Don’t fall prey to these old wives’ tales that make it impossible ot get in your best chest workouts:
You need to use as much weight as possible.
Not so – while you should be doing your regular workout sets with something between 60 and 80 per cent of your one rep max, going over that on a regular basis will not spur growth, and may even hinder it. Heavy weight, low rep sets have their place in your chest workout regimen, but they should not be your bread and butter. They take a serious toll on your joints – especially your shoulders.
Only wimps need a spotter.
Ummmm….NO. Don’t be the guy that had to leave the gym via the ambulance. There is no shame in playing it safe, and the veterans in your gym will see that you know what you are doing. If you think there is any chance at all that your current set will go to failure, get a spotter.
Put your feet up on the bench.
This one has always amazed me. How can you create a stable base for your bench press with your feet up on the bench? Keep your feet on the ground, firmly planted. This gives you a tripod, an inherently stable platform from which to push. Lose your balance with 2 plates on a side, and you can join the guy in #2 for the ride to the E.R. It may also occur to you that a stable base may allow you to push more weight safely.
You need a big arch in your back.
You need an operation on your spine too I guess. No way this helps if what you are after is a good workout, and better chest development. What you are really doing is trying to turn a flat bench press into a decline bench press on the wrong piece of equipment. If you want to decline bench, go ahead. But get on the decline bench to do it.
You need to grunt and scream to get the weight up.
For crying out loud (literally) please stop this. If the weight is heavy, you may make a noise related to the effort – involuntarily. But purposely shouting and grunting make you look like what you are – a poser. It has nothing to do with getting in the best chest workouts possible, and everything to do with who is watching you.
Plus, ever notice that the guy making all the noise has one plate on a side and weighs 125 pounds? And an iPod, for some reason. Maybe so he can’t hear his own o-song?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I see guys doing at least soem arch all the time. isn’t it a question of degree, more so than arching is always bad?
Yes, it is a question of how much arch there is. A little is OK – the rule of thumb for arching during the bench press I have always heard is that at most, you should be able to fit your clenched fist between the small of the back and the bench.