How to Add 50 Pounds to Your Bench
The bench press is a widely used compound exercise performed in competitions throughout the world. To execute the bench press requires the use of the pectoral muscles, triceps, deltoids and the muscles of the upper back. To increase your bench press, you need to progressively increase the workload on those muscles. To reach your goal of increasing your bench press by 50 pounds, increase your maximum lift by three to five pounds each week. To achieve your goal, you will also need to diet properly and get adequate rest.
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Instructions
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Perform a push-and-pull workout for 60 minutes four times a week. Even though you are training to improve your bench press, you should not neglect your other muscle groups.
On Mondays and Fridays, train your chest, shoulders and triceps. On Tuesday and Thursday, train your back and biceps. Work your legs only one day a week, either on Tuesday or Thursday.
Other than the bench press, perform six to eight repetitions per set. Concentrate on performing compound exercises such as squats, upright rows, lunges and behind the neck presses. According to Bob Hulzar of bodybuilding.com, triceps strength is important for improving the amount of weight you can bench press. Consequently, on Mondays and Fridays, perform several triceps exercises, including weighted dips, French presses and triceps pressdowns with a straight bar.
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Determine your one repetition maximum weight bench press. To ensure that you are sufficiently rested, don't train your chest, shoulders or triceps for 48 hours before testing. According to Shawn Phillips of weightrainer.net, your one-rep max bench press is the cornerstone of your program to increase your bench press.
On Mondays and Fridays, perform a bench press routine that features sets of two to five repetitions with weights that are 80 percent to 90 percent of your maximum lift. Because the weights are relatively heavy, take a three-minute rest between sets. Each 30 days, perform a test to determine your one-rep max, and adjust the weights for your bench press routine accordingly.
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Consume six small meals daily. Adequate amounts of protein are required to build strength, so the focus of each meal should be protein. According to The National Strength and Conditioning Association, an athlete involved with high-volume, intense training should consume between 1.5 and 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
The protein you consume should have all nine essential amino acids, making them complete proteins. Examples of complete proteins are egg whites, soy, whey, meat, fish and poultry. Each meal should also feature complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates provide your muscles with sustained energy. Examples of complex carbohydrates are fruits, starchy vegetables, pasta, beans, dairy products and nuts.
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Sleep seven to nine hours each night. Muscle growth and repair, otherwise known as anabolism, takes place during rest, not at the gym.
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Tips & Warnings
Find a workout partner who has similar goals to your own. You will be able to motivate each other and spot each other on lifts.
Have qualified spotters, particularly when lifting heavier weights. Also, perform a warm-up set with relatively light weight each time you begin to train a muscle group. Before beginning your bench press routine, warm up with at least two sets of lower weights. Always perform your warm-up sets using slow movements.
References
- Photo Credit senior power 23 image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
