Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
As a disciple of the teachings of the Metal Militia, Bill Crawford, and Sebastian Burns, I wanted to post this in an effort to help all those improve their skills and knowledge of benching and powerlifting. All of this information is readily available from the Metal Militia website.
Stay Strong and Bench Big.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Training for a big bench or a full power meet requires lots of planning and frequent adjustments at specific times to your workload and exercises for optimum results. Some lifters just train and do whatever they feel like on whatever day. Others set a plan in stone and stick to it no matter what. While both of these systems seem to have some advantages and disadvantages. I have found that it is the lifter that is in tune with his body and the changes that take place during the period of a training cycle.
Lets take a look at a basic 10 week bench training cycle. The cycle is laid out on a 2 day per week workout one day to do full range raw bench work and the other a high volume/top end super heavy day.
When the cycle begins there will be weakness in all areas of the bench. I will lay out the obvious along with some other things you may not have thought of.
First your ability to do large volume workouts: This will increase during the cycle and will need to be adjusted as you get closer to the meet .
Stability and Balance: By this I mean not just core stability and stabilizer muscles but your ability to put weight where you want it to go with a tight shirt on. This should be addressed early on in small amounts at first but in very large amounts later on.
Flexibility and arch/Position.By this I mean getting into the habit of setting up better and better getting your body where you want it on the bench with and without a shirt on. This should not be overlooked, as after only a few weeks of no bench training your setup will start to deteriorate.
Learning how to get support out of looser gear. When you begin lifting your bench shirt will be loose on you and you will need to get as much out of it as you can by learning how to get support out of loose gear it will teach you how to get huge support out of tighter gear. As you progress through the cycle you will get larger and your shirt will get tighter. Lifting with a loose shirt will also make you very strong and stable.
As you progress through your first few weeks you will need to bring up all these previous points while you are still keeping a close eye out for special weaknesses that may be developing. If you can find faults early on you will have a better chance at improving them before the meet gets to close.
When we start a training cycle we do a good amount of raw benching and lower boards to set a base at the bottom while we have time to spare. Later on there will be no time to work the bottom, as all efforts will go toward shirt and upper work.
Five or so weeks into the cycle you should have enough time in to analyze where things are going wrong or right. If you find that you are having trouble with you’re shirt bench touching. Then you know you are going to need to get twice the work in with your shirt over the next few weeks and this is no prob because at this point you still have some time to do it. If you are touching and you are failing at lockout then you know you are going to need to get your lockouts and high boards up.
If at this time you find that you are bringing the bar high on your chest and ripping shirts then you will need to back off the raw benching and use your shirt more.You may also want to start doing some top end work on your other day as well at this time.
Seven weeks into the cycle you should be well into lots of shirt benching and upper end as well as identifying where you need work. At this time you will probably still need to perfect your shirt lifting while still improving your lockout.
Week 8 and 9 By this time you should be hitting lots of singles and preparing for a 1 rep shirt max this may mean not only doing heavy singles but trying a 3 rep shirt max and working on lots of shirt reps if needed. The top of the lift is all important at this time because if you have done everything up till now your form should be the best it can be and at the meet it is gonna come down to locking the weight out because with a good bench shirt the weight will always come off your chest.
Week 10 We do our last workout 7 days before the meet and we usually don’t back off we will hit it hard and do lots of work and maybe go up to an opener or a second attempt. Followed by lots of where we think we need that last bit of work.
The last week before the meet is reserved for lots of eating and sleeping. Keep stress levels low and be lazy. Your training is done at this point and now you must focus on healing up for the meet. Try to get extra sleep this last week in the form of naps or extra hours at night. Don’t stress about the meet if you have done all things right and have confidence in yourself and the training you have done you will succeed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Setting up before the Bench
When most people set up for the bench they usually don’t think that what they are doing is the most important part of the lift. They are focused on the weight and maybe the excitement of the meet or training session. What they don’t know is that the game is won or lost in the setup. I don’t think that many local gym rats even think about it at all. Judging by most of what I have seen working in the gym business for 15 odd years most people just lay down and push the bar up in whatever way possible. This is fine if you are a flat back benchin gym rat, but when you are looking to do some damage to the state, national, or world record books you will need to pay more attention to your setup. I have personally seen lifters add 50 to 100lbs to their bench in one or two training sessions just by improving their setup. That’s right, 50 to 100lbs!! Most lifters would say only a bench shirt could cause an increase like that. Well I will try to convey in writing the proper way to set up your bench press so you to can enjoy an increase like that.
