One of the most popular exercises for powerlifters and bodybuilders is the bench press. To some extent, it is the hallmark of the athlete. The results in this exercise are growing quite steadily, but even here there is sometimes a moment of the so-called plateau, when the weight on the bar freezes, and no effort helps to shift it in the right direction. Almost the only way to significantly increase your bench press results is to change how you train.
It is necessary
- - weightlifting belt;
- - gloves for powerlifting;
- - elastic bandages;
- - the help of one or two partners;
- - barbell;
- - gymnastic bench.
Instructions
Step 1
Determine your one-time maximum strength. This is the maximum weight you can push from your chest only once. Before doing this, warm up well and do two or three warm-up sets with full amplitude. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets.
Step 2
Set the barbell to close to maximum weight and do as many lifts as you can. The latter must be absolutely through force. Calculate your one-time maximum strength using the Brzezicki formula: (working weight) / (1.0278 - (0.0278 * number of repetitions)) = one-time maximum strength.
Step 3
Combine a one-off max lift with a regular training set. When lifting the maximum weight, the largest number of muscle fibers is included in the work, but you can hardly lift it 8-10 times so that the muscles begin to grow. Fortunately, after lifting the maximum, the muscles do not turn off, on the contrary, they are preparing for the second wave of the load. Therefore, after lifting the barbell with the maximum weight, rest for 3-5 minutes and do 8-10 repetitions with your usual weight. You will feel like you can lift a lot more. Do one-off maximum strength work at least once a week.
Step 4
In addition, there are exercises that allow you to improve the technique of performing the chest press, and therefore, to increase its effectiveness. These are negative and partial repetitions.
Step 5
Lie on a gym bench. Place a weight on the bar that exceeds your one-time maximum strength. Place the bar on the racks near the bench. Hold your breath and gently lower the projectile to your chest. This should take 8-12 seconds. The movement should be very smooth. As soon as the bar touches the chest, your assistants should immediately quickly lift the bar and return it to the racks. Don't help them. Lower the projectile as long as you can control the bar.
Step 6
Partial reps are designed to work the technique at some point in the barbell movement. Lie on a gym bench. Set the weight on the barbell close to your one-time maximum. Remove the barbell from the racks and partially lower the projectile. The range of bar movement should not be more than 15-25 cm. If you have difficulty moving the bar in the lower part of the lift, perform partial reps near the chest.
Step 7
Incorporate partial reps into your regular workout routine. For the first week, work with a weight close to the maximum, for the second week, set the weight higher by 15-20 kg. For the third week, you shouldn't do weights at all. Do only stretch. During this period, the muscles and ligaments will be restored, because they were subjected to shock loading, which caused a huge number of microtraumas. During rest periods, your body will heal these breaks and build new fibers to help increase strength.
