The Best bench program is the king of strength workouts because it works many muscles. At the heart of this program, the bench press is a key lift that boosts chest strength and builds up the shoulders and horseshoe triceps.
To get past plateaus and keep improving, it’s important to add assistance exercises and push exercises to your plan. These extra moves help increase overall body strength and focus on the muscles used in the bench press.
Using the Best bench program correctly involves good programming and sticking to basic principles of strength training. Every lifter feels pride in doing the bench press well, as it’s a main source of strength and achievement in the gym.
The Best Bench program should be updated regularly to ensure continued improvement. This keeps each lifter on their toes and encourages them to push forward. Careful planning helps you lift more weight over time and strengthens your pecs, which is important for a solid bench press in the Best bench program.
What Is The Bench Press?
The Bench Press is a key exercise in bodybuilding and powerlifting. It helps build muscle mass and strength in the upper body. When you do the bench press, you lie on a bench and push a bar or barbell away from your chest.
This exercise mainly works the chest muscles and also involves other important muscles. There are three main types of bench press: flat, incline, and decline. Each type focuses on different parts of the chest.
The bench press is one of the three main exercises in powerlifting, along with the squat and deadlift. Doing it regularly with the right equipment can improve your strength and help you lift more weight, making it a fundamental part of many strength training routines.
What Is A Program For Bench Presses And Why Is It Needed?
A Bench Press Program is crucial for anyone looking to build chest strength and overall muscle health in the gym. This program acts as a guide, helping lifters at all stages, from beginners to experts, improve steadily.
The bench press program includes heavy lifting and assistance exercises that target different muscles. This helps you get stronger in a balanced way and overcome any plateaus in your progress.
For example, you might start the program lifting lighter weights with eight reps and work up to 16 reps as you get stronger. Without this structured plan, it’s easy to get stuck and not see improvements in your strength or ability to lift more weight. A good bench press program keeps you on track, ensuring you get better.
How Can You Raise The Bar Press?
Here are some training suggestions and program structuring ideas to make sure you raise the weight on the bar.
· Selecting The Right Assistance Exercises
Assistance exercises are vital in any bench press program to target strength at every point of the lift—from the bottom to the lockout portion.
In the Best Bench program, incorporate these exercises to improve your bench press by strengthening the chest and sticking points. This focused approach ensures a more comprehensive workout, enhancing strength across all life phases.
· Increasing Stress In The Bench Press Program
In the Best Bench program, increasing stress through overload is key to advancing strength. This involves pushing past comfortable weight limits with 3 to 5 sets of 8 to 15 reps to reach a higher rep max. Each workout should target the muscles with varying reps and sets, ensuring muscles are subjected to sufficient stress and tension.
This strategy helps lifters break through plateaus and continuously improve, keeping strength and muscle development as the central goal of the bench press program.
· Building Up The Whole Chest
To build up the entire chest, the Best bench program should include a variety of bench press movements that work different portions of the chest muscles. This not only increases overall chest strength but also ensures a well rounded development. Utilizing different angles and positions in the bench press can help achieve this comprehensive strength enhancement.
Bench Press More Frequently
Like practicing a golf swing or a violin, the bench press requires frequent practice to perfect the movement and improve form. In the Best Bench program, increasing the frequency of bench presses can significantly enhance your skill and strength as a lifter. Treat the bench press as a critical movement in your routine to see substantial improvements.
· Giving Heavy Compound Lifts Priority
Compound lifts, like the bench press and standing shoulder press, should be a priority in your workout for effective strength building. In the Best Bench program, focus your energy at the start on these exercises, as they engage multiple body muscles, including the chest. Isolation exercises like pec flies should be followed to enhance chest strength, but remember that the bulk of your strength gains will come from compound lifts.
· Boosting Your Form For Bench Presses
Improving your form in the Best bench program can significantly increase the effectiveness of your bench presses. Proper form involves positioning the feet firmly on the floor and aligning the bar correctly to optimize force transfer and prevent injuries.
