The bench

down slow, up fast

for the whole of the rep, keep thinking about pushing the bar up - this will make you stay tight even when lowering the bar

>>41389290
i disagree with these statements btw

>The flat bench press is unarguably the most important exercise for the growth of the upper body.
>It is the most alpha male compound exercise.

bumperino

>>41389266
Wrong, the most important exercise is the cable push down. It's the only exercise you need to grab someone by the head and force them to suck your dick.

>>41389266
What shoulder warmups have you been doing? I'm looking to introduce some

>>41389266
I've been doing seated cable rows with a pull up bar to warm up my back. I do a few sets with lightish weight and I make sure me grip is about the same width as my bench grip. It's done wonders.

>>41389471
My warmup for any upper body workout is 8 reps of Bench, close grip bench, OHP, row, shrugs, curls with the bar.

>>41389471
https://youtu.be/EhAPCPAskJU

2:46

>>41389510
This is interesting, I will try this next time.
So like 3 sets, 10 reps light weight?

>>41389266
overhead press is objectively manlier than bench press, it's only more widespread because of powerlifters spreading their cancer

>>41389301
same, dumbbell bench press is superior for growth in the chest as you can squeeze your chest better and more rom

>>41389266

Beginner here, skele tier too.

How do I increase my bench? I can bench 4x4 47.5kg now, I wanna try 50kg tomorrow.

I'm not sure how to 'retract my scapula', everytime I do so on the bench it just feels really weird. Most of the time I just end up arching my back and that's it.

Also, I can't increase my bench by 2.5kg every workout, it seems to be about 2.5kg every week.. Is that normal for a beginner?

I started bench at 30kg, basically 5 on each side. Really light.

Also is there a stigma whereby benching anything lesser than a pl8 is basically an insult to the bench? If that's the case what else can I do to improve my benching without benching itself? Does dumbbell bench helps?

I can bench 18kg dumbbells for 8 reps but unfortunately the gym only have 20kg max.

File: 1490318101481.jpg (88KB, 900x600px) Image search: [Google]

88KB, 900x600px

>>41389266
>Personally, I have recently started .... keeping my shoulder blades pinched together

Are you fucking retarded? That's not a "tip" dude, that's literally just a basic part of the correct form for the lift. Is this entire thread full of nothing but DYELs?

File: 0c86c9a200fa68372456686637094f94.png (383KB, 1320x965px) Image search: [Google]

383KB, 1320x965px

>implying bench is manlier than THE PRESS

>>41389627
No that's not normal for a beginner. Progress should come quick and easy when you're a beginner. My guess is that you're not eating enough, dipshit.

And I don't give a fuck if retracting your scapula "feels weird." Boo hoo, do it right or don't do it at all. You sound like a lanky pussy bitch.

Good luck, you can make it

>>41389651
>DYELs
You are right. However, most of the people I know fail to perform with correct form.

They hit a plateau soon enough and start wondering where they can improve.

Pullups is the manliest excercise you can do.

>>41389685
>>41389728
Both of these. OP please fucking go

>>41389627
At first: don't worry anon, most of us started with 30 kg or even lower.
If you want to increase your bench, make a two split on 4 times a week, at least that helped me with increasing (115 kg for 2 reps right now):

Day 1:
Squats (3-5 sets)
Bench Press (3-5 sets)
dumbbell press (3 sets)
Arm curl (3 sets)

Day 2:
Deadlift (3-5 sets)
barbell row (3-5 sets)
dumbbell row (3 sets)

Day 3:
Day 1 again

Day 4:
Day 2 again

If that is too much for you, make a normal three split, but then do failure steps in your leg day. With that your body should be able to increase your bench two, you bench not only with your arms, you use your legs too without even recognizing, so strong legs will also help you to build a strong chest more or less.

And by far the most important thing:
Think about your carbohydrates. I'm not against low carb per se, but low carb on training days is pointless, do low carb on rest days.