Bench Press: Stronger, Stronger, Strongest

Use the bench

• Progressive results: Strong

Exercises must be diverse, but everywhere there are limits. If you perform complex exercises before you master the basics, you just fall to the floor. We have developed for you a 6-week program of exercises, which will ensure you a uniform progression.

You will move from traditional, simple exercises to more complex - and more effective - bench presses. Result: you will overcome boredom and improve your physical abilities. With strength exercises, use weights that allow you to perform the approach in perfect form. Starting with the second week, you will perform two exercises. Do this exercise program once or twice a week.

• First and second weeks: Push-ups

Do three sets of push-ups to muscle failure. This will prepare your rotator cuff for heavier loads. Lie on your stomach, hands near your shoulders. Strain the abdominal and gluteal muscles and perform a push-up. Lower the body to lightly touch the floor.

• The second and third weeks: Press the bar on the bench

Continue to do push-ups for the second week, but add the following exercise as well. Do 3 sets of 12 repetitions to strengthen the pectoral muscles. Lie on your back on a bench, your feet lie on the floor. Remove the bar from the posts by using the grip from above (palms look up), arms slightly wider than on the width of the shoulders. Slowly lower the neck to the chest. Stop, then squeeze the weight up until the arms are fully straightened.

• The third and fourth weeks: Progression of press of a dumbbell on a bench

Continue to press the bar on the bench for the third week and add the following progression, which will help you to stabilize the hands, increase the amplitude of the movements and balance the strength on each side of the body. Do 3 sets of 12 repetitions. Lie on your back on a bench and keep dumbbells near your chest. Squeeze dumbbells straight up, lower them and repeat. Change the sequence: this time, start the exercise by holding both dumbbells above your head. Lower one dumbbell to the chest and squeeze it up. Repeat with the other hand. Option with one dumbbell: hold one dumbbell above your head and put the other hand on the thigh. Pull in the abdominal muscles when you lower and lift the dumbbell with one hand. After 12 repetitions, take the dumbbell in the other hand and repeat.

• Fourth and fifth weeks: Progression of push-ups for balance

Combine the push-ups program with a dumbbell exercise program during the fourth week to strengthen the pectoral and central muscles. Do the exercises before muscle failure, but with the first approach for safety, stop for 1-2 repetitions to failure of the muscles. First, do push-ups on the balancing board. Then place your shins on the fitball, hands on the floor. Lower the body until your hands form an angle of 90 degrees. Finally, go to the push-ups on the fitball. The toes rest against the floor, hands on the ball, just below the shoulders. Bend your arms until your chest touches the ball, then push up again.

• Fifth and Sixth Weeks: Progression of Bench Press on fitball

Continue the pushup program for balance and add presses on the fitball. Perform the same progression as when dumbbell presses on the bench. You will accelerate the neuromuscular processes, which will improve the overall development of pectoral muscles. Lie back on the fitball. Strain muscles of the abdomen and buttocks, your body should take the form of a strap. Squeeze dumbbells above your head. Lock in this position, then slowly lower the dumbbell. Change the exercise using the same technique as in the variable bench press, then perform one-sided bench presses.