BFold and other Westsiders... Bench routine

[spatts]

The point of the bands is that it will speed recovery WITHOUT eccentric motion, thus building strength and size without the risk of reripping the muscle fibers (eccentric phase) that interferes with the healing necessary for hypertrophy.

 

[Haz]

I've always thought that a wide grip was used when going for max lifts. Do you powerlifters reccommend using a narrow or medium grip instead? Right now I use a medium grip (middle finger on power ring), but I figured the wider the grip, the less the bar has to travel, so the more you can bench?

 

[b fold the truth]

I've always thought that a wide grip was used when going for max lifts. Do you powerlifters reccommend using a narrow or medium grip instead? Right now I use a medium grip (middle finger on power ring), but I figured the wider the grip, the less the bar has to travel, so the more you can bench?

A shorter distance traveled is good as long as you are just as mechanically sound in that position. You could expand your chest and your stomach and take the bar down lower too...shorter ROM.

Most powerlifters will go wide in a contest...when they have on a bench press shirt and are going for broke. Lots of them suffer pec tears too...

B True

 

[Hannibal]

I've always thought that a wide grip was used when going for max lifts. Do you powerlifters reccommend using a narrow or medium grip instead? Right now I use a medium grip (middle finger on power ring), but I figured the wider the grip, the less the bar has to travel, so the more you can bench?

In competition powerlifters tend to use the widest grip possible (index on the rings). However, in training, most all of the work is done with pinkies inside the rings to work the triceps more.

 

[coolcolj]

I'm 5'9" and I use a wide grip where my pinky is on the power ring. I like this becuase my forewarms are vertical at the bottom position. Less tricep involvement mainly. In the past I have benched much closer - about 3 inches from the inner markings

 

[mekannik]

spatts
The point of the bands is that it will speed recovery WITHOUT eccentric motion, thus building strength and size without the risk of reripping the muscle fibers (eccentric phase) that interferes with the healing necessary for hypertrophy.

Again - point taken and understood. But for those of us who don't have bands (yet) and the experience of having used them (again - yet) - would, in your opinion, a 3x8 on an alternate bench day done for speed aid in active recovery?

I was considering doing 3x8 @ 60% of 1RM followed up with some swiss ball d.b. presses.


BTW - I did 325 x 1 x 4 last nite - my shoulder felt great and the weight flew off my chest.


Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[spatts]

Sure you can use weight as recovery, but I don't call 60% recovery weight. MAYBE 40%.

 

[TauRine]

I don't have any bands either. Instead, I do 8x3 with 55% of my 1RM for speed bench. Think I start to lose too much speed after 3 or 4 reps so I increase the sets.

Spatts/anyone: is this a good idea or should I be aiming for higher reps with less sets on a speed day? And how much rest between sets? At the moment I only give myself about 30seconds.

TauRine.

 

[spatts]

Why are you associating a speed workout with recovery?

 

[mekannik]

Quite possibly I used the wrong terms in my original question.

When I think of the speed work (using a lighter weight @ higher volume) - my thought process was this would compliment the more neural driven workout alternated with it.

I'm looking for a workout to aid in my progress on the neural day while at the same time helping with recovery. Of course - having read some David Tate articles - I have improved my technique in just a few workouts so my shoulder does not feel as vulnerable/sore the next day.