| This is the 1st step that keeps you going as a | | | | These sticking points are known as your "mini maxes," |
| bodybuilder. Incline your bench and make sure you | | | | or the points at which you miss the lift or the barbell |
| have a close grip on it. Make the best use of staples | | | | begins to slip out of the groove. Many times I'm asked |
| during the bench press. Ensure you do heavy | | | | what to do if the barbell gets stuck four to five inches |
| extensions and not just pushing up and down. Make | | | | off the chest. Everybody wants to know what |
| sure that you use them for the intended functions. | | | | exercise will help them strengthen this area or what |
| Avoid improvisations which you are not sure where | | | | body part is holding them back. Many times it isn't what |
| they may lead you to. Be sure to set the best position | | | | you do to strengthen the area where it sticks, but |
| for a comfortable posture. When setting this posture, | | | | what you can do to build more acceleration in the area |
| you should be careful not to get hurt since there is a | | | | before the mini max. If you can get the bar moving |
| tendency among bodybuilders to underrate the extent | | | | with more force then there won't be a sticking point. |
| of the harm which can be caused to their bodies. Do | | | | Instead, you'll blast right through it. Compensatory |
| as many short bench presses as you could use the | | | | acceleration will help you do this. |
| resources you have. Do not add weights in between | | | | 8th Rule - Squeeze the barbell and try to pull the bar |
| the reps as this will violate the rues of the game. | | | | apart! Regardless of the lift, you have to keep your |
| The 2nd thing concerns the shoulder blades, which are | | | | body as tight as Monica Brant's behind. You'll never lift |
| very essential for your overall success in terms of the | | | | big weights if you're in a relaxed physical state while |
| bench press. The shoulder blades determine how | | | | under the barbell. The best way to get the body tight is |
| much you can cushion your body against the effects | | | | by squeezing the bar. We've also found that if you try |
| of a backfires push-up. A push-up can be too difficult | | | | to pull the bar apart or "break the bar," the triceps |
| or too easy for you. It is too heavy; you will find | | | | seem to become more activated. |
| yourself defending yourself against a possible injury. | | | | 9th Rule - Devote one day per week to |
| This may be a futile attempt or a brave attempt of | | | | dynamic-effort training. According to Vladimir |
| pushing your body to the limits. In the case of too much | | | | Zatsiorsinsky in his text Science and Practice of |
| light weights, your body will be vigorous and you may | | | | Strength Training, there are three ways to increase |
| be caress and inattentive to your own body language. | | | | muscle tension. These three methods include the |
| This is why the shoulder blades ought to be kept close | | | | dynamic-effort method, the maximal-effort method, |
| to each other and as compact as possible. Also, allow | | | | and the repetition method. Most training programs |
| the shortest distance between the two arms. Holding | | | | being practiced in the US today only utilize one or two |
| the weight within the distance which is equivalent to | | | | of these methods. It's important, however, to use all |
| that of the shoulder will cushion you against any | | | | three. |
| dangers. | | | | The bench press should be trained using the |
| Maintain the pressure on the upper back as well as the | | | | dynamic-effort method. This method is best defined as |
| traps. This is the 3rd rule. Do not misunderstand this | | | | training with sub-maximal weights (45 to 60%) at |
| crucial aspect of bodybuilding. When you lie on the | | | | maximal velocities. The key to this method is bar |
| bench, your eyes ought to be very even with the bar. | | | | speed. Percentage training can be very deceiving. The |
| Apply the same pressure as if you were doing the | | | | reason for this is because lifters at higher levels have |
| barbell. Make sure you feet are on the floor. Then | | | | better motor control and recruit more muscle than a |
| fourthly, push the bar upwards in a very straight line. | | | | less experienced lifter. |
| Make sure you are attempting to curl the movements | | | | For example, the maximal amount of muscle you could |
| towards your feet. Bring your elbows out and make | | | | possibility recruit is 100%. Now, the advanced lifter - |
| the movements make you press harder against the | | | | after years of teaching his nervous system to be |
| rack. | | | | efficient - may be able to recruit 70 to 80% of muscle |
| Let your elbows remain tucked. Watch hoe the | | | | fibers, while the intermediate might be able to recruit |
| elbows are dropping towards the edge of the bench. | | | | only 50%. Thus, the advanced lifter would need less |
| Make sure that there is intense shoulder rotation and | | | | percent weight than the intermediate. This is one of the |
| your body is getting as much as it had asked for. Bring | | | | reasons why an advanced lifter squatting 80% of his |
| the barbell close to your abdominals. This will enable | | | | max for 10 reps would kill himself while a beginner |
| you take very many weights for the longest period of | | | | could do it all day long. |
