If You Haven't Bench Pressed 400lbs, Watch This

[@AlexanderBromley]

BaseStrengthAI is more reliable than a coach, cheaper than an Excel template!👇👇👇 www.BaseStrength.com/the-app Bromley Merch from Barbell Apparel only available HERE! 👇👇👇 barbellapparel.com/Bromley

[@freakied0550]

Fuck 😂😂😂 (before watching it all, I'm going to guess we'll agree on 90% of it anyway)

[@psyoperator]

You are reminding me of Kunu from Forgetting Sarah Marshall... "Do Less" LOLOL!!!!

[@ShetharTraining]

😂💝💝

[@simeonspasov3732]

Hello, I'm a boxer and I want to increase my strength without gaining muscle mass. What should be my training and training split to do it.

[@EagleFitnesss]

​@@simeonspasov3732just dont eat enough protein and train with intensity for strength

[@eucharistenjoyer]

I'm happy to inform that I benched 160lbs before watching this video and now I'm benching 400lbs.

[@MrEvoXI]

You’re predestined to hit 500

[@Skoopyghost]

I am a kettlebell guy. My work out is hellish 200 kettlebell swing, and presses. I suck at barbells, but still have to so good job on 400 pounds.

[@jd9119]

You use a 2.5lb plate on all of your lifts?

[@davereeves1967]

@@jd9119 those are the best plates in the gym.

[@NoelD4l]

Yeah and I turned Ellen straight from lesbian 😂

[@markwilliams6196]

Gym rat here. Spent last 25 years working out at our gym at my job by myself at lunch. Worked my way up to a 415 bench at 225 body weight. Never lifted to exhaustion since no spotter. Just a one trick pony as my boss says. 56 years old now and still maintain 350+ 1rm

[@skidaddler6293]

Just curious. At what age did you notice a significant loss in strength?

[@markwilliams6196]

@@skidaddler6293 I peaked around 30-35 years old. I started gaining weight as I've gotten older so have maintained a lot of strength but lowered my strength to weight ratio. I also started to get some nagging injuries around my 40's. Nothing major but enough for me to not work as heavy.

[@skidaddler6293]

@@markwilliams6196 oh. Ok. Thanks. I’m not as strong now as you were then but right now I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. I’m 49. I don’t have any injuries though.

[@lemonpeppersteak1089]

350 at 57 is actually crazy

[@thylabyrinth]

That bench max at that age has to put you into the top 1% of strength for your age bracket across the population. I have no data to back that up, but it sure feels true at least anecdotally.

[@1vootman]

I just benched 405 at 54 years old...life time natural lifter. Ive lifted more when i was younger, but took a break...work, family. It felt good!!

[@LucasDimoveo]

That is an immense bench at 54

[@1vootman]

@LucasDimoveo thanks man! 3 weeks later I tore my rotator cuff doing weighted chin ups, Oh well...life goes on!

[@millenniumstarfury2482]

Great job!

[@BrimhallBarbellClub]

I’m 45. 198 pounds. I’m at 365 touch and go hoping to hit 400 at some point in life.

[@ogar0]

Mirin longetevity

[@lordremo5235]

Hi, 200kg bencher here. I'd say the close grip bench on smith machine 4 sets of 10-8 reps has given me the most growth on bench, I think it's because you can throw stability out the window on smith and just stack weight, currently my top set of 8 is around 140-150 kg depending on the block etc, Great Video! Anyone benching below 400 pounds should definitely implement all the tips from this video and they will see their bench sky rocket.

[@jacobdaley3888]

for the average guy 400lbs is not possible

[@lordremo5235]

@@jacobdaley3888 perhaps, but you won't know your limit until you try. Also by saying "anyone benching below 400 pounds" I mean the whole range, so from 1 to 399, not just the people who are close to 400, everyone in the range will benefit from implementing the tips from this vid.

[@jacobdaley3888]

@@lordremo5235 yeah, im 5'5 and i dont think its physically possible to be a healthy weight and get up to 400 lbs, i just want to make it to 315

[@lordremo5235]

@@jacobdaley3888 yeah, you can definitely do this! Good luck :D

[@Please_allow_me]

Up to now I've hit 160kg for a double. I'll try out the close grip Smith machine like you've suggested and see how it goes. Smith machine or not 140kg is most impressive especially for close grip

[@tonyg25]

I managed to get to 350 pounds by training twice a week, once heavy once volume. Then I was in an accident and wrecked my shoulder. Two years later and I'm finally back at 300.

[@naughtiousmaximus7853]

How much total volume is that? Heavy + volume day?

