Bigger Bench Checklist

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1 Bigger Bench Checklist Mike Samuels with Jason Maxwell Page1

2 Bigger Bench Checklist Copyright 2015 by JMax Fitness All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher (Jason Kenneth Maxwell). There are unique embedding codes in this pdf file that track any illegal downloads or distribution. Any illegal distribution results in fines starting at $250,000. ISBN 13 (paperback): XXXXXXXXXXXXX ISBN 10 (paperback): XXXXXXXXXX ISBN 13 (electronic): XXXXXXXXXXXXX ISBN 10 (electronic): XXXXXXXXXX Trademarked names may appear in this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use the names only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Page2

3 Disclaimer The information presented in this program is only for informational purposes and should not oppose against any medical advice from a licensed medical professional. Listen to your medical professional and you must get your physicians approval before starting an exercise program. This program is designed for healthy individuals 18 years and older, and is meant for educational purposes only. All forms of exercise present risk. Readers should take full responsibility and should not take risks beyond your experience. If you are taking medication, are obese, diabetic, or have any serious illness then you must talk to your physician before starting an exercise and nutrition program, including this one. Jason Maxwell will not assume any liability or be held responsible for any form of injury, personal loss or illness caused by the use of this information. Page3

4 Table of Contents Bigger Bench Checklist... 1 Mike Samuels with Jason Maxwell... 1 Disclaimer... 3 Introduction... 5 Bench Press Gear... 6 Chalk... 6 Wrist Wraps... 6 A Good-Quality Barbell... 6 Solid Footwear... 7 Resistance Bands... 7 Bench Press Cues... 8 Squeeze the hell out of the bar... 8 Corkscrew... 8 Spread the Floor... 8 Butt Down, Back Arched... 9 Lats Tight... 9 Get Big Air... 9 Pull the Bar Apart and Elbows Tucked... 9 There You Have It The Checklist FTC Disclosure Page4

5 Introduction So you want to bench big? Hit 2, 3 or even 4 plates a side? Dominate in your next powerlifting competition, impressive the bros in your gym, or need to bring up a lagging press to match your squat and deadlift strength? If so, this is your one stop shop for all things bench press. We ve broken it down into 2 sections 1. The Gear you need for a bigger bench All your equipment, clothing and tools. 2. The Execution The key cues you need to remember, how to train, and the technique pointers that will help you crush your next session or PR attempt. The first rule of benching big is To bench a lot, you must bench a lot. This means that while accessory lifts such as dumbbell presses, incline presses, paused benches and banded presses have their place (as you ll find in our bench specialization manual) for the most part, you simply need to focus on your plain old regular bench press. With that in mind, let s delve into your checklist for a bigger bench Page5

6 Bench Press Gear In gyms across the land, you see all manner of equipment being used by bench pressers - Bands, chains, wrist wraps, straps, weight belts but what do you really need? Chalk You might associate chalk more with pulling movements like the deadlift, but it s a lifesaver (almost literally) when bench pressing. Chalk removes all the moisture from your hands, giving you a far more secure grip on the bar. Inexpensive, chalk is a must in your gym bag. Wrist Wraps Wrist WRAPS aren t to be confused with wrist STRAPS. Wraps are secured around your wrists, with the elastic hooked over your thumb, and stop your wrists from getting bent back when holding a bar, whereas straps are used to grip bars. If you re in any doubt about your wrist strength, pick up a pair of wraps. They re legal in all powerlifting federations, and make you feel far more secure. A Good-Quality Barbell If you train in a commercial gym, this might be out of your control. But if you train at home, or have the choice of barbells at your gym, always go for the best one. A Texas Power or an Eleiko bar is a great choice, and makes bench pressing so much more efficient. If you re stuck with a generic, crappy bar, then at least try and choose one that has decent knurling and isn t bent. Page6

