Most people who work out in the gym want to be able to do a heavy bench press. There are so many training techniques that it is difficult to determine which one is the best. But training your body to its limits requires the right diet and exercise, the right mindset, and good technique. Read the tips and tricks below to improve your bench press.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Master the Technique
Use the right technique. Maybe the wrong technique makes you unable to bench press optimally. Not using the right technique can reduce the amount of weight you lift and you won't be able to figure out the maximum load on your bench press.
Step 1. Master the correct grip
Hold the bar slightly wider than your shoulders, holding it close to your wrists, not your fingers. A wide grip interferes with the balance of the weight being lifted, while a narrow grip hits your triceps more than your chest. (Regarding triceps is good, but we'll talk about that later)
Grip the bar firmly. Imagine you are trying to break the bar as it starts to lift; This will prepare your triceps and at the same time improve your fighting mood
Step 2. Push up straight
Try to lift and lower the weight in a straight line. When the bar reaches its lowest point, don't stop lifting: lower the bar and lift it up again in one motion. Press your shoulder blades together as you bench press to tighten your upper back.
- Leave your feet on the floor. Your feet are used to support your body
- Let your elbows pressed against your body. Your elbows must stay close when lifting
- Do not raise your chest or arch your back when lifting the bar up. Your hands work, not your back. You can start with a slightly arched back, but don't bend your back to complete your last rep.
Step 3. Lift quickly
There is no harm in lifting calmly and carefully, but there is no point in lifting 12 reps in two minutes. Lift one set in successive motions - without bouncing with your chest - and rest one minute at most between each set.
Step 4. Do not do the things below
The bench press technique is not difficult, but there are some things that can make you injured or unable to lift optimally. Pay attention to these things:
- Don't bounce the bar with your chest. Lifting it down towards your chest slowly is harder than bouncing it with your chest forcibly. Heavier means stronger your strength.
- When lifting, make sure your wrists are pointing up, not behind your head. Wrist pointing backwards will add weight to your wrist joint.
Method 2 of 3: Develop Your Muscles
Step 1. Lift the maximum at least once a week
Maybe you train your chest two or three times a week. You won't believe how many people don't lift their maximum in one week. Maximum lifting here means the biggest load you can lift in one bench press rep.
- Maximum lift after doing your regular set, at the end of your bench press program.
- There must be a spotter to help you. Never lift max alone.
- If you can bench press one rep smoothly, that's not your max. Little by little add the burden to find a burden that is difficult for you to do.
Step 2. Lift the amount of weight that requires more effort
This suggestion is similar to the previous tips. The human body will continue to adapt to heavier lifts by adding muscle. If you never test it with heavier weights, your body won't adapt anymore; your max lift will never increase. To increase the weight of the bench press, continue to lift weights that you feel are not easy to lift
- For example, you lift 4 bench sets, start with 80 kg, and work your way up to 82, 84 and finally 88 kg. If you can do it smoothly, add more weight. Start with 82kg, work your way up to 84, 86 and 90. In the final set, you will really push yourself to finish.
- If you want to complete all four sets, choose progressively heavier weights that you can barely lift. Then try four more reps in the fifth set, where you'll have a hard time lifting it
- You can try 4 or 5 reps per set as another option. If you can only do 5 reps per set, add more weight. Try sets like this once a week if you train your chest twice a week
Step 3. Make sure both your hands can lift the same weight
If you're like most people, your dominant hand is stronger than your non-dominant hand. Unfortunately, you can only bench press as hard as your non-dominant hand can. For an even tougher bench press, practice more of your weaker hand to make it as strong as your dominant hand.
Step 4. Treat your triceps well
It is your triceps and chest muscles that are used during the bench press. If you can't train your triceps properly, your bench press will stagnate. Use it at least one day a week to seriously train your triceps to get bigger and stronger. Continue your chest program with tricep exercises
- Some good tricep exercises include:
- Dips
- Skull crushers
- One-arm cable extensions
- Closed-grip bench press
- Triceps extension
- Pushups
Step 5. Ask people for help to do negatives
The negative bench press is when you use very heavy weights - sometimes up to 1.5x heavier than your one rep max - and slowly lower the bar to your chest. Then one or two of your friends raise the bar back to the starting position and you lower the bar again. This simple but strenuous exercise is the key to improving your bench press.
Method 3 of 3: Improving Diet and Lifestyle
Step 1. Eat as much as possible
If you don't consume enough calories per day, don't expect your bench press to increase rapidly. You want to gain muscle, not maintain it, and to gain it, you need to eat up to seven meals per day, each meal containing at least protein and carbohydrates.
Step 2. Consider trying a supplement such as whey protein or casein
If you want to take a protein supplement to increase muscle mass, use the supplement, which is usually in the form of milk powder, in the morning, after your workout, and before you go to bed for best results.
Milk protein contains a lot of calories along with added protein. If you are prone to weight gain or acne, taking too many supplements can cause unwanted effects
Step 3. Get enough rest
Your muscles repair and rebuild when you rest and sleep, so a lack of sleep will hinder your muscle development. Get enough rest between each workout, and set a time to get eight hours of sleep each night.
Step 4. Pause for a while when you reach a plateau
Sometimes tired muscles don't want to grow because they have been trained so hard for so long. A week's rest, or a week's worth of weight training, could be something your muscles need to grow again
Step 5. Make sure you are not overtraining
Unless you really like bench presses, there's no good reason to bench press more than twice a week. Even bench presses twice a week can result in a lack of energy to train the triceps, preventing many people from reaching their potential. So make sure you do high-quality bench presses, not a lot of bench presses, use the right technique, and work your triceps
Tips
- If you are a complete beginner, it is recommended to try the 5X5 strong lift program to build a solid foundation
- Remember that nutrition is 90% of your hard work. If you don't eat right, you won't get the same results
