Strength is a skill just as much as it is a quality. This means that you can instantly get stronger if you learn how to use your body properly. Therefore, if you want to almost instantly add 10 lbs on your bench press, then then give these quick and easy benching techniques a try, and see how much more iron you end up hoisting.
Brace Your Abs
Brace your midsection like someone is going to punch you in the stomach.
Contract Your Quads
While lying on the bench, keep feet grounded and pretend you are pushing the floor away. Be sure to keep the knees bent at 90 degrees, while holding an isometric contraction.
Contract Your Glutes
Squeeze your glutes tight while simultaneously pushing your heels into the floor.
Flare Your Lats
The goal here is to pull your shoulders down and out, as far away as possible from your ears.
Squeeze the Bar
Wrap your fingers around the bar and squeeze it hard.
Execute
While engaging all of these muscles, slowly lower the bar in a controlled motion to your chest, and then explosively push the bar away from you. In your mind, pretend the bar is stationary and you are forcefully pushing your body towards the ground.
If you do all of the above, you should instantly be able to add 10 more pounds to your bench, and set yourself up for many personal records in the future.
Jason Maxwell, BEng, CPT is an Aerospace Engineering Graduate turned fitness professional from Toronto, Canada. For more awesome fitness information, download his free ebook “How to Gain 10 lbs of Muscle”.
