How To Increase Your Bench Press: Blast Your Bench Review

Has your chest training reached a plateau? Are you desperately trying to figure out how to increase your bench press? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you’ve come to the right place.

In the beginning, gains in size and strength come very easy. As time goes by, however, those gains will start to slow down and you’ll eventually hit that dreaded plateau.

So, how do you push through that and continue to make progress with your bench press? You have two options.

You can continue to do the same thing you’ve been doing, which will produce the same results you’ve been getting or you can try something new and different that can actually help increase your bench press.

I’ll be reviewing the Blast Your Bench program, which can help you break through that plateau and get your bench press moving forward again.

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How To Increase Your Bench Press

There are many different reasons for someone to want to increase his/her bench press. Those reasons vary with the individual, but one thing remains constant. Regardless of the reason, a bigger 1RM (1 rep max) will allow you to use more weight for reps, which will build a bigger, stronger, more muscular chest, which will increase your 1RM and on and on the cycle goes.

The difficult part of all this is actually finding a method that can help you break through your plateau. Make no mistake, if you don’t have a plan, you probably won’t reach your goals.

There are many different methods and routines that can be followed to accomplish this task. By no means am I telling you that this is the only thing that will work to increase your bench press. However, this routine has been used by many serious athletes and recreational weightlifters alike to break through their bench press plateau.

Who Is Lee Hayward?

Blast Your Bench is a digital book written by Lee Hayward. Lee is a competitive bodybuilder and has been online since 1999, helping people achieve their strength training and weightlifting  goals.

Be careful, though, there are a lot of people in the health and fitness industry these days that dispense advice without having any experience or actual knowledge of what they’re talking about.

Lee has over 20 years of weightlifting and strength training experience and these methods have been used by thousands of people with successful results.

Lee Hayward

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Blast Your Bench

So what is Blast Your Bench and what can it do for you?

Blast Your Bench is a step by step program that will help you add weight to your bench press, regardless of your experience.

Here’s a quick look at some of the things that you get :

  • A complete 3 week program (can be done as a 5 week program, depending on the individual)
  • Eating plans while on the program
  • Nutrition Charts
  • Pictures of proper form for different exercises
  • Detailed charts of the exercise programs
  • And much more

There is no guess work with this program, everything is laid out in great detail. All you have to do is follow the routine.

Blast your bench is set up as a 3 week program, but can also be done as a 5 week program. You will be prioritizing your chest, so you will basically be doing maintenance style training for the rest of your body while you’re on this program.

Don’t worry, you’re not going to lose anything in your other lifts or body parts for the short amount of time you’re on this program.

This is a short program to help you break through your plateau, it’s not meant to be used for long periods of time. Once you finish the program, you will go back to your normal split and train regularly.

My Thoughts On Blast Your Bench

It’s different and the first time you see it, you’ll know what I mean. This routine will go against what some preach as far as frequency of training, volume, etc.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that you have to shock the body to break through plateaus. You have to follow routines and certain training protocol that may seem strange. This is how you make progress. Normally these kinds of routines are done for very short periods of time.

One of the biggest hurdles most of us face as weightlifters is the fact that we continue to do the same things over and over for months at a time. Then we ask ourselves, “why hasn’t my bench press improved in the last 6 months?”

If you continue to do the same thing over and over, you will continue to see the same results. Don’t be afraid to try something that may seem unorthodox or different from anything you’ve ever tried. It just may be the thing that helps you bust through that bench press plateau.

Blast Your Bench works. Thousands of people from all walks of life have had success with it. You’ll only be successful with it, though, if you do the work.

Simply buying this program isn’t going to make you a bench press stud. There’s no routine in the world that can do that. If you want results, you have to work for them.

Bonuses

Blast Your Bench alone is a solid program and worth the price, but the bonuses make it a no brainer.

Here’s a small list of some of the bonuses:

  • 12 week training program (I paid $150 for a 12 week program from a well known trainer)
  • Supplement guide
  • Nutrition guide
  • 7 week deadlift cycle
  • Blast Your Squat Program
  • Blast Your Bench for reps videos
  • This is only some of the bonuses, there are quite a few more

The bonuses that Lee offers with Blast Your Bench are solid, especially the 12 week training program. Trust me, you’ll pay a lot more than $47 for all the information you get in this package.

