Question about bench press improvements.

your question kinda reminds me of the old pyramid chart

your 1 rep max was absed on being able to do a percentage a set amount of times

a 300 lb max would look like this

60% 12 reps with 180 lbs
80% 7 reps with 240 lbs
90% 2 reps with 270lbs
80% 5 reps with 240 lbs
70% 10 reps at 210 lbs

this in no way says that by doing those reps means you can bench 300 lbs but its building you up to it
plus for me it was a challenge every bench day
once you complete that max you bump up using the same percentages with your next max goal

Other things to work on with bench are speed drills and floor presses or board presses

When I can do 3 sets of a weight with at least 12 reps in each set, I'll increase my weight by 5 pounds.

Doing more reps of a lesser weight doesn't always translate into an increase in your one rep max. I had a lifting buddy that could do more reps at 245 than me, yet I crushed him in one rep max.

I think you should find a weight you can do 2-3 reps of. When you can do that weight 3X a couple weeks in a row, bump it up.
I think that has more impact than doing a weight for 8-10 reps

I've been fallowing the 5 x 5 plan for a bit now and it seems to be working good.

It is 5 set for 5 reps. every week you bump your weight up 5 lbs. I bench three days a week and I have progressed pretty good, I have only had one stall ( I have moved past it now ) This week I will be moving up to 205 5 x 5.

How can one tell you are ready to try a heavier weight? ie.. how do you know your training is netting you more strength?

ie.... I've been lifting 185lbs on the flat bench. A few sets of warm ups at a lower weight and then I've been able to go from 2 sets of 3-4 reps to 2 sets of 6-7 reps.

I can lift 205lbs for about 3.

My 185lb rep lift has been improving. I would like to get to 2 sets of 8-10. but I'm not sure if that indicates I can lift heavier for a 1-2 rep lift?

There's no magic number of sets and reps for someone to improve their bench press. What may work for me may not work for you. Dinosmopro mentioned the 5x5 program, which worked great for me, but did nothing for my training partner. Improving your bench press could require several changes including diet (are you eating or taking supplements before you work out), sleep, assistance work (shoulders, back, triceps), volume (number of sets and reps), and form. Fitness magazines- Flex, Muscle and Fitness, Men's Health- prescribe so many different methodologies because there is not one magic way of increasing your bench press. It's all trial and error.

There's one key ingredient I left out, confidence. If you lay down on the bench thinking, "I'm not going to get this" or "I'm going to get buried," you're already defeated. You need to pick a target weight and a number of reps and go for it. Currently, I'm benching 380lbs. for 3 reps. I'm 5' 10', 250lbs, 30 years old, and I've been working at it a long time. Strength comes with age, experience, and hard work. You'll get there. Good luck.

I have a lt of experience lifting heavy weights and powerlifting. 560 1rep max , 225 43 reps. I'm blessed with great genetics and 30 inch arms so I naturally excel t bench.

In all my experience the biggest mistake I see is not pushing the limit. There is no magical cure (although if you can find a copy of bill Phillips (eas) how to increase your bench by 50 pounds, it works) but the basic principle of negative reps is what will increase your bench. Focus on low reps (8,6,4) hi weights. Mix in negative reps at the end of the workout. If you can max 180, put 200 on the bar and have two spotters help. They help lower the weight to your chest. The excess weight I'll cause your muscle to repair and become stronger while you rest. Work chest 2 days per week with 3 days rest in between.

Good luck!

Without any structured program to increase your 1RM, then it's hard to say what will work. There's also a certain skill/technique aspect to these lifts that will need to be improved before can increase the 1RM. Often, doing lighter weight (even at 80% of 1RM) will allow us to overcome the technical inefficiencies we may have, but will be exposed when we go to test 1rm. As mentioned earlier, sometimes it's also a confidence/comfort level.
So, you may well be able to increase to 7-8 reps, but that may not translate into a 1-2 rep increase due to inefficiency in technique and the inability to recruit all your muscles needed to get that extra weight up. Assistance work like dips and incline bench and chin-ups will also help.
That been said. A good program to look into in Wendler 5//3/1. The 5x5 is also good for volume.
Another "unstructured" approach to get what you want is to do tmay be: Target your 6-7 reps but rather than lifting 3-4 indefinitely - lift a weight you can do 6-7. Now, each time you hit 8+. Increase 5 pounds. If you get 8+ on set 1, then next set you add 5 pounds. And you keep going until you get 8+ again. I'd probably suggest doing 4 sets in this fashion. But that's just me.
As for technique - don't neglect this and there's about 1000 youtube video's on this. Some good some bad. Some for beginners and some for advanced. Starting Strength by rippentoe is a book that is worth it - will give you pointers on technique and a program to follow - on more than one lift and will include assistance.

I'm on 5/3/1 so my reps change from week to week and I get a heavy lift (around 95%) once a month.

But for estimation purposes there is a 1 rep max formula based on your reps with a lighter weight



(weight x reps x .0333333) + weight = projected 1 rep max

so if you're repping 185 x8


185x8x.0333 = 48.84 +185 puts you in the 230-235 range for a projected max.
Granted you might have trouble hitting that if you don't normally take heavy singles, it should be fairly close.

1) I use 5x5 to improve my bench

Here are two other ways to improve that I have seen work for others..

2) One is you add 5 lbs everyweek to the bar no matter what and have someone spot you for assistance..

3) You go up 10 lbs when you can bench current weight for 3 sets 10 reps...I have a friend who used this strat to break the 400 mark on his bench.