There is no myth to showing big numbers in your bench press, there really isn't. If you what to push up big numbers you need to learn how to handle weight. One of the best ways to increase your bench is to not push weight at all. Crazy as you may think, most people have it backwards. We add weight onto a bar incrementally and try to push something we have never handled before. The body, specifically our muscular system adapts to stress very quickly so it can overcome that same stress in the future. That's why whenever I want to get stronger and pack on the muscle; I always perform "Heavy Negatives" at least once a month, maybe twice. The reason why I only do it once a month is you're usually too sore to do anything else after that. Bodybuilders that don't have a "Negative" routine in their repertoire are really missing a vital tool in making incredible strength gains.
"Negatives" are repetitions that concentrate on the eccentric or lowering phase of an exercise. Please do not even attempt this without a training partner because it would absolutely suck if you had a 300 lbs lying on your chest and no one there to get it off. Our muscles can handle between 30 and 40 percent more weight when we're lowering it. So when we're talking about the "Bench Press" we want to concentrate on adding between 30 and 40 percent more weight than you're used to Benching in the traditional sense for reps. Warming up with 250 for reps is counterproductive. Add 75 pounds onto the bar. Get a good grip and lower the bar in 5 seconds, have your training partner help you bring the bar back up and lower it again 1..2..3..4..5.
Just because you think you can handle 30 - 40% more weight, it doesn't equate to a bigger bench press. A missing piece to getting a big bench is working your upper back. Without a strong upper back you would never be able to stabilize the weight on either side of the repetition. Performing movement that strengthen your Lats and Rear Delts will take your bench beyond anything you've ever imagined. Going heavy for 10-12 reps with T-bar rows for 3 sets and in between each set perform a set of Rear Delt Raises as heavy as you can go for 10-12 reps 3 sets. It's more of a superset than anything.
This last key is not the most important but it is equally important. Grip strength is the most neglected part of many a body builder's workout. you don't have any strength without it. After you have done your "Heavy Negative" Bench workout, and your Upper Back workout, you need to grab a hold of a 45 lb plate in each hand at the fingertips and proceed to performing as many finger curls (lifting the edge of the plate towards your palm) as you can, rest for 30 seconds and keep going until your forearms need a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.
Now go and throw some big iron around.
The bench press is an exercise in which the lifter lies on his/her back on a weight bench, lowering the bar directly above the chest. It is intended for the development of the chest, or pectoral muscles , frontal shoulders, serratus, but a variation exists for the triceps. In weight lifting , however, where the focus is to achieve a single very heavy repetition, the force for a bench exercise is exerted by both the pectoral and tricep muscles.
The world record for the heaviest benchraising at 1005 lb (456.8 kg) was set by Gene Rychlak under International Powerlifting Association rules in November 2004. It must be noted that the different lifts federations and gyms have subtly different rules on technique, the equipment that is allowed and whether performance enhancing drugs are tested for.
The heaviest "raw" benchraising (without equipment such as denim shirts) is 713 lbs (324kg) by Scott Mendelson. Many people regard this as a greater achievement than Rychlak's 1005 lb press. Classic bench presses may not be suitable for every athlete, if you experience a lack of development, switch to other exercises, i.e. dips, butterfly or other exercises involving dumbells.
Perform your bench presses carefully and slowly. Do not use the momentum of the downward movement of the barbell to let it bounce off your chest and push it explosively back upwards. At least, you bereave yourself of the negative and power building phase of the exercise. This exercise should always be performed with a spotter to catch the bar in case it is dropped on the chest.
Varying width grips can be used to shift stress between pectorals and triceps, and between the inner and outer pectorals. It can also be performed with dumbbells to incorporate greater use of the stabilizer muscles. Each variation is intended to work different subgroups of muscles, or work the same muscles in slightly different ways.
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Rocco Castellano has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Personal Trainer and Fitness. Rocco Castellano is an internationally recognized extreme weight loss specialist, and celebrity trainer if you are looking to in thirty days or just need to. Rocco Castellano's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.
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