Raw benchpressers

[Parabellum]

I just went over to elitefts and did a quick search, basically they are saying not to change anything just focus on bar speed on DE day and do lat work.

I bench raw and have been doing westside for a few months and my becnh keeps going up, alog with everything else. I used Dave's basic training program: http://www.elitefts.com/documents/9week-training-program.htm and I am now using this program: http://www.elitefts.com/documents/bobyoungs-sampleworkout.htm

Take a look at the articles there, they have a ton of information. lIke how to bench 600 LBS, how to train the squat, etc...

 

[edgecrusher]

I would guess by your comments that your bench sucks and you have nor ever will compete. These are lifts in competition not in the gym trying to build your chest. In competition you take every advantage you can to win. They do have raw meets if you would like to do that. If you think that guys that wear shirts have no brute strength, well you are mistaken, most would still win the raw meets.. Chabot wears a shirt doesn't he? Yes, and if he lifted raw and had to pause he would not even be in the 700 club. Also you realize that a 800 pound bench has already fallen and the low 800's will fall within the next 6 months so Chabot better find a better shirt.

I know plenty of people who support his views, and where national level competitors. I understand people wanting every advantage in competition, that is why much of this board is using gear and other chemical enhancements (something I am not against.) However, some of the methods used by todays lifters border on the absured.

 

[circusgirl]

re arching... firstly let me say my max bench is still a piddling 100lbs or so.

BUT I find that if I arch a bit, I use my lats more, and I'm not as dependent on the pecs to lift the bar off. This is exactly what spatts said about getting the bar off the bottom, and she was right.

I'm also more stable. And my shoulders don't feel quite so under stress. So, I practice all th time with the arch, to get the lats etc in there.

I plan on doing a contest in February, raw, as I don't feel like buying all that gear, considering I'm gong to enter to enjoy the experience, who cares if I would lift 10kg more with the shirt on....

now I need to convince my coach to let me enter. Step 1 of training program for meet - get my husband GTA3 for the PC, so he won't notice I'm spending so much time working out

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

max width grip, big arches and super wide stances in sq and dl are all about shortening the range of motion. push the big weight a shorter distance. Back to Chabot, he has one of the longest pushest I have seen with his fairly narrow grip and small arch. Do I sound impressed?

 

[powerlifterjay]

I agree bench shirts are out of hand. I mean i will always use one, but i know some people that are weak as shit and get big boosts from there shirts. I personally wouldnt give a shit if they banned all of them!! Because i dont believe that all big benchers with shirts would win raw meets. Hell i see guys struggle in warmups with 405 then hit 525 plus in a shirt.

And no i am not sayin that cause my bench sucks. I have done in a APA meet 625lb bench @242lbs, and 600lbs @ 233 in a full power meet. But i also got a 545lb raw bench.

BUt like it or not shirts are here to stay. But back a couple years ago no one was hitting numbers like now. Its not impressive at all to hit over 600 anymore. Fuck everyne is hitting 700 plus. I knwo for a fact if i hadnt (and am currently hurt) injured myself three times in my shoulder i would be right at 700 too.

I can gaurantee that in the next 5 years we will have several lifters going way over 800lbs. Like 10 or more!!

If your into raw benching only then dont compete with shirt benchers cause you stand no chance. Shirts are here to stay...forever, so get used to it and get one and master it!!!

 

[spatts]

PLJay, what's the prognosis on your shoulder?

The shirt adds 50-70 pounds to my bench. Mostly because it takes my weakness away (shoulders). I notice as my shoudlers get stronger, the gap between raw and shirted closes.

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

Jay, I agree with all you said and the backstage warmup bombs are truly freaky. I saw a guy competing in the arnold MISS with 100 less than he did onstage. no shirt backstage. Some folks get WAY more than others out of the shirts

Your lifts — both unequipped and with a shirt —_speak for themselves man...

 

[powerlifterjay]

Spatts,

I truly do not know at this point. My deep tissue therapist said my bicep tendon fell out of its grrove. It was put back in and i took a week off then competed, did 625 no pain. Then in training it was more painful. So i layed off. Did high board presses etc, then 3 weeks out from the Daytona meet i shirted up and barely locked out 500lbs with out a huge deal of pain. I slung my shirt across the gym and said "Thats it, i am done". That was 7 weeks ago and i havent benched since. Here is whats weird, i cannot even find where it hurts unless i am benching. At home zero pain. Other movements except incline barbell no pain. And it only hurts at the lockout.

I havent actually talked about my plans everywhere but i am dietng down for two bodybuilding shows as we speak. I have changed my training 100% and after the shows if i am not rehabed by reps, then i will get a MRI and get it fixed.

But on a side note...everything else is being trained heavy and raw!!

Thanks for the compliment heavywear!!

 

[jeremys]

good luck jay

 

[spatts]

Wow, Jay...I'm sorry you're having a rough go of it. I never would've thought you for a BB competitor, that's pretty cool that you're cross competing. I've always been the first to say that if PLers went on cutting diets....woe to the BB world. When are your BB shows?

What's your training like now? Still lifting heavy and just altering diet?