Do This For A Stronger Bench Press

It's Monday, international chest day! Good luck finding a bench for that Monday evening pump. Before you start though here's some tips on how to get the most out of that chest and how to maximize its potential.

Photo by Raymond Williams

Before you do anything you want to warm up your shoulders. Yes. The joints in your shoulders will handle the load so you want to make sure they are properly primed for every contraction. I like to use light dumbbells, 10 to 15 pounds and do lateral and frontal raises, overhead press, and rear delt contractions, 20 each for two sets (20x2). Embrace the burn! Let's go!

Joint stability is one of the most important factors. Are you stable during each phase of the
contraction, pushing the weight (concentric contraction), pausing at the top (isometric contraction), and lowering the weight (eccentric contraction). If you notice you are not stable during these phases, I suggest building on joint stability. For instance, use the exercise ball and dumbbells to perform your bench press or ball press in this case. Do this for at least one month to six weeks to build joint stability in your shoulders and elbows.

Now you can help your chest properly. Focus not only on the prime mover (chest) but the agonist and antagonist muscles too. To keep it simple, as stated in my blog description, building strong and stable shoulders, triceps, and lats all equate to a stronger bench press. It's not all about the chest in itself. For instance, it takes strong cables and rods to support the Golden Gate Bridge although cars only drive on the bridge itself. Get it?

Workout Strategy

Start out with the weakest part of your chest first. Sometimes that is incline and sometimes that is flat bench, or decline. Whatever it is start there to maximize your potential to push heavy weight, 85% to 100% of your one rep max.

Hercules Strength Routine for Chest (snap shot) ( 4 sets/ 1 to 5 reps/ 2 min rest)
Do all sets before moving to the next exercise

Incline Bench
Flat Bench
Standing Cable Decline
Dumbbell Butterfly
Pushups

Stick to this routine for one month. Record your one rep max in the beginning and again in the end. Let me know how much it increased.

You probably thought you're going to hear all about the chest and how are you can work the hell out of it. But as you can see it's not all about the chest. You have to think about what muscles help
the chest in order for the chest to benefit the most. You got it now LET'S GO!

If you would like my full Hercules Strength Routine leave a message or pay $100 through PayPal on my website.

As always, thank you for your time and for putting your health first. 

IG: @CM_Fitness_1

www.CMFitnessConsulting.com

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