[@ShmurkyDurky]

This is basically what I do and got up to 305. Waiting to recover from a shoulder injury though.

[@tonyg25]

@@naughtiousmaximus7853 from memory it was 5x5 at 60%-80% 1 rep max, super slow and controlled for volume. Then my heavy day way was warm up, do a one rep max, follow it with 2-3 negatives at 110% 1rm.

[@RichardWelsbyDrums]

I’d love to see this kind of breakdown for the deadlift/squat too! 🙂

[@hogblockula9335]

yes please!

[@tudor4475]

same

[@MaximusMoyles]

look up how to squat/deadlift for no gains by him

[@charlesborel8493]

Just substitute the video for squat and deadlift. It’s no different, back off the heavy weight a little bit and go heavy sometimes and bodybuild around that area to improve the majority of time, while throwing in different exercises for variety. Basically power build your legs and back. An example would be like this, instead of blowing your back out with 6 sets of heavy singles or doubles on deadlift, you could do about 2 sets of heavy doubles at 80-85 percent max and then back down the weight and do 3 more sets at 60-65 percent to finish up and then other days, just do lighter more time under tension higher repped stuff that has more variety like good mornings, paused deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, etc. and save the 1 rep max stuff for maybe every couple of months just to test your strength and it’s gonna go up! And maybe then you go through a period of more heavy stuff, more traditional powerlifting approach to get more specific in that lift for a phase or two but overall just Powerbuilding is gonna be your best bet, even elite powerlifters train this way and it even works for them, lifting heavy all the time will fry you, sure you make some gains but at what expense? Being a zombie cause your tired af all the time, Powerbuilding is amazing !

[@DCJayhawk57]

One of the biggest things that finally got my bench moving up was wrist position, it fixed a lot of other issues in the chain for me. I had been for years told that the wrist should be straight which resulted in me overtucking since balance was an issue. I also fixated too much on the arch and shoulder retraction since my touch point would be so low. I started internally rotated my hands so the bar was deep in the palm, let my wrists cock back, and let my elbows flare out a bit. I focus scap depression during the unrack and keeping a "big chest" during the descent. I use constant but not aggressive leg drive. And I also sink a little (used to soft touch). It's amazing how much smoother and comfortable this position is for me. I'm not to 400 yet, but hit an easy 335 pause bench about 5 weeks ago. I'm also 6'2" without a very thick torso, not advantaged or particularly big for the movement.

[@IronBoyDiego]

Thats good tips 🤓🫶🏽

[@sorinoliniuc7023]

I noticed the same thing with the wrists. Glad I ran into this comment.

[@catedoge3206]

yuh

[@Pyromaniac-ob1dp]

gonna send this to my mom

[@chairmanlifts]

brb sending this to my grandma

[@ChalkandIron]

518lbs bencher checking in. LOVE your podcasts. Literally nothing I can argue with. Note, Sheether and I have the pauses in common. Pause benches are a huge part of my programming.

[@DS-kr3lm]

1000 lbs lifter here enjoying

[@Wayf4rer]

I know alphadestiny is fuming right now that he's not allowed to watch this

[@nonachyourbusiness1164]

It must really be eating him alive

[@cocaineanddunhills4801]

Context?

[@ms3ben]

Why isn't he allowed to watch

[@bruuhhhh]

​@@ms3benbecause he can bench 400

[@nh1776]

Was thinking the same

[@andrewmatthews-mitchell2680]

My guy is just dropping pure knowledge with no bs 💯

[@derekzane256]

I've benched over 400 lbs dozens and dozens of times in the past 17 years,drug free..I'm 43 and still doing it...very blessed

[@GunnarStahl99]

Lol means nowt if your other lifts suck mate

[@derekzane256]

@@GunnarStahl99 nope 550-600 in Sq and dl mate......

[@TBaroon]

respect

[@LiljamezZz]

god is good, god is great

[@DDDYLN]

@AlexanderBromley - I'm an ex-colliegiate wrestler and power lifter. I was never able to bench much, despite being able to squat 500_lb, and clean and jerk 315. I actually could shoulder press 20_lb less than my flat bench. I believe my max ever was 340_lb. I'm 6' tall, very barrel chested, and my ideal weight is about 210_lb. I found out years later why I couldn't bench much. I suffer from a rare adult-onset muscular dystrophy (genetic) called FSHD. It caused my right lower pec to atrophy a little, and I have scapular winging on my right side, because the trapezius is atrophied where it connects the scapula to the spine. I always wondered why my left bench strength was so much stronger than my right. Because of the atrophy, I ended up becoming extremely strong in the arms and back, but not my pecs. I realize I may never be able to bench 400_lb due to this atrophy. However, I would appreciate some input on adjusting my form, such that I take my arms, lats, and deltoids as much out of the movement as possible, so that the stress is primarily on my pecs. I also have long arms for my build. The only thing I've been able to think of, is taking a wide grip, such that I take my arms strength out of the movement. Any advice?

