As we speak, I’m excited to stroll you thru one thing that may significantly change your coaching: the 8-week bench press program that’s constructed not simply to develop your bench numbers, however to strengthen your whole higher physique. Meaning larger pecs, stronger shoulders, and a again that may really management the bar the way in which it ought to.
Now, right here is the factor lots of people miss. If you wish to be nice on the bench press, you can’t simply preserve bench urgent. It’s important to practice your muscle groups from a number of angles, construct your weak factors, and problem your self with completely different variations. That’s precisely what this program is constructed to do.
Why Extra Than Simply Bench Urgent Issues
If all you do is bench press, you’re leaving good points on the desk. Certain, the bench hits the pecs, triceps, and entrance delts, however it doesn’t construct the steadiness you want when the burden will get heavy. To have full management of the bar, you want your traps, rear delts, and biceps simply as robust as your urgent muscle groups.
I like to consider it like Newton’s regulation. For each motion, there’s an equal and reverse response. Should you push the bar up with drive however your again is weak, you’ll lose management, leak vitality, and stall out. That’s the reason this 8-week program additionally makes time for constructing the bottom of your physique.
Shut Grip vs. Broad Grip
Grip width performs an enormous position in how your bench press feels and what muscle groups you’re emphasizing. A huge grip tends to place extra give attention to the chest, particularly the outer pecs. An in depth grip shifts much more of the work to the triceps. On this program, you’re inspired to experiment with each.
Shut grip urgent will help you get stronger via the mid and prime a part of the raise the place lots of people are inclined to stall. Broad grip work will help you construct a much bigger chest and work on bar path management. Neither grip is best. It is determined by your weak spot. Mixing grip variations into your tempo work or accent lifts helps cowl all of your bases.
The 8-Week Bench Press Program
You’re going to bench twice every week, not three or 4, as a result of two heavy, high quality classes are a lot whenever you practice sensible. In the future focuses on constructing your conventional bench energy. The opposite day targets variations that repair weak factors and construct energy the place you want it most.
Here is a PDF you’ll be able to entry with the total eight-week program.
Here’s what you’ll be able to count on every week:
- Major Bench Work
You’ll begin your first day with a normal barbell bench press. Reps can be round units of 5 or three, relying on the place you’re within the cycle. - Pin Presses
Proper after your most important benching, you’ll work pin presses, additionally known as lifeless benches. These drive you to generate max energy from a lifeless cease, which skyrockets your urgent energy off the chest. - Tempo Presses
In your second day, you’ll add tempo work. Gradual the bar on the way in which down, keep tight, and explode up. It builds stress, improves bar path precision, and teaches you to manage heavy weight. - Incline Press and Shoulder Focus
We hit a excessive incline shoulder press to hammer your anterior delts, supplying you with a stronger press off the chest and more healthy shoulders. - Rear Delt Rows
Each week, additionally, you will hammer rear delt rows as a result of, like I stated, robust retraction and scapular management are crucial for a steady, highly effective bench.
Quick model: Anticipate a problem. Should you’re engaged on beating your PR with a brand new 1RM, it will assist. Get the total information, linked above, without cost and comply with alongside.
Exercise Depth
You can’t deal with each set like a max out. This program makes use of progressive depth, which means you construct up over the eight weeks. Early weeks are manageable, permitting you to grasp your type and give attention to high quality reps. As you progress nearer to week eight, the weights get heavier, the remaining durations get a little bit tighter, and the coaching turns into extra demanding.
Depth doesn’t simply imply heavy weight. It additionally means intentional effort. You could management the bar, dominate each rep, and assault your equipment with the identical seriousness as your most important lifts.
Accent Workouts
An enormous a part of this program is the appropriate accent work. We’re not simply pushing barbell bench and calling it a day. Accent workout routines like lat pulldowns, dips, flyes, and overhead urgent assist fill within the gaps.
Lat pulldowns are particularly necessary as a result of they train you how one can brace your lats in the course of the descent of the bar. That helps you keep tighter and extra highly effective within the backside place.
The overhead press, performed on a slight incline on this case, particularly targets the anterior deltoids. These muscle groups assist push the bar off the chest throughout your bench. Coaching your entrance delts not solely provides energy to the bench but additionally helps shield your shoulders in the long term.
Rear delt rows are a staple right here too. Strengthening the muscle groups behind your shoulders balances out all of the urgent and improves shoulder stability, which results in stronger, safer lifts.
Why This Program Works
Look, I’ve talked about this earlier than. Whenever you need to transfer previous a bench press plateau, opposites matter.
This program isn’t just random benching. It’s constructed round just a few key ideas:
- Addressing Weak Factors
Most individuals fail their benches off the chest or lose management midway up. Pin presses, tempo work, and rear delt rows instantly assault these points. - Coaching the Again for Stability
A powerful again decelerates the bar safely and helps you generate extra drive off the chest. - Utilizing Correct Quantity
Two bench days every week is the candy spot for most individuals. It’s sufficient frequency to enhance method and energy with out beating up your joints. - Constructing Measurement and Energy Collectively
Heavy compound work paired with sensible equipment ensures you aren’t simply lifting heavy but additionally rising muscle.
When you’ve got been caught on the similar bench numbers or feeling like your chest coaching has gotten stale, this program can be a breath of contemporary air. It’s difficult, sensible, and constructed to make you stronger the place it issues.
If you wish to actually take your bench to the following stage, try the total downloadable program. Inside you’ll get the week-by-week breakdown, precise percentages, and train particulars to get essentially the most out of your effort.
And do not forget in regards to the Powerlifting Approach app. It has lifting packages for a bunch of particular targets (newbie, intermediate, and superior). Have a look!
Thanks once more for being right here with me. Keep robust, raise sensible, and we’ll catch you subsequent time.