Lets start with feet position your feet should be spread wide. A good rule of thumb here is to always spread your feet a little wider than you think they should be. If you keep that in your head over time you will be able to get them pretty wide if you are not flexible enough to do so in the beginning .Now lets look at foot placement. The way we will do this is to look at the foot in relation to the knee. The feet should be tucked behind your knee more towards your head and the angle of your leg from a side view should look like this (<). There is a few reasons for this foot placement the first being the ability to drive hard from your legs without your ass coming up off the bench. The second is stability. The wide stance will provide the base needed to steer heavy weight with a bench shirt on. The actual way you place your feet is also important. We have found that it is best to put the full force of your push onto the balls of your feet but at the same time pressing the heel to the floor. Pushing the heel to the floor can be used as a fine adjustment knob for getting weight to touch your chest with your shirt on. When you push your heel down this will cause your stomach to rise and will allow the bar to touch.
Now lets move beyond the feet to the hip joint. It is here that we create the angle of the upper leg (<) we are looking for to get the feet in the proper position. This is accomplished by flexing your gluteus as much as possible and rotating your crotch towards the bench (Balls to the bench if you will). If you follow all the steps up till here we have solved the problems of getting max stability with max leg drive without raising your ass off the bench. For most lifters this would seem impossible but with some time and a lot of effort you will get the position right. If your ass is still coming off the bench then your feet will have to go wider or farther back or both.
Next is the lower back, obviously this will determine most of your arch and you will need to really push yourself to get your arch up if you are not flexible enough to do so already. I cannot say enough how important it is that you try really hard to get better at arching it is almost the biggest piece of the shirt bench puzzle. There is a few ways I have seen over the years to try to help you arch, everything from placing various balls and boards under your back to crazy stretching exercises. My opinion here is that if you think it works then try it. I personally have never used anything except trying to arch higher and higher every single set and I have been told that my arch is one of the best save for a few girls who can just bend in half.
Now lets move to arching the upper back. Most people think that only the lower back arches but this is not so and this is very important if you want to get the most out of your shirt, this is accomplished by putting your upper trap on the bench and pushing your chest out as far as possible. To see what I am saying sit up straight in a chair and place your finger on the highest point on your trap you will see that this is not behind you but rather on top. This is what you are trying to get on the bench.
Now that we have made it this far lets talk about the final piece and perhaps the most important. Shoulder blade retraction the best way to explain this is to stand straight up and put your arms up like you are about to bench. Now have someone put his or her finger in the middle of your upper back on your spine. Pull your shoulders together and try to squeeze that persons finger notice your bench stroke will shorten a few inches from doing this. This will also aid in touching weight with a tight shirt on. The reason for it in the setup will be to hold your shirt in place while you are arching.
Now that we have broken down each area of the proper setup lets put it all together into one motion because it must become one fluid motion that does not require lots of valuable energy needed for the lift.
Start by sitting on the end of the bench retracting your shoulder blades keeping your shirt where you have placed it for the lift. Lying back on the bench and grabbing the bar with an underhand grip, next move your head and upper body thru the bench towards your handoff spotter while holding yourself up with your underhand grip. Shoulders still retracted, pull your feet back farther than where you would normally place them, almost where they are touching the cross member of the bench. Keep them there and start moving your body back toward the front of the bench without moving your feet. Once you feel a great stretch in your hipflexors. Anchor your hips to the bench and start rotating your crotch downward toward the bench. Your feet still remain in the extremely flexed position at this time. Shoulders still together chest and stomach pushed up real high, this is where you must focus on the upper back arch. You can also use your head to hold your upper back off the bench while you are trying to get the upper trap on the bench. When you feel you have enough of an arch to put your traps down, slam them down hard and dig in. All the time be aware of your shirt and arm position. Keep pushing your ass and your traps closer together using your feet at one end and pushing into the arch with your hands on the bar with the other. The whole time you are doing this you will need to be aware of your bench shirt and the position of your arms, I cannot stress this enough. Now that you are in position slide your feet forward (not too far) until you can get a solid base on the balls of your feet now push your heels to the floor. If you can do so easily you went too far. It should be hard to get them to touch the floor .Now without moving your shirt turn your hands around push together a little more take a deep breath and take the weight.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hard Work
By: Sebastian Burns
Nothing is accomplished without work, and in terms of upping your lifts; it is almost the most important factor. Most people believe that they are working hard in the gym. I will tell you straight out that 99% of lifters are not working as hard as they could be. Lets take a look at some common mistakes made by people who are trying to get their lifts up.
