Bench Press Target-Achievable???

[andy s]

Well ive decided to pick up my game and need some targets. Im currently a relative light weight at 79kg and 176cm. Ive never taken my training too seriously and mainly used it as time out. My first target is my benchpress.

Currently doing 5 X 5 programme with 76kg (3 mins rest). Is 100kg bench a realistic target for the end of this year? I figure thats 3kgs extra/month (makes it sound smaller :? )over the next 8 months? Thoughts?

p.s. Im 35 and train 3-4 times per week.

Thanks.

Andy.

[lemon]

Yeh dude, Easy. Are you talking about 1 rep? If you're talking about 5 reps thats a bit more of a challenge but still I think you could achieve it.

With a good diet you'll hit 100 quickly.

If you're relatively new. You will probably find yourself going up about 2.5kgs every 2 weeks as you will have a neurological increase as well - where your body finds the ability to use more of the muscle. It will slow down.

Without knowing you at all - I would guess 3 months and you can 1 rep 100. If you can successfully do 5 reps of 75kgs now. You should be able to press 1 rep of 100 when you can press 5 reps of 85kgs.

[matt.be]

Yeah I think thats a great target mate.

When I started training a few years ago I did the 5x5 program starting from a weight similar to yours - I hit 100 pretty quickly. Just make sure you've got the calories and protein to support your growth - that and get a good spotter to help you push out the last reps.

[tinytraps]

Gain weight and your bench will grow.

Ive been adding 5kgs to my flat each week since I started doing them again, I beleive the key thats helped it along is developing the bench muscles: shoulders, back, arms and chest. In particular I beleive the extra shoulder strength is adding that extra boost to my bench.

[lemon]

Gain weight and your bench will grow.

Ive been adding 5kgs to my flat each week since I started doing them again, I beleive the key thats helped it along is developing the bench muscles: shoulders, back, arms and chest. In particular I beleive the extra shoulder strength is adding that extra boost to my bench.

How long have you been back at it? And how many weeks have you been adding these 5kilos to your bench?

This is what Ive been talking about the neurological response. My friend who had a decent bench stopped. And now returning to it. First month he had fast increments. then after that he began to slow down to every 2 weeks. and Im guessing now he will take as long as it takes for the muscle to strengthen.

[andy s]

Thanks for the replies. Ive been training on and off for a while now but never focused too much on getting real strength gains. Im interested as to what auxilary exercises will help my bench and if I hit (for example) the tri's hard, where should I time that in my programme in relation to my chest workout?

Thanks.

[Bobsta]

Thanks for the replies. Ive been training on and off for a while now but never focused too much on getting real strength gains. Im interested as to what auxilary exercises will help my bench and if I hit (for example) the tri's hard, where should I time that in my programme in relation to my chest workout?

Thanks.

Hey mate, to begin with, start incorporating lots of over head pressing, push press, military press etc, as your strength goes up in those, your bench would normally go up

[Draft]

Are you doing a 5x5 with the same weight across the sets (like stronglifts)?

[crazyfacials]

ty OP you just reminded me that I have to try 100kg by the end of the year, we're pretty much in the same weight range and strength right now (I don't have any spotters/gym partners so I can't really try any heavier weights that I am not 100% sure of pressing)

might look at doing 5x5 again or 5/3/1 instead of the current split I got my gym trainer to do for me

[andy s]

Hey mate, to begin with, start incorporating lots of over head pressing, push press, military press etc, as your strength goes up in those, your bench would normally go up

Thanks. I am doing a military press also but lighter for 8-10. Would this be better as a 5 x 5 also? Same the tri's. Should everything be 5 x 5 on a strength programme including the auxilary lifts? Ive been previously told to throw in some lying rows to stop the shoulders "rounding forward". Nicko. Yes I am doing the same weight across all five sets. My training as of last night -

Flat Bench 76 kg 5 x 5.

Free form chest press 40 kg each side. 5 x 5.

Incline Bench. 50 kg 5 x 5 then dropped to 30 kg to failure.

The free form press is like a shrug machine but works well as a press and saves getting the Dbs up into position.

Andy.

[tinytraps]

Gain weight and your bench will grow.

Ive been adding 5kgs to my flat each week since I started doing them again, I beleive the key thats helped it along is developing the bench muscles: shoulders, back, arms and chest. In particular I beleive the extra shoulder strength is adding that extra boost to my bench.

How long have you been back at it? And how many weeks have you been adding these 5kilos to your bench?

This is what Ive been talking about the neurological response. My friend who had a decent bench stopped. And now returning to it. First month he had fast increments. then after that he began to slow down to every 2 weeks. and Im guessing now he will take as long as it takes for the muscle to strengthen.

Just been back to the flat after doing some different exercises to strengthen weak areas. I would say three weeks? first week 100x5x2 next week 105x5 110x3 next week 105x4 115x3 I think ill peak at 120x5 before ill have to change.

Andy, yourve got the right idea bro, increase the volume of your pressing exercises. Also lots of closegrip work and paused benches are good to add into your arsenal. Always make sure your adding more weight, more sets or more reps. Also make sure your setup is down pat. Check out youtube for vids of Dave Tate showing how to setup. Keys are to pull your shoulders back and keep your chest high. Other than its all about time under the bar.

[rovr4on]

Hey, I'm 178cm and 76kgs and I can bench 100kgs. When I first started I was 73kgs. So put on at least 4kg muscle in 6 months with average diet, but could only do 75kg when I started. So easy my man

[thatwaslight]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i also want to know, my max is currently around 155kg and my goal by the end of the year is 180 is this realistic? i will be using cell tech ect...lol

[Rookie]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i also want to know, my max is currently around 155kg and my goal by the end of the year is 180 is this realistic? i will be using cell tech ect...lol

I reckon its possible bro, do you flat bench most of the time? If so try incline for a change, break new ground etc.

