Techniques to make you bench more

[tomogleeson92]

Hoy Goys

Someone asked me to make a thread with tips to increase your bench, and to me a very surprisingly few people are aware of these techniques so I thought it would be a good idea to share, I'm no pro and there are certainly lots here stronger than me,but I can bench a decent amount (180kg paused at 86kg raw). Just going to do it in list form.

-Squeeze the bar as hard as you can.This is literally increase the amount of tricep you use in the lift.

-Tuck your feet in under the bench, as far to your head as you can. This will allow you to activate your legs more as you drive the bar up.

-This is the most important one, which as you practice more and more you will be able to do better. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as hard as you can as you are setting yourself in position for the bench press, and keep them as tight as you can as you unrack the weight and lift. This will maximize the amount of muscle fibres activated in your chest. To do this you must also drive your upper traps into the bench as hard as you can. This is hard to explain but look at my vid for an example.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

-Finally, bench grip, this is a tough one which depends on the build of the lifter, as there is a trade off: the wider the grip the lesser the distance to push, but a person's maximal pushing power comes from about,(this is a guess as it is where I am strongest) putting the ring finger where the ring on the bar is.(this might be a stupid thing to say however as the placement of these rings may differ between bars, but for the ones in my gym, this is the grip where I'm strongest)

Any questions feel free to ask, again I'm no pro or anything just things I've learned over the past 5 years or so since I've started trying to increase my lifts as best I can

[Drew23]

Good basic tips.

For foot placement, there are basically 2 camps on this, one is what you described and the other has the feet flat and in line with the knees with the heels driven down (This is how I learned, and what I teach). Feet behind works for smaller lifters who want to make use of a big arch. Feet in front is better for bigger lifters who want to maximize leg drive.

Hand placement: For most lifters, index finger on the rings (maximum comp grip) is optimal. I put my middle fingers on the rings because with my shorter arms, it's hard to grip the bar with a wider grip. I recommend people start with pinkies on the rings and move out 1 finger at a time until they find a grip that works best.

Another tip that people always seem to get wrong is "Bending" or "Breaking" the bar. If you hold your hands out in front of you, palms down and clenched fists (like you are holding the bar). Rotate your hands out so your thumbs are pointing up. This is what you want to do just before you start the descent with the bar. It will further activate your lats, make you tighter and reinforce squeezing the bar.

[tomogleeson92]

Good basic tips.

For foot placement, there are basically 2 camps on this, one is what you described and the other has the feet flat and in line with the knees with the heels driven down (This is how I learned, and what I teach). Feet behind works for smaller lifters who want to make use of a big arch. Feet in front is better for bigger lifters who want to maximize leg drive.

Hand placement: For most lifters, index finger on the rings (maximum comp grip) is optimal. I put my middle fingers on the rings because with my shorter arms, it's hard to grip the bar with a wider grip. I recommend people start with pinkies on the rings and move out 1 finger at a time until they find a grip that works best.

Another tip that people always seem to get wrong is "Bending" or "Breaking" the bar. If you hold your hands out in front of you, palms down and clenched fists (like you are holding the bar). Rotate your hands out so your thumbs are pointing up. This is what you want to do just before you start the descent with the bar. It will further activate your lats, make you tighter and reinforce squeezing the bar.

repped for adding good info

[Critter5592]

Good basic tips.

For foot placement, there are basically 2 camps on this, one is what you described and the other has the feet flat and in line with the knees with the heels driven down (This is how I learned, and what I teach). Feet behind works for smaller lifters who want to make use of a big arch. Feet in front is better for bigger lifters who want to maximize leg drive.

Hand placement: For most lifters, index finger on the rings (maximum comp grip) is optimal. I put my middle fingers on the rings because with my shorter arms, it's hard to grip the bar with a wider grip. I recommend people start with pinkies on the rings and move out 1 finger at a time until they find a grip that works best.

Another tip that people always seem to get wrong is "Bending" or "Breaking" the bar. If you hold your hands out in front of you, palms down and clenched fists (like you are holding the bar). Rotate your hands out so your thumbs are pointing up. This is what you want to do just before you start the descent with the bar. It will further activate your lats, make you tighter and reinforce squeezing the bar.

My bench is apparently built for somebody who is 6'4 as I can barely get my feet down even with placing something on the floor to put it another foot closer. Am I taking any real risks by avoiding solid leg drive?

[notforeveryone]

thanks bros. still trying to find a good setup and it seems that every bench training day i end up getting into a slightly different setup.


also got any tips for shytty commercial gym benches, soft and slick as fuk. keep sliding back no matter how hard i dig my traps into the bench.

[Reptarr]

some great info in here.. thanks I actually bookmarked the thread lol

[tomogleeson92]

My bench is apparently built for somebody who is 6'4 as I can barely get my feet down even with placing something on the floor to put it another foot closer. Am I taking any real risks by avoiding solid leg drive?

Risks? No of course not. It's a very important factor though, you should get a new bench if you can afford it or join a gym.
However if you do not care about strength and are simply training for hypertrophy then there is absolutely no reason to use your legs.

thanks bros. still trying to find a good setup and it seems that every bench training day i end up getting into a slightly different setup.


also got any tips for shytty commercial gym benches, soft and slick as fuk. keep sliding back no matter how hard i dig my traps into the bench.

rub chalk on the bench where your traps are placed. I did it once at a comp it def helped a lot.

[Adds420]

-Squeeze the bar as hard as you can.This is literally increase the amount of tricep you use in the lift.

-This is the most important one, which as you practice more and more you will be able to do better. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as hard as you can as you are setting yourself in position for the bench press, and keep them as tight as you can as you unrack the weight and lift. This will maximize the amount of muscle fibres activated in your chest. To do this you must also drive your upper traps into the bench as hard as you can. This is hard to explain but look at my vid for an example.

These were 2 big ones that helped me out over the years.

I put a death grip on the bar and it helps out so much. I feel like this is a very simple, small improvement that most people don't think about.

Squeezing the shoulder blades helped me just because it helps the weight really settle in before actually doing the lift. When I settle in, the bar is a couple inches lower then when I initially un-rack it.

[Ronnie87]

Best tips for bench: Eat a lot of calories, get on a strength program and take celltech extreme. The rest is marginal.

[SkinnyBeast24]

anybody that doesn't feel bench press in there chest is doing it wrong....i always prefer db's but when i do barbell and squeeze everything in the back as tight as fuark i can see my chest fibers orgying after each rep

[googlesearch]

thanks bros. still trying to find a good setup and it seems that every bench training day i end up getting into a slightly different setup.


also got any tips for shytty commercial gym benches, soft and slick as fuk. keep sliding back no matter how hard i dig my traps into the bench.

believe it or not material of shirt makes a difference (srs). I've noticed with some of my workout shirts I bench ~5-10 more lbs just because it reduces the amount of sliding by adding more friction. Try different shirt materials on chitty benches (srs)

[Kard]

OP I just started lifting a year and 4 months ago and I did my first PL meet 2 months ago.

I find myself increasing my lifts rapidly. But obviously my physique has taken a big blow.

How did you get your physique all while increasing your lifts?

[notforeveryone]

believe it or not material of shirt makes a difference (srs). I've noticed with some of my workout shirts I bench ~5-10 more lbs just because it reduces the amount of sliding by adding more friction. Try different shirt materials on chitty benches (srs)

i've def. noticed this as well. i've got some of those under armor t-shirts that are slick as fuk. i think a good old cotton T-shirt is the best in this case.

[SkinnyBeast24]

believe it or not material of shirt makes a difference (srs). I've noticed with some of my workout shirts I bench ~5-10 more lbs just because it reduces the amount of sliding by adding more friction. Try different shirt materials on chitty benches (srs)

i probably should stop 5/3/1 benching shirtless when im at home huh

[Ready4War]

How did you / have you overcome plateus

[dawktwenty]

Maybe it's been said, but for me a good thing to remember is this: Instead of trying to "press" the bar up, rather imagine "pushing your back" towards the floor. (Bench)

[googlesearch]

i probably should stop 5/3/1 benching shirtless when im at home huh

If I had a means to lift privately I'd do so shirtless tbh

But as you sweat you slide more so it probably does make a difference

Up to you breh

[Drew23]

My bench is apparently built for somebody who is 6'4 as I can barely get my feet down even with placing something on the floor to put it another foot closer. Am I taking any real risks by avoiding solid leg drive?

The only risk you're taking is not benching more. I would get another bench if I were you.

thanks bros. still trying to find a good setup and it seems that every bench training day i end up getting into a slightly different setup.

also got any tips for shytty commercial gym benches, soft and slick as fuk. keep sliding back no matter how hard i dig my traps into the bench.

We use the rubber shelf mats on the bench. It really helps you stick to the bench. We have also used stickum, but that gets messy.
This stuff:

anybody that doesn't feel bench press in there chest is doing it wrong....i always prefer db's but when i do barbell and squeeze everything in the back as tight as fuark i can see my chest fibers orgying after each rep

I never feel BB bench in my chest. I am clearly doing something wrong.

believe it or not material of shirt makes a difference (srs). I've noticed with some of my workout shirts I bench ~5-10 more lbs just because it reduces the amount of sliding by adding more friction. Try different shirt materials on chitty benches (srs)

Good advice. Anything with a lot of writing on the back will work.

[Drew23]

How did you / have you overcome plateus

You just have to focus on technique and doing things right. Trust your program, do everything right and don't worry about the number. When you want to take a PR attempt, don't let your ego get in the way. 5lbs is a good PR. If you're benching 290 and want to bench 315, don't take 285 and then jump to 315 for your next set. Take 295. Make progress.

[mrcarlpedal]

Thanks, exactly what i needed. I've always struggled with the bench due to my long arms but im slowly catching up.

Poverty reps coming your way!

[tomogleeson92]

These were 2 big ones that helped me out over the years.

I put a death grip on the bar and it helps out so much. I feel like this is a very simple, small improvement that most people don't think about.

Squeezing the shoulder blades helped me just because it helps the weight really settle in before actually doing the lift. When I settle in, the bar is a couple inches lower then when I initially un-rack it.

what is a death grip? I have not heard of that term

Best tips for bench: Eat a lot of calories, get on a strength program and take celltech extreme. The rest is marginal.

it's not marginal, it's actually very important, following these tips if you werent before will add on 60lbs to your bench. I think you should really consider this

OP I just started lifting a year and 4 months ago and I did my first PL meet 2 months ago.

I find myself increasing my lifts rapidly. But obviously my physique has taken a big blow.

How did you get your physique all while increasing your lifts?

Why did your physique take a blow? As you gain muscle it should get better? I gained slowly I didnt gain much fat at all, mostly muscle. I compete in the under 90kg class and have been so the last 3 years or so

How did you / have you overcome plateus

smolov

[john146504]

buy a slingshot to help improve form. Seriously bench is up 10% with the slingshot. brb repping 275 X5 without and repping 315X5 with slingshot.

[tomogleeson92]

Thanks, exactly what i needed. I've always struggled with the bench due to my long arms but im slowly catching up.

Poverty reps coming your way!

I appreciate poverty reps more than mod reps <3

[tomogleeson92]

buy a slingshot to help improve form. Seriously bench is up 10% with the slingshot. brb repping 275 X5 without and repping 315X5 with slingshot.

this, but not for that reason, for the fact it greatly minimizes risk of injury. I have been out for over a year total I'd say from chest injuries since I started

[Kard]

Why did your physique take a blow? As you gain muscle it should get better? I gained slowly I didnt gain much fat at all, mostly muscle. I compete in the under 90kg class and have been so the last 3 years or so

Well I shouldn't have said a big blow. I did gain a lot of muscle and I look great in a shirt. I eat as much as possible basically force feeding myself for some meals.

But I just have a mini power gut. Based on your avi, you've maintained aesthetics and hit some great numbers.

Have you ever had to hop on a cut? or clean bulk? Or was it all genetics?

[tomogleeson92]

Well I shouldn't have said a big blow. I did gain a lot of muscle and I look great in a shirt. I eat as much as possible basically force feeding myself for some meals.

But I just have a mini power gut. Based on your avi, you've maintained aesthetics and hit some great numbers.

Have you ever had to hop on a cut? or clean bulk? Or was it all genetics?

certainly was not genetics, but no I have not cut in probably 3 years at all. I was obsessed with nutrition before that, but now using methods Ive learned can stay 8% ish eating what I want and keep my strength, that's a whole other thread though. Im just finished work now, but if Im free tomorrow like I was today I will make a thread on that if you like?
Mostly based on things from Martin Berkhans teachings (his site is leangains.com), also Lyle Mcdonalds site is good but has such a negative view on things I havent visited it in yuears, plus I think the Ultimate diet he wrote up is absolutely awful

[eywat]

Tips on increasing bench with a dodgy shoulder that is holding me back? I know I need to sort my shoulder but it also seems to be a big mental thing.. my bench is hardly budging from 190 lbs when i'm coming up to a 405 squat and deadlift

[arn710]

How did you / have you overcome plateus

Switch to something else for a few weeks. Do incline or DBs as your main movement. Make progress in something else to get your confidence back up

I never feel BB bench in my chest. I am clearly doing something wrong.

I don't either. Hopefully someone can help us

[iceypain]

i like to visualize pushing my upper back into the bench rather than pressing the bar..

[arn710]

Tips on increasing bench with a dodgy shoulder that is holding me back? I know I need to sort my shoulder but it also seems to be a big mental thing.. my bench is hardly budging from 190 lbs when i'm coming up to a 405 squat and deadlift

I'd bet money your form sucks and that's why your shoulder hurts. I know its been posted a million times, but watch "so you think you can bench" on youtube.

The slingshot already mentioned ITT helped a lot with my recent shoulder problems too.