[@Dexter-tk5hf]

i’m 5’5 160 lbs, just hit 225 bench last week, ima hit 400 tomorrow 😎

[@almostgrizzly9278]

You alive bud

[@dessertstorm7476]

every time I bench over 3 plates regularly i get flare ups of bursitis, the current one has been going on for 8 months. Pretty done with benching. Don't expect anyone to care, but I felt like venting that.

[@Kingofcrocs1]

really sorry to hear that my heart goes out to you man

[@EncasedinMjolnir]

i gave up on benching at 25 when i hit 355.. i dont remember why i quit, but i assume it was a shoulder injury. just started benching again at 35 and pulled my left pec the 2nd week in... this is going great

[@dessertstorm7476]

@@Kingofcrocs1 appreciated

[@sandycharlton8669]

Don't lift under 10 reps for your first set and your second set should be 20 reps. I don't do a third. I used to lift heavy when I was younger sets of five but I'm 49 now so sets of 10 doesn't hurt my joints and my muscles are still getting bigger

[@roselelouch3038]

I’m currently at a 350 bench and really want to get to 405 as a life time Natty that’s just always been a big goal for me so I’m excited to see what tips this video has.

[@jd9119]

Eat more food.

[@roselelouch3038]

@@jd9119 yeah I only weigh 165 lbs lol I’m sure if I put on 10 pounds I’d rep 405 I’m just taking my time bc I’ve already went from 9% to like 17% body fat and I’m only 20 years old tbh Ik I already have it in the bag just always open to learn

[@IVKeboVI]

finally someone that benches as much as me i do 355 weighing 165 too 😫

[@roselelouch3038]

@@IVKeboVI your goated

[@MattyIceBJJ]

@@roselelouch3038 bro you’re only 20 you’ll get that 405. I’m 200 pounds 5’11 and today only got 165 for 3 reps. I’ve got long ass arms though and only been training 9 months.

[@drizzydraik972]

Instructions unclear, did 400 kg bench instead.

[@Arominit]

How many reps?

[@FrozenMrSadness]

​@@ArominitProbably all of them

[@MitchDDad]

Took me a solid year or so to finally lock down the perfect form for myself and I’ll never forget the day when I felt that form and my bench instantly went up about 30lbs 😂

[@iielysiumx5811]

Yeah Same happened to me, my bench jumped from 225 to 275 in a couple months

[@blademontane]

Perfect timing. Was thinking I'd like to bench 400lbs 😂. Only at 352lbs with a pause, 363lbs touch and go, so I'm gonna soak this up and implement it.

[@RunIt_Straightt]

I trained at a gym that only had 1 bench and it wasn't very good. Setting up under the bar was always uncomfortable especially with the bar being at an off angle in reference to the actual bench itself. This game me some shoulder issues, I just joined a new gym and it has nice equipment but most importantly, it had 3 proper benches. Its been 6 weeks since I've been at the new gym, and I have blown up my bench hitting 190kgs with no shoulder pain. Thank you for all your tips mate. Much appreciation from NZ.

[@hamishakl]

Where do you train bro?

[@RunIt_Straightt]

@@hamishakl hey bro, I was at SnapFitness in Rolleston, Canterbury, New Zealand. I shit you not that bench is ass

[@mcgruber]

Can't expect much from Rolleston, let's be honest.

[@berrylanden]

My benches at my gym is lopsided have to compensate one side un racking the bar it sucks

[@benchgoblin]

buy your own bench and bring it in, put it in a squat rack

[@rinos2445]

I'll be back when i hit that 405 my pr is 315 now 💪💪💪 wish me luck guys

[@thecowcanon]

Same!

[@CankleCankle]

Sheesh, I’m going for a 315 PR tomorrow for my bench. Later in the same day I’m also attempting a 435+ squat. I might delay the squat till the next day if it doesn’t feel right but I’d like to hit them both in the same day.

[@rinos2445]

@@CankleCankle good luck ma man

[@CankleCankle]

@basedlifter08 shitton of tricep work and face pulls. Also hit floor presses hard, like once a week on your arm day.

[@dadbod488]

​@basedlifter08incorporating pause presses as often as I could helped me the most, personally. Good luck 💪

[@ESFoxwell]

Almost 3 years into training... 615 conventional deadlift, 500lb squat, 265lb max bench. 🥲 Stay strong my fellow long/tiny arm kings.

