Benching Workout Plan For Young Athletes

As a young athlete, you can develop skills that will produce a stronger bench press. This should only be part of a lifting program, as exercises for your back and legs will develop more power and protect you from injury. Improving your bench press is not just about grinding away at repetition after repetition; you must improve your technique and strengthen your supporting muscles. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.

Bench Press

You need to train your bench press in a variety of repetition ranges. Train your bench at least twice a week, with one day heavy and one day lighter. The lighter day you should train with a weight that you can easily lift for five to eight repetitions. Do no more than five repetitions, but on the way up, accelerate the bar as much as possible. This will teach you to accelerate the weight and generate more power. On your heavy day, train with a weight that you have trouble lifting for three to five repetitions. Do only one to three repetitions with this weight. This will teach you to push harder against heavier weights without compromising your recovery ability.

Train Your Triceps

The triceps are the most active muscle in the bench press. They are worked hard when benching, and even harder if you move your grip in closer. The close-grip bench press is a way to build strength and specifically train your triceps to assist with the bench press. This exercise can be performed with anywhere from five to 15 repetitions. Barbell and dumbbell extensions can be used to increase your triceps strength and mass. Train your triceps every workout, but rotate exercises regularly. You do not need to spend a long time practicing assistance exercises, as a youth you learn new exercises quickly.

Train Your shoulders

Your shoulders are very active in the bench press, and strong shoulders will prevent you from injury. A shoulder injury in a young athlete can set your career back quite a ways. The military press is a great shoulder exercise that also works the triceps. Perform exercises for the rear of your shoulders to keep them strong and healthy. Bent over lateral raises or face pulls can be done every bench workout. Lateral raises can also be done to strengthen your shoulders. Extra work for your external rotators can also help avoid injury if you spend a lot of time focusing on heavy pressing exercises.

Train Your Back

The latissimus dorsi, or widest muscles of the back, play more than just a supporting role in the bench press. From these muscles you get a strong initial push off of the chest when benching. Strong latissimus dorsi help you keep the bar, and your shoulders, stable in the bottom of the bench press. Chinups, barbell rows and dumbbell rows build your back strength and strengthen the back of your shoulders. These exercises can be done every bench workout and can be performed in the eight to 15 repetition range. As you move into other sports in your young career, a strong back will help you generate power in many activities.