Improving bench press -

Martucha123

I apologize in advance for my bad English

On the charts http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.htm after 10 months of lifting I am half way from intermediate to advance on deads, intermediate on squats, half way from the novice to intermediate on press, but my bench just a bit better then untrained! It took me 8 month to get to untrained level.

I am maintaining now and will move to bulk soon, and while I'm not on deficit, I'd like to focus on improving my bench.

I'm doing SS modified as in my gym I can't do cleans (so I'm doing assisted pull ups and push ups).
My typical work out will be

warm up
squat
bench
pull ups / chin ups
core work

warm up
squat
OHP
Deadlift
core work

what should I add to make my bench progress faster?
I have problem with both getting it of my chest and lock out, though I think the lock out is a bigger issue.

ilovedeadlifts

If you're doing starting strength, I don't think you should add a ton of assistance personally.
Adding food is usually a sure way to see progress, as it's not easy to get significantly stronger while cutting.

For help off the chest, I'd recommend pausing all of your sets at the bottom so you build some starting power.
Lockout is primarily triceps, but again if you came off the chest slow, you don't really have the speed to get to lockout.
So I'd work on the bottom end of the movement with pauses, and try to be fast on the concentric portion of the lift.

ArroganceInStep

I'm pretty certain you could make some gains through form improvements. Post a video for critique.

That being said, there are lifts that some people just plain aren't good at, and have to work real hard to improve upon. Bench may be one of those lifts for you.

SideSteel

I'm pretty certain you could make some gains through form improvements. Post a video for critique.

^ I'd do this for starters. That doesn't mean the other suggestions aren't also good ones, but I'd start here.

I made some technical improvements on my bench and it went up immediately.

Hendrix7

How many times do you bench per week?

im guessing once unless you run that m/w/f then it's twice in 3 weeks....?

Martucha123

@Hendrix
once / twice a week. lifting 3 times a week doing ABA BAB

@ SS
I can't record videos, my gym has some ****ty policies when it comes to lifting and stuff. But it's the only gym that has a squat rack and is less then 1h away from my home/work .
I will try to figure out the form thing. Thanks

auddii

@ SS
I can't record videos, my gym has some ****ty policies when it comes to lifting and stuff. But it's the only gym that has a squat rack and is less then 1h away from my home/work .
I will try to figure out the form thing. Thanks

There's a post regarding form critique, and even if you don't post your own video, I find it incredibly helpful to watch the videos and then read the corresponding critiques. You might find you are doing things similar to someone else and not realized it's wrong.

Also, as a female, I love my fractional weights, which help with linear progression. I have 1.25 weights, which allow me to add 2.5lbs at a time instead of 5lbs (I'm doing stronglifts, so I'm not sure how SS progresses). For me, I'm finding that has really helped with my progression.

Sarauk2sf

I missed this thread first time round - apologies. I had a similar issue in that I was stalled out really badly on bench. It took a lot of playing around with form to improve, and then I started stalling out again, then worked on form again.

There is a thread here that has a bunch of resources re form that may help: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/852401-proper-form-and-technique-sources

Acg67

Jennifer Thompson - Bench 101

www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XRmd3a8_0

dinosnopro

Tagging...because my bench needs help too.

luv_2_lift

bump

Hendrix7

couple of random suggestions, again assuming your form is on point.

- Bench more often, 3 times per week, bench seems to like frequency imo

- Get a spotter and work up to a weight you fail on, note where you fail in the movement if it's at the bottom start doing some heavy-ish dumbell press if it's at the top add in a tricep movement as assistance like close grip bench

- One final one which I guarantee will work but you probably won't like...................gain some weight.

Martucha123

just want to thank you all, and let you know that as I can't post videos, I found a guy who look like he know what he is doing at the gym (not very common) and asked him to help me out. so now he will be helping with my form. he got super excited and is pushing his own routine on me but I'm gonna stay strong and fight him over all the broscience (90% of what he knows is legit, but he really really wants me to use gloves and sissy pad, and do **** tons of accessory lifts heh)
so let's see how this goes
:flowerforyou:

_noob_

strengthening your front delts/shoulders, strengthening your triceps, strengthening your rotator cuffs (beside the obvious pectoral assistance).

those are 3 areas that help that often get overlooked.

Exrx.net has a variety of exercises for each listed and about every variation of exercises for each body part that you'll find.

JeffseekingV

strengthening your front delts/shoulders, strengthening your triceps, strengthening your rotator cuffs (beside the obvious pectoral assistance).

those are 3 areas that help that often get overlooked.

Exrx.net has a variety of exercises for each listed and about every variation of exercises for each body part that you'll find.

Funny thing. I have decent shoulder strength and good tricep strength (all have been going up) but my bench numbers aren't really going up. Any suggestions on how to engage my rear lats more in the bench process? I drop my shoulders down when I unrack the bar

_noob_

I am not a good coach when it comes to form (not that mine's bad, I just don't "think" technically). I "just do" things there. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

ArroganceInStep

strengthening your front delts/shoulders, strengthening your triceps, strengthening your rotator cuffs (beside the obvious pectoral assistance).

those are 3 areas that help that often get overlooked.

Exrx.net has a variety of exercises for each listed and about every variation of exercises for each body part that you'll find.

Funny thing. I have decent shoulder strength and good tricep strength (all have been going up) but my bench numbers aren't really going up. Any suggestions on how to engage my rear lats more in the bench process? I drop my shoulders down when I unrack the bar

Leg drive and bridging? You should be gripping the bench with your shoulder blades. When I do that I can't help but engage...well...everything.

JeffseekingV

I arch the back and engage my legs. I'm working on digging in the shoulder blades. I might need a bit more back flexiblity. Or I might try putting some plates down for my feet for a better leg drive

Sarauk2sf

Jennifer Thompson - Bench 101

www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XRmd3a8_0

I like her instructional video - simple, to the point. A very good one on the basics.

ArroganceInStep

I arch the back and engage my legs. I'm working on digging in the shoulder blades. I might need a bit more back flexiblity. Or I might try putting some plates down for my feet for a better leg drive

High rep rows and rear peck deck stuff (with pause/squeeze on each count) might help. I like scaptions too though not strictly the area I find it helps with engaging.

JeffseekingV

I do heavy dumb bell rows, pull ups, bent over rows with 135lb barbell. Don't know if those lifts will specifically help my bench press

Sarauk2sf

Locking so we can keep track of active threads and this seems to have received a decent amount of input. Please PM either myself or SideSteel to unlock if you have anything further you want to add.