Raw benchpressers

[Liftbig]

why do you want to compete raw? you can train westside and your raw max will go up.

 

[BigD50]

Westside is not geared towards bench pressing in a shirt. They do absolutely no work in their shirts.

I'm no expert on Westside methods but I know for the bench they do floor presses, board presses, JM presses, etc and no heavy flat benching. Then in a meet they use a shirt which hepls with the spring off the bottom. If a raw bencher did no heavy flat benching, worked the middle to top range of the stroke mostly and didn't use bench shirt when they got to the meet and went for a big attempt they might have trouble with no help off the bottom. Not that it can't be done, but I would guess a very modified Westside system along with other work would be best. Also it helps to be enhanced if your going to do all the stuff they do as most of their lifters are hittin the Creatine pretty good. I know someone who has done some pretty large repeated business transactions with Louie and the boys.

 

[powerlifterjay]

Well i used to use a bench routine that worked for me. After years of benching it is what i settled with. My best raw is 545, and my best shirt in a meet is 625lbs both @242lbs bw. With my routine i benched 600lbs in a meet. I switched to westside and put 25lbs more on my contest best. BUt... my raw bench and raw reps went down. Sorry folks but it is true. In my opinion you will lose raw strength. But on the flip side, you will stay healthier. My 545 was touch n go so i dont know what i can pause raw, dont wanna knwo really. But i took a few reps after speed day a time or two and my reps went down pretty good. My lockout improved some, and my speed went way up. Westsiders dont care about raw benching. Its all about the contest.

You can modify the system towards a raw max. Up your percentages and do low brds and floors. My partner has always done westside and believes his raw bench is going up. My other partner did westside and all his lifts went down. Another guy i know has never done westside he benches raw and shirts often and just hit 500@181 this weekend. And does 450 raw. To each his own. Try it for a few months and if yoru raw bench goes down modify it more. If still goes down keep tweaqing it till its right for you. If all else fails do a raw bench routine.

Glen Chabot flat benches once a month, and does close grips the rest fo the time. Also does alot of hammer strength inclines for mass.

 

[Tiervexx]

Glen Chabot flat benches once a month, and does close grips the rest fo the time. Also does alot of hammer strength inclines for mass.

thank you. would you mind posting the routine that took you to 545?

Also, if anyone knows anything more specific about what glen chabot does i would be very greatful if you posted it.

 

[TheFng]

I think you need to concentrate on all parts of the lift as apposed to just the middle and lock out like the Westside guys do. The shirt helps you the most at the bottom so I would do Westside but also incorporate lifts like illegal wide grip benches, dumbbell flys and pullovers to hit your pecs more. You could use them in place of movements like 5 board presses which probably are unnecessary for a raw bencher.
HTH.

 

[solidj55]

One arm dumbell bench presses work great for the bottom of the bench, ultra wide-grip bench presses are good as well. Speed work as well should help the bottom of the bench. Also, closegrip benches and closegrip inclines improved my strength dramatically.
floor presses, 1 board and 2 board presses are also good for raw benchers. Those IMO are the only ME exercises I would do if I were to do Westside and planned on benching raw. I would also do my ME work a little differently. Instead of working up to Max singles I would do it like this.

Dumbell Presses- 3 to 4 sets of 5-10 reps(close but not to failure)
Closegrip Bench and Closegrip Incline- work up to heavy triple
Ultra Widegrip Bench- work up to heavy set of 5
1 and 2 board- work up to heavy single
Floor Press- work up to heavy triple

And I wouldnt do my DE bench using all closegrip, I found that doing too much wider or narrower grip bench took away from the grip that I would use when maxing or competition. I would do all my DE bench using my regular grip, or the grip you plan to use in competition.

This is all just my opinion on how I would personally recommend a raw bench presser to use the Westside program. Personally though I dont like Westside for raw benching.