[@antonpwr]

I feel you. 285lbs bench after 5 years training. But i’ve had a pretty bad shoulder injury that took me 2 years to come back from. 192cm wingspan 189cm height. Deadlift is the only lift that matters though 💪😎

[@Aaron_17]

Well, I hope you take consolation in the fact that you have an amazing deadlift and squat! Maybe try a different program for bench; back when I could train regularly, I got decent gains with Charles Poliquin's 5% Solution program.

[@CeroAshura]

Very possible that this is the bias of your build, but turn those 3 into 30 years and I'm seeing 405 right there

[@chadguru9565]

That's really fucking strong for somebody who's been training only 3 years. Actually really fucking strong by any measure

[@oncle_dan]

And there's people like me, whom bench more than they squat. Same issue, different struggle.

[@petermozuraitis5219]

This video should literally have around 8 billion views

[@lifts586]

This video hit quite a few points for me. I am a natty lifter. My bench shot up quickly and to the point where I believe my tendons were not able to keep up. I went from a high 200 bench to 430 in about 18months I believe, I had 2 periods where I had to back off for about 3-4months. Once I got over 350 is when I felt elbow issues. Last year I focused on eccentric and slow reps to build tendons and bone density. I also warm up with a swiss bar. Basically anything under 315, I use a swiss bar. It puts the wrist in a position that impacts how the tendon moves in my elbow or it recruits difference muscles which take stress off the tendon. I'm back over 400, 410 to be exact but progress has been slow. Hopefully some of the tips in this video will help me regain and increase strength. Great video! - (Update I hit 415 with RPE of 9.0, I think I can get 420)

[@davidmacamay7099]

230 pounds is 1.5 years?? Wtf were you doing bro teach me please

[@lifts586]

@@davidmacamay7099 high 200s. So only about 150lbs in 1.5 years. I honestly think it is large part due to genetics. My brother was exceptionally strong, his son has won his powerlifting class at the Arnold. I assumed I would be fairly strong if I put my mind to it. After the fact I did do a DNA test. I have multiple DNA SNPs that are GREAT for strength. That said I didn't know that for a fact. I just assumed I did. It wasn't until after I hit a 430lbs that I got a DNA test done.

[@davidmacamay7099]

@@lifts586 man even with great genetics that's some crazy progress, how did you train for that?

[@olindblo]

@@davidmacamay7099when the lads at Sika Strength say that sports is not, has not, and never will be a fair and levelled playing field, they’re not referring to drug use; they are referring to the existence of actual freaks of nature like this guy. There are no “how to” lessons to learn from, so let’s just celebrate they exist and train harder.

[@yepyep266]

Damn. I’ve added 20lbs to my bench in the last 6 months and thought I was doing good progress

[@BeastnHarlotDFO]

Last time I swung a golf club was in highschool gym class and I sent the club about 70 feet; looked down and the ball was still next to me. Gym teacher was just flabbergasted at my ineptitude

[@TheDanimal91]

I hate going with my friends to top golf because it's no fun. Swinging a golf club is so fucking hard 😂

[@anthonyponafala7973]

​@@TheDanimal91you gotta go with them to a dog track (cheap crappy course) and just drive around smokin cigars or weed and drinking beer. From there most people get addicted to the actual improvement part of the game. Think it comes from wanting to be on the giving end of the shit talk with your friends. Been at the game for 28 years now and only 33 years old

[@Buglife.352]

Hell yeah​@@anthonyponafala7973

[@seanuio]

Great vid. Bench is my favourite lift but also my worst. I’m stuck at 315 1RM. And have been for over a year. I’ve tried everything. Various 2, 3 and 4 day programs. I’ve even tried not benching at all (but going hard on variations and accessories). Still stuck. I should be more frustrated than I am but I enjoy trying to figure out the puzzle. Progress to 315 was so incredibly slow I don’t even know what helped - or what helped the most. I’ve just been throwing shit at the wall and NOT seeing what sticks. My only conclusion is an obvious one - progress is made (more weight on the bar) when my bodyweight is going up.

[@zachnunya8749]

Yap it seems like every ten pounds body weight adds 15 to one rep max for me. And actual relative strength progress is so slow I dont notice over course of months but only years.

[@bobboberson6664]

What helped me the most (I got stuck at 405 for a long time) was band work and close grip work. Also, grab a slingshot and do some overloads (use it ONLY for overloads, so people go way overboard with the slinger)

[@seanuio]

@@zachnunya8749 I feel your pain! Having given it more thought… I think Smolov Jnr for Bench did help me. It’s not fun if you don’t enjoy benching but I’ve gotten some decent gains out of it.

