How to Boost My Bench

Boosting your bench means adding more weight.

The bench press is one of the staple exercises of weightlifting. It has the physical benefits of increasing maximal strength in the chest, triceps and the upper back. It also has the psychological benefits of being one of the exercises that gym-goers tend to brag the most about. An effective method for increasing your bench press is the 5-3-1 format that is based on percentages of your one repetition maximum.

Things You'll Need

• Bench press station
• Spotter (Recommended)

Instructions

Determining the weight to lift

1. Find the weight on the bench press that is your 8 to 10 repetitions maximum.

2. Multiply that weight by the repetitions, then by the number .0333 and then add the weight. This will determine your one repetition maximum. For example, if you do 150 pounds 10 times you will multiply those two numbers to get 1,500. That number times .0333 equals 49.95, which added to the original weight gives you a one repetition maximum of 200 pounds. Always remember to round either up or down to the nearest 5.

3. Take 90 percent of your one repetition maximum. This is your working max. Continuing the example, this would be 180 pounds.

The 5-3-1 workout

1. For the first week, begin with a set of five repetitions at 65 percent of your working max. Next, perform five repetitions of 75 percent of the working max. Finally, perform five repetitions at 85 percent of your working max. As with the other weeks, you only need to bench press once a week.

2. For the second week, begin with a set of three repetitions at 70 percent of your working max. Next, do three repetitions at 80 percent. Last, do three repetitions of 90 percent of your working max.

3. In the third week, begin with five repetitions at 75 percent of the working max. Next, do three repetitions at 85 percent. Finally, perform one repetition at 95 percent.

4. In the fourth week, perform a set of five repetitions using just 40 percent of your working max. Perform a second set of five repetitions at 50 percent. Last, do five repetitions at 60 percent of your working max.

5. Perform as many repetitions as you can until failure on the third set.

6. Add five pounds to your working max after completing the four-week cycle. Repeat this cycle again using the same percentages with the new working max.

Tips & Warnings

• This 5-3-1 plan can be used for more lifts than just the bench press.

• Always supplement the bench press with other chest and triceps exercises that use both barbell and dumbbell weights adjusting the repetition range but staying between 6 and 20.

• When bench pressing, always use a spotter on the heavier weights.

References

• "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training"; Michael A. Clark, Ed., Scott C. Lucett, Ed., Rodney J. Corn, Ed.; Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2008.
• "Muscle and Fitness, Vol. 71, No. 2"; John Berardi, Ed.; Weider Publications, LLC; (2010).