My strength plans - help me out

[sysopt]

If you're not working your upper back hard then you should consider doing so. A stronger back will improve your bench. Any compound exercise will do, I like chins/pullups the most. Also, try throwing external rotary-cuff exercises into your routine. This is another supporting muscle that tends to get neglected and can, like a stronger back, increase your bench.

 

[bigmag]

I wouldn't put any more flat bench in there unless you're more concerned with strength....if you're more concerned with size then you need incline dumb-bells.

 

[Zombie]

good luck

 

[WarriorPL]

Hey bl00d, i hope this helps.

http://www.musclemedia.com/training/bench/bench04.asp

 

[Imnotdutch]

Blood, to do that by Xmas isnt really feasible. That kind of increase takes me a year. But IMO a 300 bench is within reach for anybody of your weight. It seems that you are more interested in strength rather than size so I would suggest that you start by finding your weak point in the bench. Perhaps you already know where it is? When you fail a lift at what point do you fail? Start, middle or lockout? If you want a big bench you have to work with these things.

Once you know that, you do specific exercises to strengthen the weak point. If you are weak at the bottom, its likely to be your chest or lats are weak. Failing in the middle is mostly shoulders. Failing at lockout is triceps.

If you want to strengthen:
Chest: you might try dumbbell bench press.....making sure to go deep. Or wide grip bench press.
Lats: Rowing movements work well for me.....try to move the bar to the same point as you do when benching.
Shoulders....use a power rack to lift the bar from just under your weak spot or you could do board or floor presses.
Triceps....Hannibal posted some great tri exercises recently.

BTW in training for strength you will prob find that you will still gain size.....so you wont have to worry about that.

Sorry about the length of this post.....if you have questions post em here so you can get feedback from several people. There are some seriously big benchers here!!

I do 3 sets of flat bench, 4-6 reps, 3 sets of incline db press 4-6 reps, and 2 sets of weighted dips, 4-6 reps.

Suggestions?

I want to near 300lbs on a 6 rep style. I do 220 now, and I would like to be nearing 300 @ 6 reps. Maybe its not feasible for december, but I want to be pressing 300 soon for 6.

 

[Imnotdutch]

In the original post he says he is concerned with strength rather than mass......he says it clearly in that post!

Heres a quote from that post:

"I am looking for exercises / a routine that will help me pack strength primarily, but that won't neglect size"

I dont think that he will be neglecting size at all if he has a good program for strength.

I wouldn't put any more flat bench in there unless you're more concerned with strength....if you're more concerned with size then you need incline dumb-bells.

 

[blood_drinker]

Yeah definetely my problem is at lockout. For the db presses you suggested, would these be incline or simply flat ? If the latter, would these replace flat bench?

I go really deep with flat dbs because I put the dbs parallel to my body at the bottom - it gives you a much better stretch at the bottom .

Im on my way - just need this last piece of advice.

 

[Imnotdutch]

If the lockout is the problem then you need to hit your tri's hard. Dumb-bells wont do this (they work the bottom portion of the lift).....but for future reference I always do them flat as I'm sure most people here do.

Gimme a few minutes to look up Hannibals post on tri exercises.......

Yeah definetely my problem is at lockout. For the db presses you suggested, would these be incline or simply flat ? If the latter, would these replace flat bench?

I go really deep with flat dbs because I put the dbs parallel to my body at the bottom - it gives you a much better stretch at the bottom .

Im on my way - just need this last piece of advice.

 

[Imnotdutch]

Blood.....
Heres a link to Hannibals post:

http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=27734

 

[blood_drinker]

come to think of it bro, lately I have improved on the lockout. My tris usually got sore after chest day even if I did not do any direct tri work (i separate chest and tris).
Right now, I am failing at the bottom. I also have a slight problem, my left front delt is weaker than the right, so sometimes (only sometimes) i fail in the middle. More often than not, its at the bottom. Suggestions?
BTW, i will take the tris suggestions too - thanks.