So you want more poundages on your bench

[Lord_Suston]

Many people ask how to get a big bench. I suggest many methods such as WSB and other bench specific routines, but then some of my friends ask me what I do for my strength....

I tell them to Incline a lot and do flat bench as a secondary motion. Fist off the incline has a greater range of motion, the plane of the sternum actually arches back toward ones neck so to get a better ROM one would Incline. This pretty much helps those who have sticky points at the bottoms of their lift...

Second, Close-grip bench, hard and heavy. this motion is directly similar to bench as the tris are a prime mover during the bench. By enabling your tris to perfomr heavy reps you work on ones max load capacity and get past higher sticking points...

Now I am not a powerlifter but I can put up some decent numbers raw and I find these two movements helped my flat bench the most

 

[slobberknocker]

For me:

1. Bench, Incline, Military

2. Low Volume

 

[spatts]

LS, we do inclines and close grip regularly. I can see where you'd get excellent carry over from both.

 

[bigguns15]

I'm really the opposite. I would love to do inclines, but every time I try, they hurt my shoulder. So, I have really concentrated on flat bench and db flat bench. Not to mention that I hit my tri's extremely hard with close grip (one hand width closer than normal) board presses, weighted dips, and overhead db extensions.

Of course, when I say flat bench, it really is almost like a decline because of my arch

 

[Lord_Suston]

Work on your rotator cuff and delts they help a lot.

My bench is okay considering I don't arch, use leg drive, or any of the better techniques, just brute force...

Spatts I know your type of people (Powerlifters ) do Inclines, but many people here forget that Incline is an accessory excercise, and think close-grip is something they do in the bedroom

 

[spatts]

BG15, I do inclines as accessory work (all my main work is flat...or as you said, declined-lol). When my rotators were in need of rehab, I couldn't even complete the inclined range of motion, but now that they're getting better, I like to add these for shoulder work. I have to do them with db's in a semi-pronated grip, and bring them low like when I bench, but they're really growing on me. Plus the stretch through my tie-ins feels really good after some heavy benching.

I want to add some weighted dips, and was thinking I would be better doing those in the bench plane. How do you perfrom yours?

 

[louden_swain]

Lately,

Heavy lockouts and JM presses have helped.

Of course, I also use:

french presses, dips, and close grip bench presses.

I mention tricep movements because this is the part I always need to work on to help with pressing.

 

[louden_swain]

try using some chains to help your lockout speed. I use them and I realized my tris were really weak in comparison to my chest

I like this idea, but the gym is not supplied with this type of equipment.

This is why I want to build my own gym.

The only thing I can do is add more iron to the bar.

 

[Lord_Suston]

Lately,

Heavy lockouts and JM presses have helped.

Of course, I also use:

french presses, dips, and close grip bench presses.

I mention tricep movements because this is the part I always need to work on to help with pressing.

try using some chains to help your lockout speed. I use them and I realized my tris were really weak in comparison to my chest

 

[JOKER47]

I like this idea, but the gym is not supplied with this type of equipment.

This is why I want to build my own gym.

The only thing I can do is add more iron to the bar.

Will they let you use bands? They can be used as well.

You might want them anyway when you get your home gym complete also.


Joker