How to Barbell Bench Press 100 kg (Chest Muscles)

This exercise video is of my friend Os (means Ox in Afrikaans language), and Konstant training in the backyard. They are also following the same workout program that they got from Hello Six Pack Abs. Os is barbell bench pressing 100 kg in this video clip. He just started to workout a few weeks ago, but is naturally strong so he is already using the big weights.

To barbell bench press is one of the favorite chest exercises for bodybuilders. Chest muscles are one of the great show muscles that girls go crazy for. It's also a pretty easy exercise to do, but like all exercises the important thing is to do bench pressing with the correct form.

Chest muscles are also one of the muscles that develops the fastest, so get going and start working those pecs.

This is almost the end of week 5 of my body transformation so I will post pictures again next week. I gained another half a kg and can really see how the working out is working for me.

Keep training!

Workout on Caffeine? Good for you?

New studies show that consuming caffeine (Get Prolab Caffeinefrom Amazon) before a workout increases your endurance and it also delays fatigue. Having a few cups of coffee after an intense workout has also been proved to reduce muscle stiffness and soreness. And me being on full steam with my body transformation workout program decided to put these studies to the test...

First a few facts about caffeine use for workouts and exercise:

• Delays fatigue
• Slows the breakdown of muscle glycogen, which means your body has more fuel to keep going
• Enhances endurance
• Keeps you more alert
• Can reduce muscle pain during exercise
• May lower perceived exertion, making exercise feel more comfortable

Unfortunately caffeine is also a stimulant which means that it could have some side effects:

• Increased urination
• Stomach upset
• Trembling or shaking
• Trouble sleeping
• Increased anxiety
• Headaches
• Nausea

Right, so it Day 4 (week 5) of my workout split (that I got from Workout Routines at hellosixpackabs.com), so today I was doing only legs and decided I am going to consume a lot of caffeine (+- 4 cups of coffee) before I go workout and that I am also going to do some heavy cardio to see if the caffeine will increase my endurance for the cardio (running) and leg exercises (hamstrings, calves, upper legs, squad machine).

After I downed my huge cup of coffee, containing 4 teaspoons of concentrated coffee and honey, I could feel my heart rate go up, muscles starting to tremble and I started to talk a lot. (My girlfriend wasn't impressed) I knew that my ultimate caffeine rush has started, and off I went to the gym.

Full of energy and ready for anything I started on the treadmill. Usually I run on speed 10 for about 3 km, before my legs start hurting and my lungs start aching, but today, I started off at 10.5, and soon upped the speed of the treadmill to 12, (caffeine obviously working) running and maintaining my speed for 2 km, and whereas I would normally be too tired to go on, I still had a lot of energy left. I increased the gradient to 3%, setting my speed to 11, running uphill for more than a km. After this I was sweating like a pig, but still had energy left for the rest of my workout, whereas normally I would be pooped by this time.

Already realizing that a workout on caffeine works, I set off to the weights and machines section of the gym, having a 3 minute rest in between, and started with my leg workout. I did 3 sets of leg presses, 10 reps each. After that I moved on to the hamstrings machine, doing 5 sets of 10 reps each. I do all my exercises at about 80% of my max lift. Then I did the quads machine, 4 sets of 9 reps, followed by some quick super sets on the ass machine and inner thighs machine, 3 sets of 15 reps each. Finally I ended off with some calves exercises on the stair master machine, running flat out on my toes for a quick calves burn. It felt really good and I stumbled out of the gym on my way home, really feeling my legs aching all over, my legs total jelly. (Guess my caffeine level downed after the workout, hehe)

The verdict?
I could do all the exercises I usually do on a normal day and do them more intense. I ran faster, I increased the incline of the treadmill, still having enough energy after wards to give a hard workout at the weights and leg machines section. Even after a heavy leg cardio session, I increased my leg lifts by 3 kg and added a few additional sets, that I don't usually do. So, yes, I think workout on caffeine definately DOES work. It increased my endurance and speed and intensity of my workout.


Negative effects of taking caffeine? [added next day]
My muscles doesn't seem more stiff than usual. Surprisingly good actually. I did however struggle to sleep. Don't know if it could be related to the workout with the caffeine. I did take 4 coffees, so maybe that could still be in my system 3 hours later. Didn't feel any nausea or any of the other effects mentioned.

Will I go workout on caffeine again?
I will try this again, for sure, it definately worked. Caffeine rushes are awesome for exercise! I am sure it isn't very good if you take in too much caffeine at a time, so next time I will just lower my caffeine dosage, or get some real caffeine capsules like Prolab Caffeinefrom Amazon.com.

