Im involved in something in June that will require me to bench 225 for as many reps as possible. Right now at 13-14 times. i want to hit about 20-25 times by June or at least as many as possible. Im 6'1 238 pounds and i feel my reps should be much better than this but i have always struggled with flat bench. Maybe someone could give me some advice on how to up my reps. Thanx.
What is the best way to increase my reps with 225 bench??
- Thread starter Gr8Wall
- Start date
bleachcola
New member
Weighted dips.
Beast_19_301
Mc deal meal special
increase your bench and keep doing high reps. Have like 1 day for strength and another for muscular endurance. This way you hit 2 types of muscle fibers.
bigbuffstaples
"Who is your Daddy and what does he do?"
Beast_19_301 said:
i agree. I was always better at increasing my strength then my size (not that any of it is all that impressive to most people on here, but still). And i usually just keep adding weight to things. Like if you can bench 225 for 13 reps, then put on 240 and try and get as many reps as possible, then go back to 225 and it should increase. Then once you start doing 240 for more reps, do 250, and eventually that way you'll be getting used to heavier weight, so the lighter weight (225) won't feel so heavy. But also your gonna have to keep those reps as high as possible on the 225 as your working out because you wanna keep that endurance up there as well, especially for 20-25 reps.
Hope that helps any. Good luck.
My free weight work sets are in the 4-6 rep range. Every time I do an exercise, I can either do one more rep than before, or add more weight.
Or if you really need to add the strength, just pile on the weight, and do 5 sets of flat in the 2-3 rep range and rest around 5 min between sets.
You can also try this ...
Go to the power rack at your gym and move a flat bench in the middle of the rack. Set up two of the pins that will hold the bar about 5 inches from your chest. Add two more pins about 3/4 the length of the rep.
Pile on the weight that would be close to your max. Press the bar up as close to the pins without touching. Keep the bar there for 20-30 seconds and then rest for a few min and do it a few times more.
The point of this is to keep you in the hardest part of the rep with near maximum weight. It will help a lot with strength. Look at Bruce Lee. He wasn't huge, but he was strong as fuck. Do you your heavy rep sets, then try this technique.
Or if you really need to add the strength, just pile on the weight, and do 5 sets of flat in the 2-3 rep range and rest around 5 min between sets.
You can also try this ...
Go to the power rack at your gym and move a flat bench in the middle of the rack. Set up two of the pins that will hold the bar about 5 inches from your chest. Add two more pins about 3/4 the length of the rep.
Pile on the weight that would be close to your max. Press the bar up as close to the pins without touching. Keep the bar there for 20-30 seconds and then rest for a few min and do it a few times more.
The point of this is to keep you in the hardest part of the rep with near maximum weight. It will help a lot with strength. Look at Bruce Lee. He wasn't huge, but he was strong as fuck. Do you your heavy rep sets, then try this technique.
3Wheels
New member
Allthought they are my fave thing I would not do dips, train specifically for your test.
You need to get your lactate tolerance up so high reps mix it up: very high reps 50+ at a lower weight, decreasing pyramids with your training partner taking of the plates to minimise rest, etc occassionally training just above the test weight so it will feel light and every three weeks or so after a decent rest crank out as many as you can at the weight.
If there is a time limit you might want to work on your speed if not you will want to work on your ability to recover.
If you can stand it and your gym has one you could also start doing your cardio on a hand cycle concentrating on the push phase.
You need to get your lactate tolerance up so high reps mix it up: very high reps 50+ at a lower weight, decreasing pyramids with your training partner taking of the plates to minimise rest, etc occassionally training just above the test weight so it will feel light and every three weeks or so after a decent rest crank out as many as you can at the weight.
If there is a time limit you might want to work on your speed if not you will want to work on your ability to recover.
If you can stand it and your gym has one you could also start doing your cardio on a hand cycle concentrating on the push phase.
3Wheels
New member
OK I never did learn how to play well with other children. I shall try to expand on what I wrote before.
Firstly, if this is just a something that is not very important to you then continue to press a few extra pounds (say 235) and the reps will slowly build, nearer the time drop to the 225 weight and it will psychologically feel much lighter and you will of course be able to push out a few more reps.
However this sounds like the kind of suitably pointless challenge that any self respecting guy would want to dedicate considerable time and effort into. To start with you might ellicit some good advice from friends.
If your goal is 25 reps, (I think you can do more), then this challenge is going to last more than 30 seconds but less than 2 minutes. That means you are training for power endurance. Equivalent sports might be 400 metres track, 1 mile sprint on a bike, sports climbing, 100m freestyle... The training requirements for this are unlike what powerlifters or bodybuilders do.
Power endurance is one of the trickiest things to train for as you require the ability to function with lots of lactic acid in your muscles. In essence you must learn how to 'press on your pump'.
Steps for working on your power endurance include:
Base endurance this could be achieved by doing cardio work on a hand cycle, if your gym has one. Just replace your normal running or bike workouts with similar workouts on the ergocycle if you use pulse zones your zones will be 15 to 20 beats lower as you are obviously recruiting less muscle.
The main element is getting used to being pumped this can be achieved but what are essentially intervals but with weights.
One way of doing this would be to chose a weight that you can manage 50 reps with. For the last 10-15 reps you will feel that burn and you and your muscles will get used to it. After a 60 sec rest you do the same again and repeat for 6 sets as you improve alternate between increasing the sets to 8 and increasing the weight.
Another method would be to start with a higher weight that you can manage 25 reps with just getting into the pump. Then do a decreasing pyramid with rests only as long as your partner takes to remove the plates. You are once agian trying to stay in the pump, building your bodies ability to breakdown lactic acid, take a 120 sec rest and then repeat.
Of course you should also do workouts with the 235 weight just for as many reps as you can and a decent rest between sets
You should develop an ability to recover from your pump, so that when you straight arm the weight and recover you will then be able to go on and press out several more reps. This is obviously not as usefull if you are time limited.
just my $0.02
Firstly, if this is just a something that is not very important to you then continue to press a few extra pounds (say 235) and the reps will slowly build, nearer the time drop to the 225 weight and it will psychologically feel much lighter and you will of course be able to push out a few more reps.
However this sounds like the kind of suitably pointless challenge that any self respecting guy would want to dedicate considerable time and effort into. To start with you might ellicit some good advice from friends.
If your goal is 25 reps, (I think you can do more), then this challenge is going to last more than 30 seconds but less than 2 minutes. That means you are training for power endurance. Equivalent sports might be 400 metres track, 1 mile sprint on a bike, sports climbing, 100m freestyle... The training requirements for this are unlike what powerlifters or bodybuilders do.
Power endurance is one of the trickiest things to train for as you require the ability to function with lots of lactic acid in your muscles. In essence you must learn how to 'press on your pump'.
Steps for working on your power endurance include:
Base endurance this could be achieved by doing cardio work on a hand cycle, if your gym has one. Just replace your normal running or bike workouts with similar workouts on the ergocycle if you use pulse zones your zones will be 15 to 20 beats lower as you are obviously recruiting less muscle.
The main element is getting used to being pumped this can be achieved but what are essentially intervals but with weights.
One way of doing this would be to chose a weight that you can manage 50 reps with. For the last 10-15 reps you will feel that burn and you and your muscles will get used to it. After a 60 sec rest you do the same again and repeat for 6 sets as you improve alternate between increasing the sets to 8 and increasing the weight.
Another method would be to start with a higher weight that you can manage 25 reps with just getting into the pump. Then do a decreasing pyramid with rests only as long as your partner takes to remove the plates. You are once agian trying to stay in the pump, building your bodies ability to breakdown lactic acid, take a 120 sec rest and then repeat.
Of course you should also do workouts with the 235 weight just for as many reps as you can and a decent rest between sets
You should develop an ability to recover from your pump, so that when you straight arm the weight and recover you will then be able to go on and press out several more reps. This is obviously not as usefull if you are time limited.
just my $0.02
BigSteveBunyon
New member
I went from 14 to 16 reps the week before my pro-combine in january by doing this workout:
Set 1: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 2: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 3: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 4: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 5: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 6: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
What did you expect, Some elaborate program? I did this every day that I was physically able to for 10 days before combine, with 2 days rest before the morning of pro-bench. Your arms are going to want to fall off after each workout... Immediately after the bench session, take some high quality protein, and a large amount of water... 60 minutes after, do chyrotherapy for the triceps (I just used very cold running water) and immediately following that take a 1hr 30 minute nap to induce growth hormone production. (Roughly 1 sleep cycle) I also did 4 self-hypnosis sessions the week before combine, in order to gain confidence in ability, and in order to lose mental block... I've been invited to training camp, so i did something correct.
I am vevy fast twitch dominant so 2 reps is huge in my eyes. You may do better, or worse. Maybe this will help. Peace.
Set 1: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 2: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 3: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 4: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 5: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
Set 6: Flat bench: 225, Max reps to failure, last rep should be lifted by your spotter... basically a negative 1:15 rest
What did you expect, Some elaborate program? I did this every day that I was physically able to for 10 days before combine, with 2 days rest before the morning of pro-bench. Your arms are going to want to fall off after each workout... Immediately after the bench session, take some high quality protein, and a large amount of water... 60 minutes after, do chyrotherapy for the triceps (I just used very cold running water) and immediately following that take a 1hr 30 minute nap to induce growth hormone production. (Roughly 1 sleep cycle) I also did 4 self-hypnosis sessions the week before combine, in order to gain confidence in ability, and in order to lose mental block... I've been invited to training camp, so i did something correct. I am vevy fast twitch dominant so 2 reps is huge in my eyes. You may do better, or worse. Maybe this will help. Peace.
BigSteveBunyon
New member
Oh this as well...
I do not use, nor have I used steroids, so this may play a factor in your decision to work out liek I did. My reasoning is that those who gain muscle as quickly as some of you do, do not have the anatomical adaptation of ligaments and tendons that are capable for such a repetetive and stressful workout like the one above. No offense intended of course. not meant to be a slight toward gear users, I just dont need them myself. I would use them, but 2 or 3 reps can be a hypertrophic set for me. I am already 310 lbs, so I don't need to use quite yet. Once that genetic limit starts to set in though I will be hitting y'all up for sources
Remember, ligaments and tendons take 7 times longer to adapt than muscle mass... As an athlete, You are only as strong as your weakest link. Peace.
I do not use, nor have I used steroids, so this may play a factor in your decision to work out liek I did. My reasoning is that those who gain muscle as quickly as some of you do, do not have the anatomical adaptation of ligaments and tendons that are capable for such a repetetive and stressful workout like the one above. No offense intended of course. not meant to be a slight toward gear users, I just dont need them myself. I would use them, but 2 or 3 reps can be a hypertrophic set for me. I am already 310 lbs, so I don't need to use quite yet. Once that genetic limit starts to set in though I will be hitting y'all up for sources
Remember, ligaments and tendons take 7 times longer to adapt than muscle mass... As an athlete, You are only as strong as your weakest link. Peace.
