Have you ever thought to yourself:
Why is my bench press so weak?
If so, it probably stings a little.
How are you supposed to respond when you meet a new gym bro and they ask the inevitable question…
So, how much do you bench?
If throwing out a low bench press number makes you squirm, then this post is for you.
Bench press is one of the key compound exercises for building upper body muscle quickly and making leaps and bounds in the strength department.
Back in the day (we’re talking high school here so, 15+ years ago), all I did was focus on bench press and gaining upper body strength.
It got to the point where I focused on it so much that I was skipping leg day every week.
Which didn’t come without consequences….
One day as I’m warming up for track practice, my coach shouts in front of the entire team….
“Chad, you’re all swole up top like Arnold Schwarzenegger but your legs look like they belong to a turkey.”
🥲 🥲 🥲
So trust me, I get it.
I know just how badly you probably want to increase your bench press.
This post is going to help you do just that while building a diesel upper body in the process.
At the end of this post, I’ve also created a chest routine specifically designed to help you get stronger on bench.
Best ways to skyrocket your bench press
1. Use progressive overload
This might sound obvious but in order to get stronger on bench press, you need to be lifting heavier weight over time.
Progressive overload is the golden, holy grail principle of strength training.
If there’s one thing you take away about strength training, it should be to focus on progressive overload.
It’s the first step to increase your bench press, get stronger, and build muscle.
At this point, you might be thinking to yourself:
Progressive overload…Yeah.
That’s all well and good.
Make sure I’m gradually increasing the weight I lift…Got it.
But how much weight should I add to my bench each week?
There’s not really a definite amount you should be adding to your bench press each week.
But if you’re stuck on knowing when exactly you should increase the weight, then look no further than the double progression method.
Basically, with double progression, you have a rep range to hit (let’s say 4-6 on barbell flat bench).
Once you’re able to hit the top of that range for all your sets, then you increase the weight by about 5-10 pounds, drop down to the low end of your rep range, and repeat.
Here’s an example of double progression in action (using the 4-6 rep range from above):
| 1st set | 2nd set | 3rd set | |||
| Workout #1 | 4 reps x 225 lbs | 4 reps x 225 lbs | 4 reps x 225 lbs | ||
| Workout #2 | 5 reps x 225 lbs | 5 reps x 225 lbs | 6 reps x 225 lbs | ||
| Workout #3 | 6 reps x 225 lbs | 6 reps x 225 lbs | 6 reps x 225 lbs | ||
| Workout #4 | 4 reps x 235 lbs | 4 reps x 235 lbs | 5 reps x 235 lbs |
2. Make bench press a priority
There’s a saying that your life is a reflection of your priorities.
Now, take that same broad concept and apply it to the gym.
If you want to increase your bench press (and do it fast), you want to put more of an emphasis on it during your workouts.
Research shows you perform better on exercises you put at the beginning of your workouts.
To send your bench press numbers hurling through the stratosphere, start with it on your next chest day.
Or make it your first exercise on upper body push days if you’re following a push-pull legs workout routine.
Just whatever your routine is, make bench press the first exercise you do.
3. Lower the reps, go up in weight
The more reps you do, the more you’ll increase your bench press…Right?
Not necessarily.
Let me explain.
If you want to get stronger on bench press, consider dropping the number of reps and lifting heavier weight with each set.
Don’t get me wrong, volume is definitely super important for building muscle.
And hypertrophy workouts are how you get workout volume.
But if you want to become a beast—
And lift so much weight that people in the gym can’t help but look whenever you set up for bench…
Lower reps but more weight is the way to go.
It’s the fastest way to increase your bench press max.
Yeah, you should be getting after it each set and challenging yourself.
But one thing I don’t want you to worry about (which a lot of people do sometimes) is how much you’re sweating.
Or thinking that a good workout means you should be out of breath and gasping for air.
Your goal is to increase your bench press and build muscle.
Not train for a 5 round MMA fight, right?
How much you sweat or your lungs being on fire is by no means an indicator of an effective workout.
So remember to get adequate rest in between sets (about 90 seconds to 2 minutes).
Your muscles need a chance to recharge so you can attack each set with maximum intensity.
4. Be explosive when you bench
You know those people who bounce the weight so hard off their chest you’re afraid they’ll cave it in?
Yeeeeeah, definitely don’t want you to do that.
When I say “be explosive” I mean lifting fast but under control and with proper form.
Make sense?
There’s science that backs lifting this way.
A 2014 study found that lifting explosively helped participants bench 80% more than those with a slower tempo.
So, imagine yourself benching:
Control the weight on the way down.
And once you get to the bottom of the movement, press up like you’re firing the bar out of a cannon.
5. Get quality accessory work in
Accessory movements (aka auxiliary lifts) are exercises that supplement the main exercise and work similar muscles.
Take lunges, for example.
They’re a solid accessory exercise for squats because they work your quads, hammies, and glutes.
Try the following accessory lifts on for size to increase your bench press:
- Flat dumbbell bench press
- Barbell incline bench press
- Dumbbell incline bench press
- Push-ups (probably one of the best exercises to build up your chest at home and improve bench press)
- Dips
If you can, limit your use of the Smith Machine when trying to increase your bench press.
