The Student Room Group

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Reply 1
I just do 5 minutes light jog then a fairly light weight on the seated chest press machine.
Reply 2
just build up on the machines, or use free weights and just mobilise your arms, slowly building up the weights.
Reply 3
y would you have to stretch before pressing?
well I find rotating my elbows around about 20-25 times then slowing touching ur toes , theres loads , u dont need it for pressing , but u will feel better , look online theres sooo much out there , just do it for 3-5mins
Bench 60% of the weight your going to use(i.e for your main exercise) for say 10 reps to warm up.
Reply 6
None of the above.

Try 3 reps at 60% of your set weight, 70% set weight, 80% set weight, 2 reps at 90%, and 1 rep at 95%, then do your set.
Reply 7
There are varying schools of thought, each with a certain amount of science to back them up. Personally i do 8-10 reps of 40% of the set weight, followed by 2 reps at 70% (the heavy set to get the muscles accustomed), followed by a 6 rep set. If you do too much of a "warm up", you may lose the intensity of the work out, and simply create muscle endurance. Both intensity and endurance can build muscle, however, low rep, heavy weight intense training, with the correct amount of rest days will lead to the greatest muscle development. The dudes who go to the gym every day and lift the same weights are not giving any time for their muscles to recuperate and for the muscle fibres that have been broken down to repair. Size growth will still occur due to the endurance factor, but no where near on the same level.

Also make sure u have a balanced, but high protein diet for maximum results.

peace
Reply 8
Do your basic arm stretchs, then place 1 arm from your hand to your elbow against a wall, with your feet facing the wall and rotate your torso. It works for me :smile:. Have a blast on the cross trainer aswell before.
Reply 9
i just do 6-8 reps if i can do more i do more, i do it till i cannot do anymore if i do more than the 6-8 reps i up the weight.
Reply 10
Ok, thanks guys.
Reply 11
do 20 resistance presses with the bar only, unless its on a smith, then use 5kg on each end and increase from there lowering the reps as you will.
Reply 13
Elipsis
Do your basic arm stretchs, then place 1 arm from your hand to your elbow against a wall, with your feet facing the wall and rotate your torso. It works for me :smile:. Have a blast on the cross trainer aswell before.


You shouldn't do static stretches before lifting weights if you want to lift as heavy as you can!
Reply 14
neither of the above.

do a 5 min light jog and some real light exercises to loosen up your muscles. i.e. 5 x one arm curls, 5 x side lateral raise, 5 x front raises with like 5-7 kg in each hand.

for a warm up set before you start going heavy on the bench press, just do a nice and slow set with about 10-12 reps but not with the type of intensity thatll make you break a sweat or breath heavily for.

ever since ive been doing this, ive hardly felt doms the next day and ive also increased my bench. ive stopped doing flat bench now, i only do flat db press as ive had so much growth from it and after this, i incline bench press. (i managed to get out 110kg for 7 reps sunday just gone, woooo!!!)

good luck with your training mate
Reply 15
Jesus christ Stone sometimes you make me cringe.

warming up for a bench press by doing 5xarm curls, lat raises and front raises? What planet are you on fella?

If you did any research on the subject of warming up you realise that too many sets above the 3-4 rep range actually fatigues the muscles, something you don't want before doing your real sets. You'll also find that its not just your muscles that need warming up, its your central nervous system, and this is done by lifting the weight progressively closer to your set weight, but obviously not for many reps, as we don't want to induce fatigue.

After all, if it was just about getting bloody flowing to the muscles then you could just wave them about above your head for 5 minutes - would achieve the same thing.

As for DOMS, its got nothing to do with how you warmup.
Reply 16
imasillynarb
Jesus christ Stone sometimes you make me cringe.

1. warming up for a bench press by doing 5xarm curls, lat raises and front raises? What planet are you on fella?

2. If you did any research on the subject of warming up you realise that too many sets above the 3-4 rep range actually fatigues the muscles, something you don't want before doing your real sets. You'll also find that its not just your muscles that need warming up, its your central nervous system, and this is done by lifting the weight progressively closer to your set weight, but obviously not for many reps, as we don't want to induce fatigue.

3. After all, if it was just about getting bloody flowing to the muscles then you could just wave them about above your head for 5 minutes - would achieve the same thing.

4. As for DOMS, its got nothing to do with how you warmup.


1. this is for a warm up assuming bench press is the first excercise done. which it should be as you would want to hit it as you can.

2. totally depends on the intensity.

3. this is a waste of time as you would cool down.

4. in my case it is, and also for helping some of the newbies out at the gym. why dont you try hitting bench press fresh with heavy weights, no warm up and see how you feel in the morning.

also, ive had good results with this. i know its all dependant on the individual but there are some things that can be done by almost everybody.

results speak for themselves. good day
I'd say arm rotations and arm stretches.
I dont bench, but for something like a deadlift I do dynamic stretches like just swinging my arms, and moving joints through their full range, for a short time. Also including usually 3 sets of about 10 squats either with just the bar, or no bar - with **** form usually and totally ass to grass. After a minute or two of rest I feel way better, nice and loose and feel stronger and ready to lift. Such joint mobility kind of thing is great to do in the morning aswell, or any time

Then I would work up from 60kg with sets of no more than 3, mostly singles as I get heavier, before my highest weight sets for that day.
Reply 19
Stone
1. this is for a warm up assuming bench press is the first excercise done. which it should be as you would want to hit it as you can.

2. totally depends on the intensity.

3. this is a waste of time as you would cool down.

4. in my case it is, and also for helping some of the newbies out at the gym. why dont you try hitting bench press fresh with heavy weights, no warm up and see how you feel in the morning.

also, ive had good results with this. i know its all dependant on the individual but there are some things that can be done by almost everybody.

results speak for themselves. good day


1) I assume you meant hit it as hard as you can - doesn't that depend on the persons individual goals?

2) Not really

3) No you wouldn't

4) I've tried hitting the bench press fresh with heavy weights, and it feels the same with or without a warmup - the only difference is the amount of weight I can lift.

Find out what causes DOMS before you start throwing around theories about how to stop them.