Right or wrong, there are few things in the weight room that is as respected as a strong bench press. Every man, no matter what they are training for the day, will always look over at the bench press to see how much weight the other guys are doing. If the individual is doing any less than two 20 kilograms plates on each side (100 kilograms counting the bar), the other men often take it as a sign of weakness. If you are lifting less than 100 kilograms or much more, listed below are five steps to improving your bench press mark.
1. Proper Form
If you do not have proper form while benching, it can greatly affect how much weight you are able to do and the ability to get stronger. Next time you take your place on the bench, be sure to have your back firmly against the pad, feet planted on the ground, and your hands about shoulder width apart on the bar. Continue with this form as you perform the exercise. If you need to arch your back a bit to lift heavier weight, then do it very minimally. Don’t sacrifice your form just for a few extra kilograms.
2. Adjust the Number of Reps Per Set
Many of the guys lifting the most weight like to pyramid up as they bench press. Instead of doing a full ten reps on each set, you are then able to save yourself a bit more to lift heavier weight at the end. You might only be able to get 100 kilograms once this time, but next time you may add in another rep.
3. Get Used to the Weight
This requires a solid spotter. There is nothing worse than eating the bar simply because you didn’t have someone there helping you. With the added weight on the bar, don’t try doing a full rep, just hold the weight above you for a bit of time. After doing this for a few weeks, you will feel much more comfortable when working with this much weight on the bench press.
4. Diet
Your diet will dictate how much weight you can lift and the size of your muscles. Remember that health and fitness is 75 percent diet and 25 percent training. If you want to get stronger on your bench press, ramp up your protein intake considerably. Protein builds muscle when combined with strength training.
5. Bench While Still Fresh
Do your bench press exercise first thing on the day you do your chest workout. You will be able to lift more weight when you are still fresh, rather than waiting to do it when you are exhausted.