help with BENCH PRESS

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nms4912

0
hey im 17 years old
6'1
185 lbs
i just started weight lifting about 3 months ago, and am going to the gym 3 times a week just to try and focus on my bench. I started at 105, n now im at 125, but this isnt where i want to be. I would like to be at 185. any tips to help improve my benching? i know its weird, but i can bench 115 10 times with no problem, but i cant get 130 or 135 yet. also my breathing sucks. can anyone give me some advice?
 
what other exercises are you doing besides bench press? You hit a plateau and need to adjust your workout so you can break it. What other exercises are you doing? Please list your routine
 
No, It doesn't matter how you breathe as long as you breathe. You do not want to pass out while bench pressing. I had the same problem wondering how to breathe, but once i realized it doesn't matter my bench went up( im guessing because i was able to focus on my lift rather then my breathing )

secondly, i hope your doing more then just bench presses.

Thirdly, Strength takes time - Try going with as much weight as you can in as little as 5-6 reps

Forth, do not skimp on your diet.
 
According to an online calculator..your max should be 153 Pounds...

I believe heavy lifts take Neural proccessing or whatever that is. You probably can't get 130/135 because your not use to making heavy lifts. Thats my educated guess...
 
well, imma pretty sure you know bench press in a compund movement that means you use more then one muscle moveing the bar off you. the first muscle you use is the pec then the triceps then the front delts the the lats. And the thing is a couple years ago i had the same problem i was 13 years old and my 1rm was 125 lbs then i started a routein that hit al these muscle's and in a months time i was benching 155 lbs here's the routein i did.

DAY 1 CHEST
bench press 4X10 @ 110lbs
incline dd press 4X10 @ 25lbs
push-ups 5X20

DAY 2 TRICEPS
dips 4X10
push downs 4X10 @ 80lbs

DAY 3 DELTS
millitary press 4X10 @ 110lbs
lateral rasie 4X10 @ 25lbs
hand stand holds 5X1 @ 50 secs

DAY 4 BACK
pull-ups 4X5
pull-downs 4X10 @ 85 lbs
bb rows 4X10 @100lbs

i did this routein for 2 months and the goal for it is just to increase you 1rm on the bench.
 
Don't just focus on your bench dude! You'll get imballances, possibly tear up your shoulders, your posture will suffer, all kinds of stuff can happen... Do some chinups, squats, deadlifts, rows in addition to bench. By building strength over-all, your bench will naturally get bigger!
 
I'm betting...

You have weak rotator cuffs and lats. Also, depending on where you are failing at, it could possibly the result of a weakness in anterior delts, triceps, or chest.

If you want pure numbers in the bench-spend some time lifting like a power lifter.

Check your form. Work on heavy triples and doubles. Hammer your back.
 
When he means "Hammer your back", lift heavy doubles on deadlifts, Straight-Leg Deadlifts, pull-ups, chin-ups, and barbell rows. I would choose two of these a workout and do 5-6 reps on all except conventional deadlifts do heavy singles-triples.

I can bet my weight set (gasp!) that your not isolating your triceps with bench work. Do a mixture of lying tricep extensions for 6-8 reps, and close-grip bench press without locking your elbows out (JM Press).
 
Steve-O-68 said:
Don't just focus on your bench dude! You'll get imballances, possibly tear up your shoulders, your posture will suffer, all kinds of stuff can happen... Do some chinups, squats, deadlifts, rows in addition to bench. By building strength over-all, your bench will naturally get bigger!
Click to expand...

The truth!
 
ok thanks for the advice so far.
usually i go to the gym and do inclined bench(95lbs) and do 5 sets of 7.
then i do regular bench(115) and do 5x7,
then i go to my max,
then i go to incline bench and do 95, 5x7
ok but hers my main concern
my friends noticed that when i bench, i dont pull the bar down towards my chest, but towards my neck, i've always been benching over my neck n head, instead of my chest. any more advice on how i can change my form of bench press?
 
nms4912 said:
ok thanks for the advice so far.
usually i go to the gym and do inclined bench(95lbs) and do 5 sets of 7.
then i do regular bench(115) and do 5x7,
then i go to my max,
then i go to incline bench and do 95, 5x7
ok but hers my main concern
my friends noticed that when i bench, i dont pull the bar down towards my chest, but towards my neck, i've always been benching over my neck n head, instead of my chest. any more advice on how i can change my form of bench press?
Click to expand...

You aren't hitting your max if you're talking about a true 1RM-you're way fatigued. The reason why you aren't hitting 135 is because you've already done 10 sets of pressing.

Try working up to a 3RM over 4-6 sets. Then hit a few sets of incline db pressing in the 8-12 rep range. Keep your elbows tucked in instead of flaired. Retract your shoulder blades. Get a solid plant with your feet. Press with your whole body. And bring the bar down to the lower portion of the chest. Controlled down, explosive up.
 
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