You can check out some good workout routines that I posted in a previous post, if you don't know what workout routine to do. As I have mentioned before I use a very good workout program from renowned bodybuilder Vince DelMonte. So far I have been having really good gains and I can really recommend it. It is called No-Nonsense Muscle Building and you can also read a review of this muscle building program if you want to make sure if this program is the right one for you.




Articles you may also like:

1. Before Photos and Week 1 of my Body Transformation

2. Photos and Progress report after Week 3 of my Body Transformation

3. Full Workout Routines and advice for Muscle Building

4. Best Exercises for Chest Muscles

What are the Best Exercises for the Chest Muscles?

Day 1 is my chest workout day, but what are the best exercises for a complete chest workout? Should you only do heavy bench pressing to get strong pecs?
It's better to get some variety into your chest workout to train all the various areas of your pectoral muscles. Here are some of my favorite chest exercises.

1. Seated Chest Presses
This works in a similar way as the lying down bench press, but using this machine you are seated. You use similar movements as the bench press, but because it is a machine your movements are stabilized and the weights are not bobbing around, meaning that you get a more focused workout for your pectoral muscles. A very easy chest exercise, you grip the handles and just push it forward in controlled motion. Do not lock elbows at end of extension. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

2. Cable Crossovers (High cables or low Cables)
Stand with your one foot forward for balance, grip the upper cable handles tightly and push forward and down bringing your hands to each other, slowly releasing it back again in a controlled movement. This chest exercise focuses a lot of energy to your chest muscles and done correctly is one of the best exercises for your chest. High cable is better for lower chest muscles and low cable is good for inner chest muscles. Repeat in 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

3. Incline or Decline Flyes
This exercise is very good for the upper part of the chest muscles. Adjust the bench to about a 45 degrees angle. Lie on your back and hold two dumbbells at your sides with your elbows bent at about 90 degrees. (for decline just lie with your head closer to the floor. Now arc the weights upward bringing the weights close to each other (about 6 in.), holding your elbows locked at 90 degrees, slowly lowering them again and repeat. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

4. Bench Press Wide Grip
Extend your grip a bit doing this chest muscle exercise. Pushing the barbell upward while lying down on a flat bench with the hands in a wide grip is a very good exercise for the lower chest muscles. The all time favorite chest muscle exercise for most bodybuilders.

5. Bench Press Close Grip
The same exercise as above, but do it with your hands closer together to get more focus on your inner chest muscles and triceps. Very good chest exercise for some power sets.

6. Dips
Doing dips with our elbows out puts more emphasis on lower pectorals and dips with elbows tucked in puts more focus on the inner chest muscles.

There are others, but these are some of the best chest exercises. Try and do about 3-4 of them each chest workout. Each exercise should be done in 3 sets of about 8-12 reps each. Rest in between your sets for about 30 seconds to 2 mins, but not more than that. If you do a good heavy chest workout, make sure and rest them for about 5 days, so they get plenty of time to rest and grow.

If you want more chest exercises and complete chest workouts with videos how to do them and precise instructions to get perfect chest muscles I can recommend that you invest in a muscle building guide that works like top selling No-Nonsense Muscle Building of Vince DelMonte or you can quickly read a full review of No-Nonsense Muscle Building Program to see if it is for you.

Check out Vince Delmonte's
No-Nonsense Muscle Building here

How did I survive the first 2 weeks of my Body Transformation?

Setting of to the local gym I was really excited and motivated for my new weight loss and muscle building Body Transformation. Full of confidence that I will be able to keep up with all the heavy training and dieting. But all was not as easy as I thought it would be...

I quickly realized that I am not as fit or strong as I thought I was. I decided to just get my body used to all the exercise first and do all my workouts at 60% max lift weight. I kept going with my workout program and worked out 5 days per week for the first 2 weeks. The second week I started working heavier weights and really pushed myself to fail each set. Could really feel the pump, hehe. I kept to my fat loss and muscle building diet, which includes an average of 4 means per day. Eating mostly lean meats, healthy carbs and vegetables and salad. I also had a protein shake or two on all my lifting days.

What is my workout split? I decided I am going to use a 3 day workout split, meaning I have a day 1, day 2, day 3, and then I start with day 1 again. Sometimes I take a break on the 4 day and start day 1 after that. For starters my muscle building workout program consists mainly training my all my bigger muscles, different muscles each day so I don't over train and my muscles get enough time to rest and get stronger.

