Hi everybody,

Just would like to start new topic just like deadlift topic..

Please feel free to share any doubts and questions on bench press exercise.. Sharing own progress is also encourage..

Start with me first, ehem..

Today, went to the gym, just to try out one rep max for bench press after 4-5 months..

Currently at 77.5kg, first attempt got 108kg successful lift.. second attempt got 110kg successful lift..but the spotters hand were at the bar..so probably need to repeat the lift later on maybe early next month..

Both lifts were 2 inches off the chest..

Kinda feel happy



Any bench presser fans?

Here is some of the tips found on the stronglifts 5x5 regarding bench pressing tips:

5 Tips to Improve Bench Press Technique:
1. Keep proper arch to your back, an arched back creates a decline pressing position and everybody knows you can decline press more weight then incline or flat. It does this by giving your body more leverage and cuts the total distance the bar has to travel by nearly half.

2. Keep the proper grip width, If you grip too narrow you won’t be able to lift as much as you will be recruiting more triceps and lest chest, too wide and you will not be able to do as much weight, and you will get less travel. You want your forearms perpendicular to the floor when the bar is touching your chest.

3. Lock in your back, I picture my lats squeezing together so hard that they actually pinch the bench. If you can keep your back tight and strong it will provide the optimal platform for when you are pushing all of that weight off of your chest. Also be sure to get your rear shoulders as flat to the bench as possible, again this just adds to the strength of the platform that you are pressing from.

4. Keep your feet in a wide stance, this will give you more stability and a stronger platform to push from. There are two placement positions that can give you great results, one is to keep your feet flat to the ground and the weight of your legs positioned on your heels. The other placement is to put your feet as far behind you as possible even as far so that your feet are nearly directly below your glutes and put all of your leg weight on your toes. The increased leverage can help to increase your bench pressing power and help you to add weight quicker to your bench press.

5. Get the proper grip on the bar, by doing so you will gain more power and control of the weight. Put the bar in the palm of your hand and squeeze the bar tightly, I have heard that if you imagine that you are bending the bar like you can a raw spaghetti noodle you will increase your power in the bench.

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Added on October 25, 2012, 10:25 amMind to share your current progress maybe? You're darlight79's training partner right?

This post has been edited by Seasick85: Oct 25 2012, 10:25 AM

My weight is also around 40kg when I first started..don't be shy to ask for spotter since you never know when will the bar be trapping you down there..in fact this is how we do it in the gym.. no harm done plus you'll make good networking inside the gym as well..

Mind to ask you, are you a girl or guy? From your avatar is a girl? For a girl to be benching 40kg is considered as very good

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Added on October 25, 2012, 11:17 amPretty good..how long have you been benching? I'm currently somewhere at 5-6 reps for 100kg as well..depends on the condition during that time..rotator issue have been bugging bench pressers for quite some time..maybe it's bcoz you going to low as touching the chest? Have you tried some rotator exercises?

You doing Smith or free weights?

This post has been edited by Seasick85: Oct 25 2012, 11:17 AM

You guys are surely strong..i can only hope to bench 120kg by next year..hopefully..



This post has been edited by Seasick85: Oct 25 2012, 11:53 AM

That's quite an achievement too.. Actually I dun think that a spotter is a necessity in order to progress for the bench press..in fact for any exercise.. A spotter only helps you when you're about to fail or testing out one rep max.. Progress actually depends a lot on your training regime and off course diet and rest..

You know, I only used flat bench press as main exercise to improve my bench press.. sometimes I do incline but the only difference is that you are actually utilizing front shoulder muscles during incline more compare to flat, so the incline I substituted with front shoulder and lateral shoulder exercise..i don't do machines as well not to mention pull over.. That too me just adds more volume to the chest..unless you've not really push your bench to the limit..

I used to do declines before this, but since I learned the arching way of bench press. now I don't do declines anymore..its the same thing as trying to further exhaust your chest while I can do it during flat bench...

Dips are good, you mean that you did decline dips? Its the same as decline bench so yeah..

Other parts that supports my bench press numbers are triceps, back, traps and good form which I do separately on different days.. eg shoulder presses, close grip bench, bent rows, deadlifts, hammers etc..

Who's adix?

NATO (No action talk only)?

What's ur 1RM for flat bench? Are u duin strength or hypertrophy regime?

