New to the Bench Press - Need Advice

japruzze

I did my very first bench press ever! I did 55 lbs 2 sets of 8! Started with a "warm up" of just the bar and 8 reps. Now I'm hooked and I want to do more...weight that it. So how do I make this happen? What other exercises and what muscles should I focus on to improve my bench press? I need things I can do at home as well as at the gym.

Triceps? Push Ups? Anyone?

danimalkeys

for now, just keep bench pressing. practice your form and technique- that will add weight the fastest. Once you get to the level where you know where your bench is weak- off the chest, midrange, or lockout, then you can focus on lifts that will strengthen those areas.

mkkhoza

I am just beginning to get into lifting heavy myself...so kudos to you!! I am doing the Stronglifts 5X5 program. It is a very simple concept of cycling 2 workouts of 3 excercises each, doing it 3 times per week. For each excercise you do 5 reps and 5 sets. I am currently in week 3. The idea is that at the end of each week, you add 2.5 pounds to each side of your barbell. 5 pounds altogether.
Workout A: Squats, Chest press, Rows
Workout B: Squats, Shoulder Press and Deadlift (this one only gets 1 set of 5 reps)

I would highly recommend some kind of program of steady increase like the one above. You can google this particular program but there are others out there. All the best to you!!

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

Push ups and dips also work those muscles (cheat and triceps) and can be done at home. You can put two chairs with the backs facing towards each other and put your hand on the top of the backs and bend your knees to do dips at home.

BeachIron

Keep bench pressing but make sure it's part of an overall program. New Rules of Lifting for Women, Strong Lifts, 5/3/1, there are several to choose from.

The one thing I would definitely suggest, though, is to make sure you are doing some rotator cuff exercises to strengthen them. It will help in the long run.

Abells

I do the 5/3/1 method on my lifts - NOT EVERYDAY (squats, deads, push press, etc)

I figure out my one rep max ...then I do the 5/3/1 method for a few weeks.
Warm- up around 60% of my 1rep max
5 reps at 75%
3 reps at 85%
1 rep at 95%

Currently I maxed at 135# and have been doing 5/3/1 - next week I'm going for a new PR on 1 rep max.

Pre my work out. Then I do my crossfit workout FYI

Anything that works the negatives are good too - lay on the ground under a bar that is on a machine and feet on a bench and pull yourself up. You can do Push-ups and dips as stated. Pull-ups.

danimalkeys

I do the 5/3/1 method on my lifts - NOT EVERYDAY (squats, deads, push press, etc)

I figure out my one rep max ...then I do the 5/3/1 method for a few weeks.
Warm- up around 60% of my 1rep max
5 reps at 75%
3 reps at 85%
1 rep at 95%

Currently I maxed at 135# and have been doing 5/3/1 - next week I'm going for a new PR on 1 rep max.

Pre my work out. Then I do my crossfit workout FYI

Anything that works the negatives are good too - lay on the ground under a bar that is on a machine and feet on a bench and pull yourself up. You can do Push-ups and dips as stated. Pull-ups.

I wouldn't advocate someone who has never done a bench press to test for a 1RM so they can plug that number into a program. Maybe after a couple months of working on form and getting comfortable with the lift and gradually building up to some heavier weights.

tkillion810

Don't forget to balance out the work. Include some back exercises in your routine.

mndamon

Stronger back/shoulders will absolutely help you increase the weights on your bench.

Abells

I do the 5/3/1 method on my lifts - NOT EVERYDAY (squats, deads, push press, etc)

I figure out my one rep max ...then I do the 5/3/1 method for a few weeks.
Warm- up around 60% of my 1rep max
5 reps at 75%
3 reps at 85%
1 rep at 95%

Currently I maxed at 135# and have been doing 5/3/1 - next week I'm going for a new PR on 1 rep max.

Pre my work out. Then I do my crossfit workout FYI

Anything that works the negatives are good too - lay on the ground under a bar that is on a machine and feet on a bench and pull yourself up. You can do Push-ups and dips as stated. Pull-ups.

I wouldn't advocate someone who has never done a bench press to test for a 1RM so they can plug that number into a program. Maybe after a couple months of working on form and getting comfortable with the lift and gradually building up to some heavier weights.

I'm listing what I do not advocating that she must do this -- if she's benching 55# she can start from there -- There's plenty of forums to go through.