A bench press chart actually refers to two different things. First, it is the chart where you log your progress. Also, it refers to the weightlifting chart used by bodybuilders to know when to increase their workout load. In either sense, a bench press chart is necessary for a successful and fruitful endeavor in bodybuilding.
A log chart is a tool used by many people for writing down their daily records of activities at the gym. It is a way to keep yourself motivated since you are able to see how you progress over the weeks. Muscle building works by subjecting the muscles to enough stress that causes them to break down and rebuild themselves much stronger than before. To induce the necessary stress, you must perform activities that are beyond your previous strength threshold. The increased weight will promote your muscles to grow to accommodate the added workload. In short, if you’re pressing 50 pounds this week, then you must raise that up to 55 pounds the next week. This progressive overload is what promotes muscle development and fitness levels.
By creating a log chart, you are able to track down your personal progress, so you know when to increase weights and by how much. It allows you to appreciate your improvements and plan for future workouts. Seeing this continuous progress is a top motivational factor for many people. Aside from your bench press loads, you can also include here all you exercise routines including cardio.
As mentioned earlier, you need to stress your muscles for them to grow but sometimes, knowing exactly how much stress you need is a tricky question. Some people resort to trial and error. They start off with a certain load, increasing or decreasing as they want to. However, this process could be a waste of time and energy; sometimes, they may also be dangerous if you added too much weight. For this purposes, weightlifting charts have been created.
A weightlifting chart, which is very different from a log chart, is a table containing numbers. This chart is used to know how much your 1 Repetition Maximum (1RM) is or the heaviest weight you can press in one repetition. This is a helpful to adequately measure your development and track your performance. The first column of the chart contains the weight of the load and the top row is the number of repetitions you can make with that load. The intersection of these two is your 1RM.
To see the importance of tracking your 1RM, look at the following example. Let’s say for this week, you press 135 pounds in 10 repetitions. That would bring your 1RM to 176 pounds. The next week, you try to add some weight to increase your progress. Thus you do 145 in 7 reps, which correspond to a 1RM of only 175 pounds, less than your last week’s 1RM. From here, you see that no actual progress was made.
Bench press chart, in both senses, is very useful in every exercise program. Use these tools well and make the most out of every second you spend in the gym.