Add 10 Pounds to Your Bench Press in One Month Using One Easy Trick

This article offers one easy tip that can help you add 10 lbs. to your bench press in one month.  There is no complicated workout program to follow, no supplement to take and no strict diet to adhere to. 

In fact, even if your workout program is crappy and you do everything wrong, this one simple tip may be what you’re looking for to bust through your plateau. 

Don’t get me wrong.  The best way to increase your performance of any lift is to follow a disciplined program that incorporates progressive resistance with structured micro and macro cycles.

However, for the purposes of this article, simply following this suggestion could very well add ten pounds to your bench press in 1 month.  

Rubber Band Magic

There is a lot of talk in the power lifting world of the  benefits of using resistance bands when training the squat, bench press and deadlift.  These bands provide varying degrees of resistance for lifters who are employing accommodating resistance techniques in their programs. 

These specialized bands are typically used to provide increased resistance through a range of motion where the lifter is the strongest, thus the term accommodating resistance. 

Another valuable use for the bands involves many of the same movements that are often performed with cables.   For example, resistance bands can be used  to perform face pulls, pull throughs and bicep curls. 

This one simple trick that can add 10 pounds to your bench press in one month involves using a resistance band to perform triceps press downs.  

Get your resistance bands here.

No Resistance Bands?

 If you don’t have access to resistance bands, use something that offers some elasticity.  I don’t care if you use an bicycle inner tube or your stained tighty whiteys, just use something that can be tied to a sturdy object that is above eye level and that provides at least a little bit of a challenge when pressed down in triceps press down fashion. 

The Set Up

Once you’ve secured your resistance band, bicycle tire accessory or undergarment from a sturdy object that is above eye level, take hold of the press down device and assume the standard triceps press down position. 

For those who are unfamiliar with the movement, tuck your elbows close to your sides against your rib cage and take hold of the press down device at about nipple level approximately ten inches in front of your body. 

The Execution

Perform a few sets of strict triceps press downs until you’ve reached a total of 100 repetitions.  The resistance level should be challenging enough so that you can’t perform any more than about 30 repetitions at a time. 

I don’t mean 30 easy reps either.  Ideally, it should take three or four sets to complete all 100 reps.  Each set should have your triceps screaming by about rep number 25. 

The idea is to keep going until you can’t possibly perform another rep.  Your triceps should be burning like a mo-fo around rep number 30 and you may start dancing in place out of agonizing pain if you reach rep number 40.

Once you reach the point where you can’t perform any more strict reps, stand back and feel the blood rush into the triceps.  You may experience some of the best pumps in your life using this method.  Once you’ve caught your breath and you’re ready to proceed, bang out another set.  Each subsequent set should be harder and the number of reps will be fewer.  Rest time should be limited to one minute or less. 

How Often?

Your 100 rep resistance band or underwear press downs should be performed three times per week for one full month.  Everything else should remain the same.  There’s no need to change up your exercise routine.  Just keep doing what you’re doing.  Or don’t.  The idea is that adding this one exercise to your workout program three times per week for one month may very well add 10 lbs. to your bench press. 

Will This Really Work?

I suppose there will be a few lifters who may try this and half-heartedly perform the movement or use undies with super worn out elastic.  For those folks, it may not work out too well.  But as long as a good effort is put into your pantie press downs and you perform your normal bench press routine over the course of the month, it should work just fine. 

When I first learned about this trick I was informed that a young lifter added this movement to his program and increased his bench press from 360 lbs. to 400 lbs. in 12 weeks.  I was skeptical and I don’t think that will happen for most people.  However, I’ve incorporated this method into my training over the years and have enjoyed marvelous results along with better recovery of elbow tendonitis. 

Why Does It Work?

There are several reasons why this works.  First, the high rep nature of the method drives blood and nutrients into the triceps muscles and connective tissue at the elbow.  This allows for increased extensiveness of capillaries and muscle cell mitochondrial growth.

Additionally, muscular endurance is increased as many bench press programs focus on limit strength with less priority placed on endurance training.  Indeed, the method is an excellent means of testing the limits of your pain tolerance. 

I challenge you to incorporate this method into your workout program.  I must caution you not to attempt to find your one rep max on the bench every other day. Instead, find your true one rep max prior to employing this technique and then give it a try 30 days later.  Hopefully you will find that you’ve added 10 pounds to your bench press in one month.  

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