I’ve begun to realize how much audible cues matter. I’ve also figured out how to start focusing on certain muscles. For example, I learned that my bench was dominated by my triceps. I wanted to focus on my chest more, so I dropped weight. I dropped around 80 lbs and I found that I could squeeze my chest more and work less on my triceps.
Will this help my overall bench strength rise faster? If so, Why? Won’t my chest naturally get stronger as I lift more?
what is your Body weight and best Bench… what is your main goal?
First, thank you for the response!
The bench was just an example. I am doing the same with dead lifts (and Romanian deadlifts), squats (front and back), and other exercises. I weigh 250 lbs, I am 6’0.5" tall, and I have an 80 inch reach. My bench max is probably around 215 lbs. The goal is 245 lbs, right now.
I dropped weight from the 165 I’ve been working out with down to 95 lbs and found that I could really work my chest more. Is this normal? Should I do this to focus on my weaker muscles or should I just push through heavier and heavier?
This is why things like Heavy/Light days, or heavy sets and back off sets, or assistance work exist. There are many muscles and “strength qualities” involved in a lift.
To think that 1 lift, in one rep range, within 1 weight range is going to perfectly work everything you need to work on is silly.
If you chest really sucks, and doesn’t get involved much in your bench, and you focus on absolute strength, you’ll get a stronger chest-less bench press. If you focus on just your lagging pecs, you’ll underload everything else and get an overall weaker bench.
Develop the total lift and the the weakness for all the gains.
On my bench days I’ll do my heavy benching and then ill move on to 3 different exercises, one tricep dominant for example close grip bench, one delt dominant lets say dumbbell over head press or heavy front raises, and then one chest dominant so flat dumbbell press higher reps . Hit everything at this point, don’t get tied into “feeling something working on a chest exercise” your chest will be big when you can bench 365
And the only way you will hit that number is if every muscle that is involved in the bench is strong.
Im of the same mind set as @bigmanfootball67
@tickletackletock I cant really say much unless I saw what your form actually looked like and saw what your programming entailed .
You’re about to receive a powerlifter answer, but I think it’ll help.
Specifically speaking about the bench press in general, your triceps are supposed to help you out significantly. In fact if you hop over to some articles on EliteFTS.com, there’s a handful of articles that specifically deal with sticking points and weaknesses. The triceps along with your lats are extremely important in terms of bringing up weaknesses and strengthening the bench press, and most people come to find out their triceps and lats are trash.
There’s nothing wrong with training chest, but don’t sacrifice your triceps, or developing your lats in hope of thinking a bigger chest equates to a bigger/stronger bench press. Not saying there’s zero carry over, but it probably isn’t going to be as high as you think.
Yes your chest will develop simply by getting stronger in the bench press( take a look at the many top notch benchers), because they do provide aid in the movement. But there’s other ways to make sure you strengthen your chest while still bringing up weak points in your bench, and not sacrificing one body part for another.
I’m not sure what your training looks like either, but if you have an OHP day, you could probably substitute in a chest exercise, or put it in at the end of a bench session for assistance.
I appreciate that answer. I will look at EliteFTS and get back to the thread.
With it being said that tris and lays improve your bench I would add in a tricep movement and lay movement everyday for awile. Also YouTube some vid on bench press form. Arch,bar path, lat loading, leg drive ect will be included in a good video. It will help you achieve a bigger bench.