First you must have a good attitude towards the work. You cannot go into the gym thinking, “Man I have to do all this and I don’t really feel like it”. Sure, there are days that we don’t feel like training. If you are going to take the time to go to the gym, load all the weight, and get all your friends together to help spot, you need to forget all other bullshit and put your mind into the work. When I go in to train I know right from the start that the work is gonna be hard, and there is a chance I will get hurt and I may feel like I got hit by a truck for days to come. One thing that most people say to me is “Wow, how do you do so much work?”, well I do because I make myself feel like I have to. I say to myself, “This is all I know and this is all I have, and I will kill myself in this fucking gym if I have to.” I want to get my lift and I want to be the best lifter I can. I want to always be the last lifter in the gym. I will be the one there for hours after everyone leaves. I will never quit until I know I have killed myself.
Here is some other shit I hear sometimes when I am working out with people.
“I worked all day or all week and I am tired”. This one really gets me going. I don’t give a fuck, we are here to do work and I don’t care if your arm is half torn off. I also worked all day or all week and my drive to do the work is high because I will succeed, and while you are complaining about your hard work I will use your complaining to piss me off to do even more work.
“My head is not in it tonight” Well your body is here so you might as well get your fucking head in it. While you are in the gym there is nothing more important than getting the work done regardless of what is on your mind. If it is woman problems or financial problems you must learn to separate yourself from that bullshit. Do you think some girl gives a shit about your workout? Well she doesn’t and she is probably talking to or hanging out with some other guy while you are there working out. So forget about her and if it is money that is bothering you quit lifting and go get a better job because there is no money in lifting.
“I’m spent man, I don’t have anything left” If you say this than that means that you do not have a drive to succeed. There has been many times where my body has hurt so bad and I had not hardly eaten that day, but I want to better myself and I want to get the work done. The easy thing to do here would be to just go home and rest. I know for a fact that someone else out there is not going to just leave. They will stay and do the work no matter what. How do I know, because I am that lifter.
“My shoulder, pec, or elbow is bothering me” Well you need to realize that lifting weights will beat your body all to hell. There will always be something that does not feel quite right when you reach the upper level of weight training. I am not saying train with injuries, but I have actually heard people say my shoulder is bothering me a little so I am gonna stop. While I am standing there with a huge swollen lump on my shoulder, a loud grinding going on, and can barely straighten my arm out because of elbow pain. I want to scream fuck you! Now I am gonna stay here and work even harder because you are a little Bitch.
There are many more things that piss me off, but I am sure some of you have heard these excuses, and that is all they are; excuses for not wanting to do the work. Or god forbid you have said some of these yourself. I will list a few things that you can try if you want to work harder.
1. Go thru your whole workout. Then go thru it again.
2. Go thru an exercise then do it again.
3. Be the last person out of the gym.
4. Use your training partners slacking to piss you off to do more work.
5. Act like all you have is this workout and you are going to make the best of it.
6. Don’t be afraid to kill yourself during a workout.
7. Know that your mind is much stronger than your body.
8. Yell loud at people who are not doing work.
9. Expect everything out of your training partners.
10. Move with urgency during your training and don’t be afraid to be a dick if people are not doing work…
Most of all just start loving the work. It is the only thing you have that will help you get what you want.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metal Militia Bench Routine
Tuesday
Raw bench: Grip (Index Finger On Ring)
We work our way up to a 3 Rep Max (3RM). If we get all 3 reps we will go up 10lbs and try another 3 reps. If we don’t get 3 we may stop there or go down for a 5 RM Next week we will attempt the 3RM again and go up 10 lbs etc.Total sets = 5 to 8.
Decline: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
For decline we work up to a 5RM with all sets done for 5 reps.Total sets = 5
The more you arch on the bench press the more valuable the decline will be.
