A bench press pyramid are a method of weightlifting sets that use changing weight and changing number of repetitions to reach specific goals. Bench press pyramids start with lighter weight and more repetitions, and then eventually transition to heavier weights with few repetitions. Bench press pyramids can be used to gain muscle size, as well as to gain physical strength.
A bench press pyramid work in a way that respects the bodys response to physical stress. Bench press pyramids typically start with a load between sixty and eighty-five percent of an individuals one-rep maximum (the amount of weight they can lift one time). The lighter start allows the muscles to prepare for the heavier loads later in the exercise, during which the individual can expect to increase the load to eighty-five percent of their one-rep maximum.
How to Do a Bench Press Pyramid
Bench press sets that use this structure recruit the fast-twitch muscle fiber in the body, which are required to gain physical strength. While the early sets in a bench press pyramid may be used to gain muscle size, the later sets are used to gain power. Starting directly with heavy weights without ramping up can lead to fatigue in the central nervosystem, so following the structure of the bench press pyramid will allow an individual to address both muscle size and strength in one lifting session.
There are different types of bench press pyramids that can be used for different goals in the bodybuilding process. An ascending bench press pyramid, for example, begin with higher repetitions and lighter weights for the barbell, and then gradually increases the weight during each set. During an ascending bench press pyramid, rest periods can be increased from ninety second to three minutes between sets.
A descending bench press pyramid begin with the heaviest weights for the barbell, when the body is fresh and strong, and then decreases the weight of the bench press sets. Descending bench press pyramids focus on strength during the initial sets, and endurance in the final sets. A full bench press pyramid include ascending sets to the heaviest weights for the barbell, and then descending back to lighter weights.
A full bench press pyramid typically include seven sets for a lift, and is more difficult than a three-set pyramid ramp-up. However, it isnt as intense as the training routines that professional powerlifters use. Bench press pyramids can be chosen based off the training phase of the bodybuilder; hypertrophy requires ascending sets, while strength training require descending sets.
Form is important for performing a bench press pyramid lift, as incorrect sets or form can lead to injury of the bodys joints. An individual should aim to keep their elbow joints between forty-five and sixty degrees to protect their shoulder joints and to maximize the stretch in their pectoral muscle. Bouncing the barbell off of the chest should be avoided, as should pausing the barbell for one second at mid-chest.
Feet should be flat on the floor during the lift, as this provides the leg drive necessary for performing the lift. The width of the grip when performing a bench press pyramid will impact the muscles that are used during the lift; a narrow grip target the triceps, while a wide grip targets the chest. A standard grip, however, that is set at the same distance as the shoulder width will provide a balanced lift of the chest and triceps muscle.
There are different muscles in the body that help to move the barbell during a bench press pyramid. The pectoral muscles become dominant during lifts between sixty and seventy percent of an individuals one-rep maximum, though the anterior deltoid and triceps muscles also assist in the movement of the barbell. The tempo at which the barbell is lifted and lowered will impact the muscles that are targeted during a bench press pyramid.
A tempo of three second lowering and one second increasing the barbell will target the hypertrophy of the muscles, while an explosive tempo can target the muscles power. Rest periods should be adjusted according to the weight that is being lifted; sixty seconds of rest can be used for lighter sets, while up to six minutes of rest can be used for the heaviest sets of a bench press pyramid. Safety pins should be used when performing a bench press pyramid to catch the barbell if the body fails the lift.
The safety pins should be set just below an individuals chest height. Collars can be used to lock the weight plate to the barbell, and wrist wraps can be used during heavy sets to provide additional stability to an individuals wrists. If an individual use a spotter for the lift, the spotter should stand behind the individual to use an alternating grip to the barbell.
In this way, the spotter can assist in the bench press pyramid only when the body gives an assist command. A warm-up pyramid should be performed prior to performing bench press pyramid sets. Starting at forty percent of an individuals one-rep maximum will warm up the body without fatiguing the muscles.
An individual should grip the barbell with their palms, not their fingers. The scapula should be retracted prior to unracking the barbell from the rack. Driving through the heels will assist in the lift.
All lifting data should be logged in a record, as well as performing a deload every four to six week. This allows the body to recover from the intense training required to perform bench press pyramids. The angle of the bench can change the muscles that are targeted in the body; a flat bench will target the pectoral muscles, an incline bench will target the upper pecs, and decline will target the lower pec muscles.
Bench press pyramids are a methodical way to perform the lift as the loads gradually move from light to heavy load.
