Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below Well, plans changed today. Went in and couldn't get 405 to touch. So at this point, looks like 430 will be opener. Hopefully it will touch. Didn't work up to anything above 405 today. Just hoping that it will touch. I think it will, 405 was only a couple inches from touching. I will order my singlet and smelling salts tomorrow. It was weird, 315 and 405 came down to about the same point, but neither would go any lower without dumping it. Thank goodness I had the pins set in the power rack or I would be in a lot of pain right now. If neither of these touch, I will get out my Fury and try 455. Don't know how it's gonna go yet.
Mad Dog Bench Meet - Info.
- Thread starter benchmonster
- Start date
bigokie said:
Damn brotha...was hoping for a little better news that that. I did speed work and then hit my opener. With the weight gain...don't know if I will even be able to use my tighter shirt. Will have to figure it out at the meet. But the attempts are still 405/425/450
Screwball
New member
I tried the new Fury (size 54) today. It's going to work really well when I gain about 10-15 lbs. Right now it's a little loose in the shoulders and arms. The lower body is loose too but that really doesn't make a difference in the shirt's performance. It gives me a good pop off of my chest but it only helps through about 50% of the range of motion as compared to 75%+ with the size 50 (PPE). I guess it's just common sense but I wish I would get that range of help with a shirt that allows me to touch a reasonable opener (for me).
This is how the the workout went:
Warm-ups:
bar x 12
bar x 12
135 x 6
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
Shirted
405 x X (no touch, about 2", locked out easily)
435 x 1 ( touched (barely), misgrooved, touched too high on my chest and bar rode back over my face but still locked it out)
Finished with light rolling dumbbells, hammer curls and pull-downs. I'll hit some AR work either tommorrow or Tuesday but that's it for the week.
My planned attempts will be 425 - 450 - 475.
I'm not sure if today's last attempt was a good thing or a bad thing. With a little shirt adjustment I think I can adjust my "touch" weight anywhere between 425 - 450. I'm kind of disappointed in my bench progress. I've hit 415 raw (a little ragged and slow but clean) in the gym and I'm opening with 425 in a shirt. Something is wrong with this picture and I can't figure out why I'm having a hard time hitting bigger shirted weights. The only explanation that I can think of is that guys that get a lot out of a shirt have incredible lock-out strength while my lock-out strength level is on par with my back, shoulders and chest strength. In other words, my muscle groups are balanced proportionately and that's why my raw and shirted bench press are fairly close together. Another issue could be my speed but I think it's fairly good and certainly not disproportionate enough to explain my lack of shirted assistance. The bottom-line is, I have to get my triceps stronger in order to take advantage of a shirt fully. Sorry for the rambling but I was thinking as I wrote all of this common sense bullshit.
I'm off of strict Westside after the meet. I'm going back to some rep training to see if I can put on some more lean muscle mass. With my heighth, any body-weight under 300 lbs. is worthless. I need the mass (lean muscle not fat) for strength and leverages. I'll still be hitting the Westside exercises with bands and chains but for reps in the 65% - 85% range. I'm going to drop the speed work for now. I'll probably have a squat day, bench day and deadlift day with accessory work. I want to focus on moving my squat and deadlift up. I feel really stale so I need a new program to get me motivated again.
This post may give you the feeling that I'm discouraged or frustrated but I feel good about where I'm at and where I'm going. If I could only train with the Okie Crew day in and day out, I know that I could make some serious gains. I need that level of consistant, quality lifting to push me to the next level. Perhaps, one day it will happen.
This is how the the workout went:
Warm-ups:
bar x 12
bar x 12
135 x 6
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
Shirted
405 x X (no touch, about 2", locked out easily)
435 x 1 ( touched (barely), misgrooved, touched too high on my chest and bar rode back over my face but still locked it out)
Finished with light rolling dumbbells, hammer curls and pull-downs. I'll hit some AR work either tommorrow or Tuesday but that's it for the week.