[@seanuio]

@@bobboberson6664 bands are probably the one thing I haven’t tried! I shall keep it mind. Cheers bro.

[@bobboberson6664]

@seanuio chains are great too, but bands are easier. It overloads at the top so it let's you learn that acceleration Or, reverse bands are dope to overload at the bottom, I've used both.

[@The-Anathema]

I dislike the bench, generally, for a few reasons. The two most notable are probably: 1) The bench racks are almost always taken, I'm in the gym to lift not wait around for arbitrarily long. 2) I feel it's a jack-of-all-trades exercise, yes it hits a lot of things but it doesn't hit them as well as something more targeted. That being said, I still naturally have a bench-adjacent push exercise, but I prefer the dumbbell press since it has better ROM and recruits more muscles for stabilization than the bench does (bench press is inherently self-stabilizing due to the bar being rigid). It also doesn't help that I just enjoy the dumbbell press a lot more.

[@scottpope6210]

Once in a while you just go for it and your body finds the correct path on its own, this is the least painful and self damaging, and you can do it over and over again, until somebody else convinces you to go against your grain. If you end your workouts with a big happy smile that you cannot wipe off your face, you are there

[@SuperStruct]

What about the studies showing an open grip helps build the upper chest more? I feel like there are 2 categories: Going for a max lift, and building muscle. Max lift? Squeeze bar and use everything. Building upper chest better? Open grip, isolate the chest instead of squeezing and using the arms.

[@briandrater1988]

Im trying to re-attain my 440 bench from December. Back down to 390 right now but using your bullmastiff program I'm eager to see where ill be at the end of the program

[@BaldOmniMan]

Weakest Piccolo PFP lifter

[@briandrater1988]

​@@BaldOmniManI would hate to see the rest of them.

[@TitanFM]

Been loving the return to the whiteboard, quality of these sorts of videos is always so high!

[@socrayes2010]

Really appreciate the programming spectrum and nuanced descriptions

[@rodgerbroome]

Great video! As we develop our musculature and strength, form adjustments are continual. I especially like the part about focused attention on developing the assistance muscles, which will require BP form adjustments as different relative strengths/weaknesses emerge naturally through just good training. Thanks for the work.

[@loganthomas4025]

This should have billions of views...

[@michaelsigmond5912]

I really love that your literally in your garage.

[@WhatIfUrMistaken]

I can attest that you are correct in what you said regarding fixatation on technique/approach. After benching the same way for decades I watched a bunch of KZbin videos telling me my bench was wrong and that I needed to bring the bar downdown to my nipple, now for the first time in my life I have a shoulder impingement... Do what works best for you and is comfortable for your physiology allowing you to grow.

[@philosophysique5419]

The lower you bring the bar the narrower your grip has to be or you're placing immense stress on the shoulder. Did you bring your grip in at all to compensate or did you keep your regular wider bench grip? When I close grip bench I have to bring the bar really far down or else it hurts my shoulder. When I do regular bench I have to keep it up high or else it hurts.

[@WhatIfUrMistaken]

@@philosophysique5419 Thanks for the advice. No, I did not. I kept the grip at the same width. Thanks for the advice. That's why I appreciate the gym community.

[@jeremy1309]

Greg Nuckols Stronger By Science 3 x wk intermediate is a god tier bench program shit got me 2 -> 3 plates in 1 year after stagnating for a long time.

[@leinekenugelvondoofenfocke1002]

This is spot on. Benching kinda looked like scitzophrenia when I started doing it because I had the voices of every influencer telling me what I needed to do to in my head on every rep. I was wrong no matter what I did. If I didn't technique myself into perfection I was ego lifting. If I didn't add weight because it wasn't perfect, I wasn't doing the progressive overload. If I practiced to get better, I was practicing a bad habit somewhere. Everything I did was wrong according to somebody. I was like a self raping octopus with dicks for tentacles that couldn't swim. I wish I had seen this video, and nothing else when I started it.

[@TK-wi5zo]

😂😂😂

[@jcl9034]

LOL

[@mikerotchburns42069]

Can you repeat that? You were like a what???

[@AdamHolzgrove]

Dude, do not let AI write comments lol

[@leinekenugelvondoofenfocke1002]

@@AdamHolzgrove I'm not an AI though. I'm just fucked up.

[@basatiyanauk4885]

I have been doing the "Kong savage size" program, and just wanted to tell that I am super happy with the results of muscle and strength. The program is made by @AlexanderBromley and is in this channel's sponsor "Boostcamp".

