A couple of weeks ago I could only bench 240. I finally got myself up to 300lbs. I was able to wobble 320 this morning…but am happy to pump out 300 for now.
To achieve this progress so quickly I followed an article that I read in Muscle & Fitness (referenced in this link…but not covered online) called Pectoral College (in the November issue). This article has you rest the bar and weight on the safeties of a squat rack or smith machine in the down position of the bench press movement. Rather than starting your movement at the top you start at the bottom. Initially the safeties (and start/stop position) would be high enough that you can only push the weight up a couple of inches. Each rep starts with the bar fully resting on the safeties, you push it up, then rest it again. You do this for a few sets. As you work with this movement you can slowly lower the safeties closer to your chest until you can push the entire load from down around your pecs. The key here is that starting the movement further away from your chest will allow you to move a considerably larger amount of weight (stressing the muscles more than you are used too). You can slowly work this weight closer and closer to your chest (over time) until you can move the whole stack normally. This movement works because it removes the negative build up normally acquired by starting high, lowering the weight to your chest, and then exploding the weight back up. This movement is more about starting in the down position, pushing it up, then lowering it again, and then disengaging the negative build up entirely to start a new movement from a fresh position. This disengagement is the key and seems to really work well. Each week I have been able to add an additional 20lbs to my bench (not sure how much longer that will go on…but I will let you know!).
The other key to this method of benching that I really like (as I am working out in my home gym) is that the entire movement is 100% safe. No spotters required. And I can go as heavy as I like without worrying at all.
Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.