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| << August09, 2007 - BetterU News - Special Report |
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Subject: Guest Article – Avoid These 8 WORST Bench Press Blunders Body: From: Nick Nilsson Author and Publisher of BetterU News This week, I’ve got a great article on bench pressing for you – after all, who doesn’t want to increase their bench (nobody I know)! You’ll learn exactly what NOT to do when it comes improving your bench from one of the best in the business, Mike Westerdal, author of the powerful “Critical Bench” program. If you’ve never heard of the “Critical Bench” program, you’re in for a treat! With Mike’s VERY detailed and highly-targeted program, you can realistically add 50 POUNDS OR MORE to your bench press in just 10 weeks. And this is a PERMANENT increase, not a temporary peak. So check out this article – it includes not only some great bench press info but a FULL program to get you started on improving your benching. At the end of the article, I’ll give you more info on the “Critical Bench” program, if you’re interested in really blasting your bench through the roof! Nick Nilsson ------------------------------------------------------------- "Don't Let These 8 Mistakes Sabotage Your Bench" By Mike Westerdal Did you know the average weight training enthusiast can barely bench press their own bodyweight? That statistic doesn't even account for the people that don't work out. Give yourself a pat on the back if you've conquered the feat of benching your own bodyweight. Don't worry if you're not there yet, you're about to learn eight sure-fire methods that will help you earn bragging rights in and out of the gym. So what's the big deal about the bench press anyway? You're not playing sports or trying to compete, why is this legendary exercise so vital to an attention grabbing physique? In fact for those of you who think the bench press is simply for the ego, you're wrong. It's true no other exercise is more frequently talked about. However it's not so strange when you think about it. The bench press is a core fundamental exercise for developing upper body strength. You're not only working your pectorals (chest), you are also working your anterior deltoids (front shoulders), triceps brachii, and latissimus dorsi (back). If you could pick just one exercise to acquire a full round chest with some functional power to go with it, you would be wise to go with the bench. You just can't develop the same upper body with any other exercise. As a personal trainer I have seen hundreds of people strive for a 300-pound bench. The truth is, most people make the same mistakes, but they can easily be changed to help you start an explosive growth spurt of your own. Mistake #1: Less is more. By far the biggest mistake people make is "wanting it" so bad that they overtrain. Its human nature, if we don't see the gains we're looking for the common sense solution is to work harder and harder. I can tell you from personal experience that last time I hit a plateau in my training I took a week off from the gym and came back stronger than the last time worked out. Be on the lookout for warning signs of overtraining such as lack of motivation, trouble sleeping, poor nutrition, and of course lack of progress. Mistake #2: Full body workouts. Let's get you set up on a new split where you can give each muscle involved in the bench press the attention it needs. Remember, there's more to the bench press than just your chest. For maximum recovery you should only train each body part once per week with an optimal workout split. If you still think you need to bench two or three times a week, see mistake #1. You have time to work out 45-minutes a day, 4-days a week don't you? Mistake #3: Self-doubt. Hopefully you don't need a pep talk, but here it goes anyway. Excuse me as I impersonate motivational speaker Anthony Robbins for a moment. Your subconscious mind believes whatever you tell it, so do yourself a favor and program it with positive thoughts. I cringe every time someone asks me for a spot and they bash themselves before they even start the lift. Comments like, "I don't think I'll get very many reps," or "I can't do this much, but I'll try." If you're not confident, fake it, and tell yourself you're going to succeed. Trying is a part of failing. If you're afraid to fail, you're afraid to try. Mistake #4: Bad form. Let's work on some mechanics. After practicing a few of these techniques you should be able to boost your bench press by a minimum of 25 pounds. Widen your grip a little bit. The wider your grip, the less distance the bar has to travel. Therefore it makes sense that you'd want to grip the bar as wide as possible. If you have been benching with a closer grip this will take some getting used to, but will make a big difference in a few weeks. To determine your grip, assume a natural push-up position and then bump it out approximately 3-inches. Another way to decrease the distance the bar has to travel is to retract your shoulder blades. Try to squeeze your shoulder blades together during the entire movement. This will give you a more stable surface to bench from. Keep your feet on the floor and drive with your heels. If you see someone kicking or flapping their legs in the air, as they turn blue trying to push the weight you'll know that they are off centered and it's costing them some serious poundage. Keep your heels on the floor to help you generate power. Arch your back. Your butt, shoulder blades, and head should always be in contact with the bench, but its okay to arch your lower back. If this isn't natural for you, you can place a foam roller under your lower back for practice. Many people have asked what the point of this technique is. Again, it shortens the distance the bar needs to travels. Is this cheating? Not at all, this is a regulation lift. If you want to completely isolate your chest head over to the pec deck machine to finish up. It's good that you're learning to use more than just your chest when you bench press. Don't be surprised if two days later you feel sore in your back, chest, shoulders, and triceps. Mistake #5: Too many warm-up sets. Don't get me wrong you certainly need to properly warm-up. However, you should do so with some very light weights, push-ups, and stretching. You don't want to exhaust your