First of all, I am new to the forum and I'm glad to be here. I have been working out for 2 or 3 years, but nothing really serious. I play college golf, so I am not trying to get all that big, but a decent amount of size wont hurt too much as long as I keep up my stretching too.
Anyway, now that my background is out of the way, I have been having problems with improving my bench gains. As of now, I am looking more for strength than for size, due to the fact that I already have a fairly well defined and good sized chest. I am 6'0" and 180 lbs. I work out 3 days a week (Thats the most we can get in the weight room) My workout schedule is basically like this.
(*Side note, since I can only work out 3 days a week, and our time is somewhat limited, I divide my leg excercises up throught the week so I can get them all in.)
Sun- Chest/Triceps/Leg Press/Abs
Mon- Rest
Tues- Back/Biceps/Forearems/Leg Extensions
Wed- Rest
Thurs- Shoulders/Triceps/Abs/Leg Curls & Calf Raises
Fri & Sat- Rest
I'll try to go through the excercises I do on Sunday and Thursday, since they will probably most affect my bench presses.
Sunday- Bench Press (Usually 10-8-6-To failure on last set with about 185ish)/Incline Flies/Close grip bench/Tricep Extensions/Skull crushers/Tricep pulldowns
Then on Thursday I do triceps again to go along with my shoulders, since they are a valuable muscle to the golf swing.
Thursday- Bench Presses (nothing big, just light weight 6 sets of 6 reps, mainly working on my speed going up)/Shoulder presses/Lateral raises/Front raises/Skull crushers/Tricep pulldowns/Dips
My main problem is, my bench gains have not gone up much at all the best few months. It's like I'm stuck. I'm sure my form isnt perfect, but I have read a lot about benching technique to try to make it as good as I can. I have only been benching with free weights for about a year and a half, due to the fact that before college I was only able to use the machines because I had no one to spot me. Am I wrong in thinking that the two main muscles used in bench are chest and triceps? For some reason, my roomate (who weighs about 30 lbs less than me) benches about 250 while I am down around 200. I find it interesting that all of the other chest and tricep excercises we do (i.e. Flyes, skull crushers, tricep pulldown, etc.) I am able to handle just as much, if not more weight than he is. Are there other muscles that I am leaving out that are more important to benching? Is my routine flawed? My max is only 200 lbs. right now, but my goal is to be at 300 by the time I graduate college in about 2 and a half years. I hope this post is structued ok, sorry it was so long. Any help would be appreciated, you have a great forum here.
Anyway, now that my background is out of the way, I have been having problems with improving my bench gains. As of now, I am looking more for strength than for size, due to the fact that I already have a fairly well defined and good sized chest. I am 6'0" and 180 lbs. I work out 3 days a week (Thats the most we can get in the weight room) My workout schedule is basically like this.
(*Side note, since I can only work out 3 days a week, and our time is somewhat limited, I divide my leg excercises up throught the week so I can get them all in.)
Sun- Chest/Triceps/Leg Press/Abs
Mon- Rest
Tues- Back/Biceps/Forearems/Leg Extensions
Wed- Rest
Thurs- Shoulders/Triceps/Abs/Leg Curls & Calf Raises
Fri & Sat- Rest
I'll try to go through the excercises I do on Sunday and Thursday, since they will probably most affect my bench presses.
Sunday- Bench Press (Usually 10-8-6-To failure on last set with about 185ish)/Incline Flies/Close grip bench/Tricep Extensions/Skull crushers/Tricep pulldowns
Then on Thursday I do triceps again to go along with my shoulders, since they are a valuable muscle to the golf swing.
Thursday- Bench Presses (nothing big, just light weight 6 sets of 6 reps, mainly working on my speed going up)/Shoulder presses/Lateral raises/Front raises/Skull crushers/Tricep pulldowns/Dips
My main problem is, my bench gains have not gone up much at all the best few months. It's like I'm stuck. I'm sure my form isnt perfect, but I have read a lot about benching technique to try to make it as good as I can. I have only been benching with free weights for about a year and a half, due to the fact that before college I was only able to use the machines because I had no one to spot me. Am I wrong in thinking that the two main muscles used in bench are chest and triceps? For some reason, my roomate (who weighs about 30 lbs less than me) benches about 250 while I am down around 200. I find it interesting that all of the other chest and tricep excercises we do (i.e. Flyes, skull crushers, tricep pulldown, etc.) I am able to handle just as much, if not more weight than he is. Are there other muscles that I am leaving out that are more important to benching? Is my routine flawed? My max is only 200 lbs. right now, but my goal is to be at 300 by the time I graduate college in about 2 and a half years. I hope this post is structued ok, sorry it was so long. Any help would be appreciated, you have a great forum here.
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