4,3,2,1 Boards: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
We usually work up to a 3RM on the 4 board then we may go for 1RM on the next boards depending on energy levels and soreness from the previous workout.Total sets range from 8 to as many as 15.
Total sets on this day range from 15 to 30.
Other exercises that can be done on this day:
Incline: 4 Sets 5 to 1 Reps.
Rope Extensions: 2 Sets 20 to 40 Reps.
Pulldowns: 4 Sets 10 Reps.
Shrugs: 4 Sets 10 Reps.
Saturday
Close Grip Bench: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
This exercise is used as a warm up and we use the same progression as raw bench for the sets except we don't go back down for a 5RM.
Shirt Bench: Grip (Index Finger On Ring)
We will put our shirt on here if the meet is within 4 weeks or so. If the meet is farther away we will do our shirt work at the end before Rack work. Everyone usually starts off with their shirt where they left off with the close grip bench. Starting with 3 to 5 reps in the first few sets to get into a grove of the shirt. Then onto a few doubles then some singles. If the singles don't go well or if there is problems touching or with your groove then we will go right back to the beginning and work all the way back up again trying harder to get everything right. Sets here could range from 5 to 10 to even 20 or more depending on how everything goes. If you don't get it right you must work back through until you get it right.
6,5,4, Boards: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
We will usually try to max on all of these boards and sometimes work through the same board twice if the groove does not feel right or we miss our goal weight on a certain board. Again sets could be very high if things don't go right or if more work is needed in a certain area. The 4 board is optional on this day depending if you did it on Tuesday or not.
Rack Lockouts: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
We work our way up to a 3RM using 3 reps for all sets. These are done at the end of the workout when you are tired and want to go home but if you stay and do them you will have great finishing power needed to lockout heavy weight. Total sets range from 6 to 10.
Other exercises that can be done on this day:
Tricep Pushdowns: 3 Sets 10 Reps.
Rope Extensions: 2 Sets 20 to 40 reps.
Pulldowns: 4 Sets 10 Reps.
Shrugs: 4 Sets 10 Reps.
As you can see there is much more volume done on sat then on Tuesday and nothing is set in stone. The workouts are dictated by the way we feel and where we feel we need the most work to produce improvement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Additional Metal Militia Information:
Nazareth Barbell
Sebastian Burns Homepage
Bill Crawfords Homepage
Stay Strong and Bench Big.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Training for a big bench or a full power meet requires lots of planning and frequent adjustments at specific times to your workload and exercises for optimum results. Some lifters just train and do whatever they feel like on whatever day. Others set a plan in stone and stick to it no matter what. While both of these systems seem to have some advantages and disadvantages. I have found that it is the lifter that is in tune with his body and the changes that take place during the period of a training cycle.
Lets take a look at a basic 10 week bench training cycle. The cycle is laid out on a 2 day per week workout one day to do full range raw bench work and the other a high volume/top end super heavy day.
When the cycle begins there will be weakness in all areas of the bench. I will lay out the obvious along with some other things you may not have thought of.
First your ability to do large volume workouts: This will increase during the cycle and will need to be adjusted as you get closer to the meet .
Stability and Balance: By this I mean not just core stability and stabilizer muscles but your ability to put weight where you want it to go with a tight shirt on. This should be addressed early on in small amounts at first but in very large amounts later on.
Flexibility and arch/Position.By this I mean getting into the habit of setting up better and better getting your body where you want it on the bench with and without a shirt on. This should not be overlooked, as after only a few weeks of no bench training your setup will start to deteriorate.
Learning how to get support out of looser gear. When you begin lifting your bench shirt will be loose on you and you will need to get as much out of it as you can by learning how to get support out of loose gear it will teach you how to get huge support out of tighter gear. As you progress through the cycle you will get larger and your shirt will get tighter. Lifting with a loose shirt will also make you very strong and stable.
As you progress through your first few weeks you will need to bring up all these previous points while you are still keeping a close eye out for special weaknesses that may be developing. If you can find faults early on you will have a better chance at improving them before the meet gets to close.
When we start a training cycle we do a good amount of raw benching and lower boards to set a base at the bottom while we have time to spare. Later on there will be no time to work the bottom, as all efforts will go toward shirt and upper work.
