Would like to increase my bench

FEELthePUMP

FEELthePUMP

New member
hello everyone. Well i've been working out pretty hard for the past 4 months. I've worked out off and on since i was in highschool. Unfortunately i never liked the bench press. I'm a big buy and i have alot of muscle but my bench is pretty pathetic, at least i think so. When i'm at the gym i'm lifting at least as much if not more than most the people there but when i get on the bench it's embarrassing. there's little guys out benching me because some guys come in there and only bench. So now i try to make the bench my top priority and i make it the first thing i do. Usually i bench on the sqaut machine that has the guiding bars. It's more comfortable and i can put more weights on it. But i think i need a change. I've been doing 3 sets of ten with a regular bench, incline and delcline bench.

My question is does anyone have a good bench press routine?
 
A friend of mine is having the same issue. One idea is moving to dumb bells to improve the weaker arm(do the same amount of reps, until both arms ok to improve obviously). He also says the decline bench is worthless. He explained why, but I forget what that was.

If he comes up with something that works for him Ill recommend it.
 
The 'sqaut machine' that you speak of sounds like a Smith machine. This limits your range of motion and does not build strength- in my opinion- the same way true free weights do.
That being said- jeff is big is right- incorporate dumbells into your routine. they really do help the overall strength and helping the weaker arm- I have really found this to be the case.

I only do 2 exercises per week that are specifically geared towards chest- flat db bench and flat bb bench and do them 4 days apart. With these incorporated into my workout I have seem steady gains in those disiplines.
 
Agreed, I'd ditch the smith machine.

Are you dieting at the moment?

How have you progressed your weights in the BP before?
 
thanks for the advise guys. I do plan on moving to dumbells next week for most of my bench workout. Although i would like to stay with the flat bar bench since i have heard it's the best way to gain mass. I am dieting right now. I'm down from 235 a month ago to 225 lbs. I have thought about progressing my wieght in the BP. Probably something i should do. What do you recommmend. 12-10-8. each at higher weights?
 
First I wouldn't expect huge strength gains while dieting.

Second, more often than not it's an issue with form rather than program when someone is having trouble with a particular exercise.

Third, by progress, I mean start conservatively with a weight you know you can handle *perfectly* with BB Bench Press and each week add slowly but surely. I've built up a 350 lb bench press at under 190 lbs of body weight literally over a decade. It takes small, consistent strides.
 
good advice. But do you think the best way to get that bench up is by pyramiding my bench workout? I understand it's a slow process, it just sucks( Not to sound cocky) but i out lift probably 90% of the people at my gym but then i get on the bench and i look like a pussy. LOl. Now i wish i had taken the time to bench in the past. WIth 155 lbs doing my 3 sets of ten is pathetic in my mind. and like i say, some guys just go in and bench and leave, these lazy bastards are putting up 225 with their sets, It's just frustarating. but i know it's going to take time. I will definately some away from the smith machine. And i think i will pyramid my lifts.
 
i was browsing another forum and some guy told me the decline bench is worthless. I find that hard to believe. have you ever heard such gall? haha
 
FEELthePUMP said:
good advice. But do you think the best way to get that bench up is by pyramiding my bench workout?
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No.

I don't think there is a singular method that is superior than others. Building a big bench (or any lift for that matter) takes years of constant, consistent progress and manipulation using a variety of approaches.

Too, not everyone is built to bench big weights unfortunately. I've seen really strong guys who can't bench worth a damn, regardless of the effort and panning they put into it.

And unless they're a powerlifter, they really shouldn't care either way b/c that one lift doesn't define them or make or break their contract.

I understand it's a slow process, it just sucks( Not to sound cocky) but i out lift probably 90% of the people at my gym but then i get on the bench and i look like a pussy. LOl.
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I out lift everyone in my gym. And I don't give a damn. I don't care if they admire me or not. And I sure as shit wouldn't care if I became the weakest in the gym.

This is about me and my journey. Not them.

Sharing a similar take might help you focus less on them and more on a more efficient road to bettering your bench.

