IF THERE’S ONE thing fit guys love to do, it’s brag about how much they can bench.
But if you’re feeling less than proud of your one-rep max, don’t stress. There’s a simple adjustment you can make with your training to bump up your bench pressin just a few weeks time.
Start pressing with bands—or, if you’re really hardcore, chains. Rugby players who bench pressed using those tools raised their one-rep max more than guys who used just weights and the bar, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
So next time you hit the bench, grab a pair of chains—and a spot—to boost your bench press and make you look like a total badass.
by Men’s Fitness Editors