[ttwarrior1]

I see posts on forums all the time with a bunch of crap on how to increase your flat bench press. I recommend to stop with the volume training, train each bodypart just once a week and work on your weaknesses of your lifts, not your strengths.

. If you have never done any of the techniques I'm about to mention then you can increase your workout more than every before in 2 or 3 workouts. Most ive had do it , only needed 1 workout.

1. Its a fact on pressing exercies, you can hold more weight then you can raise , and you can lower more weight then you can hold.
What this means is, is that you should overload the bar and do a workout of hold and negative work only. Negatives are the lowering of the weight.

No raising of the weights. Just warmup and hold the weight in the lockout contracted position. Some will disagree with this, but its the truth. Muscles will fully contact in the fully contracted postion and no raising or lowering of the weights are even needed on some exercises.

Hold the weight in the lockout postition for about 15 to 20 seconds. Warmup sets and 1 set to failure.

If you can bench lets say 225. You can easily do static holds with close to 300 pounds.

The next time you come back to bench, the 225 will feel light as a feather and you will increase your bench press.

Grip strength. Improve your grip. Most people avoid it like the plague. wrist curls, reverse curls, holding of a heavy weight will go along way to increase your strength.

I personally don't bench as much anymore as i lift weights for health and have alot of golf and tennis this summer. I raise and lower the weights slow , as we all have different needs but if your after increasing your strength. Give holds and negatives a go.

Example. If your someone currently benching 225
Warmup with empty bar for 15 reps
135 for 5 or 6 reps. Hold it for around 5 seconds after the last rep
185 , static hold in lockout position for 10 seconds
225 , static hold in lockout positiion for about 10 seconds

Some are different, some will have better holding strength to start.

Stick 250 on the bar and hold it for 15-20 seconds. If its easy after 5 seconds. Stop put more weight on the bar and do it until you can tell a certain weight would be your max hold for around 15 seconds.

Only one set of this. No 2nd set is needed. Warmup sets and 1 set to failure.
You can also do a set where you go to positive failure, holding failure and negative failure, but you will need alot of rest and recovery after the workout and shouldn't train for 2 or 3 days after to allow maximum recovery, and strength production from the workout

Get rid of the volume, 5 x 5, 3 sets of 8 or 10 workouts. Overtraining is not something sort of bad, except for getting injured is the worst training mistake you can make. Weightlifting is a form of stress. Your muscles get damaged from the workouts and as a defense mechanism the body produces chemicals to increase your strength and muscles to compensate for the exhaustive effects of the workout. This takes time. Muscles don't grow in the gym and it can take days to recover from a workout.. Most people are not gaining strength or muscle, not because they are not lifting enough, but because they are training too much. Some people see results in spite of something, not because of it. Almost every pro athlete and weightlifter would tell you, they trained too hard, too much and too often and if they started over they would of not trained the way they trained , even though those workouts made them who they are.

Goal + plan + motivation = success.

[VegasInsider]

Use roids.

Goal + plan + motivation + ROIDS = more success.

[Deuce]

Take the hoagies out of your prick kisser and shove in the lettuce.

[excel]

ttwarrior are you a failed fitness trainer?

[jstblaze]

the whole negatives thing along with sets till failure is really unsupported, and only works for certain people.

not to disagree, just sayn it is different for everyone.

the most muscle fiber firing goes on with smooth moderate to fast uplift and lifting to failure often leads to over work.

although THE ARNOLD would disagree with me, and he has the history to prove it!

so it is very individual.

[jjgold]

roids easier

Benching over rated
do chinups, dips, pushups and you will be fine

[King Mayan]

The Bench press is for pussies.

[excel]

I wonder what the guy telling me how to work out looks like?

[Masu485]

Forced reps to increase 1RM.

When you aren't strong enough to life something, it's because there is a CERTAIN POINT in the exercise that you fail at. You muscles will be able to lift it for 90%, but there is just 10% it has difficulty with. By doing forced reps, the spot will still let you lift over your 1RM and heavy, but will only help a bit during your sticking point (that 10% difficulty zone). Eventually, he (yes he, not she, fukk women spotters) will have to help for maybe 5% of it, and then 2%, and then you won't need him at all.

[Smoke]

I wonder what the guy telling me how to work out looks like?

cough.. jjgold... cough.....

[Aristocles]

I see posts on forums all the time with a bunch of crap on how to increase your flat bench press. I recommend to stop with the volume training, train each bodypart just once a week and work on your weaknesses of your lifts, not your strengths.