Blast your bench is a good program for prioritizing your bench press. With the bonuses, this package has everything you need to build a strong, balanced physique. If you’re a beginner, you owe it to yourself to get this program. If you’re advanced, you can still learn some new tricks and try something different.

So, if you really want to know how to increase your bench press and are serious about doing it, for the money, you can’t beat Blast Your Bench .

===> Click Here To Get Started With Blast Your Bench Today <===

 

 

 

 


Try This Bench Press Workout To Pack On Size And Strength

Bench Press WorkoutIt seems that everyone is looking for that one magical bench press workout that can take them from zero to hero. The truth is, there isn’t a particular workout that will produce the same results for everyone. As the old saying goes, there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

Performing specific exercises that are synergistic and work your overall chest will have a more positive effect than just randomly doing exercises. Deciding which exercises to do, however, can be very confusing. There’s so much information out there and so many different opinions, it can be difficult to figure out what really works and what doesn’t.

Things To Consider

Over the years, I’ve found that by keeping my workouts simple, I get the best results. By simple, I mean sticking with compound, multi-joint movements for large muscle groups. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that your workout routine needs to be elaborate or fancy for you to see results.

In his heyday, Arnold’s basic chest routine consisted of flat barbell bench press, incline barbell bench press, flat dumbell flyes and cable crossovers. As you can see, there’s nothing fancy or overly complicated about this routine. Even by today’s standards, though, his chest still remains one of the best ever.

Always keep in mind that how you do the exercises is as important as the exercises themselves. Even a solid bench press workout will be largely ineffective if you’re not performing the exercises properly. Be sure to follow some basic bench press tips and you’ll be sure to continue to make progress with your workouts.

Natural Vs. Drugs

There’s one important point that I would like to make concerning drug free weight training vs. chemically enhanced weight training. If you’re a drug free bodybuilder (by this, I mean anyone who lifts weights to improve their physique and health) or power lifter, you will not be able to train with the same frequency or volume that a drug assisted bodybuilder or power lifter can.

If you’re drug free, you can’t do 20-25 sets for your chest, twice a week. This may seem very obvious to most, but unfortunately there are a lot of people who read the magazines and try to follow the latest workouts of the pros. If you do this, you will become overtrained in a very short period of time and your gains in size and strength will eventually start to go backwards.

I’m not here to pass judgment on anyone who uses anabolic drugs. What people do with their bodies is their business, not mine. I have no issues with anyone who uses anabolic drugs, because as I said, that’s their business and it has no affect on me. I simply want to make sure that as a drug free bodybuilder you realize that you can’t train like someone who is using anabolic drugs.

I’m a lifetime drug free bodybuilder and the bench press workout that I’m going to share with you will reflect that. As you look this routine over, you may feel like there’s not enough volume, but I can assure you, if done properly, you’ll get plenty of benefit from this workout.

My Favorite Bench Press Workout

I’ve used the workout that you see below in many different variations over the years. This exact version is probably my favorite bench press workout, though, and I’ll normally use this for 4-6 weeks at a time before switching up to something a bit different.

Exercise #1 – Barbell Bench Press

I like to do 5×5 for this exercise. I like to do my light warm up sets and then 2 sets of progressively heavier warm ups and then my 3 working sets of my targeted weight.

I use this setup:

Set 1 – 65% of 1 RM (1 rep max) x 5 reps

Set 2 – 75% of 1 RM x 5 reps

Sets 3-5 – 85-90% of 1 RM x 5 reps

You may see different people use slightly different percentages than these. Strength training is a very individualized thing. As you gain experience, you need to be able to take certain training routines and protocol and adapt it to what works best for you.

I don’t carry a calculator in my gym bag and I don’t stress myself about getting exact with the percentages. If you’re new, I suggest figuring out what your 1 RM is and use a calculator to see what weights you should aim for.

For example, let’s say your 1 RM is 275 lbs. This means your first set is going to be 65% of that.

65% of 275 = 178.75 lbs.

Obviously, it’s going to be impossible to get that weight. Use 175 or 180 lbs. As you gain experience, you’ll be able to do most of this by feel.

Here’s an example of what this looks like in sets and reps with a 1 RM of 275lbs. The weights are strictly for example purposes. You need to adjust this according to your 1RM, experience and strength levels.

