Improving Bench Press for a weak girl :)

zaiikaa

Hi guys,

I'm just starting out with strength training.

Right now I can do the bar (it's a standard bar, so 40-something pounds I think)... I can do 3 sets of 10. The first set I can do really well, and by the third set I'm a little wobbly but can still do it pretty decently. I've been doing this for about two weeks now, twice per week.

Any tips on knowing at which point you should add weight, and how much to add? 5lbs?

Thanks in advance.

Ely82010

Ask the people at the gym for the real weight of the bar. Most of them are between 15 and 25 lbs, so 40 lbs sounds too heavy. Sometimes the weights are in kg. so 40kgs would be a little less than 20 lbs.

I made the same mistake myself, I though that I was lifting heavy but then I found out that the bar was only 20 lbs.

Congratulations for doing strenght training. WTG!!

kdiamond

Just gotta keep trucking along and adding weight every other week or so...also doing real pushups a few times a week certainly helps in strengthening that area.

zaiikaa

Ask the people at the gym for the real weight of the bar. Most of them are between 15 and 25 lbs, so 40 lbs sounds too heavy. Sometimes the weights are in kg. so 40kgs would be a little less than 20 lbs.

I made the same mistake myself, I though that I was lifting heavy but then I found out that the bar was only 20 lbs.

Congratulations for doing strenght training. WTG!!

wow, that would be even more mortifying.

(but thanks! lol)

Bakins929

I think a lot of it depends on if you have a spotter or are doing this by yourself.
If you are doing this alone, try adding 5 lbs and do sets of 8. If you can do that fine, then go for sets of 10. Contnue in 5 - 10 lb increments.
If you have a spotter, jump up 10 lbs and see if you can do sets of 10. You can always drop back down by 5 lbs if it seems to be too much of an increase.

rwd5046

When you fell really comfortable with the bar only through 3 set and still have some "pep in your set" then increase the weight. Five pound incriments is good. And so on from there. Heck before you know it you'll be pressing 185.

infamousmk

If I were you, I'd lift three sets at one weight until it started to get pretty easy all the way through, and then go up in 10lb increments. I don't do bench presses, but this is how I determine when to up my free weights.

TluvK

Ask the people at the gym for the real weight of the bar. Most of them are between 15 and 25 lbs, so 40 lbs sounds too heavy. Sometimes the weights are in kg. so 40kgs would be a little less than 20 lbs.

I made the same mistake myself, I though that I was lifting heavy but then I found out that the bar was only 20 lbs.

Congratulations for doing strenght training. WTG!!

wow, that would be even more mortifying.

(but thanks! lol)

The Olympic bar is 45 lbs - which is more than likely what you're lifting, but it would be good to ask.

ghandrews

A standard Olympic bar is 45 pounds. Most likely that is what you are working with.

As for adding weight, if you feel it's too easy you should add weight. Or more reps. The key between both is progression.
You also don't want to add too much weight too fast. You'll plateau, if your goal is strength, and it's easy to become discouraged.

HeidiMightyRawr

Hey
A standard bar is 45lbs, sounds like your doing well, I couldn't have done 3 sets of 10 on the bar when I started!
For around the 1st year I was training 3x a week, moving up once I've hit 8 reps on 1st set, by 2.5kg (5.5lbs) I'd do until failure in each set (but you'll have to have a spotter for that - don't know if you do already) So I'd usually go down by 1 rep on each set, (eg: 7,6,5,4,3 reps or similar)
If you want to carry on doing 3 sets of 10 though, I would move up once you can easily hit that, by around the same amount each time (5lbs) Then on the higher weight you'll may be able to do 1 set of 10 still and it's just working your way up to the 3 sets

zenwarrior77

Actually 40 kgs is going to be 88lbs. There are 2.2 lbs per kg. A standard Olympic bar, which you find in nearly every commercial gym is 45 lbs or just over 20kg. Good luck with the workout, You can always start your first set with 5lbs added and then taper down to the bar for your last set. Keep it up!!!