. If you have never done any of the techniques I'm about to mention then you can increase your workout more than every before in 2 or 3 workouts. Most ive had do it , only needed 1 workout.

1. Its a fact on pressing exercies, you can hold more weight then you can raise , and you can lower more weight then you can hold.
What this means is, is that you should overload the bar and do a workout of hold and negative work only. Negatives are the lowering of the weight.

No raising of the weights. Just warmup and hold the weight in the lockout contracted position. Some will disagree with this, but its the truth. Muscles will fully contact in the fully contracted postion and no raising or lowering of the weights are even needed on some exercises.

Hold the weight in the lockout postition for about 15 to 20 seconds. Warmup sets and 1 set to failure.

If you can bench lets say 225. You can easily do static holds with close to 300 pounds.

The next time you come back to bench, the 225 will feel light as a feather and you will increase your bench press.

Grip strength. Improve your grip. Most people avoid it like the plague. wrist curls, reverse curls, holding of a heavy weight will go along way to increase your strength.

I personally don't bench as much anymore as i lift weights for health and have alot of golf and tennis this summer. I raise and lower the weights slow , as we all have different needs but if your after increasing your strength. Give holds and negatives a go.

Example. If your someone currently benching 225
Warmup with empty bar for 15 reps
135 for 5 or 6 reps. Hold it for around 5 seconds after the last rep
185 , static hold in lockout position for 10 seconds
225 , static hold in lockout positiion for about 10 seconds

Some are different, some will have better holding strength to start.

Stick 250 on the bar and hold it for 15-20 seconds. If its easy after 5 seconds. Stop put more weight on the bar and do it until you can tell a certain weight would be your max hold for around 15 seconds.

Only one set of this. No 2nd set is needed. Warmup sets and 1 set to failure.
You can also do a set where you go to positive failure, holding failure and negative failure, but you will need alot of rest and recovery after the workout and shouldn't train for 2 or 3 days after to allow maximum recovery, and strength production from the workout

Get rid of the volume, 5 x 5, 3 sets of 8 or 10 workouts. Overtraining is not something sort of bad, except for getting injured is the worst training mistake you can make. Weightlifting is a form of stress. Your muscles get damaged from the workouts and as a defense mechanism the body produces chemicals to increase your strength and muscles to compensate for the exhaustive effects of the workout. This takes time. Muscles don't grow in the gym and it can take days to recover from a workout.. Most people are not gaining strength or muscle, not because they are not lifting enough, but because they are training too much. Some people see results in spite of something, not because of it. Almost every pro athlete and weightlifter would tell you, they trained too hard, too much and too often and if they started over they would of not trained the way they trained , even though those workouts made them who they are.

Goal + plan + motivation = success.

I tend to agree with some of this. However, Russian Weightlifters and Powerlifters have succeeded with it (volume training) beyond words. "If you want to bench more, bench more." Roughly, so goes a Russian powertlifting/weightlifting quote.

"Honing the groove", this is an oft neglected aspect of training that refers to neural pathways and muscle memory training. Even lifters who are AAS free have made remarkable gains with this type of training. Over-training can occur from infrequent high stress low volume workouts just as easily. Volume training is simply that. It incorporates higher volume and waves it. Think sine wave.

For years, I have trained the major groups once a week and do believe in it. But it always inevitably led to CNS burnout. The CNS will not take ~100% effort ad infinitum. . . My answer was (is?) to push through. Meaning take the setbacks and roll with them until your CNS recovers. You will feel burned out and slip backward, I always sort of rolled with it. In reality, I was moving less poundage and giving in to a slightly less <95% effort. In a a few weeks I recovered and went forward, it was my way NOT the best way.

I vacillated a lot. In the end the words of Bill Pearl ring true. "it all works if ya do it hard". Or better yet, as I always paraphrased: "there comes a time when you have to shut your mouth, wrap your hands around a cold rolled bar, and make it move." I addressed this at myself almost daily

Static holds address one area of muscle strength. One should think of the bench holistically. I have seen folks who specifically address the liftoff, stating that it is helpful in stabilizer training. I suspect speed strength and strength speed ala Westside BB are also incorporated parts of training.

I tended to work HEAVY Close-Grips, some speed training with chains, and heavy bench presses. I did take out my own weights always in training except right before a meet. Needless to 'say', lat strength was CRUCIAL for me to bench big and I could do wide grip chins at a 325# bw for 10 reps on the 1st set and have bent rowed 555x4. Just my way. I have had luck with other ways also.

