How can i increase my pause press max?

[hmatthews50]

I can max 320 on normal bench press, but only 255 on pause press. How can I increase my pause press?

 

[Sean1332]

That's a huge difference. How long are you pausing for? And technique? Enough leg drive to get it off your chest?

Aside from doing a competition length pause on your reps when you train, pin presses come to mind. herderdude should have more ideas.

 

[hmatthews50]

2 second pause, get flat on the ground, and ass has to stay on the bench

 

[hmatthews50]

2 second pause, get flat on the ground, and ass has to stay on the bench

feet flat on the ground

 

[herderdude]

Number 1: Pause EVERYTHING. Every rep you do. Warmups, maxes, speed work, rep work. That will bring you up to speed relatively quickly. Remember, competition bench presses are always paused. You can keep pushing up your touch and go and have nothing happen to your paused bench. It's pausing that builds the pause. And if you end up trying a touch and go later on, the pausing will build the touch and go, while the inverse is not true

Number 2: Like Sean said, Pin Presses. Get in the rack, set the pins at chest level or an inch or two above, bring the bar down to rest on the pins (you stay tight, the bar rests) for a long count (2-4 seconds) and then press it to lockout. Be warned, pin presses are harder than bench presses, so be conservative with the weight. Focus on letting the bar settle and then exploding off the pins all the way to lockout.

Number 3: Pause Presses with the bar 1" off the chest. Hold the bar just a smidge off of your chest and pause it there for 2-4 seconds. You'll learn to stay tight and carry the weight in the proper place, which will make you better off the chest.

Do those three, and soon enough, the first time you ever bench 325 will be with a pause.

 

[hmatthews50]

Thanks

 

[PaulBlack]

A while back Brooks Kubik wrote an entire (not sure how many part article in Hard Gainer magazine) on getting to a #405+ paused from pins all natty no shirt BP by using the rack and pin presses.
I think he may have even worked down from say mid ROM to get some volume and feel for thew heavier and heavier weight.
Either way, I like Sean and Herds posts.