My planned attempts will be 425 - 450 - 475.
I'm not sure if today's last attempt was a good thing or a bad thing. With a little shirt adjustment I think I can adjust my "touch" weight anywhere between 425 - 450. I'm kind of disappointed in my bench progress. I've hit 415 raw (a little ragged and slow but clean) in the gym and I'm opening with 425 in a shirt. Something is wrong with this picture and I can't figure out why I'm having a hard time hitting bigger shirted weights. The only explanation that I can think of is that guys that get a lot out of a shirt have incredible lock-out strength while my lock-out strength level is on par with my back, shoulders and chest strength. In other words, my muscle groups are balanced proportionately and that's why my raw and shirted bench press are fairly close together. Another issue could be my speed but I think it's fairly good and certainly not disproportionate enough to explain my lack of shirted assistance. The bottom-line is, I have to get my triceps stronger in order to take advantage of a shirt fully. Sorry for the rambling but I was thinking as I wrote all of this common sense bullshit.
I'm off of strict Westside after the meet. I'm going back to some rep training to see if I can put on some more lean muscle mass. With my heighth, any body-weight under 300 lbs. is worthless. I need the mass (lean muscle not fat) for strength and leverages. I'll still be hitting the Westside exercises with bands and chains but for reps in the 65% - 85% range. I'm going to drop the speed work for now. I'll probably have a squat day, bench day and deadlift day with accessory work. I want to focus on moving my squat and deadlift up. I feel really stale so I need a new program to get me motivated again.
This post may give you the feeling that I'm discouraged or frustrated but I feel good about where I'm at and where I'm going. If I could only train with the Okie Crew day in and day out, I know that I could make some serious gains. I need that level of consistant, quality lifting to push me to the next level. Perhaps, one day it will happen.
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Hey Screwball,
That's weird the way your bench is. Mine is just opposite, if I tried 405 without a shirt I would have a tattoo of a barbell on my stomach, but with a shirt it's not bad at all. It really sounds like you haven't found a shirt that works well for you yet. I am getting closer with my shirts, but not there yet! Hopefully with 5 days off of training 430 will work out okay. I think the Fury will touch with 455, so that is a last resort if nothing will touch in my other shirts. By the way, do you still have your Karins Denim? If you do and you don't mind, would you bring it to the meet. I would like to try it on and see if it fits me at all.
I'm not at all disapointed with my plan so far. I know if 430 will touch without too much trouble I will be able to get it without too much trouble. My problem comes when the weight won't touch and I have to wrestle it around, that is when I screw up. I think if something heavier will touch easier than something lighter, it will be easier to bench. Hopefully this will hold true.
See you guys on Sat.
That's weird the way your bench is. Mine is just opposite, if I tried 405 without a shirt I would have a tattoo of a barbell on my stomach, but with a shirt it's not bad at all. It really sounds like you haven't found a shirt that works well for you yet. I am getting closer with my shirts, but not there yet! Hopefully with 5 days off of training 430 will work out okay. I think the Fury will touch with 455, so that is a last resort if nothing will touch in my other shirts. By the way, do you still have your Karins Denim? If you do and you don't mind, would you bring it to the meet. I would like to try it on and see if it fits me at all.
I'm not at all disapointed with my plan so far. I know if 430 will touch without too much trouble I will be able to get it without too much trouble. My problem comes when the weight won't touch and I have to wrestle it around, that is when I screw up. I think if something heavier will touch easier than something lighter, it will be easier to bench. Hopefully this will hold true.
See you guys on Sat.
benchmonster
New member
spatts said:I wanna go!!!!!
Then get your ass down here! We would love to have you down, and the extra experience would be invaluable in your meet this winter.
bigokie - I was hoping for a little better news for you as well. If 430+ is all that will touch, then just sack up and get one in. If Screwball's Karin's will allow you to touch something that is a comfortable lockout, even if it is 350 or so, I strongly recommend opening very light in that shirt, just to make absolutely certain you get one on the board.