Good luck to all.

[Aristocles]

The Bench press is for pussies.

The bench press, while indeed a rather sissy exercise relative to squatting or deadlifting, is nevertheless a useful part of strength training. Outstanding work for the front delts, pectoralis, lats (think keeping it in the groove), triceps, biceps (think lowering), forearms. . . Personally I should think the parallel bar dip would be superior to this exercise but it does not diminish it as a good solid exercise.

Ultimately, a powerful man is powerful in his hips, thighs, etc.

For me, the barbell squat will forever be king; I have glimpsed the white buffalo many times on the last rep of a set.

Pulling also has a high place in my world.

[Aristocles]

roids easier

Benching over rated
do chinups, dips, pushups and you will be fine

Remarkably, there is some wisdom here

A lot to be said for chinning that bar, doing weighted dips, but what about your running gear? Load that ******* bar and grind out 3 sets of 20 rep squats with a set of cross bench pullovers in between each set. Put muscles on a grapefruit.

[ttwarrior1]

ttwarrior are you a failed fitness trainer?

no idea why biggie gave you 100 points,, but no, i am not a failed fitness trainer. You follow my advice and you will see results. Been a member of highintensity.net, bodybuilding.com for years and post on facebook on health and weightlifting sites more than i do on sbr.

[ttwarrior1]

the whole negatives thing along with sets till failure is really unsupported, and only works for certain people.

not to disagree, just sayn it is different for everyone.

the most muscle fiber firing goes on with smooth moderate to fast uplift and lifting to failure often leads to over work.

although THE ARNOLD would disagree with me, and he has the history to prove it!

so it is very individual.

unsupported? Lol. I love it when people want some scientific proof or some study, but there are both on it and it works. This is mainly about static holds. Negatives should come in later.

Overwork happens when people do too many sets and workout too often. Also the most dangerous rep of a set is the 1st rep, not the last.

[ttwarrior1]

I tend to agree with some of this. However, Russian Weightlifters and Powerlifters have succeeded with it (volume training) beyond words. "If you want to bench more, bench more." Roughly, so goes a Russian powertlifting/weightlifting quote.

"Honing the groove", this is an oft neglected aspect of training that refers to neural pathways and muscle memory training. Even lifters who are AAS free have made remarkable gains with this type of training. Over-training can occur from infrequent high stress low volume workouts just as easily. Volume training is simply that. It incorporates higher volume and waves it. Think sine wave.

For years, I have trained the major groups once a week and do believe in it. But it always inevitably led to CNS burnout. The CNS will not take ~100% effort ad infinitum. . . My answer was (is?) to push through. Meaning take the setbacks and roll with them until your CNS recovers. You will feel burned out and slip backward, I always sort of rolled with it. In reality, I was moving less poundage and giving in to a slightly less <95% effort. In a a few weeks I recovered and went forward, it was my way NOT the best way.

I vacillated a lot. In the end the words of Bill Pearl ring true. "it all works if ya do it hard". Or better yet, as I always paraphrased: "there comes a time when you have to shut your mouth, wrap your hands around a cold rolled bar, and make it move." I addressed this at myself almost daily

Static holds address one area of muscle strength. One should think of the bench holistically. I have seen folks who specifically address the liftoff, stating that it is helpful in stabilizer training. I suspect speed strength and strength speed ala Westside BB are also incorporated parts of training.

I tended to work HEAVY Close-Grips, some speed training with chains, and heavy bench presses. I did take out my own weights always in training except right before a meet. Needless to 'say', lat strength was CRUCIAL for me to bench big and I could do wide grip chins at a 325# bw for 10 reps on the 1st set and have bent rowed 555x4. Just my way. I have had luck with other ways also.

Good luck to all.

when is the last time you heard of a good russian flat bench presser. The russians and germans dominated at one time because of blood doping. Speed training is way overrated and half the guys at westside are on roids, thousands of dollars of supplements and on pain killers. I mean if you have to take pain killers before and after exercise and be covered in pain cream and get injuries, then I wouldn't recommend it. I don't believe in the my way thing. I also don't like close grip bench presses . Too much work on the bench and wrists.

[ttwarrior1]

Remarkably, there is some wisdom here

A lot to be said for chinning that bar, doing weighted dips, but what about your running gear? Load that ******* bar and grind out 3 sets of 20 rep squats with a set of cross bench pullovers in between each set. Put muscles on a grapefruit.

I 100 percent agree, but this post is for increasing bench press.

