Do you lift very little on the bench? Or maybe you lift enough, but you want to become one of the best in your gym… Good news. Read on to find out how to increase the weight you can bench press!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Part One: Using the Right Technique to Lift More
Step 1. Begin with your feet on the bench, your crotch high, and your shoulders sinking into the bench
You will need to start by supporting the weight especially with your shoulders to ensure good technique. This position will help you maintain better posture when you finally lift.
Step 2. Lower your feet to the ground, bring your butt into contact with the bench, without lifting your shoulders
This way you should form an arch with your back, and you can generate more strength during the exercise. Always keep your neck comfortably resting on the bench.
Step 3. Hold the bar with a tight grip, making sure to use your thumbs
Lock your thumbs under the bar. Try to hold it over your index finger.
Step 4. Learn where to place your hands to maximize load capacity
According to the height and length of the arms, place your hands on the bar so that your forearms are perfectly vertical when you lower the bar towards your chest. Many people achieve this by holding the bar slightly further than their shoulders.
- The wider the grip, the more you will use the pectoral muscles. The tighter the grip, the more you will use your triceps.
- Do the exercise in the most congenial way. People with longer arms will likely feel more comfortable holding the bar at a greater distance than those with shorter arms.
Step 5. Move your shoulders from side to side to maintain maximum contact with the bench
When lifting the bar, push - at least partially - with your shoulders. If your shoulders hang off the bench or are not centered, you will lose that lever and lift less weight.
Step 6. Always get help from a spotter
With a spotter, the fear of not being able to raise your ceiling will disappear: if you have problems with a heavy weight, your spotter will prevent you from getting hurt. This is an important psychological factor. You should always push your limits to gain as much weight as you can lift, and a spotter makes this step safer.
Step 7. Breathe right
Inhale at the beginning of the lift. When you have almost reached the point of maximum extension, exhale. Inhale again at the highest point and repeat the technique for maximum thrust. Remember: proper breathing sends oxygenated blood to the muscles.
Method 2 of 3: Part Two: Other Strategies for Lifting More
Step 1. For the bench press in particular, lower your reps and increase the weight
For high-powered lifts, such as bench presses, 5 sets of 5 reps are enough to improve your ability to lift more. Competitive lifters also do sets of 3, 2, and one rep to reach the max.
Step 2. Do the heavy lifts first, and then finish with the medium intensity isolation exercises
Begin your workout with bench presses. Again, the best choice is to complete a few repetitions with a lot of weight. Once the heavy lifts are done, finish the chest, triceps, and shoulder muscles exercises with lower weights and more reps - for example, 10-15 reps per set.
Step 3. Lower the bar over your lower chest without touching it
Too many people let the bar bounce off their chest. While this does not usually cause damage to the chest, it prevents the triceps from staying activated and working throughout the entire rep, reducing your strength.
Think of it this way. Bouncing the barbell off your chest is like putting wheels on your bike during the roughest part of the trail. If you are looking to become a better cyclist, you shouldn't use them
Step 4. Do other exercises for the triceps and push-ups
Strong triceps are the not-so-secret ingredient for a lot of bench press lifting. The push-up is a much more natural movement that causes the shoulder blades to move more than just the bench press. Train your triceps with specific workouts like dips, skull crusher, lying triceps extensions, triceps thrusts and many more.
Step 5. Train your glutes
With the back arched, the shoulder muscles activated, and the feet firmly planted on the ground, the buttocks become particularly important. Contract them when you bench press. With a toned and stable butt, your body will be able to generate more strength.
Likewise, keep your glutes on the bench as you push. Don't lift your butt. Not only is it dangerous - you would unnecessarily strain your neck - but it can reduce the weight you can lift
Step 6. Don't overdo the cardiovascular activity
You will need the calories to build stronger, bigger muscles and eventually be able to lift your target weight. If you have to do cardiovascular exercise, eat more to compensate for the calories burned.
Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Following the Right Diet and Lifestyle Considerations
Step 1. Diet, diet, diet
Eat 500 calories more than your basal metabolic rate and more calories than you burn throughout the day. If you eat too much, you will gain belly as well as muscle. You will need to look as skinny as possible. Aim to eat 2 grams of protein per pound of lean mass each day.
To find out your body mass composition, take a test. For example, if the percentage of fat mass is 10%, this means that the remaining 90% is lean mass. If you weigh 75 kg, you have 75 x 0.9 = 67.5 kg of lean mass, and you should be eating 135 grams of protein every day
Step 2. Learn to distinguish good from bad carbohydrates
Carbohydrates have had a bad reputation in recent years. Plenty of fad diets claim that carbohydrates are bad and advise avoiding them at all costs. In fact, carbohydrates are the building blocks of fuel used by the body, and complex carbohydrates in particular can be good for your body, because they are metabolized much slower than simple ones. Eat mostly healthy carbohydrates, such as legumes, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Stay away from less healthy ones, such as processed foods, white bread, sugars, and fried foods.
Step 3. Incorporate healthy fats into your diet
Like carbohydrates, fats have also been demonized in recent years. The secret is figuring out which fats to prefer. While saturated fats - which you'll find in potato chips and candy bars - and trans fats - found in frozen foods or fast foods - aren't good for you, unsaturated fats and fatty acids are good for you when consumed in moderation.
- Here are some examples of unsaturated fats: nuts, vegetable oils, olive oil, avocado.
- Examples of fatty acids: soybean oil, fish (mackerel, sardines, salmon, etc.), flaxseed, walnuts.
Step 4. Space your meals instead of eating once or twice a day
Determine the calories you need and estimate how many you will burn each day. Then try to cross that threshold to gain muscle mass. Instead of eating one or two large meals throughout the day, try 5 or 6 smaller meals, including pre- and post-workout snacks.
Step 5. Sleep
Sleeping isn't just essential for feeling relaxed and ready to face the day every morning - it's also important for promoting muscle growth. Researchers found that during high-quality REM sleep, the body repairs tissues and circulates growth hormone or HGH. This is why it is very important to carve out 7-8 hours of quality sleep every day, to allow the body to regenerate muscles.
Step 6. Don't over train
This is one of the most important but often least followed advice. Exercising too much prevents you from maintaining the mass gain that you would otherwise get. Depending on the intensity of your workouts, give your muscles a day or two of rest after each effort. During these times, it's important to get other muscle groups to work, so make sure you give them the attention they deserve.
Advice
Tuna, Greek yogurt, dried fruit, egg whites, fish, dried meat are all foods rich in lean proteins. The supplements do not contain quality proteins like these
Warnings
- Always use the right technique when doing an exercise.
- Always get help from a spotter to avoid accidents and injuries.