7 Solid Footwear What you have on your feet probably isn t your first thought when benching, but stability and strength start from the ground up. What you wear for squats and deadlifts is likely your best choice here, as these will be sturdy, and allow you to transfer maximum power into the floor, get a better foot placement and grip, and aid with positioning. Squat shoes, or flat shoes like Chuck Taylors work best. Resistance Bands Bands serve two purposes. They can be used for band-assisted or band-resisted bench presses as a method of accommodating resistance training. Attaching the bands around dumbbells on the floor, and then over the bar makes your presses much harder, but is a useful way of implementing speed and power work into your program. Alternatively, set up in a power rack, with one end of the bands under the ends of the bar, and the other ends over the top of the rack. This lets you lift heavier weights, and adds overload to the muscles. The other way to use a band is to loop one around your arms this forces you to keep your elbows in position during the lift, and hold your shoulder blades tight. Page7

8 Bench Press Cues Not sure where to start with technique? First and foremost, if you pick up the full DUP manual, there s a comprehensive guide in there, complete with instructional videos on how to master the perfect set up. A few simple cues can get you started though, so let s look at these, going through the set up stages Squeeze the hell out of the bar Whether you re pressing 45 or 545 pounds, you need to grip the bar like your life depends on it. That means from the moment your fingers touch the iron, they should be applying death pressure! This activates more muscle fibers, gets your nervous system amped up, and ensures a stronger press. Corkscrew This is the technique used to get your upper-back solid on the bench. Once you ve grabbed the bar and set your grip, bring your feet up on to the bench, then dig your shoulder blades down HARD into in. Think corkscrew so swivel down and imagine pushing your traps to the floor. Once you re tight, don t let that position go. Spread the Floor After applying the corkscrew technique, your feet will be on the bench, but you don t want them to stay there. Take one down, and push it into the floor, bringing it up toward the head end of the bench a little. Then do the same with the other foot, and aim to spread the floor with your heels. Page8

9 Butt Down, Back Arched Just like your upper-back, your butt needs to be in firm contact with the bench. You don t need a flat lower-back though. In fact, look at all the top bench pressers, and you ll see they have a slight (or in some cases, a large) lower-back arch. This shortens the range of motion, and makes for a far more efficient press. You don t need to make arching a priority, but if your butt and upper back are digging down, and your feet are in the right place, that arch will form naturally don t try to get rid of it. Lats Tight A nice simple, self-explanatory one. Get Big Air Breathing right is a huge issue on the bench press. Take a big breath before you lift the bar from the pins (you may want a spotter to help you on your top set.) Exhale as you bring the bar out, then take another gulp, filling your belly full of air before the descent. Hold your breath all the way through the lift, then breath out forcefully one you ve completed the rep. If you hit a sticking point mid-lift, letting out a little air can help you break through it. Pull the Bar Apart and Elbows Tucked These 2 work well together. By doing one, you ll almost automatically do the other, so pick whichever one sits best with you. If you re struggling with pulling the bar apart go back to the gear section, grab your resistance band, and loop it around your elbows. Page9

10 You need your elbows tucked from a safety point of view flared elbows equals a high risk of straining a pec, or blowing out your shoulder. Page10

11 There You Have It There you have it. A nice, easy, gran n go guide to building a bigger bench. You need 5 pieces of kit (along with your regular gym clothing obviously hopefully we don t need to add that naked bench pressing is generally frowned upon.) And there are 8 key technique cues, all designed to make your press more comfortable, efficient, dynamic, and above all stronger. Now go forth, and build a bigger bench. Page11

12 The Checklist Chalk Wrist Wraps A Good-Quality Barbell Solid Footwear Resistance Bands Squeeze the bar Corkscrew Spread the floor Butt Down, Back Arches Lats Tight Get Big Air Pull the Bar Apart Elbows Tucked Page12

13 FTC Disclosure As of December 1st, 2009 the FTC requires that we disclose whenever there could be hidden interests or unspoken biases related to recommendations. Although I support and truly believe in all the products I recommend in this ebook, for legal reasons, let s assume that they pay me loads of cash so I can race dolphins in my yacht, golf with celebrities, and have a butler named Alfred. Page13

SHE LIFTS. Bonus 1 - Calorie-Torching Cardio to Blitz Body Fat. Mike Samuels with Jason Maxwell

SHE LIFTS. Bonus 1 - Calorie-Torching Cardio to Blitz Body Fat. Mike Samuels with Jason Maxwell SHE LIFTS Bonus 1 - Calorie-Torching Cardio to Blitz Body Fat Mike Samuels with Jason Maxwell Disclaimer She Lifts Copyright 2016 by Jason Maxwell All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced