# Will my bench increase faster due to DB BP?



## BigMitchh (Sep 25, 2012)

Hey all, i've mainly kept to dumbbells for bench due to the fact that it feels more natural because of my height. I've reached about 47.5 for 2x10 but am having real trouble progressing so have started on the bench. Today i did 75kg for 2x10 but I know in relation to total DB it should be much higher. Should it start to fly up because of my DB press or would it be the same as if I didn't have a stronger DB BP?

Cheers


----------



## ExplosiveSpeed (Nov 3, 2012)

I would be surprised if it didn't. As you know DB press and other variations of traditional bench press are used to increase your bench press strength, but this is a different situation as you have done not done a lot of bench. I think what may limit you now is not necessarily your strength... But your technique. Have a read into some powerlifting info and you will find bench is actually a lot more technical than most people think. You can improve your best a long way just through getting technique sorted IMO. Once you do hit strength plateaus start to overload the weight, use assistance to press past your max, do negatives, drop sets, dynamic activity sets etc, trick your mind (from a neuro muscular perspective) and your body will respond (long as you eat right!!) good luck!!


----------



## treecreeper (Nov 12, 2010)

as said above the best way to build up your bench press strength is to do bench variations but they should be changed every 2-3 weeks as any longer than 3 weeks your strength gains will stop, i dont want to go to much into here now but i would recomend you read the westside barbell book of methods by louie simmons its a must for any on serious about getting max strength gains  the westside methods totally changed my training and made me stronger than iv ever been, yes technique plays a big part aswell but its all covered in the book, and EAT BIG good luck bro..


----------



## ExplosiveSpeed (Nov 3, 2012)

treecreeper said:


> as said above the best way to build up your bench press strength is to do bench variations but they should be changed every 2-3 weeks as any longer than 3 weeks your strength gains will stop, i dont want to go to much into here now but i would recomend you read the westside barbell book of methods by louie simmons its a must for any on serious about getting max strength gains  the westside methods totally changed my training and made me stronger than iv ever been, yes technique plays a big part aswell but its all covered in the book, and EAT BIG good luck bro..


True dat. Mix it up. Westside...like the sound of that! Gonna go research!


----------



## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

treecreeper said:


> as said above the best way to build up your bench press strength is to do bench variations but they should *be changed every 2-3 weeks as any longer than 3 weeks your strength gains will stop*, i dont want to go to much into here now but i would recomend you read the westside barbell book of methods by louie simmons its a must for any on serious about getting max strength gains  the westside methods totally changed my training and made me stronger than iv ever been, yes technique plays a big part aswell but its all covered in the book, and EAT BIG good luck bro..


Bollocks!


----------



## ExplosiveSpeed (Nov 3, 2012)

treecreeper said:


> as said above the best way to build up your bench press strength is to do bench variations but they should be changed every 2-3 weeks as any longer than 3 weeks your strength gains will stop, i dont want to go to much into here now but i would recomend you read the westside barbell book of methods by louie simmons its a must for any on serious about getting max strength gains  the westside methods totally changed my training and made me stronger than iv ever been, yes technique plays a big part aswell but its all covered in the book, and EAT BIG good luck bro..


Had a look as Westside, tried some off the lifts today which I knew of but I suppose never considered the wider implications of them, the bench press from the floor killed my delts...


----------



## ExplosiveSpeed (Nov 3, 2012)

MattGriff said:


> Bollocks!


What's your advice MattGriff?


----------



## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

best way to increase bench would be to practice bench


----------



## ExplosiveSpeed (Nov 3, 2012)

Sure, apologies for not being more specific, my comments were in regards to overcoming bench press plateaus after a period of some foundational training


----------



## Ginger Ben (Oct 5, 2010)

ExplosiveSpeed said:


> Sure, apologies for not being more specific, my comments were in regards to overcoming bench press plateaus after a period of some foundational training


Resistance Bands, chains, plank pressing, reverse pressing (starting at bottom of movement) or good old fasioned testosterone


----------



## ExplosiveSpeed (Nov 3, 2012)

Ginger Ben said:


> Resistance Bands, chains, plank pressing, reverse pressing (starting at bottom of movement) or good old fasioned testosterone


Yes, read a lot about that last night, started a few elements today, found it tough!


----------



## Marshan (Aug 27, 2010)

My bench stopped increasing for a good while, Id kinda given up on it improving...I started doing flat DB flyes to start out with on chest w'kout just to do something different, as heavy as I could manage from each w'kout to the next for a few weeks and it took off again.


----------



## treecreeper (Nov 12, 2010)

mattgriff go do your homework cause it sounds like you havent a clue


----------



## treecreeper (Nov 12, 2010)

westside barbell 28 of they members in the 600 club , benching 600 or over, 11 in the 650 or over, 26 members in the 700 or over, and 4 members doing 800 or over.. so ai like u said you are right it is bollocks cause it seems to me they dont know what they doing


----------



## murphy2010 (Dec 17, 2010)

treecreeper said:


> mattgriff go do your homework cause it sounds like you havent a clue


----------



## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

treecreeper said:


> mattgriff go do your homework cause it sounds like you havent a clue


I'm really ^am giggling like a little girl at this sitting on my sh!tter.


----------



## Guest (Nov 9, 2012)

Haha, cant wait to hear this.

OP - Consistency is what leads to gains m8. The more you do something the better you will become at it.

I found bench wise, other than actual presses themselves, tricep work and dips have helped me no end, all matched with decent food ofc.

Diet is the big one


----------



## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

^^^^ agree with big dave.. tricep work is what you need for a good bench.. now for a good chest then obviously a good mixture of disciplines are adviseable !!!


