Tried Max Bench Test went terrible, 1 Dawg, The Mann I train Westside What Happened

[natural-mike]

This especially goes out to the regulars, especially the Westsiders, I know you guys hate criticizing and looking througha persons whole routine , but I am serious here , before you look or comment you must understand it is physically impossible for me to get in the GYM 4 days a week, I can only do 3 days so unfortunately I have to combine a ME Bench Day with aDynamic Squat Day which is not too bad if I do the max bench work first.

Friday I did my max bench day the exercise was 3 board press I worked up to 335 for a single, super close grip I mean hands on the smooth, and I locked it out strong.
I tried to test my max competition Bench yesterday and it was absolutely pathetic, 315 is all I can get up, my max is down TREMENDOUSLY, I had no speed at the bottom and absolutely no pop off my chest (raw..I didnt get my shirt yet) After that we decided to do triceps so we finsihed with 4 board presses, where I was doing 4 and 5 reps with 335 no problem..what the fuck...I could barely bench 315 yet 4 board press was much higher...what was it????? Was it stupid to board max on Friday then try to test an actual Bench max on Monday , or is it my routine here is my exact routine I try to keep it Westside as much as possible, maybe its too much, maybe I'm not dooing something right, please llok it over, especially 1 Dawg, The Mann and I guess POwerlifter Jay although I think you dont follow Westside to a T but shit yo know about Benching..Incidently, at the end of my workout yesterday every other week I throw in speed Deadlifting or Rack Lockouts from low pins (practically on the floor) and got 565 like it was a joke, so from 1 month of Westside (without a Reverse Hyperextension too) my deadlift is up 130 pounds..go figure that one.

Monday
Flat Bench chains (speed day)
205 x 8 sets x 3 reps (205 is 60% of my max)
4 board press for tri's 4 sets
Incl Dum out extensions 4 sets
Delts Heavy Raises
Rear 3 sets
Side 3 sets
Front 3 sets
Dumbell curls (5 sets 8)
week 1 dead 50% max 8 setsx 1 very fast
week 2 dead rack pulls work to 1 rep max

Wednesday
Squat (max day)
week 1 Box Squat work up to 1 rep max
week 2 Box Squat work up to 1 rep max
week 3 Good Mornings up to 3 rep max
week 4 Good Mornings up to 3 rep max
week 5 Trap Bar Squat up to 1 rep max
week 6 Trap Bar Squat up to 1 rep max
Pullups 5 sets of 10
Barbell Rows 5 sets of 8
Good Mornings(3 set of 10) (I drop these when I do max Good AMs)
Glute ham raise 3 sets
Calf

Friday
Bench (max day)
week 1 Rack Lockouts to 1 rep max
week 2 Rack Lockouts to 1 rep max
week 3 Incline Dumb
week 4 Incline Dumb
week 5 close grip 3 board press
week 6 close grip 3 board press
week 7 Test max Bench max =( )
Dumbell Skull crush 4 sets
Squat with chains(dynamic day)
week 1 50% x 8 sets 2
week 2 55% x 8 sets 2
week 3 60% x 8 sets 2
week 4 65% x 8 sets 2
(move weight faster than week 1
week 5 50% x 8 sets 2
week 6 55% x 8 sets 2
week 7 60% x 8 sets 2
week 8 65% x 8 sets 2
Stiff Leg Dead (10) 225 x 6 225 x 4 225 x 3
Glute ham raise 4 sets 135 x 6 x 6 x 5

Please look this over and tear it apart especially you 1 Dawg and The Mann I think you guys are strict Westside..I need help here my Bench really dropped and it screwed me up mentally.