I will post a full workout split and the exercises with sets and reps in another post later, but here are the basics:

Day1:
- Warm up (5 minutes tread mill and stretching)
- Chest
- Legs

Day 2:
- Warm up
- Shoulders/traps
- Biceps/forearms
- Abs/core
- Cardio 15 mins

Day 3:
- Warm up
- Back/lats
- Triceps
- Cardio 15 mins

I was pretty sore and stiff the first week, but I am already feeling better and I can see how I got stronger, already lifting a lot more, and not getting so sore anymore. The diet is pretty difficult to hold without cheating as my girlfriend still wants to eat pasta and bacon etc. sometimes and of course then there's the weekends, where all the housemates party and drink and barbeque (We South Africans like our BBQ) So I guess I am still cheating at least 2 days out of the week. But mostly I improved my diet a lot. I will upload my next pictures at the end of week 3.


Read more:

1. How and why I started my weight loss and muscle building Body Transformation

2. Week 1 of my body transformation with before pictures

3. Foods that burn fat

Home Page of my Body Transformation
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Week 1 of my Body Transformation with before pictures

I started with my Body Transformation on Thursday, April 16th 2009. I have just returned from a wonderful holiday with my Girlfriend from Turkey, where we got engaged. Of course I stuffed myself, eating out 3 times a day. So we returned I decided to go to the gym and start my new diet and fitness programs the very next day. I really needed some weight loss after that, hehe. It was almost the end of the week, so I will just count days from April 16th to Saturday, April 25th as Week 1 of my body transformation. And from then on every Sunday to Saturday will be one more week.

Here are some before pictures of me that I took just before I went on the holiday to turkey. (Before Week 1. Let's say April 16th, 2009)

Front: Week 1 - 69kg


Side: Week1 - 69kg

As you can see I've got no muscle definition whatsoever, thin petite arms with a fat belly that screams "punch me". These photos are a great motivation for me, because with the help of my workout and diet programs there is no way that I could look crappier, haha. Only forward with my weight loss and muscle building from here!

Keep tuned for my update on how I survived week 1 and week 2 and look out for my brand new pics at week 3! I'm sure we will be shocked!

Read about how and why I started my Body Transformation.

Start of My Body Transformation!

For my entire life, I have been a scrawny guy with a kind of petite build. (Got it from my mother, I guess) Average weight 65kg, 1.74m. And now that I'm older (30), the metabolism is not what it used to be and I have too much excess belly fat. Being naturally lazy (always thought just smart) I have never really exercised or did training of any sort, cept for some sports back in school. Thus my body is not in great shape. I have also been drinking and smoking quite heavily for most of my life. But now I'm planning to change all that with an all new body transformation!

I have quit smoking heavily for about a year now, and now that I am 30, I'm getting scared that my best and healthiest years are getting less and less. Starting with my 30's I realized that I will never be in better shape than I am now, If I don't make a complete body transformation.

So what am I going to change? I joined the Fitness and Health Centre (Gym) where I am going to start with a workout plan, training at least 4 days per week, doing mostly weight lifting exercises to build muscle. I am going to completely stop smoking, drink less. I am also going to start eating right. LESS junk food, fatty food, white carbs, processed foods and MORE Protein (including whey protein shakes), fresh vegetables, fruits, salads and only healthy carbs like brown rice, whole grain bread etc. (Also going to take regular vitamins) In addition to all this I am going to try out all the things I learned from Weight Loss, Muscle Building and Six Pack Abs guides.

You can read reviews etc. about these various guides and programs on Http://HelloSixPackAbs.com. For building lean muscle I am following the popular Vince DelMonte's No-Nonsense Muscle Building, for more guidance on calorie shifting and how to eat correctly for weight loss, I am using Fat Loss 4 Idiots. For getting rid of my excess stomach fat and getting perfect six pack abs, I am following the programs set out by Mike Gaery's Truth About Six Pack Abs.

So, why did I start this blog with all my rambling? I started this blog to chronicle my body transformation from week 1 as a motivation for myself and as a guide for others that want to try the same. I'm also testing out the various guides and programs mentioned before to see if there are any truth to their claims.

What will I post on this blog? I will post my progress, including weight, measurements, photos, workout programs, diet, recipes and everything else related to my body transformation

What are my body transformation goals? I want to gain weight, building lean muscle, at the same time lowering my body fat %. I am aiming to gain 6 kg of lean muscle in 6 month's time.

I hope you all will be interested in my blog and will follow it closely. I will try to update frequently, so subscribe. Also feel free to comment, give advice, motivate, or share your own personal experiences.