Increasing your bench press strength requires improvements in both skill and strength. Grinding away at repetition after repetition will do little besides fatigue you and increase your risk of injury. A focused plan with concrete goals allows you to quickly improve your performance and get the most out of your training time. Strengthening key muscle groups and getting more out of the strength you possess is the end result of a quick, efficient program. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any strength-training program.
Day One
Step 1
Train your bench press heavy using a weight that's challenging at three repetitions. Keep your back flat and your feet on the floor. Lower the bar to your sternum and push the bar to full extension. Perform five to six single repetitions. Rest up to three minutes between singles if you must.
Step 2
Perform heavy close-grip bench presses, which work your triceps more, according to a 1995 study published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research." Grip the bar with your hands between 12 and 18 inches apart. Perform three to five sets of four to six repetitions.
Step 3
Press dumbbells while seated to work your shoulders. Sit down with your back supported and hold dumbbells in each hand directly above your shoulders. Press the dumbbells to full extension and lower under control. Perform four or five sets of eight to 12 repetitions.
Step 4
Row a barbell for four to six sets of eight to 12 repetitions. Lean forward gripping a barbell with your hands shoulder width apart. Use whatever grip you are comfortable with. Do not round your back and pull the bar smoothly into your sternum.
Day Two
Step 1
Lift with 70 percent of the weight you used on day one. Perform eight to 12 sets of three reps. With each repetition, push the bar to full extension as quickly as possible. Still avoid bouncing the bar off your chest. This is the only day where you should not strain to move the weight through a full range of motion. If you are struggling to lock out the lift, reduce the weight an additional five or 10 percent.
Step 2
Use dumbbells to perform triceps extensions for five or six sets of eight to 10 repetitions. Lie flat on your back with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in, arms straight up. Lower the dumbbells to the top of your shoulders by bending your elbows, then straighten your arms.
Step 3
Bend forward and perform lateral raises for three to five sets of 10 to 15 repetitions to strengthen the back of your shoulders. Hold dumbbells in each hand with your palms facing in and lean forward 45 degrees. Raise your arms until they are parallel to the ground. Pause at the top, then lower under control.
Step 4
Row a dumbbell for four to six sets of eight to 12 repetitions to work your back. Hold a dumbbell in one hand. Lean forward and brace your opposite hand against a bench. Row the dumbbell to the side of your chest by pulling your elbow back; do not twist your body to pull the weight up.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- Adjustable bench
- Dumbbells
References
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; Effects of Variations of the Bench Press Exercise on the EMG Activity of Five Shoulder Muscles; Chris Barnett, et al.; November 1995
- "Science and Practice of Strength Training, Second Edition"; Vladimir Zatsiorsky, et al.; 2006
- "The Westside Barbell Book of Methods"; Louie Simmons; 2008
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