Screwball - bro, I think you hit the nail right on the head. You are strong throughout the full length of the press. You are one of the strongest raw lifters I have been around. But, like you say, not getting much carry over. Lockout strength needs to catch up to your shirts and you will be way over 5 bills soon. Nothing to worry about, lockout is the easiest part to get better at, IMHO. And you do need to put some mass on that scrawny frame of yours. Jeez, what have you been doing? Eating rice cakes and salads? Steady diet of Beer and Pizza sounds like the remedy.
I did not have any help at the house this weekend, so I did not do any shirt work. I am hoping the extra rest will be a good thing, but never know till you are under the bar on meet day.
Remember when I hit 315 for 10 on a 5 board? Well, I did 3 sets of 10 at 315 on the 5 board for tri's last night. Even tho I just went up to a 385 bench, I still feel like it was a good night of training cause of the great accessory work.
I hope everyone does well this weekend. If everyone has a good day and hits what they are capable of, then this should be a very good meet. And afterward we can celebrate/drown sorrows as the case may be at some local watering hole.
B.
Screwball
New member
Bmonster: It's just as well you didn't work up to an opener this weekend. You know where you're at and what your attempts will be so no need to push any more than necessary. The time off will do you a lot more good.
I don't know about being a good raw bencher. I weighed 290 when I hit the 415 so how good is that really? Not very fucking good. I would give up 100 lbs. on my raw bench to be able to hit 500 shirted any day of the week.
I am a skinny, little fuck, aren't I? Not for long. I'll be back over 300 lbs. by the end of November. Got to love the holiday season. Time to bulk...
I don't know about being a good raw bencher. I weighed 290 when I hit the 415 so how good is that really? Not very fucking good. I would give up 100 lbs. on my raw bench to be able to hit 500 shirted any day of the week.
I am a skinny, little fuck, aren't I? Not for long. I'll be back over 300 lbs. by the end of November. Got to love the holiday season. Time to bulk...
benchmonster
New member
Hmmm, turkey.
I hope you are right Screwball, I have backed off way more than I ever have before a meet for this one. Partly to get rid of the tendonitis in my right forearm, which is gone, I am happy to report.
I am a bit nervous about not having gone heavy for the last couple of weeks. I hope I have not lost too much strength in the last 2 weeks. If I have not, then all will be well, if I have, then I will know to have a different plan before the next meet.
I have dropped bands for the last 2 weeks, which has blown my speed through the roof, and has really made my joints feel better, and I have only squatted once per week last two weeks to give the shoulders a break.
Never know till you get there tho. Good luck to all competitors this weekend.
B.
I hope you are right Screwball, I have backed off way more than I ever have before a meet for this one. Partly to get rid of the tendonitis in my right forearm, which is gone, I am happy to report.
I am a bit nervous about not having gone heavy for the last couple of weeks. I hope I have not lost too much strength in the last 2 weeks. If I have not, then all will be well, if I have, then I will know to have a different plan before the next meet.
I have dropped bands for the last 2 weeks, which has blown my speed through the roof, and has really made my joints feel better, and I have only squatted once per week last two weeks to give the shoulders a break.
Never know till you get there tho. Good luck to all competitors this weekend.
B.
Well, two days left! I'm so ready, haven't been into the gym since Sunday! Can't wait to hit the meet. I'm going crazy!
Good luck to everyone and will see you guys at the meet!!
Homer: "No TV and no beer, make Homer.......
Marge: "Go Crazy?!?!"
Homer: "DON'T MIND IF I DO.....AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Later
Good luck to everyone and will see you guys at the meet!!
Homer: "No TV and no beer, make Homer.......
Marge: "Go Crazy?!?!"
Homer: "DON'T MIND IF I DO.....AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Later
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