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Big-time bench: use this workout and add 30 pounds to man's most-defining lift—before you get your next issue of MF - Muscle & Strength

Men's Fitness, March, 2004 by Dave Tate

YOU PROBABLY THINK the key to a big bench is your chest. But you'd be wrong. It's your triceps--at least if you ask anyone at Westside Barbell in Columbus, Ohio. It's home to 23 guys who can bench press more than 600 pounds--including me. (So it's not always safe to argue.) The question is, Are you willing to change what you're doing for a bigger bench? If so, you found the right plan. Follow the directions for each of the four workouts on the accompanying pages, and use the guidelines below when doing any bench-press movement (for instance, the barbell bench press, the floor press, and the close grip bench press). After four weeks, you'll crush your old record in the bench--guaranteed.

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RULES OF THE BENCH

1. Keep your elbows tucked as close to your sides as possible. It changes the focus of the move from your chest to your triceps, which allows you to generate more force.

2. Push the bar straight up from your lower chest, instead of back toward your head, as most guys do naturally. It minimizes the distance you have to press the weight.

3. Squeeze the bar as tightly as you can. This "tightens" your entire body, which increases the weight you can lift, improves your form, and reduces your risk of injuries.

4. Pull your shoulder blades together before you lift pretend you're squeezing a pencil between them--and hold them that way for the entire lift. It creates a strong foundation, which allows you to apply greater force to the bar.

5. Use your legs. When the bar touches your chest, press your feet into the floor and "squat" the weight up--without lifting your butt or hips off the bench. This alone can add 30 pounds to your bench press.

Workouts

MONDAY PAGE 124

You'll do a "speed" bench-press workout, followed by a full upper-body session.

TUESDAY PAGE 126

This workout hits your lower body and the core muscles of your midsection.

THURSDAY PAGE 132

You'll start with a max floor press for triceps strength, then hit your chest, shoulders, and back.

SATURDAY PAGE 134

In this session, you'll hit your quads, hamstrings, abs, and lower back.

Monday Workout

[check] Perform this workout as straight sets, completing all the prescribed sets of each exercise before moving on to the next.

[check] Exercise 1 (Speed Training): Use a weight that's about 60% of the amount you can lift one time. Lower the weight under control, then press the bar up as fast as you can each rep. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

[check] Exercises 2-5: Use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all repetitions of each set. Rest 90 seconds between sets.

* KEEP YOUR ELBOWS tucked as close to your sides as possible.

1 BENCH PRESS SETS: REPS: 3 TARGET: TRICEPS, CHEST

* SQUEEZE YOUR SHOULDER blades together and hold them that way.

2 DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS SETS: 4 REPS: 10 TARGET: CHEST, TRICEPS

*DON'T CHANGE THE position of your upper arms.

3 SETS: 3 REPS: 12 TARGET: TRICEPS

* KEEP YOUR LOWER back naturally arched.

4 BARBELL BENT-OVER ROW SETS: 3 REPS: TARGET: MIDDLE BACK

* PULL THE DUMBBELLS toward your face.

5 LYING FACE PULL SETS: 3 REPS: 15 TARGET: UPPER BACK, REAR SHOULDERS

TUESDAY WORKOUT

[check] Perform this workout as straight sets, completing all the prescribed sets of each exercise before moving on to the next.

[check] Exercises 1-5: Use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all repetitions of each set.

[check] Rest two minutes between sets.

* KEEP YOUR LOWER legs nearly perpendicular to the floor.

1 SQUAT SETS: 4 REPS: 10 TARGET: QUADRICEPS

* ALWAYS KEEP YOUR back naturally arched.

2 ROMANIAN DEADLIFT SETS: 3 REPS: 12 TARGET: HAMSTRINGS

* KEEP YOUR LOWER leg perpendicular to the floor.

3 DUMBBELL LUNGE SETS: 3 REPS: 8 TARGET: QUADRICEPS

* DON'T BEND BACKWARD; keep your torso in line with your lower body.

4 BACK EXTENSION SETS: 3 REPS: 15 TARGET: LOWER BACK

* LIFT YOUR LEGS by contracting your abs and pulling your hips up and in.

5 HANGING LEG RAISE SETS: 3 REPS: AS MANY AS POSSIBLE TARGET: ABS

Big-time bench: use this workout and add 30 pounds to man's most-defining lift—before you get your next issue of MF - Muscle & Strength

Men's Fitness, March, 2004 by Dave Tate

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