[@AlexanderBromley]

Glad to hear it!

[@andrewcady8827]

I haven't watched this video but your content quality is so high, if anyone can make a 44 minute long video entirely on bench pressing that is worth watching, it's you.

[@juan9982]

Hi, yesterday i decided to try my bench pr for the first time in one year and a half of training. Incredibly i lifted 92kgs, i was really surprised of myself because i consider that my bench sucks quite a lot honestly. So close of the 100kg/225lbs. Feeling super great ngl. Looking forward to improve even more :D

[@justinhope3437]

I'm currently running Bradley Barbell's bench PR program on BoostCamp. I was stuck at 325 for a year but the program is having a quick impact. I'll be shocked if I haven't added at least 25 lbs with the first program cycle.

[@mossoconnor4417]

Are you one of those guys that literally never trained your back? How the heck does that program do anything? It’s so low volume on the actual bench, and even the prime movers don’t get much love

[@justinhope3437]

@@mossoconnor4417 I came from a CrossFit background but I'm not small. 6'2" 265 with a decent back. I think it's about intensity and training for strength for the first time.

[@spiritual_hypertrophy]

This video is gonna have trillions of views 😜

[@DuongNguyen-qg2gh]

0:05 Hi Back!

[@chirpinsquirrel8710]

Really appreciated this video. 405 has been eluding me for years. Closest was 375 before I was majorly injured, and i was just dialing in my particular form at the time. I can barely break 340 now but it's likely because i don't have the mind numbing bench determination as before. Also 40lbs lighter

[@KAZ1337x]

you have way too little muscle to bench 405 thats why

[@chirpinsquirrel8710]

@@KAZ1337x you're funny

[@kenben6240]

Gain weight ur too light

[@ChristopherSalisburySalz]

I would like to hear your breakdown of why Mitchel Hooper totally dominated WSM this year. I find him fascinating because he doesn't look particularly strong (subjective I know). He also doesn't look like he is taking much in the way of anabolics (subjective also). He looks kind of like the typical bigger guy and yet he just destroyed the competition at WSM. I think one aspect that he has that maybe the others don't is a deeper cardio conditioning background. I think people really underestimate the cardiovascular conditioning that strong men need. Also, the more cardio training you have the better your body gets at clearing lactic acid build which has got to be a big obstacle for these guys. Does Hooper represent some new training paradigm or is he just a young guy blessed with the ultimate in strong man genetics? An added bonus would be why did Shaw do so poorly (relatively speaking)?

[@bondedcarbon]

Also would be very interested in this video 😮

[@DCJayhawk57]

Yeah, this is interesting topic. He looks like a football offensive linemen. He doesn't have the usual thickness and girth that strongmen have, just looks like an athletic big guy. Very freaky.

[@EVO6-]

​@jumbo9386yeah, no. If you actually follow the sport Hooper has been performing at every single show, including the Arnold's, the heaviest comp. He has a 1,050 deadlift, he's not some guy who can't perform in heavy comps.

[@nichyeoh]

@jumbo9386it was only more static strength from Brian shaws era onwards, Marius pudsz placed second at 09 and he’s a great example of a guy who wasn’t the absolute strongest or largest

[@brianmcgrath5977]

Shaw got old, thats all.Happens to everyone.

[@ohhowigloveyouu]

Loved your take on bar path and being technical! Literally Before i bench, my worry is not necessarily in the path or the proper place to hold. I mean I kinda have a set place I put my hands…BUT. generally ill lay under the bar and just play with it til it feels right or doesn’t feel weird to my shoulders or elbows and bang thats how I hold it. Its a giant push movement. Thats all it has to be.

[@ehud88]

Dude's whiteboard skills are neat!

[@petersoar2886]

So glad I'm allowed to watch this since I'm 3lbs under a 400lb bench.

[@galkamercenary]

I was an example of a guy with a 530lbs bench at 24 hour fitness who just loved the movement and chasing big numbers but never had an interest in competition

[@anthonygerman6929]

I have benched over 400lb so, good day sir.

[@combatcritique]

Good comprehensive video. Love the idea of focusing on the big things and not get lost in the details

[@nartworks557]

When it comes to programming id say size is definitely important, if you’re a beginner you have a lot of room to build muscle mass that powerbuilding would a better approach due to just benching over time you will get better and the the bodybuilding work will put muscle mass on your frame which will carry over to your bench, but definitely once you reach a level where you’re not adding that much mass a year, leaning more towards a higher frequency will help where you can milk out strength gains more from becoming more proficient in the bench press and more technically skilled, that’s just my take though

[@glennpalmer3991]

Hey Alex, From someone who works in the environmental industry... Store that gas can outside your house/garage. Although you can probably not smell them, the vapors coming off that fuel are there and a carcinogen. Love your content.