Peace

 

[dirtydawg]

just my thoughts?

on speed day i would move shoulders first in the routine this gives a good warm up before we start speed work. lose the chains on speed day for now. go with about 190lb on speed work. cut out the bicep work. why not do close grip bench without the boards for tris? just a thought. rows and rows and rows on back. i see u do them on wednesday move them to monday. and move the deads u are doing on monday to wednesday. i would say u need some heavy shoulder presses and some heay tri presses on your ME day but you have alot going on that day with legs. just some ideas.

dd

 

[natural-mike]

You Dirty Dawg you... classic name..anyway actually I just switched to 4 board press because all this time I was doing close grip bench, it was good, but not great, for me at leats heavy 4 board press absolutely annhilates my triceps, when I couldnt bench anything yesterday it was all because I could not get anything form my chest to mid level, when I benched the tiny puny pathetic fucking pussy ass 315 it went very slow and unsure from chest to mid level but when I hit from mid to lockout where my tri's take over I almost threw the thing threw the fucking roof. I'm thinking my problem is lower down, what do I do to bring that up? Also I am thinking I should have waited until Friday which is my ME Benchday to try my max because the combo of Friday's ME day then trying my bench max on Monday was possibly to much too soon. I'm probably answering my questions but I want everyone to look over my routine and give opinion I value EVERYONE on this board.
As far as shoulder work, I go very heavy and very explosive which is usually the way Louie and them do it, following Tricep work and I like it I'm comfortable there.

As far as moving back and deadlift days I might consider that.

Anyone else?????????

 

[natural-mike]

Just chucking in a BUMP to keep this post up high since my bench is so damn low..ha ha

 

[The mann]

first off if i hit a 3 board on friday then tried to max on monday i would be fried too.two back to back heavy days like that is one problem.your monday workout looks good to me except i don't see any lat work (barbell rows,etc)..again,ifyou are getting stuck low it has to be your speed,lats and with me it was also a weak chest.you have to stick some upper back work in there.i'll let 1-dawg respond to your squat and deads..he's the guru on that.
but that is all i can see from your post..you did a back to back heavy work out,if you aregetting stuck low on your chest it has to be bar speed,increase your lat work,utilize 1-3 boards,illegal wides,d/b bench ,i would put together some of these in your next mini cycle.....just my opinion..when i had a low sticking point that is what i did.a good shirt will takecare of that too problay confused you more than anything you are still doing good mike,

 

[natural-mike]

Thanks buddy I needed the words of encouragement, I was so mentally ready for heavy weight but physically I admit I was kind of burnt, and of course I do not doubt Westside, I'm sure the problem is with me, like you guys said and I know finally realize after completing my first mini cycle, powerlifting success depends on identifying your weakness in a lift and then attacking it. Well at least I blasted a new pr on Deadlift.
Thanks again, your words mean alot.
Peace,
Natural "Weak ass bench" Mike lol

1-dawg when you have a chance throw in your 2 cents.

 

[The mann]

if your ME exercises keep going up ,your bench will go up.when you plan to take a max..plan it out and prepare for it.your ME work isn't going to go up and your bench down,if you are cycling through all your ME's.when i first go my bans,i had to try them out,i had already benched that tuesday(speed )and got my bands on thursday,i did all kinds of shit with them that night..
when evryone showed up for ME bench friday..my tris werescreamin,my chest was hurtin,my shoulders were sore......
won't do that again............you are doing good.

 

[natural-mike]

Bro it was so weird how 315 barely went up then right after we did 4 board presses and I was chucking 335 for like sets of 3 like it was the butters. Just didnt make sense.

But one thing is for sure...every single one of my ME exercises have gone up in every lift..every single one, bench , deadlift, squat, that stuff goes up and I switch ME exercises every 2 weeks which is working great for me. I think my next mini cycle like you said I will drop to lower boards, maybe 1 or 2, and I will try some illegal wides, my tricep strength is coming along nicely, so if denim pops the old bar of your chest I think I may be well suited for a denim right now.

1-dawg..dont tell me your working man, I thought you were online 24 - 7..jst kidding

 

[dirtydawg]

hey mike sounds like you and i have the same problem weak out of the hole. and sounds like we are at the same bench weight. as the mann has said speed and weak lats need to be brought up. don't let one day get ya down. rome was not built in a day and was the greatest civilization ever!!!!!!!

dd

 

[natural-mike]

Thanks Dirty D, as the Great Gladiator Maximus said "Rome Salutes you"

Thanks again,
but I must admit,..that shit got me down I asked everybody in my GYM to call me "pussy" when they see me, and they do....hey what can I say I'm a nutcase.

Peace,
Mike