Paying close attention to these tips during each bench press can accelerate your progress and enhance the overall impact of your workout.
· Fewer Reps, More Recovery
Balancing reps with adequate recovery is crucial for sustainable progress in the Best Bench program. Performing fewer reps with more intensive sets can provide enough strength stimulus while allowing for sufficient rest and recovery.
This approach ensures the lifter has enough energy to maintain power and progress effectively in subsequent workouts.
· Handling Expectations With Patience
Managing expectations with patience is essential in the Best Bench program. Avoid rushing to increase weights, which can lead to a bench press plateau. Instead, focus on consistent progression and strength development.
This measured approach ensures that program goals and personal expectations are met sustainably, keeping progress steady and meaningful.
The Best Bench Press Program
This program will be built around two upper body pressing days within your training week. Each day will have the same bench press programming but slightly different assistance exercises.
Week 1: 3 sets of 12 reps at 65% of 1RM
Week 2: 3 sets of 10 reps at 70% of 1RM
Week 3: 3 sets of 8 reps at 75% of 1RM
Week 4: 3 sets of 6 reps at 80% of 1RM
Week 5: 3 sets of 5 reps at 85% of 1RM
Week 6: 3 sets of 3 reps at 90% of 1RM
Week 7: 3 sets of 1 rep at 92.5% of 1RM
Week 8: 2 sets of 1 rep at 95% of 1RM
This program includes a wide range of 1RM percentages and rep schemes. Still, it’s important to note that research suggests that targeting the chest muscle with 85% of 1RM twice a week and aiming for eight sets is a sweet spot for producing maximum strength increases in experienced trainees.
Bench Press Program Session A:
| Exercises | sets | reps |
| Flat Barbell Bench Press | See chart above | |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 2 | 6 |
| Flat Dumbbell Bench Press | 2 | 10 |
| DB Pullover | 2 | 10 |
| Close grip push ups | 2 | Fail |
Bench Press Program Session B:
| Exercises | sets | reps |
| Flat Barbell Bench Press | See chart above | |
| Incline Bench Press | 2 | 8 |
| Weighted Dips | 2 | 6 |
| Cable flies high to low | 2 | 12 |
| Explosive push ups | 2 | Fail |
Best Exercises For A Bench Press Program
Make sure to incorporate these exercises into your bench training routine to get the most out of it.
1. Close Grip Bench Press
The Close Grip Bench Press is a variation of the traditional bench press, emphasizing triceps strength and lockout portion performance. The grip change, where hands are placed closer together, alters the impact on the body muscles, shifting more focus towards the triceps and away from the chest.
This exercise particularly benefits athletes in sports like football, basketball, and rugby, where arm strength and performance are crucial. The Close Grip Bench Press not only aids in bench press progress but also improves overall body aesthetics and functional muscle development.
How to do it?
- Start by lying on a flat bench. Grab the bar with your hands about shoulder width apart. Lift the bar off the rack and hold it right above your chest.
- Lower the bar slowly to your lower sternum, keeping your elbows close to your body the whole time.
- As you push the bar back up, breathe out and focus on using your triceps to extend your arms at the top fully.
2. Flat Bench Press
The Flat Bench Press is a cornerstone compound exercise in strength programs, recognized as one of the Big Three alongside squats and deadlifts in both powerlifting and weightlifting. It plays a vital role in building body strength, focusing particularly on the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
The flat bench press offers a wide range of motion, which is crucial for effectively lifting and enhancing the targeted muscle groups. This exercise is integral in bodybuilding, serving as a key component that supports overall strength and performance.
How to do it?
- Start by lying on a flat bench. Reach up and grab the bar with your hands wider than your shoulders. Ensure your forearms are straight up and down as you lower the bar.
- Plant your feet firmly on the ground, lift the bar off the rack, and hold it above your chest.
- Lower the bar slowly until it touches your shirt, then breathe out and push it back up to where you started.
3. Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
The Flat Dumbbell Bench Press introduces a unique challenge by requiring each arm to stabilize independently, which can enhance muscle balance and strength across the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Dumbbells allow for a broader range of motion and more precise elbow positioning, offering a distinct variation from the barbell bench. This exercise is excellent for targeting finer muscle points and ensuring comprehensive development within the bench press program.
How to do it?
- Start by sitting on a flat bench with a pair of dumbbells. Use your knees to help lift the dumbbells as you lay back, pressing them over your chest.
- Make sure your back is flat against the bench. Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest until your arms make 90 degree angles, aligning with your shoulders.
- Breathe out and press the dumbbells back up overhead.
4. Cable Flies
Cable Flies are an excellent addition to any bench press program. They focus on chest muscle development through a controlled range of motion and consistent tension. This exercise utilizes cables to apply resistance, allowing various movements that enhance the chest’s stretching and contracting phases.
The dynamic nature of the cable fly exercise helps refine the aesthetics of the chest by isolating and targeting specific muscle groups, making it a valuable tool for detailed chest exercises within a comprehensive weight training regimen.
How to do it
- First, set the cables to the highest setting and choose a weight that suits you.
- Grab the handles and step back from the towers to create tension. Lean forward a bit as you stand.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows and your palms facing each other, then pull your hands down and forward as if you are hugging a large ball.
- Pause when your hands are near the ground, then slowly return to the starting position, focusing on feeling the stretch in your chest muscles.
5. Incline Bench Press
The Incline Bench Press, performed at a 30—to 45 degree angle, targets the upper chest and front shoulders, extending the range and complexity of the traditional flat bench press. This variation emphasizes the pectoralis major and helps develop a fuller chest profile by utilizing barbells, dumbbells, or even kettlebells.
The simplicity and effectiveness of the incline barbell bench press make it a favored movement in many bench press programs, providing a balanced approach to upper body strength.
How to do it?
- Start by lying on an incline bench set to 45 degrees or less. Reach up and grab the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
- Plant your feet firmly on the floor, lift the bar off the rack, and position it above your chest.
- Lower the bar slowly until it touches your shirt, then breathe out and push it back up to where you started.
6. Explosive Push Ups
Explosive Push Ups add a fun and challenging twist to the Best Bench program. These push ups help you build strength and muscle quickly by forcing you to push up from the ground.
They’re good for athletes who need to be able to move fast and with power, like in many sports. Adding these to your workout routine helps build upper body strength without needing extra weights.
How to do it:
- Start in a high plank position with your hands just outside your shoulders, similar to a bench press setup.
- Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the ground.
- Then, push off the ground as hard as you can, trying to lift your upper body off the ground. Aim to get your hands off the floor briefly.
- Land softly with your hands and go straight into the next push up without pausing. Repeat the movement.
7. Close Grip Push Ups
Close grip push ups are a great addition to the Best Bench program. They help strengthen your triceps and improve the function of your body’s joints. By placing your hands closer together, you work the triceps harder and engage your core more.
This exercise is less intense than others, like squats and pull ups, making it good for days when you need a lighter workout. It’s especially good for strengthening the muscles around your shoulders.
How to do it:
- Start in a plank position with your hands on the ground. Place your hands closer than shoulder width apart; you can even make a diamond shape with your hands.
- Lower yourself slowly until your chest is above the floor, keeping your arms close to your sides.
- Push yourself back up and repeat the movement.
8. Dumbbell Pullovers
Dumbbell Pullovers are a smart choice for your Best bench routine. This exercise works both your chest and back, particularly focusing on the upper back and lats.
Using a weight bench, you move a dumbbell from behind your head to over your chest, which helps build strength across your upper body. Bodybuilders like this exercise because it helps develop important muscles for a strong upper body.
How to do it?
- Lie across a bench so that only your upper back and shoulders are on it. Keep your feet flat and raise your hips slightly below the bench level.
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands straight above your chest.
- Keep your arms straight and slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping your back flat and core engaged.