I dont like the 3 sets of 20, Why not do 2 or 4 sets, why 3? See my point. Its not sets that cause you to see results, but the reps and the way you do it. 3 sets only if 2 are warmup and one max set..

[VegasInsider]

Bunch of meatheads talking about how much they can bench

You all gonna gather in the an empty parking lot tonight and show off your muscle cars?

[doublej95]

ttwarrior go see my friend the dr if you want to bench like a champion

http://www.youtube.com/user/drgrowc#p/u/8/G-7rHdLPK40

[ttwarrior1]

Nope i no longer bench press. I do nautilus machine and raise and lower the weight slow. About ten up and ten down with pre exhaustion, aka, i will do leg extension 1st then leg press,
pec deck first then seated machine press, . Warmup sets and one all out set.

[EDDIE MONEY LINE]

tt u are my hero

[ttwarrior1]

I already bench like a champion. Never once missed a workout since my very 1st day. I do everything as hard and as good as i can, even gamble, even if the results might not be what i like or what others like or is as good as someone that is just naturally better.

[Aristocles]

when is the last time you heard of a good russian flat bench presser. The russians and germans dominated at one time because of blood doping. Speed training is way overrated and half the guys at westside are on roids, thousands of dollars of supplements and on pain killers. I mean if you have to take pain killers before and after exercise and be covered in pain cream and get injuries, then I wouldn't recommend it. I don't believe in the my way thing. I also don't like close grip bench presses . Too much work on the bench and wrists.

Blood doping? How would that aid a powerlifter? I tried to be kind, but. . .

Russian benchers? Are you kidding? The last time? Uh, recently, very recently. . .

Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZZ4YUG9ddU (706 at 258 IPF)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRktKzHxy5I


Of course powerlifters use AAS. A given, but it does not necessarily mean that their training/results could only be accomplished by juicers (sometimes it actually does mean that). Would you like examples of excellent benchers who compete in the USAPL and use volume training/Westside/Sheiko? As far as "painkillers", I always took some sort of NSAID before heaviest training and after as well. I doubt folks are whacked on Lortab before a heavy training session. . .

Close grips were the best exercise for me to increase my bench press after ~3 decades of experimenting. Too much work on the "bench and wrists"? WTH does that mean? Of course the wrists are in a vulnerable position. But try benching >700 with flaky wrists. . . I never put my wrists extremely tight. Generally a thumb and an inch.

As far as the "my way" thing. I am uncertain as to your meaning. If you are stating that we are are we all have like CNSs musculature, etc. as humans, then within parameters, I agree. I can also tell you this. My bench press went up drastically after incorporating some different movements in my lat training. I saw two different guys try this and actually lost ground. What does that mean? Perhaps they did not fully believe in the new movements. Do not know.

One more thing: "Overwork happens when people do too many sets and workout too often. Also the most dangerous rep of a set is the 1st rep, not the last." Overwork, meaning CNS burnout, can and does occur in low volume (the classic definition of volume) training. The CNS can only take so much. I suspect if you ever trained truly low reps for >95% you would understand that minimally working up to these standards once a week will achieve over training. Say your meet best is 700 pounds. You go up to 670 for two singles. These type workouts will fry the CNS after a few weeks, even if one bumps up the 'drol and halotestin, or whatever. . .

[brahmabull117]

LOL @ strategies on bench press increase



it's not strategy, it's mindset and attitude. It's about confidence. You gotta believe 100% that you can do it before you even lift the barbell


when I believe in myself, I can bench around 370 - 380. When I don't, I can barely do 225



It's ALL mental

[Aristocles]

I 100 percent agree, but this post is for increasing bench press.

I dont like the 3 sets of 20, Why not do 2 or 4 sets, why 3? See my point. Its not sets that cause you to see results, but the reps and the way you do it. 3 sets only if 2 are warmup and one max set..

I was replying to JJ.

No I do not see your point, not at all. Any number of sets can seem random. I have always taken this number as being arrived at empirically. I, myself have tried various numbers but found that 3 sets just worked for me. I assume that assloads of guys from the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s did also. Likely I have trained longer than you have been alive. I have tried and seen most everything. You clearly have no idea of neural pathway training, muscle memory. Important factors. Google is your friend here.

I have done 3 sets of 20 rep squats too many cycles and they flat out WORK. Old time lifters swore by these as a way to increase bw sans AAS. They are not fun but they work. I know because I have used them.

