bench workout.

Does anyone have any tips for how to increase my bench? It seems like I am not making many gains.