How to Get a Bigger Bench Press - The Secret No One Has Told You

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by: kylesmilsnap
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Word Count: 406
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 Time: 1:43 PM
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The Bench press is the king of lifts in the gym. Everyone who goes to gym that is serious about getting big and strong wants to be able to bench press more weight. There's just something about the lift that projects manliness.

However, many lifters get frustrated because their gains slow down after a few weeks and it feels like they have "hit a wall." Many people think they have to spend more time in the gym, do the bench multiple times per week, or push themselves to their physical limits in order to progress. Fortunately, this doesn't have to be the case. Here are three ways you can increase your bench press by working smarter, not harder.

Strengthen Your Back

Bench Pressing doesn't just require a strong chest. You can actually put weight on your bench by making your back muscles stronger, especially the latissimus dorsi, the large muscles on the sides of your back. The lats help you control the decent of the negative (lowering) portion on the bench.

Work a Variety of Grips

Often, trainees spend all of their time benching using the same grip width on the bar. The truth is, when you change the location of your hands on the bar, you can make your bench stronger and shift the emphasis of the lift. For instance, if you move the hands in a few inches, you will put more emphasis on the triceps. If you widen your grip, you will reduce the path the bar has to travel, increasing the amount of weight you can move.

Strengthen Your Hands

Weak hands are a major problem for many people who train with weights. Most people do not realize that having a strong grip is very important for a big bench press. For instance, if the wrists are weak, they can buckle under the weight of the bar and throw you off. However if your hands are strong, you feel more confident under the bar and you'll feel like you can make it do what you want it to do.

Yes, a strong grip can make the difference between being stuck at the same weight in the bench press for months or even years and consistently making gains. Imagine the feeling of loading that next big 45-lb plate onto the bar, once you strengthen those hands.

About the Author

The author is a strength coach and grip strength specialist. He has written hundreds of articles on Grip Training and the benefits of strong hands. To watch two free videos on how to build stronger hands for the Bench Press, sign up for a free video: Stronger Grip for a Stronger Bench Press.