[brahmabull117]

No I do not see your point, not at all. Likely I have trained longer than you have been alive. I have tried and seen most everything. You clearly have no idea of neural pathway training, muscle memory. Important factors. Google is your friend here. I have done 3 sets of 20 rep squats too many cycles and they flat out WORK. Old time lifters swore by these as a weight to increase bw sans AAS. They are not fun but they work. I know because I have used them.

20 rep squats are fantastic


you really do them for 3 sets though? you're a fukking animal brah...

[beerman2619]

TTWarrior very inspirational amazing young kid.

[Aristocles]

20 rep squats are fantastic


you really do them for 3 sets though? you're a fukking animal brah...

That was how we did them.

We would use the cross bench pullover to calm and restore the proper breathing. Strangely the stretching out of the ribcage seemed to help get in more air. . . Just a thirty pound dumbbell works wonders.

It was like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer, felt great when you were done

[ttwarrior1]

The only rep of a set that does anything is the last rep , all the other reps pretty much do nothing. It's the last rep of a set carried to failure that stimulates muscular growth and strength.

If 3 sets is good then how can 2 sets not be enough and 4 sets too much??? Your doing 3 sets because its a traditional arbitrary number.

90 percent of the people that are doing lets say 3 sets of 20 in the squat aren't seeing results. The ones seeing results from it are seeing results in spite of it, not because of it. The old time lifters couldn't even hang with a highschooler now that trains right

[Aristocles]

The only rep of a set that does anything is the last rep , all the other reps pretty much do nothing. It's the last rep of a set carried to failure that stimulates muscular growth and strength.

If 3 sets is good then how can 2 sets not be enough and 4 sets too much??? Your doing 3 sets because its a traditional arbitrary number.

90 percent of the people that are doing lets say 3 sets of 20 in the squat aren't seeing results. The ones seeing results from it are seeing results in spite of it, not because of it. The old time lifters couldn't even hang with a highschooler now that trains right

90% eh? Well, you show me them. Show me 100 folks who give good honest effort and who do them properly and then show 90 who fail. You are totally full of shit. I have seen countless guys gain from this and have personally trained God knows how many and seen varying levels of success, but all were pleased, bar none. You are either stupid or mentally ill. Nothing works forever and all lifting, for those who are in it for the duration, requires cyclical training. BUT KNOW THIS! I saw a 165 pound man go back to these for a cycle at the age of 46 and it increased his metabolism, and put 4 pounds of LBM on him in 8 weeks. The man was at ~7% bf at the time. I believe he ended it at 145x20, 235x20, 325x20. Ass to the floor and 60 seconds rest between sets.

In spite of it? How old are you?

ANY number of sets can seem to be or in fact be arbitrary. I repeat A-N-Y number. As I typed, three sets is something that was handed on to me from my mentor, a state level bb'er, a competitive pl'er and a competitive Oly lifter. Old school, hardass, no BS, kind of guy. He knew Authur Jones, you know, the guy who invented the equipment you now train with and popularized HIT? These 20 rep notions have been employed with great success down through the years and the numbers have arrived as they are. Is it a magic number? Will frogs dance on your skull if you perform these? No. Not likely. Will you grow? Will you toughen up? Damn right.

The only rep of a set that does anything is the last one? This has gone beyond the bounds of rational dialogue. Do you have any clue at all what you are typing? HONING THE GROOVE, MUSCLE MEMORY, STRENGTHENING NEURAL PATHWAYS! These are excessively important things to the lifter who want to increase their 1RM. I have seen many, many lifters who NEVER train to 100% maximum effort. I believe Coan had the notion that a body only has so many maximum efforts in it and he would employ his in meets. He was, arguably, the greatest competitive lifter of all time. But without doubt your notions are far more advanced than his.

Hey, Ed has a wiki page. LOL!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Coan

Old time lifters couldn't even hang with a high school kid now, eh? Hmm, try these. Eddie Coan, Kaz, Doug Young, Hatfield, Ricky Crain, ad infinitum. . .

I am finished here as I suspect you are either an idiot, or just young and ignorant, possibly some combination thereof.

I have strode the platform, I have won and I have lost. You?

All questions are rhetorical.

Finis.

[MWade]

roids = win
now im the biggest guy at school

[King Mayan]

roids = win
now im the biggest guy at school

people wish it was that easy....

[nijole]

Go to sports club

[Nicky Santoro]

work with heavy weight only. have a spotter. 3 sets of 2 reps. and pushups helped me a lot too. it strengthens your triceps and chest.

[Extra Innings]

ttwarrior has the World by the balls