HOSED49

The bar is typically 45 lbs, so once you reach your goal reps with that weight, start adding in small increments reaching your goal reps.
An old tool used by people wanting to improve their bench is a pyramid chart. It uses a goal max and gives you predetermined weight and reps to use to climb up the pyramid as you get stronger.
An example for your current abilities:
70 lb max bench press (meaining you could probably lift 70 lbs for one rep max)
1st set- 12 reps 45lbs (60% of max goal)
2nd set- 7 reps at 55 lbs (80% of max goal)
3rd set- 2 reps at 65 lbs (90% of max goal)
4th set- 5 reps at 55lbs (80% again)
5th set- 10 reps 50 lbs (70 % of max goal)

Granted this helps with increasing your bench max but it also helps promote endurance in your bench.

odusgolp

http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

ShannonMpls

The Olympic bar is 45 lbs - which is more than likely what you're lifting, but it would be good to ask.

Agreed with this.

I started with the bar, then added sad little 2.5 pound weights, then 5, etc. Do the bar for a few weeks and work yourself up. Congrats!

Lift_hard_eat_big

Ask the people at the gym for the real weight of the bar. Most of them are between 15 and 25 lbs, so 40 lbs sounds too heavy. Sometimes the weights are in kg. so 40kgs would be a little less than 20 lbs.

I made the same mistake myself, I though that I was lifting heavy but then I found out that the bar was only 20 lbs.

Congratulations for doing strenght training. WTG!!

Olympic barbell standard is 44.1 lbs.

inertiadriftsc

An olympic bar is just shy of 45 lbs. I would recommend that you increment 5 lbs ~3 times in 2 weeks from your current weight (putting on 15-20 lbs every 2 weeks). You are in a period that for most people when they start is a linear gains period. you will be able to make linear gains at the same set x reps numbers every week and you weight will steadily increase (assuming you constantly are increasing the stress). This will stall in 8-14 weeks of linear gains. After you fail to hit a weight 3 times in a row, deload 10% and try again. if you fail again at that weight, then moving to a pyramid type gains system as proposed by Hosed49 is a great idea.

ashesoh1234

My trainer told me the bar is about 45 lbs. That's what it feels like to me. She says the general standard is, the last two reps of the set should feel like "oh my gosh, I can barely lift this thing!" If they don't feel tough, add weight

zaiikaa

THANKS everyone, great info!!!

JNick77

First and foremost, proper form will give you the biggest benefit. My recommendation is go to YouTube and do a search for "So You Think You Can Bench" by Dave Date, he's an excellent instructor of the Bench Press.

If you're really just focusing on strength, I would keep your max reps at 7. A pyramid system like mentioned above is not a bad method but I would keep the most reps at 7 and work down to 2 or 3. You can also checkout something like StrongLifts 5x5 which is a beginner program for lifters that provides a method of progression. Westside for Skinny *kitten* is also a pretty cool method by John Franco, just Google that one, but learn proper form first.

Make sure to do some Tricep work. Things like Dips, Close-Grip Bench Press, Skull Crushers, Decline DB Extensions, Rope Cable Extensions, etc are all good for that.

Ely82010

Actually 40 kgs is going to be 88lbs. There are 2.2 lbs per kg. A standard Olympic bar, which you find in nearly every commercial gym is 45 lbs or just over 20kg. Good luck with the workout, You can always start your first set with 5lbs added and then taper down to the bar for your last set. Keep it up!!!
[/quote

You are correct, my conversion from lbs to kgs was backward. However, the weight of the bar is 20 lbs according to the fitness associate director. I am sending an e-mail to the director to confirm because I was told that some of the weights are in kgs and others in lbs, and don't know if the gym has a standard Olympic bar or a wimpy one.

JNick77

You'll be able to tell the difference between the full-size Olympic bar and the Mini. I've actually never had them side-by-side but I'd say there's almot a foot difference in length maybe? Maybe 6", but it's noticeable.

mark996

JNick gave good info, but I'd stay away from Westside as it starts incorporating things the normal gym goer won't have access to, chains, bands, etc. The best way to progress in your bench, like mentioned, is to simply do it. Stronglifts 5x5 is a good start, Starting Strength is a good book, and a great program for beginners in terms of form and starting out in lifting. If you don't have a spotter, find a squat rack and set the pins at a safe spot, not touching the bar on the descent but at a point where if you needed to bail out you could easily drop on the pins. SYTYCB by Dave Tate is geared totally for competetive lifters, but definitely has some good information in it. Hit the accessory work too, triceps, biceps, chest, lats, all need attention.

JNick77

SYTYCB by Dave Tate is geared totally for competetive lifters, but definitely has some good information in it.

I think there are a couple good takeaways from Tate's video. One, keeping your butt on the bench and keeping some arch in your back, even if it's not as extreme as he teaches. Staying balanced and elbow position can be very important.