[@AlexanderBromley]

lol I looked at that and thought someone was going to comment. It's a new can. Used ones get put in the shed.

[@ElijahZaporteza]

Watching this as i havent even benched 300 lbs, let alone 400

[@jeremys3418]

Yeah I'm schelping around with 255 ughh

[@kyle8583]

Once u get that 300 u won’t be able to enjoy ur cause your gonna be thinking 400 lol

[@Tobanator1]

youl get there keep eating & sleeping

[@johndoiron9615]

If I haven't benched 200 yet, should I watch it twice? Plus, I'm 57, so I'm not sure how much more I can get out of my body as far as bench gains.

[@marc2638]

Benching isn’t that technical highly agree can’t stand the dudes that say it’s the pinnacle of lifting and cherry picks little movements, bud,,,,,, lay down on the damn bench and press up simple as that

[@weaktallguy5114]

An old guy at my gym benched 315 by shooting his hips 20 feet in the air and bouncing the bar off his chest, he barely got the rep and then went up to 360lbs. It didn't go well if you could imagine. I don't understand how people who have been lifting for year's can still have a highschool level of technique and form.

[@Scorge120]

I hit 400 lbs a few weeks ago at 200lb bw. My best before that was over a year ago and I took a month off lifting to travel and came back and noticed my body was feeling really good after not training hard for a month. I guess after 10 yrs of working out the micro injuries catch up to you and your body needs a break. Goal is 4 plates im 5 lbs away!

[@iielysiumx5811]

One thing I realised from squatting and deadlifting is don’t overthink the little things, just obey the basic rules of the lift and do what feels good, I deadlift 500pounds with 3 years of training from completely untrained with this approach

[@Smittjitsu]

Phenomenal stuff Alex! Would love to see an updated squat and deadlift checklist as well

[@ElijahG98]

Love a good Bromley white board vid

[@LucasDimoveo]

Ayyyeee the multi camera set up 👏🏾

[@kolleo7]

just went from 150 to 400 after watching!!! thanks

[@phamaaron]

I was fully in when he said “I’m gonna rustle some jimmys saying bench isn’t as technical ….” I think this is universal. These days people over complicate exercises/lifts and you get so lost in tech that you genuinely can’t make progress

[@user-dn4lg1dv5v]

Nice refresher for me wirh all the info in the video. Im 40 now and haven't tried to max out in years. Been training 25 years now and at one time i was hitting 455 for 5 reps. Now i dont go about 3 plates for reps. I might start running a 531 program from 315 to just have something to chase strength wise again.

[@The_Backman]

I've been plateauing at 335 for a long while now. I'll keep this in mind

[@taylorg8509]

Today was chest day good timing !!

[@paulwaters4672]

Good point, opportunity costs ,that's huge

[@willbobig]

Brother, I appreciate this video. I have been chasing 3 plates my entire life lol.

[@nmnate]

I'm one of those guys that doesn't really care about bench at the moment. I'm really just hypertrophy focused, gotta build that base! Maybe in a couple years I'll see where I can go with bench. I got to ~245# in high school as a scrappy 152# wrestler, so I think I could probably do decently. Probably not 405, but who knows. PRs are kinda addictive. I'm just having more fun working on BB OHP at the moment and sticking to machines for chest (hammer strength decline with a really deep stretch is just roasting my pecs). For me, that 'fun' factor keeps me engaged while I grind away month after month (year after year?). When things get stale... I know OHP will at some point... I'm probably change my emphasis. Maybe I'll have some fun with bench at that point 💪

[@gcg8187]

I don’t bench, but it’s probably at 155 x 10 if I tried to guess. I only care about hypertrophy lol

[@nmnate]

@@gcg8187 I was curious so I tried some AMRAPs today. Got 155x15, but only 185x6. Makes sense, I've been focusing on 12-15s on chest press. Not too bad for not having benched in 18 months 😅 Maybe next meso I'll go work on my bench. Should be able to hit 185x10 in several months with regular work. 🤘

[@PrestigeRich]

245lbs at 152 is very impressive! If you did that in high school you probably could get 315!!!

[@rybertrion3642]

I just hit 215 today at 138 body weight and what ive realized is that i just need to put on body weight instead of focusing on super technical things that dont help.

[@danielcarnam6420]

the first five min of this are gold

[@DDazzle1]

You can’t stop me from watching it

[@Icantforgetnow]

Been stuck at 375 for awhile at 190lbs. Trying to get that 405 mark before December though without gaining 30lbs

[@jasonshults368]

Really informative, cogent presentation. Thanks for putting out this valuable content.

