April 23, 2025, 9:03 am | Read time: 4 minutes
The bench press is one of the supreme disciplines in strength training. As one of the basic exercises, the bench press effectively trains the chest, shoulder, and triceps muscles. However, the muscles only adapt through muscle growth when the number of repetitions or the weight is regularly increased. Personal trainer and FITBOOK expert Alina Bock explains how you can double your previous bench press record in 30 days.
Especially if you are just starting out with the bench press, there is a lot of potential to increase the weight you move within a short period of time. Find out here which approach is essential for increasing the weight on the bench press.
Overview
Not Every Starting Bench Press Weight Can Be Doubled Within a Month
Before you can start the process of increasing your bench press weight, you need to look at your starting position or starting weight. This is because not every starting weight can be doubled within a month. If you are already lifting 60 kilograms, 80 kilograms or more and have been training for some time, you will not be able to double your weight within a month.
The best conditions exist for training beginners who are just starting with the bench press and have already learned the correct technique. Doubling the weight can be possible with the right methods and ambition.
The Right Training Plan
If you have set yourself the ambitious goal of doubling your bench press record within a month, the right training plan is essential. First of all, you should determine your one-rep maximum or have it determined. This is the maximum possible weight that can be lifted when bench pressing. Once this has been determined, you can start planning your training. In order to increase the weight that can be lifted on the bench press within just one month, it is advisable not only to increase the weight on the barbell but also to continuously reduce the repetition range in order to set a new stimulus.
A Possible Training Plan Could Look Like This:
- Week 1: 3 sets of 15 repetitions each
- Week 2: 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions each
- Week 3: 4 sets of 6-8 repetitions each
- Week 4: 4-5 sets of 4-6 repetitions each
Including continuous weight increase.
Regularity with Consideration of Recovery
If you want to double your record within this short time, you need to train at regular intervals. However, the recovery time must be taken into account here. Because it is only during recovery that the muscles adapt and can grow. If recovery is too short, it will not be possible to increase strength and muscle mass. One indicator of whether regeneration is complete is muscle soreness. If this is no longer present, it can be assumed that regeneration is complete and training can resume. However, muscle soreness does not always occur. Therefore, make sure that you take at least one to two days off between sessions. Beginners are even recommended to take at least two to three days off.
Regeneration can be supported by a targeted diet. In order to achieve an increase in strength and muscle growth, it is therefore advisable to eat a calorie surplus. This means that more calories must be consumed than are used. Protein and carbohydrate intake should also be high. A protein intake of at least two grams per kilogram of body weight is recommended. In addition, the timing of carbohydrate intake is not insignificant: fast-processing carbohydrates should be consumed before and after training. They serve to replenish energy stores before and after training. Examples of fast-processing carbohydrates are rice, pasta, rice cakes, bananas and the like.
Red or White? One Type of Wine Increases the Risk of Skin Cancer
Vary Push-up Training with a Balance Board
These Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Healthy Aging—Results from 30 Years of Research
Exercises That Support the Doubling Your Bench Press Weight
In addition to targeted training planning, regeneration and nutrition, certain exercises can support muscle growth and the subsequent increase in strength in the upper body muscles.
Suitable Exercises:
- Butterfly on the machine or with dumbbells
- Shoulder press
- Lateral raises
- Tricep presses on the cable pulley
- Front press with SZ bar or dumbbells
Make sure that the exercises are performed after the bench press so as not to exhaust your strength reserves before the bench press.