it must be done!

[big ferrigno]

I am on summer break from university, and I want to increase my bench. I want to get to two plates and a 25 (or 275), and at the moment i am at 225. I can do about 4 reps now, when I used to be able to do barely one. There is three months left until school starts and I want to increas my bench 5 pounds every two weeks. Just started ATP charge and that is helping belt out a few more reps, but creatine does seem that it will be needed.

Any suggestions on a training method to achieve this goal would be great. I train chest always after my rest day so that I have full strength.

 

[inked1]

how are you training at the moment?

 

[big ferrigno]

For Heavy Chest (bench) I will warm up with just the bar, then put on 45's for 12 reps, then put on 25's for 4 reps, then 35's for 4 reps, then two plates for 3-4 reps. I try to keep the reps low so when i go my heaviest I will have my most strength. (2 1/2 min breaks)

On light days i will still do the same warm up, but instead i will do just the 45 and 25's (sometimes the 35 if feeling better)for 10 reps with 1 min breaks

 

[Mudge]

The difference between 10 and 12 reps is somewhat minute with a warmup weight, but I dont ever do more than 10 currently. :shrug:

 

[hornedfrogs07]

The difference between 10 and 12 reps is somewhat minute with a warmup weight, but I dont ever do more than 10 currently. :shrug:

Bah, who needs warmups........I usually do a couple reps with just the bar, to loosen up the joints, one set of 4-5 reps at 135, and then jump to whatever my working weight happens to be for the day.........whether that's 225 or 325, lol.


And yes, I know I'll pay for that later in life.

 

[blackjack]

make sure you do alot of heavy tricep work. close grip bench press heavy weight lo volume. same for lats big benches call for alot of lat power. t-bar rows work for me. when doing the bench, plant your feet firmly on the floor, bring your shoulders down and in for stability. tuck your elbows on the way down and blast that weight up as hard as you can.imagine when your in the middle of the lift, trying to grip the bar really hard and pull it apart out to the sides.(this make your triceps work harder).and remember to take a deep breath and hold it as you unrack the bar.
it feels a bit strange at first but it works.

 

[big ferrigno]

Thanks Blackjack, I started doing close grip presses just a lil while ago, and T-Bar rows as well. I'll give that grip thing a shot, i remember when doing that with squats and the heavy lift felt a lil' less heavy.

 

[Vennom96]

A few times in the past year or so when I wanted my bench to increase I switched to doing only incline work for about 3-4 weeks and my bench jumped up about 10lbs each time. I would start off w/ 3 sets of Incline, sometimes next I would do Incline DB's, but not always, then I'd do incline flyes, then I'd pick one other chest exercise.
It worked for me.

 

[Mudge]

Bah, who needs warmups........

When I was younger and weaker, I didn't "need" warmups. Now not only will my CNS not cooperate, but I will very likely hurt myself. I always warmup, have to.

 

[hornedfrogs07]

When I was younger and weaker, I didn't "need" warmups. Now not only will my CNS not cooperate, but I will very likely hurt myself. I always warmup, have to.

Considering the way my shoulders click and pop constantly now, and I'm only 20, I definitely should warm up more -- I know.

 

[Mudge]

I'm about to hit 30, and I dont feel 18 anymore... I beat myself up too much when I was younger.

 

[big ferrigno]

at 255 now, 20 pounds to go

 

[Mr. Gym Bag]

I eat 275lbs of food for breakfast.

 

[big ferrigno]

see the care in my typing