Research shows free weights are simply just a better option for getting stronger on bench.
And that doesn’t just apply to bench press but working out in general.
6. Focus on your triceps
Batman had Robin, right?
Think of your triceps as a trusty sidekick to your chest for increasing your bench press.
When you’re struggling to squeeze out that last rep, it’s your tricep strength that gives you a little extra oomph and helps you lock out the weight.
Bench press aside, your triceps make up about ⅔ of your arm.
So if you want jacked arms, then building up your triceps is essential.
Here are some exercises to help strengthen your triceps:
- Dips
- Close grip bench press
- Floor press
- Skull crushers
- Overhead tricep extension
- Cable tricep press down
- JM press
7. Challenge yourself during your workouts
You’ve probably heard it before, that you should be working hard in the gym.
But what does that really mean?
Not to get all preachy but progress isn’t made without struggle.
To get stronger on bench press, you’re going to have to put in the work.
By putting in work, I mean pushing yourself and giving 100% effort.
That’s not to say each workout should leave you in the back of an ambulance on the way to the hospital.
But in general, the last 2-3 reps of a given exercise should be a challenge for you.
If at the end of each set you feel like you have a lot more left in the tank, it’s time to work a little harder.
8. Get the right set up
Set up is key to having a great lift.
It could make the difference between PR numbers or an abysmal performance.
Here are some key points to consider:
- Your eyes should be directly below the bar. Doing this puts your body in an optimal position for unracking the weight.
- Power comes from the legs so foot placement is important. Some feel like they get the most leg drive and power with their feet flat on the floor while pressing through their heels. Others bring their legs back toward their hips so that only the top of their foot is on the floor (a lot of powerlifters bench this way). Play around with techniques like these and see which leg positioning works best for you.
- Start with a grip that’s roughly shoulder-width apart. The narrower you go, the more you’ll be using triceps instead of your chest to drive the weight up.
- As far as grip style, I would go with a conventional grip. That’s when your thumbs are wrapped tightly around the bar. You might see some people use a suicide or open grip with their thumbs not wrapped around the bar. Unless you’re an advanced lifter, I wouldn’t recommend this. And even then, it can present issues (such as the bar slipping out of your hands and crashing down on your face)!
- The weight of the bar should be at the base of your hands, as opposed to your fingers, which would bend your wrists.
- Before unracking the weight, create a sturdy base by bracing your shoulders, back, and core.
- 3, 2, 1, lift off…You unrack the weight so now what? Your forearms should make a straight line up to the barbell. As you lower the weight down, tuck your elbows at about a 45-degree angle instead of flaring them out to 90 degrees (this preserves your shoulders and prevents injury).
9. Hype yourself up
Getting in the right mindset can make a world of difference.
And psyching yourself up could give you that extra bit of juice to lift more weight.
There’s just something about getting amped up before you lift that fuels you to crush it.
No, we’re not talking about busting your head on the gym locker, pounding your chest, or bouncing around like a raving lunatic.
But find something that helps psyche you up and puts you in the zone for big lifts.
For me, that’s putting in my headphones and listening to my go-to gym playlist.
That equals a lot of 50 Cent, Get Rich Rich or Die Tryin’.
Or…Jeezy, Thug Motivation 101 😤 😤 😤
10. Take time for recovery
The more you bench, the better your results, right?
We spent a lot of time talking about different exercises, ways of training, and how you really need to push yourself if you want to increase your bench press.
But if you’re not giving your body enough rest, your results won’t be what they could be.
You can’t go, go go.
Push, push, push.
And not expect to burn out eventually.
Give your body at least 48 hours recovery time before working the same muscle groups again.
For example, let’s say you workout chest on Monday and that includes bench press.
At a minimum, I would say not benching again until at least Wednesday.
Key word here is minimum.
You might want or need more rest than that.
A stronger bench press awaits
And there you have it—
10 key tips to increase your bench press.
When you use things like progressive overload, implement the right accessory exercises, focus on explosiveness when you bench, and have the right set up, your bench press numbers have no choice but to go through the roof.
Hey, before you go…
I promised you a chest workout to help you level up your bench press.
How about two?
| Increase Your Bench (Workout A) | |
| Exercise | Sets x Reps |
| Flat barbell bench press | 4 x 6, 5, 5, 4 |
| Dumbbell incline bench press | 3 x 8-10 |
| Dips | 3 x 8-10 |
| Skull crushers | 3 x 10-12 |
| Cable rope tricep press down | 3 x 10-12 |
| ** Add weight on Dips if body weight is too easy | |
| Increase Your Bench (Workout B) | |
| Exercise | Sets x Reps |
| Flat barbell bench press | 4 x 6, 5, 5, 4 |
| Dumbbell incline bench press | 3 x 8-10 |
| Push-ups | 3 x AMRAP |
| Dumbbell overhead tricep extension | 3 x 10-12 |
| Cable rope tricep press down | 3 x 10-12 |
| **AMRAP = as many reps as possible | |
If you want, I can send these workouts straight to your inbox? ⇩⇩⇩