If you asked 100 men how to improve your bench press you would probably hear a range of different theories and approaches, very few of which had any scientific weight behind them. In today's article you will pick up three time tested techniques to improve any compound lift within just a few weeks.
It is important to understand that while you may consider the figure you can bench or squat to be of huge importance, you can still build a great physique without ever notching up a world record of Olympic standards.
Most men are shocked to learn that they could easily be adding 10-20 kilograms to their heaviest sets by ironing out a few common errors made on the bench. These include:
1. Designate some time in your arm workouts for grip work and forearm based work.
2. Perform a reverse warm-up to better prepare your muscles for a heavy set.
3. Negative reps allow you to focus on a portion of the exercise where the biggest strength gains can be obtained from.
The main problem with men who encounter issues with their big lifts is that the rest of their program is built around looking good, rather than being strong. As a result, they completely overlook the importance of training their forearms and grip strength. Your grip will always be the first thing to tire out on an exercise like Romanian deadlifts, long before your lower back and glutes, so it makes sense to incorporate grip-based work into your routine.
Try to get a good mixture of exercises to test your grip. Moves like reverse curls, handshake curls and even something simple like clasping two weight plates together for as long as possible have been shown to improve grip strength dramatically.
While it's easy to see the importance of grip strength in pulling motions such as the deadlift, you may be wondering why it is important in things like the bench press. Well, your grip can come into play here to focus on pulling the bar apart as you lift and lower to and from your chest. This is a power lifting technique which is used commonly in underground gyms.
Reverse warm-ups are also fantastic when used correctly. This involves getting yourself warmed up before performing one set with a weight which is actually heavier than you plan to go in your working sets of the exercise ahead. So, for instance, perform a set of just a few reps with 100 kg if you plan to squat 80-90 kg in your working sets. Obviously, it pays to have a spotter at hand when using this technique. The body recruits many more muscle fibers than it usually would for this technique, meaning when you drop the weight and perform your normal working sets you will suddenly find your 80-90 kg lifts feeling rather easy!
If you use this particular technique quite sparingly, you will notice it becomes a very valuable tool when you reach sticking points on your journey to building the type of body you want.
The final compound improving technique is eccentric reps, or 'negatives' as they are more commonly known. A negative rep involves a spotter or training partner helping you to perform the lifting (concentric) phase of the exercise before leaving you to slowly perform the lowering (eccentric) portion by yourself. Around half the muscle building results in compound lifts are hidden away in the negative portion of the exercise, so it makes sense to focus on this aspect from time to time.
You should use a weight heavier than you would usually use, due to the fact you are only performing half of the repetition on your own.
Many people falsely believe endless chest exercises are the best way to learn how to improve your bench press but the truth is you need to focus on the often overlooked aspects. Grip strength and your ability to handle the eccentric phase of a lift play a massive role in determining how much weight you will ultimately be able to squat, deadlift or chest press. =
It is important to understand that while you may consider the figure you can bench or squat to be of huge importance, you can still build a great physique without ever notching up a world record of Olympic standards.
Most men are shocked to learn that they could easily be adding 10-20 kilograms to their heaviest sets by ironing out a few common errors made on the bench. These include:
1. Designate some time in your arm workouts for grip work and forearm based work.
2. Perform a reverse warm-up to better prepare your muscles for a heavy set.
3. Negative reps allow you to focus on a portion of the exercise where the biggest strength gains can be obtained from.
The main problem with men who encounter issues with their big lifts is that the rest of their program is built around looking good, rather than being strong. As a result, they completely overlook the importance of training their forearms and grip strength. Your grip will always be the first thing to tire out on an exercise like Romanian deadlifts, long before your lower back and glutes, so it makes sense to incorporate grip-based work into your routine.
Try to get a good mixture of exercises to test your grip. Moves like reverse curls, handshake curls and even something simple like clasping two weight plates together for as long as possible have been shown to improve grip strength dramatically.
While it's easy to see the importance of grip strength in pulling motions such as the deadlift, you may be wondering why it is important in things like the bench press. Well, your grip can come into play here to focus on pulling the bar apart as you lift and lower to and from your chest. This is a power lifting technique which is used commonly in underground gyms.
Reverse warm-ups are also fantastic when used correctly. This involves getting yourself warmed up before performing one set with a weight which is actually heavier than you plan to go in your working sets of the exercise ahead. So, for instance, perform a set of just a few reps with 100 kg if you plan to squat 80-90 kg in your working sets. Obviously, it pays to have a spotter at hand when using this technique. The body recruits many more muscle fibers than it usually would for this technique, meaning when you drop the weight and perform your normal working sets you will suddenly find your 80-90 kg lifts feeling rather easy!
If you use this particular technique quite sparingly, you will notice it becomes a very valuable tool when you reach sticking points on your journey to building the type of body you want.
The final compound improving technique is eccentric reps, or 'negatives' as they are more commonly known. A negative rep involves a spotter or training partner helping you to perform the lifting (concentric) phase of the exercise before leaving you to slowly perform the lowering (eccentric) portion by yourself. Around half the muscle building results in compound lifts are hidden away in the negative portion of the exercise, so it makes sense to focus on this aspect from time to time.
The importance of diet is just one of the five rules touched upon in the video guide on how to build muscle accompanying today's article.
You should use a weight heavier than you would usually use, due to the fact you are only performing half of the repetition on your own.
Many people falsely believe endless chest exercises are the best way to learn how to improve your bench press but the truth is you need to focus on the often overlooked aspects. Grip strength and your ability to handle the eccentric phase of a lift play a massive role in determining how much weight you will ultimately be able to squat, deadlift or chest press. =
About the Author:
About the author: Successful physique coach Russ Howe PTI reveals how to improve your bench press with these brand new tips. Discover how to build muscle with the great tips on his workout and dieting website today.
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