Recommended Articles
7 Fastest Ways To Increase Your Bench
1. Tuck Your Elbows
Almost everyone you talk to says they want to increase their bench press, but not everyone actually bench presses. The number one excuse I get, “I can’t bench press because my shoulders hurt.” Its true bench pressing with bad form can cause shoulder injuries but there is a way to alleviate this. I had the same issues myself and thought my heavy benching days were over. That is until several years ago when I met with a powerlifting coach and discovered this
tip.
As you bench press, keep your elbows tucked in close to your body. By doing this the path of the bar will change a bit. The bar will touch a little lower on your chest right below your nipples. The fact you’re touching the bar lower on your chest will decrease the pressure on
your deltoids.
The further you are from your center the less leverage you have. When you tuck your elbows and keep them from flaring out you transfer the load to your triceps taking pressure off the shoulder complex. Touching the bar lower and keeping your elbows in close will allow the bar to travel in a straight line. We all know the fastest way from point A to point B is with a
straight line. Give this technique a try. You may drop in poundage the first few workouts, but you’ll skyrocket past where you were in the past in record time.
2. Decrease the Range Of Motion
There are a few ways to accomplish this. First of all widen your grip on the bar. If your pinkie finger is on the knurling of the bar, than move it out to your ring finger. Eventually you’ll want to move your grip out so that your pointer finger is on the rings. Don’t make too big of a jump at once, take a month or two to move out one finger at a time. This is common sense, the wider your grip the less distance you’re pressing. Next you’re going to want to retract your shoulder
blades. Picture yourself doing a cable row. At the end of the movement you pull your shoulders back, squeeze your back and bring your scapulas together. This should be how your start the bench press. It removes several inches from the range of motion and keeps your body tight.
Arch your back. Your butt,shoulder blades, and head should always be in contact with the bench,but its okay to arch your lower back.If this isn't natural for you, you can place a foam roller under your lower pack for practice. Once again this brings your chest closer to the bar during the eccentric movement decreasing the path the bar travels.
3. Hold Your Air
As a personal trainer I typically teach my clients to take a deep breathe in during the negative portion of the lift and tell them to exhale during the concentric part of the exercise. When it comes to maximum effort work it’s another ball game. The rules that apply to high rep training are thrown out the window.Fill your stomach with air before you unrack the bar and hold that air until the lift is completed. It may take practice but try to fill your belly with air rather than your chest. If you let you air out during a max lift attempt, your body will move making you unstable. Holding your air keeps your entire body tight and gives you a stable base to press from. Some people actually prefer to take two airs. This means they take one breathe when they unrack the bar. Than while holding the bar at lockout they exhale and take another breathe before starting to descend. Give both techniques a try and see which you prefer.
4. Rep Ranges
Plain and simple change your rep ranges. If you’ve already achieved the muscle mass you’re looking for and you want to focus on making your strength level match your looks than it’s time to decrease the reps you’re doing in the bench press. When you train with low reps your strength gains are neurological: You develop a greater ability to recruit muscle fibers....
To Read More Download This Book For Free....
Subscribe To Get More Books, Updates, Special Offers, Body Building Gears, Supplements and Many More...