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Added on October 27, 2012, 9:10 amYou should do:

1st set 50kg x 8 reps
2nd set 45kg x 8 reps
3rd set 40kg x 8 reps
4th set 35kg x 8 reps





This post has been edited by Seasick85: Oct 27 2012, 09:10 AM

Mind to ask you, but where is normally powerlifter meeting being held in msia? I suppose its for down syndrome people only?

I see.. I thought you're a Malaysian..forgive me.. All the best to you..

In msia, powerlifting is not very popular..only bodybuilding activities..

OR, if you want to estimate your One Rep Max without performing it, use the ORM calculator is to estimate as per link below:

http://www.timinvermont.com/fitness/orm.htm

Eg. Enter your weight lifted, number of repetitions (PLEASE enter at most 5 reps to get accurate result)..

Ok. Please don't stray from the topic.

Anybody else would like to share their progress on bench press? Any video is preferred.

Try to include some shoulder exercises to improve bench press stability.

Shoulder presses, dumbbell n barbell, front n lateral raises..

Do more bent over rows to improve on back thickness to get solid base to press during bench press..

Do more bench press too..

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Added on October 29, 2012, 11:22 amYeap..actually if freeweight is not available, Smith Machine is my choice to build chest..bcoz its offer the same muscle exhaustion towards chest part..but not on stability..for stability, still need to do stability parts like front shoulders, traps, back etc.. Really can't compared the weights used at Smith Machine with Freeweight bench press..for me, totally different.. I just assumed that I wanted to do freeweight to get overall growth for upper body..

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Added on October 29, 2012, 11:26 amI think I know why you said that you don't feel the tension on your chest using smith..really its not the issue of smith vs machine..its more like you need to learn correct basic form of the bench exercises eg both smith n free bench..

My advice is, do a lot more, make it accustomed to your body n then only make comparisons maybe after few months eg 5-6 months when you've developed some basic strength of bench..its bcoz if I explain now, you won't appreciate or understand what I said..you still need to do it yourself n do more..

People who compared both smith n freeweight benches and have certain regime towards it has already been benching for quite some time, so hope you understand that..

Gudluck!

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Added on October 29, 2012, 11:36 amBesides maybe the weight of bar, there a lot of factors contributing to Smith Vs Freeweight Benches. Despite that, both works one common part, chest..

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Added on October 30, 2012, 6:27 amBump!

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Added on October 30, 2012, 10:09 amYesterday, went to the gym, as usual, bench press routine..started off with some warm ups.. 1st set 100kg x 4 reps + 1 forced rep..2nd set 96.5kg x 4 reps..3rd set 94kg x 4 reps..4th set 94 x 3 reps..

After that, came this one person..never seen him before..doin incline progressing up to bench 90kg x 8..then for flat, progressing up to bench 100kg x 8 reps..

Then came few more people, do 100kg x 6, another one did 100kg x 4..fuhh so many of good bench presser yesterday..all are at least 90kg ++ bodyweight..

Feel like need to work harder..

This post has been edited by Seasick85: Oct 30 2012, 10:09 AM

Yes, in fact, that's a good choice..switching to db offer u the advantage of to work your left n right hand balance..since your new to bb i guess once you've got your left n right almost the same, then you can switch back to bb coz bb advantage is to hold more weights compared to db..

Try for 1 month work the db weights up from where you are eg 1st week db 30lb, 2nd week 35lb, 3rd week 40lb, 4th week 45lb, then switch back to bb n see the result..

But make sure your db forms are done correctly, treat both hands the same, both left n right hand goes up n down same..

A good article on bench press whether is it good or not to touch chest and the reason being so:

http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-bar-...ll-bench-press/

Personally, I'm 2 inches off my chest and still get good pump, in fact constant tension at the bottom makes it harder on chest..

Average as if bar touching chest at 90 degree elbow or lower? Do you think 2 inches is acceptable?

Yeah, you mean overall chest development? Yeah I get that as long as your chest is getting bigger n stronger, touching or not touching doens't matter?

What do you mean by variations of flat bench? Incline and decline or bottom, middle , and top part of ROM?

Ok. But despite your big bench, you still do db?

hohoho..maybe if he do bench throws i suppose he can do that..jk jk..

Oo icic..you got 125lb db at ur gym? wow..the most that we have here is around 60lb at kbs..so still stick to barbells.. luckily i dun have balancing issue..

You should go for free weight bench..it offers a lot to your "accessories" muscles eg front shoulder, back, traps..

I used to have the same problem while converting my free weight bench lifts coz the free weight is not a straight line..