There is no myth to showing big numbers in your bench press, there really isn’t. If you what to push up big numbers you need to learn how to handle weight. One of the best ways to increase your bench is to not push weight at all. Crazy as you may think, most people have it backwards. We add weight onto a bar incrementally and try to push something we have never handled before. The body, specifically our muscular system adapts to stress very quickly so it can overcome that same stress in the future. That’s why whenever I want to get stronger and pack on the muscle; I always perform “Heavy Negatives” at least once a month, maybe twice. The reason why I only do it once a month is you’re usually too sore to do anything else after that. Bodybuilders that don’t have a “Negative” routine in their repertoire are really missing a vital tool in making incredible strength gains.

“Negatives” are repetitions that concentrate on the eccentric or lowering phase of an exercise. Do yourself a favor and get a training partner before you try this at home because you will need someone to help you get the weight back up to the starting position. Our muscles can handle between 30 and 40 percent more weight when we’re lowering it. So when we’re talking about the “Bench Press” we want to concentrate on adding between 30 and 40 percent more weight than you’re used to Benching in the traditional sense for reps. After your usual warm-up instead of benching 250 lbs for 10 reps, add an extra 75 pounds (30%) onto the bar. Get a good grip and lower the bar in 5 seconds, have your training partner help you bring the bar back up and lower it again 1..2..3..4..5.

Just because you think you can handle 30 – 40% more weight, it doesn’t equate to a bigger bench press. A missing piece to getting a big bench is working your upper back. Without a strong upper back you would never be able to stabilize the weight on either side of the repetition. Training your Rear Delts and Lats will take your bench higher than you ever imagined. Going heavy for 10-12 reps with T-bar rows for 3 sets and in between each set perform a set of Rear Delt Raises as heavy as you can go for 10-12 reps 3 sets. It’s more of a superset than anything.

This last key is not the most important but it is equally important. Grip strength is the most neglected part of many a body builder’s workout. Without it, you have no strength. After you have done your “Heavy Negative” Bench workout, and your Upper Back workout, you need to grab a hold of a 45 lb plate in each hand at the fingertips and proceed to performing as many finger curls (lifting the edge of the plate towards your palm) as you can, rest for 30 seconds and keep going until your forearms need a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.

Now go and throw some big iron around.

Rocco Castellano is the founder of askROCCO Media, which provides boot camps, seminars, media content and online fitness services at askROCCO.com. He is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and has written "askROCCO Uncensored v1," available at bookstores everywhere.