Speed work every other week helped me bust through sticking point!!!!!!!

[punch]

Any of you who have felt the effects of stalled improvements should consider what I have done to help bench and squat.

Every other week now I have implemented speed work on my bench and squat. Basically I take a significant compound movement such as Squat or Flat bench and perform 6-8 sets of 3 reps w/ no more than 40-60 seconds between sets. The weight I use is approx 75-85% of 1 rep max.

The movement is performed w/ slow decent and aggressive, quick push.

What I have found is that the explosive speed of the movement over many sets trains the mind and stabilizer muscles to perform in a more powerful state when doing heavier lifts

For example I will warmup w/ 45's a side then goto 250 for 6-8 sets of 3 reps. The following week I will perform my normal routine trying to increase each lift by 5 lbs. Once I can accomplish this, the following week I perform my speed work w/ 5 extra pounds.

Great routine and works great w/ squats, rows etc...

 

[Lee]

sounds like a good idea. i think i might have to try that on my bench since its my weak point.

 

[Lee]

sounds like a good idea. i think i might have to try that on my bench since its my weak point.

 

[coolcolj]

75-85% of 1RM is not speed work

40-60% is
I would use far longer rest periods with 75-85% weights - like 3-5mins

anyway what your doing is how I train everylift just about all the time. Why train any other way?
This is called CAT
- what is happening is that your applying the same force you do for your 1RM on every rep.

 

[collegiateLifter]

This is called CAT
- what is happening is that your applying the same force you do for your 1RM on every rep.

same/similar peak forces. although you must apply in total a lot more force (do more work) to lift a maximal load than a submaximal load mainly because you have to greatly decelerate teh submaximal load so it doesn't say fly out of your hands on a bench press. Of course you can do some accomodating resistance to remedy this.

 

[Jxaxsxe530]

yup i just incorporated some speed work into my chest and squat routine last week. hopefully i'll see some results. i really wanna break the 315lb bench barrier. i'm at 285 right now and i am hitting yet another plateau. if this works for power lifters who have been lifting for 20, 30 years, it HAS TO work for me.

 

[b fold the truth]

Speed work does WORK!!! I would not do it if it didn't.

I don't think that using 75-85% of my 1rm would do me ANY good or provide me with speed. 40-60% would be MUCH better.

B True