----------



## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

@MattGriff just for the sh1ts and giggles


----------



## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

treecreeper said:


> as said above the best way to build up your bench press strength is to do bench variations but they should be changed every 2-3 weeks as any longer than 3 weeks your strength gains will stop, i dont want to go to much into here now but i would recomend you read the westside barbell book of methods by louie simmons its a must for any on serious about getting max strength gains  the westside methods totally changed my training and made me stronger than iv ever been, yes technique plays a big part aswell but its all covered in the book, and EAT BIG good luck bro..


So you're saying that if you don't change your pressing method every few weeks then you will hit a plateau?

How do powerlifters train for bench in your experience then?


----------



## PaulB (Jun 6, 2010)

JANIKvonD said:


> I'm really ^am giggling like a little girl at this sitting on my sh!tter.


Same here mate:laugh:


----------



## MattGriff (Aug 21, 2012)

treecreeper said:


> mattgriff go do your homework cause it sounds like you havent a clue


By all means furnish me with your scientific background to demonstrate strength gains will stop if you perform the same bench press method for more than 3 weeks running.



treecreeper said:


> westside barbell 28 of they members in the 600 club , benching 600 or over, 11 in the 650 or over, 26 members in the 700 or over, and 4 members doing 800 or over.. so ai like u said you are right it is bollocks cause it seems to me they dont know what they doing


All within super-strict rules of course, hardly any of those lifts done on American soil ;-) Notwithstanding that the Westside method does NOT specify that strength gains will stop if you perform the same bench method for more than 3 weeks running.


----------



## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

@treecreeper


----------



## PaulB (Jun 6, 2010)

I feel let down, c'mon @treecreeper, teach that no nothing Matgriff a thing or two.....


----------



## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

Haha


----------



## Viking88 (Mar 29, 2012)

Sorry if it has already been said..... But if you wanna increase bench strength then lift more weight for fewer reps. I wouldn't over complicate it to start. Try 5 rep max or 3 or even the dreaded 1rm......... The horror!


----------



## BigMitchh (Sep 25, 2012)

Cheers lads! I didn't even realize I had a response. I'm being held back by my wrists currently(another reason why I prefer DB's). I feel in the last 3 chest workouts i'm not pushing myself simply because of the pressure on my wrists, it's always been like this with other lifts. Prone to injury tiny wrists that can't keep up are ****. I'm just gonna try to push through this slowly.

I'll take what everyones said in mind. Cheers :thumb:


----------



## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

BigMitchh said:


> Cheers lads! I didn't even realize I had a response. I'm being held back by my wrists currently(another reason why I prefer DB's). I feel in the last 3 chest workouts i'm not pushing myself simply because of the pressure on my wrists, it's always been like this with other lifts. Prone to injury tiny wrists that can't keep up are ****. I'm just gonna try to push through this slowly.
> 
> I'll take what everyones said in mind. Cheers :thumb:


Have you tried wrist wraps?

I use them for heavy over head pressing and bench and they really help.


----------



## Viking88 (Mar 29, 2012)

Smitch said:


> Have you tried wrist wraps?
> 
> I use them for heavy over head pressing and bench and they really help.


X2


----------



## BigMitchh (Sep 25, 2012)

Smitch said:


> Have you tried wrist wraps?
> 
> I use them for heavy over head pressing and bench and they really help.


Yeahh i've been thinking about it, only thing putting me off is that my lift isn't that high. If I was at 100kg+ then yeah i'd go for it. I had them when I first started for DB bench because of wrist pain but I don't know what happened to them, my wrists just seemed to get use to it by themselves. I think I might give it a couple more weeks and if they don't improve then i'll have to invest in some! Cheers


----------



## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

BigMitchh said:


> Yeahh i've been thinking about it, only thing putting me off is that my lift isn't that high. If I was at 100kg+ then yeah i'd go for it. I had them when I first started for DB bench because of wrist pain but I don't know what happened to them, my wrists just seemed to get use to it by themselves. I think I might give it a couple more weeks and if they don't improve then i'll have to invest in some! Cheers


I just got some CNP ones, they're not that tight at all and just give a small amount of support, I only wear one on my left wrist as it's weaker for some reason.


----------



## Viking88 (Mar 29, 2012)

Smitch said:


> I just got some CNP ones, they're not that tight at all and just give a small amount of support, I only wear one on my left wrist as it's weaker for some reason.


Are you right handed :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## BigMitchh (Sep 25, 2012)

HAHAHA it's not right how much this made me laugh.

Only because it took my like 2 months to work it for myself when I started lifting :whistling:


----------



## infernal0988 (Jun 16, 2011)

Ginger Ben said:


> Resistance Bands, chains, plank pressing, reverse pressing (starting at bottom of movement) or good old fasioned testosterone


If you dont increase bench on test nothing will :thumb: except maybe test & Tren


----------



## BigMitchh (Sep 25, 2012)

infernal0988 said:


> If you dont increase bench on test nothing will :thumb: except maybe test & Tren


On test now, increasing anything up to 10kg a week now and still have 4 weeks left :thumb:


----------



## IGotTekkers (Jun 6, 2012)

treecreeper said:


> as said above the best way to build up your bench press strength is to do bench variations but they should be changed every 2-3 weeks as any longer than 3 weeks your strength gains will stop, i dont want to go to much into here now but i would recomend you read the westside barbell book of methods by louie simmons its a must for any on serious about getting max strength gains  the westside methods totally changed my training and made me stronger than iv ever been, yes technique plays a big part aswell but its all covered in the book, and EAT BIG good luck bro..


iv done the exact same excersizes for 9 months. I'm still getting bigger and stronger. I must be a biological freak


----------