Warm up sets (Do as many sets as you need to be fully warmed up and ready to handle your work sets)

Set 1 – 175 x 5 reps

Set 2 – 205 x 5 reps

Sets 3,4,5 – 240 x 5 reps

On your working sets, you should barely be able to get your 5th rep and you may even need a bump from your spotter. This is fine, but if it’s too easy or your spotter has to pull the weight off of you, adjust the weight accordingly. It should be your goal to add weight each week, even if it’s just 5 or 10 lbs. Make sure that you’re always challenging yourself.

I normally don’t take very long rests between sets, but with the 5×5, I’ll usually rest a little longer. If you normally rest 90 seconds between sets, give yourself an extra 60 seconds or so, you’ll need it.

Exercise #2 – Incline Dumbell Presses

Once I’m done with the flat bench, I move over to incline dumbells. I do 3 sets here, increasing the weight with each set. My 3 sets would look something like this:

Set 1 – 90 x 8-12

Set 2 – 100 x 8-10

Set 3 – 110 x 6-8

If a weight is too heavy or too light, I will adjust accordingly. I usually like to fail right around 8 reps. Just remember not to put the bench too far upright. You want your upper chest doing most of the work, not your shoulders.

Exercise #3 – Dips

After incline dumbells, I move to dips, my last exercise. I do 3 sets here, all within the 8-12 rep range. If you can get more than 12 reps, you may want to add some weight using a belt and plates.

There is a technique that I use for dips to hit more of my chest than delts and triceps. I keep my elbows out, my chin tucked down to my chest and lean slightly forward. Done properly, dips can take your chest development to another level.

If you’ve never done dips before, don’t worry if you can’t get 8-12 reps, just do as many as you can in good form for 3 sets. Eventually you’ll get to that rep range and you’ll be adding weight. Make sure you keep good form, though. You’ll get much more benefit from less reps and good form than you will with high reps and bad form.

That’s it. Three exercises, done with heavy weight and a lot of intensity. Your workload will be 11-12 working sets total. Like I stated earlier, this may not seem like much, but sometimes simple is best.

Keep in mind that after you use this workout, you may want to change a few things to fit your needs. You may decide to do flat dumbell presses and incline barbell presses. You may decide to do flyes instead of dips. That decision is up to you, but I would suggest you try this exact workout for at least 4 -6 weeks before you change anything.

This bench press workout is great for building size and strength, but it won’t work forever. Remember to change your routines periodically, so that you will continue to see progress with your bench press.

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Use These Bench Press Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Chest Training

The bench press is probably the most popular weightlifting exercise in existence.  Done properly, it is one of the best overall strength and mass builders around. If done incorrectly, it can be ineffective, dangerous and cause injury. By following these bench press tips, you can make sure that you build a solid foundation for your bench press and continue to see progress in the future.

There are a lot of variables involved in a proper bench press. By  incorporating these tips and techniques into your workout, you should see results rather quickly if you have been neglecting these basics. While some of this advice may seem very simple, you would be amazed at how many experienced lifters still do this great exercise wrong.

Bench Press Tips

Bench Press Tips

Choosing A Spotter

One of the most important things when Benching is a competent spotter. I prefer to have a regular training partner, but if you have to lift alone, find someone who can spot you properly.

The spotter’s job is to get you through your sticking point with as little help as possible and make sure that the bar keeps moving in a fluid motion. He should never be pulling the weight off of you, unless something goes wrong and he needs to for safety purposes. I’ll be discussing this more later.

Position And Grip

Make sure to position yourself properly when Benching. Your feet should be flat on the floor for stability. As you get more experienced with the bench press, you’ll learn to push with your feet as you’re driving the weight up. Your butt, shoulders and head should be on the bench, with a slight arch in your lower back.

These things should be constant throughout the lift. Do not roll your body or lift your head while performing this exercise. The last thing you want to do while pressing 315 lbs., is move your head around. This could possibly cause neck and spine injuries. Keep your head on the bench and your eyes on the ceiling.

Your grip will be very important and will determine where most of the tension is placed. The closer your grip, the more you will be working your triceps. The wider your grip, the more stress you will place on your shoulders.

The ideal grip will have your forearms perpendicular to the bar. I try to stay as close to this grip as possible. Remember, the bench press is supposed to work your chest.

Warm up And Stretching

Before you even begin lifting any weight, you should warm up on the stationary bike or treadmill for about 5 minutes. After this, you should spend another few minutes stretching. I usually use a broomstick to stretch and do range of motion exercises for my shoulders.

