Bench Pressing

[Aodhan]

I'm just trying to get some opinions from people as to how they benchpress.

I've been going to the gym for a few months now so this is all new to me. I'm 80 kg's and currently benchpressing 60 kgs (because I havn't exactly tested myself over 60kgs) so I don't know whether I'm wasting my time training because you need to stress your body to gain muscle. The problem is that I see a lot of people at the gym after their initial set, they keep adding smaller weight set by set.

Me personally, I find this hard to believe because I'm already stressing out at 60kg's and the fact that adding even an extra 5 kg's for my next set and 5kgs more the the next is quite impossible considering how your muscles have deteriorated after the first set.

I feel that I am at my strongest at my first set, where usually other people "feel the strongest" after 2-3 more sets because they have the ability to add more weight...Your comments about your regime when it comes to benchpresses would be appreciated and hopefully you can answer my points raised above.

Thanks a plenty.

If your maximum press is 60kg, then you shouldn't really be starting with that weight. The reason you see them adding weight each set is because they start with probably 60-70% of their max, and keep adding weight and lowering reps each time. It's called a pyramid set.

Something like:

70% max - 10 reps

75% max - 8 reps

80% max - 6 reps

90% max - 4 reps

100% max - 1 or 2 reps.

There are dozens and dozens of different ways to structure a workout, but there are very few where you just pile on as much weight as you can handle and bang away.

One of my favorites is called a "strip" set. This one you do start at near your max. Takes a couple of spotters to help.

Put on your max weight (60kg), but use a lot of smaller plates rather than one or two big ones. Do as many reps as you can, then have your two spotters take off a plate on each side. Immediately do as many more as you can. Strip more plates off, keep going. Really thrashes the muscles

You can also do the same thing with a rack of dumbbells for other exercises. I do it for biceps. I do 3 or 4 reps with the biggest weight I can handle, then keep moving down the rack. By the time I get to the end, I can barely do 1 or 2 reps with the 5 lb dumbbell.

Aodhan

[TheAnimal]

Always work your whole body. Unless of course something is bigger in proportion than everything else, then it obviously doesnt need building. That includes legs!

[Hitman]

There is also a nifty thing called the Superset Principle (Joe Weider's principles) which says that if you work opposing muscle groups one after the other (as in a set of bench presses followed by bent rows) the first muscle group will recover faster. This is a HUGE deal since your muscles must recover before they grow and become stronger. Simply follow one set of exercises with a set of exercises with the opposite motion- bicep curls followed by triceps extensions, quad extensions followed by hamstring curls, etc.

ALSO, if this is lower back pain, you MAY be doing the bench press wrong. Bad form- especially on a heavy bench press- will KILL you! make durned good and sure that you keep your lower back pressed firmly onto the bench. As much as you'd like to arch your back up to pound that last heavy rep out, it is an easy way to hurt yourself in a big way.

[white lily]

your back problems must suck...

you may want to consider why you are bench pressing at all??? The bench press is a bodybuilding movement and I am assuming by the fact that you are on a martial art site that you are lifting to support your martial training...Is this so?

If so, it may be time for a paradigm shift...think outside of the box...the bodybuilding box that is. Some say that the popularity of bodybuilding since the '70's has been an unfortunate addition to the development of strength for sport.

they are 2 different entities that just happen to use weights (resistance)

search out the truth about training.

Paul Check has great free info...just google him

also look at https://www.dragondoor.com and https://www.martial-athlete.com

cheers