| Faster Reps Up Your Bench |
| 30-Apr-2012 |
| There are plenty of strategies for increasing the amount of weight you can bench press. A study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine offers an easy to use tip for upping your bench by as much as 10% in just 3 weeks.
Researchers recruited 20 experienced lifters and had half the group bench at a rep rate they were comfortable using. The rest were told to push the bar up about as quickly as they could. This turned out to be an average of 80% to 100% of their maximal speed. Both groups trained twice a week for 3 weeks using a load equal to 85% of their one rep max. Those practicing fast lifts increased their maximum load by 10.2% while increasing their maximum rep speed by 2.2%.
True Strength Moment: This strategy represents a great way to change up a tired resistance training routine, and might help you develop greater power while upping your bench. Remember that the speed of the lift is only applied on the pushing part. You can take it a little slower and be more careful bringing the barbell back down to your chest.
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