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Bench press help

Cinder

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Kilo Klub Member
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May 6, 2016
Messages
2,184
My bench is rather weak (barbell or dumbbell)
Id like to get the poundages up...
My arms are already nicely developed so I was wondering. Should I have only one arm day per week, rather than twice per week? To help with my strength for chest? And what else would anyone suggest.
 
I don't know how you could run a split with 2 arm days.

Run a bench program or just make it a priority and find a way to progress be it reps, weight. The best advice i could give is intensity.
 
I had that issue a few years back. I added dips and push ups to my routine. After a while it moved to weighted dips and my weights increased significantly.
 
With your Arms being dominant Already Maybe pre fatigue with crosses or pully presses first.
My shoulders always took over on Flat and Incline. My buddy was putting up 455 w- all trize, and A weak looking chest!
So putting up big #'s does not build a big chest all the Time.

2 arm Days ??
I incorporate some trize after chest and bize after back and 1 arm Day if Recovered!
 
If you seek strength gains, train bench 3 times a week.

Bench + shoulders
Legs
Bench + arms
Rest
Back
Bench
 
Oops

I do biceps and triceps on different days. But still I do both body parts twice a week.
 
With your Arms being dominant Already Maybe pre fatigue with crosses or pully presses first.
My shoulders always took over on Flat and Incline. My buddy was putting up 455 w- all trize, and A weak looking chest!
So putting up big #'s does not build a big chest all the Time.

2 arm Days ??
I incorporate some trize after chest and bize after back and 1 arm Day if Recovered!

My chest looks nice lol. Just terrible strength I feel.
For example yesterday....

I did 5 sets of 7 of incline barbell. I did 5 sets because wtf 7 reps? Then when I moved to flat dumbell press, I was doing 4 sets of 7 with 90s.

Wtf.
 
If you are just looking for numbers....you need to look into ways of prioritizing your bench. That means a lot of other body parts will need some volume reduced.

Look into Wendler, Conjugate, Smolev (Although it's very high volume) training and periodization.

You have low volume power days, high volume speed days, band/chain work, assistance work etc.

It's the way I have been training for years. I focus on Squats, Bench, Deadlift, and Overhead Press. Anything else is a secondary exercise and added for extra volume or assistance work.

Also like mentioned...big bench numbers don't equate to a big chest. I have a pretty strong bench for my bodyweight....but I don't think my chest reflects that. But if you already have a pretty good developed chest, I think being able to incorporate heavier weight will only make it better.
 
Technique...

You want numbers, improve that. Bench like a powerlifter, not like a bodybuilder.
 
Technique...

You want numbers, improve that. Bench like a powerlifter, not like a bodybuilder.


Bump.

If your wanting to simply move poundage's then you'll need to look into technique and your programming. I have trained/competed powerlifting, and in the past and my best progress was from benching at least 2x/wk. 1 day is Barbell focused and 1 is more close grip, DB work, and Acc work. Also, this doesnt mean you need to bench heavy every week, (ive actually head my best training cycles while keeping the weights lighter). For example, You can do this by having a "rep" based week, and "tempo" based week, and then a heavy week. Just my experience and what has worked for myself, not the gospel by any means. PM if you need more help.

-LK
 
My bench is rather weak (barbell or dumbbell)
Id like to get the poundages up...
My arms are already nicely developed so I was wondering. Should I have only one arm day per week, rather than twice per week? To help with my strength for chest? And what else would anyone suggest.

just download 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler, follow it and watch your bench grow
 
I wouldn’t suggest wendlers 531 for bench. The volume is way too low and most of my training partners and myself went backwards. You don’t need to go completely change the way you train. Your not looking to compete in powerlifting. Just make some modifications to your current schedule. Something as easy as your chest day becomes the day where you concentrate on your bottom end power for benching which is mostly chest and shoulders. Your arm day becomes your lockout day. You focus on the triceps. The benefit of this is you will get stronger and may see some growth from changing your training.

Something like this:
Sets listed are work sets and the same weight. Make all of it go up 5 pounds next week. I also suggest starting this day with rear delt work. Invaluable for keeping your shoulders healthy.

Chest and shoulders day
Face pulls 3x15
Paused bench (rest on chest for one one thousand) 4x6
Incline bench 3x8
Dumbell bench 3x12
Side laterals 4x10
Rear laterals 4x15

Arm or tricep day
Floor press 4x6
Close grip bench 2x10
B.B. extensions on floor 3x12
Push downs 2x25
Then whatever biceps but make sure you do some hammer curls

I didn’t mention it because I don’t know your split but back work is invaluable for a big bench. Make sure you are hitting that hard and it’s also a good idea to do some light Pulldowns with the face pulls to just get some blood in the last before you press.
 
Last edited:
Several good suggestions so far but focus on improving at your sticking point, too. Partial reps around the sticking point is one way to attempt this.
 
I wouldn’t suggest wendlers 531 for bench. The volume is way too low and most of my training partners and myself went backwards. You don’t need to go completely change the way you train. Your not looking to compete in powerlifting. Just make some modifications to your current schedule. Something as easy as your chest day becomes the day where you concentrate on your bottom end power for benching which is mostly chest and shoulders. Your arm day becomes your lockout day. You focus on the triceps. The benefit of this is you will get stronger and may see some growth from changing your training.

Something like this:
Sets listed are work sets and the same weight. Make all of it go up 5 pounds next week. I also suggest starting this day with rear delt work. Invaluable for keeping your shoulders healthy.

Chest and shoulders day
Face pulls 3x15
Paused bench (rest on chest for one one thousand) 4x6
Incline bench 3x8
Dumbell bench 3x12
Side laterals 4x10
Rear laterals 4x15

Arm or tricep day
Floor press 4x6
Close grip bench 2x10
B.B. extensions on floor 3x12
Push downs 2x25
Then whatever biceps but make sure you do some hammer curls

I didn’t mention it because I don’t know your split but back work is invaluable for a big bench. Make sure you are hitting that hard and it’s also a good idea to do some light Pulldowns with the face pulls to just get some blood in the last before you press.

There are plenty of Wendler variations that address the lack of volume in his original program.

I've been on one type or another for the last 5+ years and its worked great for myself and other training partners that have tried it. You don't have to follow it to the letter....just the general framework.

His progressions have been compressed into 1,2, and even 3 week progressions where the volume is very high.

His underlying principles helped me attain a 4 plate bench at a body weight just shy of 200lbs.....and I had always considered my bench a weak point.

I do agree about back and rear delt work. Back contributes so much to the bench overall....and it's imperative to make sure that you keep your shoulders healthy by proper bench technique, and doing specialized work for your rear delts such as face pulls, band work, etc.

You should always be balancing any pushing work with pulling work to keep things in good working order.

Sent from my LG-H871 using Tapatalk
 
There are plenty of Wendler variations that address the lack of volume in his original program.

I've been on one type or another for the last 5+ years and its worked great for myself and other training partners that have tried it. You don't have to follow it to the letter....just the general framework.

His progressions have been compressed into 1,2, and even 3 week progressions where the volume is very high.

His underlying principles helped me attain a 4 plate bench at a body weight just shy of 200lbs.....and I had always considered my bench a weak point.

I do agree about back and rear delt work. Back contributes so much to the bench overall....and it's imperative to make sure that you keep your shoulders healthy by proper bench technique, and doing specialized work for your rear delts such as face pulls, band work, etc.

You should always be balancing any pushing work with pulling work to keep things in good working order.

Sent from my LG-H871 using Tapatalk

So.I need to do rear delts pre bench?
Great their already over developed
 
There are plenty of Wendler variations that address the lack of volume in his original program.

I've been on one type or another for the last 5+ years and its worked great for myself and other training partners that have tried it. You don't have to follow it to the letter....just the general framework.

His progressions have been compressed into 1,2, and even 3 week progressions where the volume is very high.

His underlying principles helped me attain a 4 plate bench at a body weight just shy of 200lbs.....and I had always considered my bench a weak point.

I do agree about back and rear delt work. Back contributes so much to the bench overall....and it's imperative to make sure that you keep your shoulders healthy by proper bench technique, and doing specialized work for your rear delts such as face pulls, band work, etc.

You should always be balancing any pushing work with pulling work to keep things in good working order.

Sent from my LG-H871 using Tapatalk

That’s a good bench for your body weight. You should enter a meet. As long as you can squat at least 500 with no wraps and pull over 600 you should do well. I had one training partner that did good on the basic 531 but myself and others went backwards for bench. I always needed more volume to keep my bench over 400. My best comp bench was 425 in the 220s so you got me and maybe I gave up on it too soon. I always thought JM Blakelys plan worked the best for me.
531 did work great for deadlifts because the weakest guy out of the 6 of us still had a 660 pull and the rest were 675 or better.
 
Last edited:
So.I need to do rear delts pre bench?
Great their already over developed

You dont have too but I always felt getting some blood in my entire upper back made the benching feel better. I seemed to stay tighter and needed less warmup. Good luck man.
 
So.I need to do rear delts pre bench?
Great their already over developed
No...I think we are both saying that on shoulder days, give the rear delts some extra attention. Nothing heavy....just mainly stretching, getting blood into the area....I look at it as just exercise for my rear scapula. When setting up for a bench, getting your rear scapula pulled back and held in place takes the strain off of your front delts and places more emphasis on your chest. You just want to keep that area healthy and flexible.

When I was running a one week variation of the program that I'm on....I actually alternate sets of bench press with bent rows.

Same with overhead press and pull ups. But now that I'm on a 3 week variation, they each have their own training days.

Sent from my LG-H871 using Tapatalk
 

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