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

 

[Lord_Suston]

I made mine and ask the manager of my school gym if I could use them. He was cool about it, nothing you can make at home depot. Bands are a good suggestion as well

 

[louden_swain]

Yes. . .you guys mention some great ideas, but this stuff is not permitted in the gym for liability issues. . .sounds stupid, but its true.

 

[JOKER47]

Yes. . .you guys mention some great ideas, but this stuff is not permitted in the gym for liability issues. . .sounds stupid, but its true.

Time to expedite the home gym, bud.



Joker

 

[Lord_Suston]

shit that seriously sucks

 

[The Red Dragon]

So Suston, if I wanted to 5x5 my chest would you suggest that I do inclines for the 5x5 or the flat bench? (I'm going for hypertrophy)

 

[bigguns15]

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?

Spatts, I've just started to add some rotator work into my shoulder day to see if that would help. Every so often, I can do incline dumbbell, but it has to be a really low incline and maybe in a position like you were talking about.

For my weighted dips, I do them on a dip station with a dip belt thing around my waist and the weight hanging. I try to go more forward to hit my chest somewhat too.

 

[spatts]

I was going to ask if you go forward! Seems more like it would mimic the bench plane and offer more carry-over. I built a dip station in my gym for squats, but I may be able to rig up an attachment for these too. If I could do them close and low, I think they could really help (assuming my shoulders are ready for that). Thanks!

 

[Lord_Suston]

So Suston, if I wanted to 5x5 my chest would you suggest that I do inclines for the 5x5 or the flat bench? (I'm going for hypertrophy)

I have had great success with 5x5, Polish hammer had a bunch of vids of us doing 275.
http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=238600

I feel this has helped my size and bench much more than doing the traditional flat bench

 

[collegiateLifter]

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

bands are a bit more risky though to tinker with.

I have a question though. Do you guys think that if i am doin a sig amount of close grip flat benching and military presses, that i should still do a inclines very often?

 

[spatts]

CL, do you feel like you get alot over carryover to your bench from military presses? I ask because I have never felt like they help as much for me, and I figured it's because I never bench over my head. If you don't, then maybe you could alternate military presses with inclines? I feel like close grip work hits the tris hard, and incline work hits the shoulders hard...so that's the top and bottom of your bench. They way I see it, they should work together to compliment your overall benching progress. Just speculation though.

 

[pillsbury]

CL, do you feel like you get alot over carryover to your bench from military presses? I ask because I have never felt like they help as much for me, and I figured it's because I never bench over my head. If you don't, then maybe you could alternate military presses with inclines? I feel like close grip work hits the tris hard, and incline work hits the shoulders hard...so that's the top and bottom of your bench. They way I see it, they should work together to compliment your overall benching progress. Just speculation though.

makes sense, and brings about a question that has been on my mind...my bench has gone down dramatically ( bet. 20 & 30%) because of shooting pains in my forearms and other joint problems. I decided to only do speed work for bench, and take my max effort day and do overhead pressing movents for a while. My question now is, would anyone agree with switching overhead pressing for ME incline bench?

 

[IronLion]

you know what I think..lol...don't get me started....I got something for you though

http://www.ipapower.com/Applications/WordDocs/WorldPwrlftgChmp.doc

there it is, you down?

 

[IronLion]

Hey doughboy the 198 submasters bench record is as good as yours if you stop whinning

 

[Backlash]

I have started doing incline barbell for my 5x5 chest with dips and db flies. However, it seems like I almost feel the incline press in my shoulders as much or more than in my chest.

I was thinking maybe it's because the bench is inclined too much? LS, in your video with Hammer it looks like the incline bench is barely inclined more than flat, although it could be the angle of the camera and the lighting...

 

[pillsbury]

Hey doughboy the 198 submasters bench record is as good as yours if you stop whinning

thats it bitchfuck, you just had to get the last word in....so now guess what; im dragging your ass down to pennsylvania or wherever the hell that meet is and im going elite on your ass

 

[PolishHammer1977]

Quality thread man.

Ever since I started doing inclines as my first chest movement I have experienced solid results. Overall chest strength increased.

Close grip benching,Push Press, and OHP.

Having strong shoulders will always help you!

 

[blinddeafmute]

dragon, i do bench at 3 different angles in my routine (dc)

30° is my main one
then flat (arched)
then at around 45°

I would say you are too high, lower it to about 30° and your upper chest really feels it. It doesnt take much of an angle.

 

[Lord_Suston]

I have started doing incline barbell for my 5x5 chest with dips and db flies. However, it seems like I almost feel the incline press in my shoulders as much or more than in my chest.

I was thinking maybe it's because the bench is inclined too much? LS, in your video with Hammer it looks like the incline bench is barely inclined more than flat, although it could be the angle of the camera and the lighting...

the Incline is about 35-40 degress no more though, this really hit the chest and leaves the shoulders alone. It does look like almost no incline in the vids ... I use to have the incline up higher but it always felt incomfortable, then I decided to go a little less on the incline and it work great for me

 

[spatts]

Oh, I keep it high to stretch my chest and work my shoulders...I guess that would explain why I use it for accessory work on my shoulders, and not for my chest. lol

 

[spatts]

huh?

 

[Lord_Suston]

Oh, I keep it high to stretch my chest and work my shoulders...I guess that would explain why I use it for accessory work on my shoulders, and not for my chest. lol

Hey Spatts I am catching up to you

 

[Lord_Suston]

in giving advice just kidding..

 

[IronLion]

thats it bitchfuck, you just had to get the last word in....so now guess what; im dragging your ass down to pennsylvania or wherever the hell that meet is and im going elite on your ass

good you have been officially called out

clock is tickin

 

[collegiateLifter]

CL, do you feel like you get alot over carryover to your bench from military presses? I ask because I have never felt like they help as much for me, and I figured it's because I never bench over my head. If you don't, then maybe you could alternate military presses with inclines? I feel like close grip work hits the tris hard, and incline work hits the shoulders hard...so that's the top and bottom of your bench. They way I see it, they should work together to compliment your overall benching progress. Just speculation though.

good call. I have felt for a while that my shoulders were weak so i took up overhead pressing again.

I think I will start doing some inclines in my lifting; however it will be rather steep as all of my various gyms really only have benches at atleast 45 degress or higher

 

[Zander1983]

Next training cycle I'll be adding inclines. I think I'll have to slip some plates under the end of my bench to make it incline