[lemon]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i also want to know, my max is currently around 155kg and my goal by the end of the year is 180 is this realistic? i will be using cell tech ect...lol

Hard to say. Most people have the potential to reach 100kgs. But a 180kg is a heavy lift, some people would just not reach it. Although you have a big frame going off your lat spread from another post so I wouldn't doubt you getting there. If you haven't been benching for a while id say definitely. If you've been benching for a while it will be a challenge.

Id say its do-able. If you can continue on a 2.5kg minimum per month increase, you will gain 30kgs in 1 year. Since its march You've lost 2 and a half months already. But if april you can do 157.5kg you're on track!

[Rookie]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i also want to know, my max is currently around 155kg and my goal by the end of the year is 180 is this realistic? i will be using cell tech ect...lol

Hard to say. Most people have the potential to reach 100kgs. But a 180kg is a heavy lift, some people would just not reach it. Although you have a big frame going off your lat spread from another post so I wouldn't doubt you getting there. If you haven't been benching for a while id say definitely. If you've been benching for a while it will be a challenge.

Id say its do-able. If you can continue on a 2.5kg minimum per month increase, you will gain 30kgs in 1 year. Since its march You've lost 2 and a half months already. But if april you can do 157.5kg you're on track!

Well said, I think too many people "try" to bring their bench up by benching, when infact they need to bring up their weak points. As the people have said above, shoulders, arms, chest, upper back will all count towards your bench.

[Jigga]

The number 1 most important thing is to stay injury free dude. Don't get frustrated, go too heavy without working up to it properly and f*ck something. Trying to progress with an injury for the rest of your life sucks balls, it makes everything that much harder.

Next point, you can aim higher than that mate. All you need to do is train smart and eat more I imagine. Rippetoes>>Stronglifts btw. Milk newb gains for as long as you fucking can and then move on to weekly progression.

Always think about perfect form when you start and only increase your workload when the gains stop moving as quickly (re less is more). If you leap in to a huge workload you will stall a lot faster than working up slowly (hard advice to follow I know).

Everyone is different and I don't know what 'normal' progression is exactly but I think 100x5 is a comfortable goal if you are smart and consistent. If you nail everything I talked about you could be lifting 120+x5 at the end of the year imo (depending a little on genetics).

[andy s]

Thanks again for the replies. Yeah injuries are always going to be my biggest challange. Ive got bad wrists from my BMX days so I need to watch out for that. My genetics and build also do not favor power lifting. Any specific info on development exercises is appreciated. Would I be right in thinking hammer curls would be beneficial as they mimic part of the movement of the bench press? What volume should I be looking at for the aux. exercises?

Thanks.

Andy.

[Jigga]

Top 3 supplement exercises imo would be:

DB Row - Get a better stretch and contraction than those useless lying rows. Can go heavier and really overload your back and build killer grip. You can bend over more than BB Rows so it is more specific to Bench and another pro is you develop both sides evenly.

Dips - Puts your body in a 'bio-mechanically effective' position allowing you to really go heavy and overload the chest, tris and delts. Also bodyweight exercises are always better than machines, same goes for pullups etc.

Overhead Press - Hits your delts the best way you can. If you are strong enough you can give the handstand pushups a go to really make leaps and gains.

[andy s]

Thanks. OK now DB rows are not a problem. Dips also not a problem... even if I dont know what a 'bio-mechanically effective' position is. But what is the difference between an over head press and a military press? I googled them and the people I watched showed them as pretty much the same movement, the only difference being the bar going back over the head a little. As for the handstands... I will leave those to my daughters :pfft: Ill just break my neck.

Andy.

[Jigga]

1. Grab the bar at a width you are most comfortable with and lift off with the bar sitting behind your collar bone.

2. Squeeze your butt-cheeks hard and make as big a chest as you possibly can and remain in that stance throughout the exercise.

3. Lift your chin and slide the weight up close to your neck as possible.

4. As soon as you can push your head and body through and continue to push the weight straight up behind you.

5. Lift you head up and lower the weight on to your clavicles.

6. Repeat.

[andy s]

Did 79 X 5 last week so aside from some wrist discomfort im relatively on-track. Ive also found a spotter to help me out so this is boost mentally as I almost pinned myself :?

Gain weight and your bench will grow.

Ive been adding 5kgs to my flat each week since I started doing them again, I beleive the key thats helped it along is developing the bench muscles: shoulders, back, arms and chest. In particular I beleive the extra shoulder strength is adding that extra boost to my bench.

What training are you doing for your shoulders? Need to start doing some more aux work.

Andy.

[Sifo-Dyas]

100kg bench from where you are now is a very achievable goal. Don't be afraid to have a go at it often. Warm up the chest 1st and get a good pump. Get someone to spot you and get a good idea for what 100kg feels like and dominate it!

[tinytraps]

DB shoulder press, btn presses, front rear and side raises all about the basics brah.

[Dr Squat]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i also want to know, my max is currently around 155kg and my goal by the end of the year is 180 is this realistic? i will be using cell tech ect...lol

25 kg jump is a big one bro. I work on the theory that 1 kg of bodyweight equals about 2.5 kg onto my bench. Add 10 kg and you can do it that way. The other way is to work on technique. Shoulders back, chest high etc.

Question for you. Why do you want to do 180 kg for a single. Why not target something like 140-150 kg for 5-10 reps.

I agree with Rookie. Go away from flat and focus on incline for a few weeks. Again set targets in the 5-10 rep range.

Lastly, get your arse out of those shiny gyms lol...