Weight Training
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| I was never a big guy, and I decided that I would like to start to lift weights at age 13, about 6 months ago. I read many books on weightlifting and came up with my own routine. I asked me parents to buy me a bench and a couple other machines. My parents agreed, and thought it would be a good idea. I got really serious, and my dad started to help me, teaching me proper technique because he lifts weights and has for a long time, so he helps me out.
Anyway, when you hear all those stories of not working the same muscle everyday, well maybe some of it is true, but if you want to get better at bench pressing quick, then first stretch out your chest really well. You want to do this or you will regret it the next day. I don't care who you are, you'll regret it. Once you have stretched out, figure out what your max for 10 reps is. If you are doing this without a spotter, stay safe. Once you have figured it out, start pressing 4 sets of 10 reps, 6 times a week. Then stretch out at the end. If you have done this, you should not be very sore the next day,. If you are, don't let it bother you, your muscles will get used to it in a couple days.
If you keep doing this and are really maxing out on your last rep(s), you will drastically improve your bench press. I am now 14 and in 4 months, and I have gone from being able to bench press 65 at max when I began (the bar and a pair of 10 lb plates) to being able to do 205 lbs now (the bar, a pair of 45 lb plates and a pair of 35 lb plates). As you can see, the change has been very great. But this is not the only area I have improved in. I have some great routines for full body workout that I go through every day. Try this one and tell me what you think.
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| It sounds like you have made great gains for overall strength, so congratulations. But once you have been lifting for quite awhile, you really shouldn't bench six times a week. Sure, when you start working out, you will make great gains, but soon things will become tough. Also, you are also going through puberty right now, so this is when things are really easy to make gains. I'm not telling you what is wrong or what you shouldn't do, but if you work your chest hard twice a week (maybe three), you will feel it and also begin to see the results.
It could be that you have outstanding genetics, so you don't need to rest. But in general it takes three to four days for your chest to totally recover. If you keep lifting when your muscles are still sore and tired, you might not think you're doing anything wrong, and it might seem that way, but you're slowly hurting your muscles. In a while you will see your power and strength decreasing (it's called over training). I work my chest for about an hour twice a week. I have done this for about six weeks now, and have already maxed up my bench by about 15 pounds. Keep asking other people about your routine, because this is only my opinion. But if everything is working fine, then keep it that way. But I'm sure that a lot of other people would feel the same way -- that you are over training your chest.
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First of all, I want to congratulate you. I am also 14. I am the little scrawny kid that sits by himself at lunch, well I'm kind of exaggerating, but I just starting working out too. I started maxing out at about 85lbs about 2 months ago. I do reps, but not like you do them. I now max out at 110lbs and that is only on a good day, that's tough for me. But I do sets of like 75 10 times, and then 2 hours later 12 of 70, and then 2 hours later 65lbs, and it keeps going and going until I go to sleep, but I have to go to school so it's only like 5 sets. I am going to try your method for a couple of weeks to see if it works. If you have any other tips, post them. And make sure you keep me posted on your benching progress. Thanks man, later.
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