Five or so weeks into the cycle you should have enough time in to analyze where things are going wrong or right. If you find that you are having trouble with you’re shirt bench touching. Then you know you are going to need to get twice the work in with your shirt over the next few weeks and this is no prob because at this point you still have some time to do it. If you are touching and you are failing at lockout then you know you are going to need to get your lockouts and high boards up.
If at this time you find that you are bringing the bar high on your chest and ripping shirts then you will need to back off the raw benching and use your shirt more.You may also want to start doing some top end work on your other day as well at this time.
Seven weeks into the cycle you should be well into lots of shirt benching and upper end as well as identifying where you need work. At this time you will probably still need to perfect your shirt lifting while still improving your lockout.
Week 8 and 9 By this time you should be hitting lots of singles and preparing for a 1 rep shirt max this may mean not only doing heavy singles but trying a 3 rep shirt max and working on lots of shirt reps if needed. The top of the lift is all important at this time because if you have done everything up till now your form should be the best it can be and at the meet it is gonna come down to locking the weight out because with a good bench shirt the weight will always come off your chest.
Week 10 We do our last workout 7 days before the meet and we usually don’t back off we will hit it hard and do lots of work and maybe go up to an opener or a second attempt. Followed by lots of where we think we need that last bit of work.
The last week before the meet is reserved for lots of eating and sleeping. Keep stress levels low and be lazy. Your training is done at this point and now you must focus on healing up for the meet. Try to get extra sleep this last week in the form of naps or extra hours at night. Don’t stress about the meet if you have done all things right and have confidence in yourself and the training you have done you will succeed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Setting up before the Bench
When most people set up for the bench they usually don’t think that what they are doing is the most important part of the lift. They are focused on the weight and maybe the excitement of the meet or training session. What they don’t know is that the game is won or lost in the setup. I don’t think that many local gym rats even think about it at all. Judging by most of what I have seen working in the gym business for 15 odd years most people just lay down and push the bar up in whatever way possible. This is fine if you are a flat back benchin gym rat, but when you are looking to do some damage to the state, national, or world record books you will need to pay more attention to your setup. I have personally seen lifters add 50 to 100lbs to their bench in one or two training sessions just by improving their setup. That’s right, 50 to 100lbs!! Most lifters would say only a bench shirt could cause an increase like that. Well I will try to convey in writing the proper way to set up your bench press so you to can enjoy an increase like that.
Lets start with feet position your feet should be spread wide. A good rule of thumb here is to always spread your feet a little wider than you think they should be. If you keep that in your head over time you will be able to get them pretty wide if you are not flexible enough to do so in the beginning .Now lets look at foot placement. The way we will do this is to look at the foot in relation to the knee. The feet should be tucked behind your knee more towards your head and the angle of your leg from a side view should look like this (<). There is a few reasons for this foot placement the first being the ability to drive hard from your legs without your ass coming up off the bench. The second is stability. The wide stance will provide the base needed to steer heavy weight with a bench shirt on. The actual way you place your feet is also important. We have found that it is best to put the full force of your push onto the balls of your feet but at the same time pressing the heel to the floor. Pushing the heel to the floor can be used as a fine adjustment knob for getting weight to touch your chest with your shirt on. When you push your heel down this will cause your stomach to rise and will allow the bar to touch.
Now lets move beyond the feet to the hip joint. It is here that we create the angle of the upper leg (<) we are looking for to get the feet in the proper position. This is accomplished by flexing your gluteus as much as possible and rotating your crotch towards the bench (Balls to the bench if you will). If you follow all the steps up till here we have solved the problems of getting max stability with max leg drive without raising your ass off the bench. For most lifters this would seem impossible but with some time and a lot of effort you will get the position right. If your ass is still coming off the bench then your feet will have to go wider or farther back or both.
Next is the lower back, obviously this will determine most of your arch and you will need to really push yourself to get your arch up if you are not flexible enough to do so already. I cannot say enough how important it is that you try really hard to get better at arching it is almost the biggest piece of the shirt bench puzzle. There is a few ways I have seen over the years to try to help you arch, everything from placing various balls and boards under your back to crazy stretching exercises. My opinion here is that if you think it works then try it. I personally have never used anything except trying to arch higher and higher every single set and I have been told that my arch is one of the best save for a few girls who can just bend in half.
