A Sneaky Way To Bench Press More Weight

It's no surprise that everyone fights over the benches at the gym on Monday evenings. The bench press or variation of it should be a staple of every program. If you're one of the people scrambling for an open bench you're on the right track. When done correctly the bench press can be a full body exercise that will make you harder, thicker, stronger and more muscular in the least amount of time.

Benching is so popular it can be tough to find an open bench at times. But that's okay, and here's why.

The fact is, your bench is going to get stronger on days you're not training bench. That's right. You grow and get stronger while you're recovering. There are also other important muscle groups that need attention if you want to break your bench press rut.

While everyone is fighting over the benches we're going to make sure we're not neglecting other critical muscle groups that will help you bench press more weight.

You probably already know that when you start the lift you are primarily using your pecs, but after a few inches your triceps are going take over. Therefore we'll need to strengthen those triceps with some exercises like rolling dumbbell extensions and dumbbell floor presses.

Your back needs attention as well. You need to train this antagonist muscle group to avoid imbalances. Your lats also serve as a shelf and give you a more stable base to push from. Your back muscles help you stabilize the weight in the eccentric phase which makes up half the lift! Work your back on the same plane as your bench. Bench friendly back movements include barbell rows and close grip lat pull downs.

Since this is an article about bench pressing you won't have to concern yourself with the squat and deadlift right? WRONG!Squats and deadlifts trigger your body to release growth hormone and will temporarily raise testosterone levels in your blood. This puts you in an anabolic state and all your other muscles will benefit.

These are compound exercises that will add muscle mass and work your entire body. Besides you don't want to look like a light bulb do you? You know the type, guys with a huge upper body and tiny chicken legs. The deadlift will build your back up big time.

If you're a chest and arms type of guy here's something you'll be happy to hear. Bicep training can actually help your bench. The hammer curl significantly targets the brachioradialis which is the largest muscle in the forearm. Developing this muscle will help you at the bottom of the bench press and you can build your biceps at the same time.

Oh and if you are one of those guys that only likes to train the chest and arms, please reread this article.

Once you've got your head on straight give some of these exercises a try and before you know it you'll have first dibs on any bench you'd like to use and well on your way to that 300 or 400 pound lift that everyone is striving for.

Critical Bench 2.0 : Mike Westerdal Hits 630 LB Bench Press

Powerlifters compete in the squat, bench press and deadlift.

And they get big and muscular because they’re strong. Again, like I mentioned earlier… if you start lifting more weight than you usually do… your body must adapt in order to handle that weight.

It does that by growing bigger and stronger.

If you don’t get ANYTHING else at all from this letter, just remember that… because that alone will give you more results than anything else you do!

Bodybuilders… on the other hand… generally train for muscle growth and for aesthetics or looks. Not all bodybuilders are as strong as they look. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with that.

But if you’re like me… you probably want to have strength… as well as the lean, muscular look.

And believe me, you can. Not only is it possible, strength and size go hand-in-hand!

If you try to get stronger… each and every week… you’re GOING to get more muscular. It’s just a fact.

So if you’re looking to gain muscle as well as strength… you need to start focusing on lifting more weight. I dare you to find a guy who bench presses 400 pounds that doesn’t have a powerhouse body to match.

Click Here to Increase Your Bench 50 lbs in 10 Weeks

Critical Bench 2.0 : Mike Westerdal Benches 405 for 5 Reps

Almost everyone you talk to says they want to increase their bench press, but unfortunately some guys skip the exercise. The number one excuse I get, "I can't bench press because my shoulders hurt." Its true bench pressing with bad form can cause shoulder injuries but there is a way to alleviate this. I had the same issues myself and thought my heavy benching days were over. That is until several years ago when I met with a powerlifting coach and discovered this tip.

As you bench press, keep your elbows tucked in close to your body. By doing this the path of the bar will change a bit. The bar will touch a little lower on your chest right below your nipples. The fact you're touching the bar lower on your chest will decrease the pressure on your deltoids.

The further you are from your center the less leverage you have. When you tuck your elbows and keep them from flaring out you transfer the load to your triceps taking pressure off the shoulder complex.

Touching the bar lower and keeping your elbows in close will allow the bar to travel in a straight line. We all know the fastest way from point A to point B is with a straight line. Give this technique a try. You may drop in poundage the first few workouts, but you'll skyrocket past where you were in the past in record time.