- Then, lift the dumbbell back up to the starting position, keeping your arms extended the whole time.
9. Weighted Dips
Weighted Dips are a powerful exercise to include in your Best bench program. You use a dip belt to add extra weight while you dip on bars, making the exercise tougher.
This strengthens your chest, triceps, and shoulders. It’s a good way to push your muscles harder and build strength quickly.
How to do it:
- First, wrap a dip belt with a chain around your waist and attach the weight you want to use.
- Hold onto the parallel bars and straighten your arms to lift yourself between the bars.
- Tilt your upper body forward slightly, but no more than a 45 degree angle. Lower yourself down until your arms form a 90 degree angle.
- Breathe and push yourself back up to the starting position, keeping your legs steady and not letting them swing.
Muscles Worked With A Bench Press Program
A Bench Press Program works various muscles to help you gain strength and muscle mass. Your chest is the primary muscle you train on, which grows stronger with each push. This workout also strengthens your triceps and shoulders.
The bench press also uses the back muscles, especially the lattisimus dorsi muscles, which help stabilize your body during the lift. If you use a close grip style, you focus more on strengthening your triceps and the end part of the lift, which can help you get past sticking points in your training.
This exercise is good for your muscle health and makes you look better, much like a sports car, which looks sleek and fast. Doing the bench press through its full movement helps stretch and grow your muscles, making each rep count towards better overall strength and fitness as part of your regular workout routine.
Benefits Of A Stronger Bench Press
Although those are excellent motivations, increasing your bench press is more than just looking good on social media or dominating powerlifting competitions. More advantages of a stronger bench include the following:
· Increased Joint Stability
Having a regular bench press routine improves joint stability. This exercise improves your body’s handling of different weights and reduces the risk of injury. Better joint stability helps with everyday activities and harder physical tasks, keeping you safe while you lift and move.
· Stronger Bones
Bench pressing puts pressure on your bones, which helps make them stronger. This is good for preventing bone problems like osteoporosis. Regularly lifting weights makes your bones tougher and more capable of handling stress, which is great for overall health.
· Bragging Rights
Getting better at your bench press can give you bragging rights at the gym. Setting a new personal record or beating someone else’s score feels great. These victories at the gym are fun to achieve and share with others, helping you stay motivated and proud of your fitness journey.
· Increased Upper Body Strength And Size
Upper body exercises like the bench press help you strengthen and build bigger muscles. They target important areas like your chest (pecs), shoulders, and triceps, leading to more muscle.
Regularly doing the bench press strengthens you, especially in your joints, and boosts your confidence. You can see the changes in the mirror, feeling like you’re hitting two birds with one stone by improving your strength and look.
Tips For Improving Your Bench Press
A good amount of bench press volume for someone new to the exercise is 10–12 sets of chest training per week. If you are at an advanced training phase, you will probably reach a plateau and have to increase the amount of training you do.
Try to do 16–20 sets of chest exercises per week. Splitting this into two sessions works best to target the muscle group twice weekly.
Prioritize the bench press, and for the majority of sets, use 60–95% of your one rep maximum. Remember to work on your back muscles during a workout! Give yourself at least 48 hours between sessions to heal and prevent damage.
Conclusion
This structured approach effectively targets key areas and muscles needed to enhance your lift. Each program phase is carefully designed to focus on crucial development points within bench press programs, ensuring comprehensive strength and performance improvement.
This method ensures that every part of your training is optimized to help you achieve your best results in the gym.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Bench Program?
The Best Bench Program is a workout plan designed to increase upper body strength through specific bench press exercises. It includes two weekly workout days, focusing on exercises over eight weeks to improve bench press strength.
How Often Should I Bench Press In This Program?
It would help if you benched press twice a week. Rest for at least two days between these workouts to help your muscles recover and grow.
How Do I Figure Out How Much Weight To Use?
You must know your one rep max (1RM) to determine the right weights for each session. If you need help calculating your 1RM, ask a certified personal trainer or a gym friend who knows their stuff.