Now lets move to arching the upper back. Most people think that only the lower back arches but this is not so and this is very important if you want to get the most out of your shirt, this is accomplished by putting your upper trap on the bench and pushing your chest out as far as possible. To see what I am saying sit up straight in a chair and place your finger on the highest point on your trap you will see that this is not behind you but rather on top. This is what you are trying to get on the bench.
Now that we have made it this far lets talk about the final piece and perhaps the most important. Shoulder blade retraction the best way to explain this is to stand straight up and put your arms up like you are about to bench. Now have someone put his or her finger in the middle of your upper back on your spine. Pull your shoulders together and try to squeeze that persons finger notice your bench stroke will shorten a few inches from doing this. This will also aid in touching weight with a tight shirt on. The reason for it in the setup will be to hold your shirt in place while you are arching.
Now that we have broken down each area of the proper setup lets put it all together into one motion because it must become one fluid motion that does not require lots of valuable energy needed for the lift.
Start by sitting on the end of the bench retracting your shoulder blades keeping your shirt where you have placed it for the lift. Lying back on the bench and grabbing the bar with an underhand grip, next move your head and upper body thru the bench towards your handoff spotter while holding yourself up with your underhand grip. Shoulders still retracted, pull your feet back farther than where you would normally place them, almost where they are touching the cross member of the bench. Keep them there and start moving your body back toward the front of the bench without moving your feet. Once you feel a great stretch in your hipflexors. Anchor your hips to the bench and start rotating your crotch downward toward the bench. Your feet still remain in the extremely flexed position at this time. Shoulders still together chest and stomach pushed up real high, this is where you must focus on the upper back arch. You can also use your head to hold your upper back off the bench while you are trying to get the upper trap on the bench. When you feel you have enough of an arch to put your traps down, slam them down hard and dig in. All the time be aware of your shirt and arm position. Keep pushing your ass and your traps closer together using your feet at one end and pushing into the arch with your hands on the bar with the other. The whole time you are doing this you will need to be aware of your bench shirt and the position of your arms, I cannot stress this enough. Now that you are in position slide your feet forward (not too far) until you can get a solid base on the balls of your feet now push your heels to the floor. If you can do so easily you went too far. It should be hard to get them to touch the floor .Now without moving your shirt turn your hands around push together a little more take a deep breath and take the weight.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hard Work
By: Sebastian Burns
Nothing is accomplished without work, and in terms of upping your lifts; it is almost the most important factor. Most people believe that they are working hard in the gym. I will tell you straight out that 99% of lifters are not working as hard as they could be. Lets take a look at some common mistakes made by people who are trying to get their lifts up.
First you must have a good attitude towards the work. You cannot go into the gym thinking, “Man I have to do all this and I don’t really feel like it”. Sure, there are days that we don’t feel like training. If you are going to take the time to go to the gym, load all the weight, and get all your friends together to help spot, you need to forget all other bullshit and put your mind into the work. When I go in to train I know right from the start that the work is gonna be hard, and there is a chance I will get hurt and I may feel like I got hit by a truck for days to come. One thing that most people say to me is “Wow, how do you do so much work?”, well I do because I make myself feel like I have to. I say to myself, “This is all I know and this is all I have, and I will kill myself in this fucking gym if I have to.” I want to get my lift and I want to be the best lifter I can. I want to always be the last lifter in the gym. I will be the one there for hours after everyone leaves. I will never quit until I know I have killed myself.
Here is some other shit I hear sometimes when I am working out with people.
“I worked all day or all week and I am tired”. This one really gets me going. I don’t give a fuck, we are here to do work and I don’t care if your arm is half torn off. I also worked all day or all week and my drive to do the work is high because I will succeed, and while you are complaining about your hard work I will use your complaining to piss me off to do even more work.
“My head is not in it tonight” Well your body is here so you might as well get your fucking head in it. While you are in the gym there is nothing more important than getting the work done regardless of what is on your mind. If it is woman problems or financial problems you must learn to separate yourself from that bullshit. Do you think some girl gives a shit about your workout? Well she doesn’t and she is probably talking to or hanging out with some other guy while you are there working out. So forget about her and if it is money that is bothering you quit lifting and go get a better job because there is no money in lifting.
“I’m spent man, I don’t have anything left” If you say this than that means that you do not have a drive to succeed. There has been many times where my body has hurt so bad and I had not hardly eaten that day, but I want to better myself and I want to get the work done. The easy thing to do here would be to just go home and rest. I know for a fact that someone else out there is not going to just leave. They will stay and do the work no matter what. How do I know, because I am that lifter.
