Do you want to be the best of the best when lifting weights in the gym?
Of course you do. Not only will it improve your strength, but it will boost your biceps.
That’s why we’re offering the ultimate guide on how to bench press more weight.
Contents
Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard
45 million US adults have a gym membership. You can guarantee many are pushing themselves harder than they need to in the gym.
Some gym-goers think they have to be screaming and shouting to build up muscle and strength.
Yet, the best way to build muscle in the gym is by gradually adding more weight and reps, whilst upping the intensity on a weight bench.
Pushing yourself too hard in the weight room will only break down your muscles. You’ll feel it in your arms so much that you’ll have to miss the next session so they can repair.
You may also experience extreme fatigue, which could cause your body to burn out.
Struggling to finish your final rep because the weight is too much and your arms are too weak? You might be best taking a week or two off from the gym.
It will give your muscles time to repair and you can approach the gym with a fresh mindset.
Always aim to keep one or two reps in the tank, which means stopping before your body wants to stop.
This will help your nervous system recover from the gym, and you’ll experience good gains, as a result.
Try to Pull the Bar Apart
One way you can build biceps of steel is by attempting to pull the bar apart.
As you lower a bar towards you, squeeze your shoulder blades together, whilst trying to pull the bar apart.
Also, try to maintain the same tension in your shoulders as you push with force.
Want to Know How to Bench Press? Alternate Your Grip
If you want to avoid sticking points when lifting weights, try to alternate your grip width on the bar.
Switch it up with narrow, wide and normal grips. This will help improve your focus on mover and prime supporting muscles.
Bent-Over Rows Between Bench-Press Sets
Want to know how to bench press more weights? All it might take is some bent-over rows.
Perform some bent-over rows between your bench press sets that can help build your lats.
As a result, you’ll be able to move the bar with increased strength.
Train Your Triceps
Viewing the bench press as more than a chest exercise is important.
It’s the triceps that are responsible for doing most of the hard work when lifting the bar.
When the bar is approximately 4 to 6 inches off your chest, it’s the triceps that will make or break a performance.
If you want to learn how to bench press well, you must aim to train your triceps. Any bodybuilder will tell you triceps training is essential for the bench press. Don’t underestimate their importance.
The Close Grip Bench Press
To strengthen your triceps, opt for the close-grip bench press, with your elbows tucked in.
When you perform the bottom of the lift, aim for your elbows to be touching your sides.
What’s more, you need to keep your elbows in a straight line as you press.
To give your triceps a good workout in the weight room, perform between 4 to 8 sets.
You’ll soon be lifting more weight in the gym with each passing week.
Sleep and Eat More
You most likely don’t need another excuse to eat or sleep more, do you?
If you want to know how to bench press more, you will need to give your body the fuel it needs to do so. What’s more, ensure it has plenty of time to recover from a workout.
If you’re always hungry or sleep-deprived, you’re never going to be able to lift the weights you want.
To make gains and press more weight, you should aim to enjoy at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. You also need to fuel your body will protein and calories.
How much should you eat? Aim to consume between 5 to 6 meals per day that fill your plate with complex carbs, protein, and water.
If your diet doesn’t reflect your workout in the gym, you will fail to gain.
A protein shake or an extra meal could be the one thing you need to do to see a change in your body.
The more weight you gain, the more weight you can add to the bar.
Mix Up Your Pressing Routine
Most people perform the same workout, same order, and same weight each day. It’s these people that will see little results on their strength and muscle mass.
Different exercises will have a big impact on your strength.
Varied workouts result in your nervous system sending different electrical signals to muscles. This will stimulate different contraction patterns in your muscle fibers.
It can cause the fibers to break down, even though the workouts were similar.
As a result, you can gain muscle and strength by slightly altering your routine.
Not sure how to bench press this way? You can switch the barbell bench for dumbbells. You can alternate the flat bench for an incline or decline.
You could even invest in an adjustable weight bench to vary your routine.
These little changes will allow you to see a big difference.
Change Your Bench Technique
The one thing stopping your progression in the gym could be your bench press technique.
Unfortunately, many people in the gym may not know how to bench press – which is dangerous.
You may have developed a few bad habits unless you have worked alongside a personal trainer.
These little mistakes could make a big difference to your strength.
For instance, you might need to start tucking your elbows in as you lift the bar.
You also might be placing your feet on the bench. Your legs can actually help you to lift the bar. Use them well and place them on the floor, pushing at your heels as you lift.
The best bodybuilders train smarter instead of harder. If you want to know how to bench press successfully, you’d be wise to follow all the tips above.