Blast Your Bench

[SAGAT]

as with everything.......it will only work for a while.

its a controled volume program where you over train and you undertrain.

dont think i vote for it.

if you want a big bench train like a powerlifter......i can give you links or info if you wish

can i take you up on that offer?

 

[Jabs]

I wouldn't suggest that routine theres no repair time. Your always tearing up your muscles. Also, always try to stay under 45 minutes per workout any longer and your energy and nutrional levels are depleted. Better to under train than over train. The best thing I ever did was to reduce the quanity of body parts being done in one training day and to keep my training under 1 hour, 45 minutes is best.

just my .02 cents

 

[Deciever]

im skeptical about trying it..

end point.. currently im looking through the deepsquatter archives , but any things that have worked for you in the past, i'd appreciate your advice

 

[Alexis]

Not sure if it really works...

You probably are going to fail (Im not wishing that of course) in the next days b/c of the overtrain, muscles, even small ones, need some time to recover...

Anyways if you try it, keep us podted... and Goog luck

 

[Phenotype X]

I brought my max up 30 lbs by basically alternating days of heavy dumbells and smith machine, with free weight barbell and smith machine. What I do with smith machine, is that I have a good amount of weight, approx 75-80% of your max, and bring it down until the bar is an inch away from your chest. Then I pause for 3 seconds, then blast it up, then repeat this for a total of 3 reps. This helped improved the bottom portion of the lift in my max, since for most people is the hardest part to accomplish. Dumbells also helped this too. For the middle to upper half of the lift, I added half reps on the smith machine, after a regular normal set of bench press, by raising the safety latches so that it would only go down half way. Along with all this I trained shoulders hard with Lots of heavy DB and Straight bar Military presses. And one more thing to add that will "blast your bench" is the close grip bench press. This sums up the best way to get the bench up. Most of this routine is very similar to a powerlifters bench routine.

 

[endpoint]

SAGAT & Deciever: the deepsquater archives http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/ dont really offer much. The article -----> http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/manrodt4.htm has some old school powerlifting action, as well as the "3x3" stuff.

For online powerlifting information you cant go past:
http://www.elitefts.com/
http://www.elitefts.com/elite-articles/home/default.asp

this is my favorite article on powerlifting. It describes how Westside barbell trains http://www.testosterone.net/html/133per.html
this is an example program:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/9week-training-program.htm

actually just read all the articles here(there are a few bench press improvement ones):
http://www.elitefts.com/elite-articles/testosterone/

if you dont know what westside barbell is here is an interview with the current owner:
http://www.testosterone.net/html/31madmo.html

I personally train the westside way after being converted from the 3X3 which i injured myself a few times.
westside barbell uses the conjugate method which is a constantly evolving program that developes a trainers speed and maximal strength at the same time.

 

[Deciever]

very interesting stuff..i'll be sure to give it a try... what kind of gains have you made while using the westside program??

 

[endpoint]

Its hard to say the gains i have made due to the fact that you dont really have days where you max out on competition lifts.

twice a week(once for bench once for squat) you max out on a special exercise that is involved in the competition lifts. Like instead of bench pressing you only bench press the last few inchs (using a powerrack with pins set at the right height)......or you have a board on your chest while you bench.........these and other exercises like the floor press, illegal wide grip bench etc etc (there are lists on the elite fitness article section)

I have been making good gains the last couple of months taking my close grip up about 30lbs, my good morning up about 50lbs.

I am only new to the system (2 or 3 months).
the greatest gain has been my speed, i didnt realise how slow i was.

I have also made great physical changes (about 9lbs of muscle) in the last 2 months.

i expect the gains to slow down......but keep on progressing.

the major bonus of the program is finding your weak points and making them stronger. as i said it constantly evolves and keeps on improving to cater to your weakness

 

[endpoint]

Phenotype X : you would never see a powerlifter near a smith machine.

Deciever : things i have learnt, and things that have worked in the past:

i found these muscles more benifical to a big bench: TRIs these are the most important.......even more than pecs.
a big bad ass upper back.
strong shoulders.

benching is a whole body movement. You would be surprised how much "leg drive" helps (im not talking about arching your back and squirming under the weight)

dont stop eating.

how quick you can move the bar is a big decider on how much you can bench.

 

[SAGAT]

endpoint; thanks a bunch! before i try it though; a couple essential questions....does it make sense to even try this when i a) dont have a squat rack, b)have limited access to a spotter (strange yes i know), and i have a nasty back condition.