“My shoulder, pec, or elbow is bothering me” Well you need to realize that lifting weights will beat your body all to hell. There will always be something that does not feel quite right when you reach the upper level of weight training. I am not saying train with injuries, but I have actually heard people say my shoulder is bothering me a little so I am gonna stop. While I am standing there with a huge swollen lump on my shoulder, a loud grinding going on, and can barely straighten my arm out because of elbow pain. I want to scream fuck you! Now I am gonna stay here and work even harder because you are a little Bitch.
There are many more things that piss me off, but I am sure some of you have heard these excuses, and that is all they are; excuses for not wanting to do the work. Or god forbid you have said some of these yourself. I will list a few things that you can try if you want to work harder.
1. Go thru your whole workout. Then go thru it again.
2. Go thru an exercise then do it again.
3. Be the last person out of the gym.
4. Use your training partners slacking to piss you off to do more work.
5. Act like all you have is this workout and you are going to make the best of it.
6. Don’t be afraid to kill yourself during a workout.
7. Know that your mind is much stronger than your body.
8. Yell loud at people who are not doing work.
9. Expect everything out of your training partners.
10. Move with urgency during your training and don’t be afraid to be a dick if people are not doing work…
Most of all just start loving the work. It is the only thing you have that will help you get what you want.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metal Militia Bench Routine
Tuesday
Raw bench: Grip (Index Finger On Ring)
We work our way up to a 3 Rep Max (3RM). If we get all 3 reps we will go up 10lbs and try another 3 reps. If we don’t get 3 we may stop there or go down for a 5 RM Next week we will attempt the 3RM again and go up 10 lbs etc.Total sets = 5 to 8.
Decline: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
For decline we work up to a 5RM with all sets done for 5 reps.Total sets = 5
The more you arch on the bench press the more valuable the decline will be.
4,3,2,1 Boards: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
We usually work up to a 3RM on the 4 board then we may go for 1RM on the next boards depending on energy levels and soreness from the previous workout.Total sets range from 8 to as many as 15.
Total sets on this day range from 15 to 30.
Other exercises that can be done on this day:
Incline: 4 Sets 5 to 1 Reps.
Rope Extensions: 2 Sets 20 to 40 Reps.
Pulldowns: 4 Sets 10 Reps.
Shrugs: 4 Sets 10 Reps.
Saturday
Close Grip Bench: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
This exercise is used as a warm up and we use the same progression as raw bench for the sets except we don't go back down for a 5RM.
Shirt Bench: Grip (Index Finger On Ring)
We will put our shirt on here if the meet is within 4 weeks or so. If the meet is farther away we will do our shirt work at the end before Rack work. Everyone usually starts off with their shirt where they left off with the close grip bench. Starting with 3 to 5 reps in the first few sets to get into a grove of the shirt. Then onto a few doubles then some singles. If the singles don't go well or if there is problems touching or with your groove then we will go right back to the beginning and work all the way back up again trying harder to get everything right. Sets here could range from 5 to 10 to even 20 or more depending on how everything goes. If you don't get it right you must work back through until you get it right.
6,5,4, Boards: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
We will usually try to max on all of these boards and sometimes work through the same board twice if the groove does not feel right or we miss our goal weight on a certain board. Again sets could be very high if things don't go right or if more work is needed in a certain area. The 4 board is optional on this day depending if you did it on Tuesday or not.
Rack Lockouts: Grip (Pinky Finger On Ring)
We work our way up to a 3RM using 3 reps for all sets. These are done at the end of the workout when you are tired and want to go home but if you stay and do them you will have great finishing power needed to lockout heavy weight. Total sets range from 6 to 10.
Other exercises that can be done on this day:
Tricep Pushdowns: 3 Sets 10 Reps.
Rope Extensions: 2 Sets 20 to 40 reps.
Pulldowns: 4 Sets 10 Reps.
Shrugs: 4 Sets 10 Reps.
As you can see there is much more volume done on sat then on Tuesday and nothing is set in stone. The workouts are dictated by the way we feel and where we feel we need the most work to produce improvement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Additional Metal Militia Information:
Nazareth Barbell
Sebastian Burns Homepage
Bill Crawfords Homepage
Last edited:
