9 tricks to increase your bench press

Almost every guy in the gym wants to know how to bench more than they
do now. It's the classic line that almost everybody asks someone else
when they talk about lifting... "So, whaddya bench?".

Regardless of the lack of importance of that specific number, nobody
can argue with the fact that the bench press ranks right up there with
pullups as one of the overall best upper body development exercises in
existance.

I asked the crew at Critical Bench to give my readers a few of their
best and most unique techniques to help you increase your bench press.
So, if you're not happy with how much weight you can blast up on the
bench press now, take a look at some of the techniques below and see how
you can incorporate them into your routines.

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9 Unique Techniques to Increase Your Bench Press
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by the Critical Bench Crew,
http://Increase-Your-Bench-Press.com

1. Board benching: Pick a wooden board. A board from 2-5 inches
thickness works well. With this technique, the board rests on your chest
bringing your starting point of the bench right near your sticking point,
making you stronger at your sticking point.

To get the most out of this exercise, pause the weight on the board,
and then press it back up. Go for 3 rep maxes, doubles and singles. Low
reps are the way to go if you want maximum strength and aren't training
for an endurance contest.

2. Close grip bench board benches: Same as close grip but use a board.
Great exercise with more emphasis on the triceps.

3. Power rack lockouts: This is where you lay under a power rack and
the barbell rests on the pins of the power rack (the one you squat and
shrug inside). Set the pin to a level above your chest so that you're
only locking out the last 6-8 inches of the bench press. Set the barbell
heavier than your normal 1 rep bench max.

When you do Rack Lockouts, you will be able to use a lot of real scary
weight, possibly 250lbs over your raw bench. Some people can lockout
insane weights but can't bench anything and vice versa. This gives you
confidence to handle big weights and strengthens your tendons and
lockout. Other options: you can set the rack from slightly lower pins and
strengthen your tendons and weak links from lower starting points.

4. Floor presses: Lay on the floor and arch your lower back while
keeping your butt on the floor and bring the weight down until your elbows
hit the floor and then drive it back up. Spotters can help hand you the
bar to start the lift. This is another bench technique that starts the
lift near your sticking point, helping to improve your sticking point
strength.

5. Chains: When you use chains, the weight gets increasingly heavier
the further you press it up, thereby increasing the amount of work you do
with each rep. Let's say you use 225 lbs with a 45 lb chain on each
side... You're benching a little over 225 lbs from the first half of the
lift but you're locking out 315 at the top as the chains are almost
fully off the ground (you can get chains of varying weights). Chains are
very popular to use with strength coaches and athletes on all different
kinds of lifts.

6. Speed Benching: Moving a light weight fast. Keep it controlled but
explosive reps. Popular to do for speed strength on days you're not
lifting heavy. This has done wonders for some people but what does wonders
for some does nothing for others.

7. Negative/Forced Reps: This is a way of overloading the muscles where
you take a weight over your max and you bring it down slowly! So
you're basically trying to prevent the weight from crushing you. Then you
will have spotters force the weight up.

8. Assisted Reps: These can help make you work harder if used properly.
When you do these, your workout then has a lot to do with your spotter
and whether he is helping you or your ego...Beware if they are
misused, you won't get stronger because you aren't controlling the weight and
you will have a false sense of your strength.

9. Bands: Bands add resistance to the weight you are using similar to
chains. The weight increases the further you press off of your chest as
the bands tighten. They help you train your lockouts and explosiveness.
Try bands for a completely different bench press experience. Bands
and chains give you variable increasing resistance as opposed to just
steady resistance with a normal bench press.

All of the above techniques are great ways to blast through your bench
press plateau.

Check out the full system that the Critical Bench crew uses to increase
the average person's bench press 50 lbs in 10 weeks...

http://Increase-Your-Bench-Press.com

I'll be back soon with more Lean-Body Secrets. Til then, don't be
lazy... be lean.

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Founder - http://TruthAboutAbs.com & http://BusyManFitness.com

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