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

Back to the Chabot question, he trains VERY much like a bodybuilder. Once he enters the WWE ring I think his competitive benching days will be over.

But I gotta tell you, i have seen a LOT of 700+ benches in person and Glen's arnold winning 722 or so was the BEST bench I have ever seen. Very close grip, little if any arch and almost no shirt help. His style and grip just dont benefit much from a shirt and he is a not a big shirt fan. Now, if he was getting 100 pounds + from it he may like them better, eh? he was telling me that he went through a bunch of custom inzer denims but just couldnt get in any kind of groove.

Under the right coaches wing I would have liked to have seen what Glen could really do. not to say that his 722 wasn't INSANE

 

[solidj55]

One arm dumbell bench presses work great for the bottom of the bench, ultra wide-grip bench presses are good as well. Speed work as well should help the bottom of the bench. Also, closegrip benches and closegrip inclines improved my strength dramatically.
floor presses, 1 board and 2 board presses are also good for raw benchers. Those IMO are the only ME exercises I would do if I were to do Westside and planned on benching raw. I would also do my ME work a little differently. Instead of working up to Max singles I would do it like this.

Dumbell Presses- 3 to 4 sets of 5-10 reps(close but not to failure)
Closegrip Bench and Closegrip Incline- work up to heavy triple
Ultra Widegrip Bench- work up to heavy set of 5
1 and 2 board- work up to heavy single
Floor Press- work up to heavy triple

And I wouldnt do my DE bench using all closegrip, I found that doing too much wider or narrower grip bench took away from the grip that I would use when maxing or competition. I would do all my DE bench using my regular grip, or the grip you plan to use in competition.

This is all just my opinion on how I would personally recommend a raw bench presser to use the Westside program. Personally though I dont like Westside for raw benching.

In addition to all of this I forgot to mention some supplement exercises to help. Rows of any type, you need to get your back strong to help support more weight when benching. I like to rotate them every week(dumbell rows, chest supported rows, bent over barbell rows, seated cable rows, and closegrip pulldowns) Thats how I do my back work.

Also, do some rotator cuff work and blast the triceps. Most people dont like to do them but I do(did that is) a lot of weighted dips, tricep pushdowns, skull crushers, and elbows out extensions.

Dont forget your form either. Shoulder blades pinched together, a slight arch in the back, drive with your feet.

Just a few tricks I learned, hope I helped some.

 

[solidj55]

Oh yea, one more thing I forgot. EAT. Eat some good protien each day, anywhere from 1gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight or 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. Eat plenty of carbs, especially 1-2 hours before training and 1-2 hours after training. Throw in some EFA's to keep the bodyfat in check as well as it helps promote more Test in the body naturally.

 

[Tiervexx]

Back to the Chabot question, he trains VERY much like a bodybuilder. Once he enters the WWE ring I think his competitive benching days will be over.

But I gotta tell you, i have seen a LOT of 700+ benches in person and Glen's arnold winning 722 or so was the BEST bench I have ever seen. Very close grip, little if any arch and almost no shirt help. His style and grip just dont benefit from a shirt and he is anot a big short fan. Now, if he was getting 100 pounds from it he may like them better, eh? he was telling me that he went through a bunch of custom inzer denims but just couldnt get in any kind of groove.

Under the right coaches wing I would have liked to have seen what Glen could really do.

thank you very much. i know that glen is the "cleanest" bench presser, this is why i think he is the strongest bench presser. I have also read that he hopes to get 800 with no arch and no shirt, if he does that then it will be the ultimate proof that he is the best i know that he does not like to arch his back but do you know weather or not he pinches his shoulder blades together or not?

and thanks solidj for the advice, the only thing i disagree with is the arch. I have a theory that not arching your back allows you to get a better work on the chest, shoulders, and arms which in the long run leads to a bigger bench even though it is a little harder without the arch. Glen chabot might have proved this with his clean 722.

its kind of like how your squat will improve faster if you go deeper even though it makes it harder.