| time, usually many years. To avoid excess shoulder | | | | If you base the training on bar speed, then the |
| rotation, stop the push-up when your shoulders are | | | | percentages are no longer an issue, only a guideline. |
| parallel to the floor. Then keep the elbows at par with | | | | So how do you know where to start? If you're an |
| the bar by keeping them tucked there over the wrists | | | | intermediate lifter, I suggest you start at 50% of |
| and the bench. This is a great bench press technique. | | | | maximal and see how fast you can make it move for |
| 4th Rule - Keep the elbows tucked and the bar | | | | three reps. If you can move 20 more pounds with the |
| directly over the wrists and elbows. This is probably | | | | same speed then use the heavier weight. |
| the most important aspect of great pressing technique. | | | | Based on years of experience and Primlin's charts for |
| The elbows must remain tucked to keep the bar in a | | | | optimal percent training, we've found the best range to |
| straight line as explained above. Keeping the elbows | | | | be eight sets of three reps. Based on Primlin's |
| tucked will also allow lifters to use their lats to drive the | | | | research, the optimal range for 70% and less is 12 to |
| bar off the chest. Football players are taught to drive | | | | 24 repetitions. |
| their opponents with their elbows tucked, then explode | | | | We've also found it very beneficial to train the bench |
| through. This is the same for bench pressing. Bench | | | | using three different grips, all of which are performed |
| pressing is all about generating force. You can | | | | within the rings. This may break down into two sets |
| generate far more force with your elbows in a tucked | | | | with the pinky fingers on the rings, three sets with |
| position compared to an "elbows out" position. | | | | three fingers from the smooth area of the bar and |
| The most important aspect of this is to keep the | | | | three sets with one finger from the smooth area. |
| barbell in a direct line with the elbow. If the barbell is | | | | 10th Rule - Devote one day per week to |
| behind the elbow toward the head, then the arm | | | | maximal-effort training. For the second bench day of |
| position becomes similar to an extension, not a press. | | | | the week (72 hours after the dynamic day) you should |
| 5th Rule - Bring the bar low on your chest or upper | | | | concentrate on the maximal-effort method. This is best |
| abdominals. This is the only way you can maintain the | | | | defined as lifting maximal weights (90% to 100%) for |
| "barbell to elbow" position as described above. You | | | | one to three reps. This is one of the best methods to |
| may have heard the advice, "Bring it low" at almost | | | | develop maximal strength. The key here is to strain. |
| every powerlifting competition. This is the reason why. | | | | The downfall is you can't train above 90% for longer |
| Once again, the barbell must travel in a straight line. | | | | than three weeks without having adverse effects. |
| 6th - Fill your belly with air and hold it. For maximum | | | | Try performing a max bench press every week for |
| attempts and sets under three reps, you must try to | | | | four or five weeks. You'll see you may progress for |
| hold your air. Everyone must learn to breathe from | | | | the first two, maybe three weeks, then your progress |
| their bellies and not their chests. If you stand in front of | | | | will halt and begin to work its way backward. We've |
| the mirror and take a deep breath, your shoulders | | | | combated this by switching up the maximal-effort |
| shouldn't rise. If they do you're breathing the air into | | | | exercises. We rotate maximal-effort movements such |
| your chest, not your belly. Greater stability can be | | | | as the close-grip incline press, board press, floor press, |
| achieved in all the lifts when you learn how to pull air | | | | and close-grip flat press. These exercises are all |
| into the belly. Try to expand and fill the belly with as | | | | specific to bench pressing and all have a very high |
| much air as possible and hold it. If you breathe out | | | | carryover value. |
| during a maximum attempt, the body structure will | | | | 11th Rule - Train the lats on the same plane as the |
| change slightly, thus changing the groove in which the | | | | bench. I'm talking about the horizontal plane here. In |
| barbell is traveling. | | | | other words, you must perform rows, rows, and more |
| 7th - Train with compensatory acceleration. Push the | | | | rows. "If you want to bench big then you need to train |
| bar with maximal force. Whatever weight you're trying | | | | the lats." I've heard both George Hilbert and Kenny |
| to push, be it 40% or 100% of your max, you must | | | | Patterson say this for years when asked about |
| learn to apply 100% of the force to the barbell. If you | | | | increasing the bench press. When you bench you're on |
| can bench 500 pounds and are training with 300 | | | | a horizontal plane. So would it make sense from a |
| pounds, you must then apply 500 pounds of force to | | | | balance perspective to train the lats with pull downs, |
| the 300-pound barbell. This is known as compensatory | | | | which are on a vertical plane? Nope. Stick to the |
| acceleration and it can help you break through sticking | | | | barbell row if you want a big bench. |
| points. | | | | |