[@SNICKET12]

That quad tip was very useful. Thanks.

[@TheBlah7777]

3 Years back in the gym stuck at 365 so far but have been losing weight so kinda just glad havent lost strength.

[@DG-gx8pn]

Benching is by far my least favorite, and consequently my worst lift. I’ve added pounds and pounds to my squat and deadlift the last few months but man, my bench progress pales in comparison. I am trying though I’m not letting up.

[@ThePayneFactor]

The one “trick” that helped me bench far more comfortably was learning how to grab the bar properly and no longer false grip. Can you please do a video on deloads? I understand the concept but don’t implement them in a way with confidence.

[@paulshortall6734]

You’re becoming everyone’s favorite uncle

[@ChristopherSalisburySalz]

I agree it's mostly about putting in the time. Developing a really good groove, muscle coordination/recruitment, etc. I have found some tips like retracting my shoulder blades to be helpful because I think it puts my chest in a better position to be used in the movement.

[@bibbyboi]

Subbed and thumbed up for knowing the paradox of choice.

[@eric_james_music]

i feel like a good benchmark (haha) is to extend your thumb where the texture of the bar changes. Ends up being like 45 degrees. I like to go a little bit outside or inside of that range depending on the day

[@dadbod488]

Stuck at 325# at about 197# bodyweight. If I hit 400# while at or under 200# bw, I will poop my pants 😅 Thanks for the video sir, you are my #1 go to for strength training advice

[@senorgeese]

Jerry Alaniz (405->500 bench natty in 7 months on his channel) swears by alternating between the 3 grip widths every 2 months. What are your thoughts on that?

[@BrettWoldanski]

Absolutely awesome explanation of so many things!

[@alexwiley12]

27 yo I took about 3-4 years off from the weight room. Skinny guy (6’1” 175 before I got back in the gym, currently a fluffy 195) but worked myself back up to decent numbers. 225x4 on the bench but I’m suddenly encountering outer pec/shoulder pain on my left side at the bottom of the rep. I’ve pressed a decent amount heavier in the past and never had this problem. Currently avoiding the flat press as this is the only movement that causes the pain. Watched tons of videos and almost everybody just suggests more shoulder stability/strength. Any other advice you have would be greatly appreciated!

[@rafaelnacha1788]

more choose = more bad decision or not being creativity enough great information 4:20

[@jmw1500]

Yeah... I can't afford barbells nor a bench. But I am pretty happy where I am at with dumbells.

[@doctordeath2551]

What am I doing wrong I hit 310 bench and since then I been struggling hitting 315 I haven't changed anything(diet, and benching 3x a week)

[@EricS-n7h]

Fantastic discussion on bench! Thanks

[@stefanlogi3905]

The last time I tested my max, it was 137.5kg powerlifting style with a 2 count on the chest. Now I just did that for 4x2 with a 2 count pause. What I feel contributed to it was doing 2x a week. Once a week, I do 4x2, followed by accessories. And then 2x3 with a 2 count, followed by 3x10, I usually pause my reps in the 1-3 range and the other ones with a little touch to try and limit just bouncing them up and down. Where the 2x3 are 2 weeks behind in numbers. I feel like the 2x3 builds confidence to go in and get the 4x2. Before this block, my 2rm was around 127.5kg. So I started with 122.5 this block and was gonna ride it for what I could. And am currently optimistic to get the 140 4x2 next week. Would be happy with any reps at 140 anyways. Just my 2 cents on a slight variation in rep sceme could possibly help getting rep maxes.

[@liamcoleman1550]

How did this work out for you mate?

[@robertschmits4304]

I've benched 405 for 4 reps, but still wanted to watch👍

[@harshaggarwal9463]

Love the whiteboard

[@ericreed2064]

Literally just started bench pressing. After nothing but dumbbell work, up to 80s for 10 reps, I could only get 165 for 8!? It's definitely pretty skill important. Once I build more strength AND I'm able to more efficiently move the bar without wasting energy, my bench should be building up no less than 5 pounds, up to 10, for a number of weeks.

[@ilyaskhan.1994]

One of your programs has really helped me thanks bro gained 15 lbs on bench, 17 lbs on deadlift and 15 on squat in 1 month

[@harrowdrut6316]

Where’s the “if you haven’t benched 225, watch this”

[@bhodhigaming2562]

Bro I just bech 225 today hit my PR but it was not full rom

[@MrEverisforever]

I benched 396 comp pause 2 weeks ago, do I still have to watch it?