Now i wish i had taken the time to bench in the past. WIth 155 lbs doing my 3 sets of ten is pathetic in my mind. and like i say, some guys just go in and bench and leave, these lazy bastards are putting up 225 with their sets, It's just frustarating. but i know it's going to take time. I will definately some away from the smith machine. And i think i will pyramid my lifts.
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What do you think pyramiding your weights is going to do.

If I were you, I'd stick with the basic progression. Want to improve your bench... read Starting Strength and Practical Programming. Both very practical, affordable books written by Mark Rippetoe. I highly recommend them to you.
 
FEELthePUMP said:
i was browsing another forum and some guy told me the decline bench is worthless. I find that hard to believe. have you ever heard such gall? haha
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I think it's overrated in many cases. Pectoral contraction is pectoral contraction no matter what angle you're pressing the weight. Guys who try and blast their chest from every which angle usually are very confused about biomechanics and physiology.

That said, the decline bench press is not useless.
 
Steve,
I actually am guilty of using the smith machine for bench. I dont feel comfortable using a bench without a spot and i hate asking. Would i be better of doing less weights on a bench or heavier on a smith?


Thanks,

Matt
 
I've trained more often without a spot than with one. And if I ever needed one, I simply ask for one from random guys in the gym. That said, if you're not comfortable or don't know your body well enough, I'd resort to using dumbbells long before I resorted to the smith machine.

Mind you, I rarey, rarely ever fail during my sets. That means I'm using a weight that I can handle regardless 99% of the time.

However, I did have my wrist give out once while benching and 275 came crashing down on my chest. Surprisingly it didn't hurt or injure me. Shocked the shit out of me but I suppose I get so 'tight' or 'stiff' while benching that it would take a lot more force than that to break me, lol.
 
it's nice to see you giving advise instead of starting fights steve. you obviously know alot about lifting and it's informitive to listen to you. (most of the time, lol) I've heard pyramiding is a good way to get results, if you disagree i'd like to know. how many reps and sets do you recommend? I'm doing flat, incline and decline each time i work out. is that too much? 3x10
 
You cannot lose weight using Low Fat Diets. Low fat foods have been popular for more than 15 years, but yet our society is getting more overweight as each year passes. This fact alone should tell you that eating a purely low fat menu is not the answer to losing weight.
 
I agree with the above poster! Thats the best way to improve your bench.. wait... thats not what he was talking about at all.


Anywho, instead of the smith machine, does your gym have a rack thing for overhead presses and squats? You can pull a bench up to it and set the bar up to chest level.

I always go wtih a friend, but thats what I would do if I needed to.
 
FEELthePUMP said:
it's nice to see you giving advise instead of starting fights steve.
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Funnily enough, I don't start fights. I simply call it how I see it. If I see someone handing out shit advice, I'm going to tell them that's shit advice. It's all for the benefit of the community really. And if people can't separate themselves from their advice, there's really not much I can do about that.

To boot, the threads where I'm 'debating' with another member account for literally less than 1% of my posts, so I'm not sure why people are surprised when they see me offering advice without debate, lol.

But I appreciate it.

you obviously know alot about lifting and it's informitive to listen to you. (most of the time, lol) I've heard pyramiding is a good way to get results, if you disagree i'd like to know. how many reps and sets do you recommend? I'm doing flat, incline and decline each time i work out. is that too much? 3x10
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I don't disagree with pyramiding per se. It's just I would much sooner see you attack it differently.

For starters, blasting the chest from every which angle on any given day is pointless. I would ditch that.

How many days per week are you lifting in general? Actually, what does your training split look like right now so I can get a feel for what you're doing.
 
i lift 3 times a week. monday, wednesday and friday. I work weekends. ON those days i try to get everything in. I really don't spit anything. every time i lift i do all my lifts. I have been thinking of moving to a 4 day lifting plan and spit my lifts but not sure if that is best for me yet.
 
No, I'd stick with the full body routine a few times per week like you are.

I really really really suggest buying those two books I mentioned above. If I were going to explain how I'd go about things if I were you, it would pretty much mimic those books.
 
I'll have to take a look at those books. I'm just finishing up one wieght loss book, i'll have to get one of those next. thanks
 
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