I also do some light stretching for my pectoral muscles. Basically any movement where you hold your upper arm against something and lean or step forward slightly, will give a light stretch on your pecs.

Whatever you do, don’t skip warming up and stretching. You may be able to get away with it for a while, especially if you’re young, but eventually, it will bite you in the ass.

Even though it only takes a few minutes, I know why people hate spending time stretching and warming up. It’s not my favorite thing to do, but I learned the hard way many years ago when I had to take time off from training because I wasn’t warming up properly.

When it comes to warming up, everyone is different. Some people need more warm up sets than others. This is something you’ll need to figure out for yourself. I’ve found that 4 light warm up sets, followed by 2 progressively heavier sets are perfect for me.

Normally I take very brief rest periods in between my light warm up sets.  My warm up sets for the bench press, if my target weight for my working sets was 315,  is as follows:

Set 1 – The Bar x 20-25 reps

Set 2 – 95lbs. x 12-15 reps

Sets 3 & 4 – 135 x 8-10 reps

Set 5 – 225 x 6-8 reps

set 6 – 275 x 5 reps

Keep in mind that this is not set in stone. This is what works best for me. Just make sure that when you start moving into your working sets, that you are fully warmed up.

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Form

Proper form is one of the biggest factors to getting the most out of the bench press. As stated before, make sure your butt, shoulders and head are on the bench and drive with the feet and legs to help with the lift. Lower the bar under control to the top of the sternum and then drive the weight back up.

Make sure to choose a weight that you can control. Never bounce the bar off of your chest. If you’re bouncing the bar off of your chest, you are using more weight than you can handle and you’re setting yourself up for injury.

There’s nothing impressive about laying under the bar straining while your spotter is pulling the bar off of your chest. Your spotter is there for your safety and to help you through your sticking points. He’s not there to do his deadlift workout.

Forced Reps And Why You Shouldn’t Do Them

Years ago, I did forced reps all the time. Every exercise, every set, every day. Looking back at it now, I laugh at how little my training partners and I knew about training. I use forced reps occasionally now, but I know what I’m doing and I do them properly.

The topic of forced reps could be a whole article in itself. So, for the sake of simplicity,  if you’re a beginner, I would suggest steering clear of forced reps until you become more experienced.

Next time you’re at the gym, take a look at most guys doing forced reps and you’ll see that they look much the same as they did last year and the year before. Most of them are skinny and weak and quite honestly, just don’t know what they’re doing. Forced reps are counterproductive and potentially dangerous if not done properly.

I’m sure you’ve seen it before. The guy benching has failed and yet he’s going to do 3 more “forced reps”. He has no ability to even control the weight anymore and his spotter, who’s face is beet red from straining to pull the weight off of his chest, is screaming,  “It’s all you, man!”

Seriously, don’t be that guy. Push the weight until you reach positive failure and you can’t get another rep in good form. At that point, your set is done. When you become more experienced, then you can start using forced reps, rest pause, negatives and other advanced techniques. For now, just focus on form, increasing your weight and feeling the exercise in your chest.

Work Your Back

Never underestimate how much a strong back can help your bench press. The stronger your back is, the stronger your bench press will be. Do yourself a favor and don’t neglect your back training. Not only is it necessary for a balanced physique, but it will make a difference in your bench press strength.

Change Your Workout Periodically

No matter how much you love a certain bench press workout, make sure to change up your training frequently. I’ve been guilty of sticking with a training routine for too long, so I know how easy it can be to do this. Try to switch up your routine every 4-6 weeks. This will keep the body from adapting and help you continue to make gains.

Nutrition And Rest

Here’s one of the biggest, yet most overlooked, tips of all. You need to eat properly and get enough sleep. In theory, these two things probably seem the easiest to do, but this is where most trainers fail. You will never reach your full potential without proper nutrition and rest.

Do your absolute best to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night and try to eat 5-6 nutrient dense meals a day. You’ll be amazed at what these two things can do to help you build size and strength.

Always listen to your body because you know your body better than anyone. Don’t force things if they don’t feel right. It’s better to be on the safe side than to injure yourself and have to take time off of training.

Individually, some of these things may not seem like a big deal. If you’re not doing these things already, though, you may want to incorporate these bench press tips into your workout. Try these ideas out and see if they can’t help you get a bigger bench press.

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