Bench Press Workout - How to Increase Your Bench Press and Bulk Up Super Fast!
The bench press is arguably the most popular exercise in the gym, and for good reason. Having a big, bulked up chest is definitely a confidence booster. A big chest is something that gets noticed both in and outside of the gym and with or without a shirt on. If you have a weak or small chest don't worry there are plenty of ways to fix that. It's time to rid yourself of embarrassment & low self image issues and get down to business. There are numerous exercises and variations you can include in your bench press workout but the following are some of the best to increase bench press strength and add inches to your chest fast.
Important: This workout should be done in a circuit fashion going from one exercise to the next with little to no rest in between exercises. You're going to use both dumbbells and a barbell. You'll want to do 3 circuits with dumbbells followed by another 3 circuits with a barbell resting 3 minutes at the end of each circuit before starting the next and in between the switch from dumbbells to a barbell. And, as with any of the good body building workouts, keep your reps in the 6-10 range.
Now for the good stuff, the bench press workout itself:
The first exercise in your pec workout is going to be the Incline Bench Press. Set a bench to an incline of about 45 degrees. Press the weight straight up towards the ceiling (tip: when you're pressing the weight, try to envision pressing your body down through the bench towards the floor rather than pressing the weight up to touch the ceiling. You'll be shocked at how much stronger this will make you). Lock your arms at the top of the movement and squeeze your chest muscles together for a quick one count. You should take 3 seconds to lower the weight but try to lift it as fast as possible, this is relevant to every exercise in this bench press workout. Your hands (when using dumbbells) or the bar (when using a barbell) should be just below your chin and never let the bar touch your chest, this takes the resistance off of the muscle and we want to keep constant tension on the muscle throughout the exercise, this is also relevant to each of the exercises.
Second we have the Flat Bench Press. This exercise is done on a bench that is flat or parallel to the ground. Use the same tips for lifting and lowering the weight that I previously stated for the incline bench press. However, on this lift your hands or the bar should be in line with the mid to lower part of your chest.
The third and final exercise is the Decline Bench Press. Set the bench to a decline of at least 30 degrees for maximum effectiveness. Again, the same rules apply for lifting and lowering as in the first two exercises. On the decline press, however, your hands or the bar should be in line with the lower part of your chest or your sternum.
To finish out your bench press workout, rest for 1 minute after your last barbell circuit and then drop down to the floor and do as many push ups as possible as fast as you can, the key word here being fast, to the point of failure. This is great way to burn out the muscle and get an extra pump at the end of your workout.
Lastly, this workout should be done no more than twice per week if you're just starting out and no more than once per week if you've been lifting for 3 months or more consistently. Allowing the muscle time to rest and repair is essential for fast muscle growth.
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