How to Increase Weight on a Bench Press

Overview

Walk into almost any gym and you will see the bench press stations full, probably with a line. The bench press is considered by many to be the primary test of upper-body strength. Bench press requires balance and strength of the pecs, deltoids, triceps and upper back. Increasing weight on a bench press often proves difficult, but can be made simple with a properly planned and executed training program.

Step 1

Attain a base of strength. Before attempting to increase weight on a bench press, you need to build total body strength. While the bench press primarily uses the pecs, deltoids, triceps and upper back, it also involves the abdominals, biceps and various leg muscles. Use a routine that incorporates the bench press, squats and deadlifts to establish a strong base.

Step 2

Learn proper bench press form. When setting up on the bench, begin flat on your back. Keep your butt glued to the bench and pull your shoulder inward, forming an arch in the back. Tuck your shoulder blades to hold the arch. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your butt on the bench throughout the motion. When performing the bench press, tuck your elbows in and allow the bar to touch along your nipples. Let the bar touch your chest and exhale as you press upward.

Step 3

Establish a program to increase the strength of your chest, shoulders, triceps and upper back. The routine will revolve around the bench press itself, performed only once a week. Keep repetitions between one and five to focus on strength. Include shoulder exercises such as military press, push press and incline bench press. Triceps exercises should follow variations of dips and push-downs. Work the upper back with pull-ups and rowing variations. Assistance exercise repetitions should stay in the range of eight to 12.

Step 4

Progressively increase weight each week. Increase the weight used on each exercise of your program as often as you can manage. If the previous week's sets were too difficult, hold off on increasing the weight. If they were manageable, however, up the weight by a few pounds to ensure progression.