muscles before you get to your working sets. Most people pyramid up and then wonder why they can't get the weight on their last set. By doing lighter warm-up sets you will save your energy for the heavier weights and a big finish. Mistake #6: Neglecting your back. Strong lats or "wings" are very important to the negative phase of the bench press. Your back is the center of support for the weight as you lower it to your chest. That's why blasting your back is so important and must not be skipped. Try some T-bar rows, or bent over barbell rows to strengthen your back. You'll notice that it's almost the exact opposite or antagonistic lift to the bench press. Mistake #7: Lack of goals. So you want to increase your bench press. That makes the two of us. The problem with this statement is it's much too vague. I want you to pull out your pen and paper. Write your goal down on four separate sheets of paper in bold letters. "ACHIEVE A ______ POUND BENCH PRESS BY ______." The simple task of writing your goal on paper brings you closer to completion. This act will make your goal more concrete, increasing the likelihood of achieving it. Now post these pieces of paper on your fridge, dashboard, computer screen, and dresser to constantly remind you of your goal. Mistake #8: Lack of variety. The human body is an amazing system. Whatever you throw at it, it can adjust and learn to handle. Keeping it off guard, mixing things up, and adding variety to your workouts will ensure your body responds positively. Always stay one step ahead by changing your workouts when you feel you're not making the gains you expect. If you're like me and want to look good while, while having some strength to back it up you've probably been training with reps between eight and twelve. Try lowering the reps on your bench press sets to the six to eight repetition range for a few weeks. You'll be pleasantly surprised to see how your body reacts if you haven't tried this before. If you can avoid these common pitfalls and you're open-minded enough to try something new you'll soon be bench pressing more than you dreamed possible. Take it from me, the man who was stalemated at a 275-pound bench press for more than three years! Learn from others mistakes and watch your bench press sore. Your wife or girlfriend will be admiring your muscular upper body while your friend's are dying to learn your secrets. The Split Monday: Chest/Biceps Tuesday: Legs Wednesday: Off Thursday: Shoulders/Traps Friday: Back/Triceps Saturday: Watch the game Sunday: Rest The Bench Blastoff Routine Day 1: Chest/Biceps Flat Bench Press 4 sets of 6-8 reps Incline Dumbbell Press 3 sets of 8-10 reps Cable Crossover 3 sets of 10-12 reps Alternating Dumbbell Curls 4 sets of 8-10 reps Seated Preacher Curls 3 sets of 10-12 reps Day 2: Legs Squat 3 sets of 8-10 reps Leg Press 3 sets of 8-10 reps Leg Extensions 3 sets of 10-12 reps Leg Curls 3 sets of 10-12 reps Day 3: Off Day 4: Shoulders/Traps Font Military Press 3 6-8 reps Upright Rows 3 sets of 8-10 reps Lateral Raises 3 sets of 10-12 reps Dumbbell Shrugs 3 sets of 8-10 reps Day 5: Back/Triceps Pullups 3 sets of 10-12 reps Bent-Over Barbell Rows 3 sets of 6-8 reps Lat Pulldowns 3 sets of 8-10 reps Close Grip Bench Press 3 6-8 reps Tricep Extensions 3 sets of 8-10 reps Day 6: Off Day 7: Off Points To Remember: - Make sure you're not overtraining. - Work your bench press only once per week. - Ditch the self-destructing negative thoughts. - Don't waste your energy with surplus warm-up sets. - Train your back just as hard as your chest. - Set a specific goal. - Try performing fewer repetitions when benching. - Drive with your heels, widen your grip, arch your back, and retract your shoulder blades! Mike Westerdal is the owner of Critical Bench, Inc. He is a certified personal trainer, muscle writer, and powerlifter. He is the author of the Critical Bench Program that will help you gain muscle, increase your strength, and improve on your bench press. To find out more about this training system that has helped thousands of lifters and get a free report entitled "31 Days To Bigger Arms" visit: http://www.fitstep.com/goto/bench.htm ---------------- The Critical Bench Program http://www.fitstep.com/goto/bench.htm Increase Your Bench Press By 50 LBS IN 10 Weeks This bench press program is a full body power program designed to help you increase your one rep max in the bench press by an average of fifty pounds during the ten week training cycle. It is different from other programs because you are provided with the actual weights you will be using on bench day and given a full body lifting split to follow. Over 6000 powerlifters, weekend warriors, and athletes have had success with the Critical Bench system. If you REALLY want to increase your bench, there’s not program that’ll get you there faster…period. ------- Testimonials: "I am 21 years old, 5'11" and weigh 201 lbs. I have been weight training for around 15 months I have just completed the 10 week program you sold me. My 1RM 10 weeks ago, was 230 lbs. Today, 10 weeks later, I maxed out at 280 lbs - a 50 pound increase (Just like you said.) Thank you for your expertise and help in approaching my goal of 300 lbs. It's great to see that the program works for the relative newcomers as well as the more experienced lifters." Andrew Rouse - Sydney, Australia "After doing a bodybuilding show I was ready to regain my size and strength. I also needed to increase my bench fast. The Critical Bench Program was the answer. I was really impressed with the program. It felt like I was getting stronger every week. And not just my bench but my whole body. This program is a must for anyone looking to put on size and strength. Thanks Critical Bench" U.S. Marine, Randy Jackson ------- No Matter Who You Are, You Can Start Using This Powerful Customized Bench Press Program RIGHT NOW To Get Stronger Than You've Ever Been Before! http://www.fitstep.com/goto/bench.htm ---------------- UNSUBSCRIBE: This is a 100% opt-in newsletter. If you no longer wish to receive it, click on the link at the bottom of this newsletter and you will be removed automatically. SUBSCRIBE: Send a new email to betteru@fitstep.com with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Our Mailing Address: BetterU, Inc. Box 342 Grayslake, IL, 60030 U.S.A. |
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