Bench press realistic progress?

[stephen4785]

How much of an increase should someone be able to make in 6 weeks? Iv never been very good a bench press. In high school I was in football and we lifted 4-5 days a week. My max was 235lbs. I did a max a few weeks ago and Im around 205. Im wondering when I do my max in a bout 6 weeks what would be a realistic increase? Im 6'4 215lbs.
Oh, and by 205 I really meant 400lbs. j/k

[lincolnboy]

Ive been working out off and on for years. Have recently found out about grip strength workouts. I would have not of thought about grip excersice before but it makes a huge difference in lifting. I would incorporate some grip strength workouts then worrying about getting a better bench.

[stephen4785]

Ive been working out off and on for years. Have recently found out about grip strength workouts. I would have not of thought about grip excersice before but it makes a huge difference in lifting. I would incorporate some grip strength workouts then worrying about getting a better bench.

I think my grip strength is fine. I have a #1 and #2 captains of crush grippers and I can close the #'2 and make the ends touch about 10 times. I can do the #1's 20 times and make them touch. It's kind of funny becasue Iv had other guys talk about how they have grizzly bear grip strength so I'll hand them the #2's. No one has been able to touch the ends together. Then I'll do it and touch the ends together and someone will say Im not really touching the ends together so I twist them in my hands and you can hear them grind against each other.
Im pretty sure my grip strength isnt the problem.

[32valves_of_pleasure]

if you know your max, then use the smallest increments each week. if you feel like you can blow past a 1.25 lb increment on each side, then go to the 2.5 lb.

I like reverse grip bench for stability in my triceps. skull crushers also help.

a standing press/military press to keep my shoulders in check.

and a back excercise like bent over rows/pendlay rows or perhaps something a little more different. it's all connected.

[SS Junk]

Skull crushers are the shit. Don't lock your elbows and swing the bar with your shoulders. Touch your forehead with the bar and keep your elbows and shoulders fixed. After your set of 10, position the bar just below your chest and press the bar a quick 10 reps. Hard to say how much you'd gain w/in that time period. Each week, up your bench by 5 or 10lbs depending on how you feel.

[White_lightning]

Skull crushers are the shit. Don't lock your elbows and swing the bar with your shoulders. Touch your forehead with the bar and keep your elbows and shoulders fixed. After your set of 10, position the bar just below your chest and press the bar a quick 10 reps. Hard to say how much you'd gain w/in that time period. Each week, up your bench by 5 or 10lbs depending on how you feel.

i highly Do NOT reccomend touching the bar to your forehead unless you have tiny arms. this exact motion lead to the hyperextention of both of the tendons in my elbow. It is MUCH safer to take it "behind your head" rather than to your fore head.

[Shorty]

I think my grip strength is fine. I have a #1 and #2 captains of crush grippers and I can close the #'2 and make the ends touch about 10 times.

That's pretty damn impressive.

[SS Junk]

i highly Do NOT reccomend touching the bar to your forehead unless you have tiny arms. this exact motion lead to the hyperextention of both of the tendons in my elbow. It is MUCH safer to take it "behind your head" rather than to your fore head.

Not all of us can crush a 600lb rep in that position you wilderbeast!

[White_lightning]

Not all of us can crush a 600lb rep in that position you wilderbeast!

lol hardley.. hurt my elbows with only 175 on the EZ bar;(

[dville_gt]

I think my grip strength is fine. I have a #1 and #2 captains of crush grippers and I can close the #'2 and make the ends touch about 10 times. I can do the #1's 20 times and make them touch. It's kind of funny becasue Iv had other guys talk about how they have grizzly bear grip strength so I'll hand them the #2's. No one has been able to touch the ends together. Then I'll do it and touch the ends together and someone will say Im not really touching the ends together so I twist them in my hands and you can hear them grind against each other.
Im pretty sure my grip strength isnt the problem.

Do you set them in your hands or do you just squeeze it from a neutral hold?

[pr1042]

That's pretty damn impressive.

I concur. I can barely get the #1 once w/ my right hand and barely the trainer with my left. Never had an issue with deadlifts though

[Lone Sailor]

I think my grip strength is fine. I have a #1 and #2 captains of crush grippers and I can close the #'2 and make the ends touch about 10 times. I can do the #1's 20 times and make them touch. It's kind of funny becasue Iv had other guys talk about how they have grizzly bear grip strength so I'll hand them the #2's. No one has been able to touch the ends together. Then I'll do it and touch the ends together and someone will say Im not really touching the ends together so I twist them in my hands and you can hear them grind against each other.
Im pretty sure my grip strength isnt the problem.

Solid barg.

[lincolnboy]

Any one do blog grip lift or pinch plate.

[stephen4785]

Do you set them in your hands or do you just squeeze it from a neutral hold?

I squeze them from nuetral. Ill take a vid and post it tomorrow. There seems to be lots of people that can close the #2's and 3's on the web but none of them can figure out how to post the video.
I understand that people with small hands have to squeeze them down a little at first but I still think it's cheating. The Captains of Crush website says in order to get certified you have to start with the ends far enough apart so that a credit cards short side can fit between the ends.
Whats weird is Iv never trained my forearms or grip strength. I bought the #1's so Id have something to do while running emissions tests at work and when they came in I closed them and thought that was a little too easy. I bought the 2's and closed them 4-5 times and thought that was a easier than I thought. I need to try the 2.5's.
Hell Im not bragging. I have good grip strength but my bench sucks balls.

[SS Junk]

lol hardley.. hurt my elbows with only 175 on the EZ bar;(

Only he says...