A Bench Routine Contributed By Bob Mann

(Bob is a powerlifter who has acheived a 335 bench in competition at 165lbs bodyweight)

First thing to look at is your form on the bench.
In order to maximize your bench it is important to set up properly.
When you set up, put your feet on the bench as you grab the bar. Don't take it off the catches yet.
Lift your torso up by pulling on the bar and firmly drive your shoulders down into the bench while pulling your shoulder blades together.
Put your feet on the floor and try to keep as much of an arch in your back as possible while keeping your butt in contact with the bench.
Now take the bar and fill your lungs with air, pushing your chest as high as you can. Hopefully now the spotter bar will be below your chest.
As you lower the bar, concentrate on pulling it in with your lats. I have heard people describe this as pulling the bar apart or trying to bend the bar.
Keep your elbows in to your sides at about 45 degrees.
As you push the bar off your chest, drive it with the lats as well as the chest. This takes some practice and you should work on this with a lighter weight. We do it using the speed work at 62% of max.

The workout: Here is another routine I ave someone to help them get to 315.
Do your warm ups while pyraniding the weight up to a 3-5 rep max.
Pick a weight you can just get 5 reps with. If you get the five reps, next workout you go up in weight and stay at that weight until you do 5 reps again. The weight should never be more than a 3 rep max. If you can't do 3 reps, drop a bit of weight next time.
Your pyramid, assuming you can do 185 for 5 would look like this.
45x10
95x8
135x5
155x3
185x5

Now you practice your speed work. The idea is to push off as fast as you can from your chest after a competition legal pause and set up.
You do 8 sets of 3 reps starting each set on the minute.
Each rep is done with a pause and an explosive lift. Use as close to 62% of your max as possible.
Example for a lifter who maxes at 225: 225x62% is 139.5 so he would use 140 lbs.

After you have finished that, do your regular assistance work.
Work your triceps hard on the second bech day. If you have trouble recovering doing this in one week, spread it out so you work 3 times a week like this.
Mon - bench
Wed - squat
Fri - dead/back
Mon 2nd bench
Repeat

Our normal routine is
Mon -bench
Tues - squat
Thurs - 2nd bench/triceps
Fri - deads/back

A strong upper back is also important for a good bench. We usually throw in a few sets of lat pulls and rows on the first bench day.

We usually follow this plan for 5 weeks and then do a test week where we just go in and find our new max. We try to add just a little to it each time.