Benching question [Forum Archive]

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Benching question

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Posted by: Seanp156

For the last 3 or 4 weeks the only bench pressing I've been doing is DB bench press and CG bench with the barbell. With DB's I've gone up to 45 pounders and CG bench at 95lbs (I know, for the most part light).

This next thursday, I'm thinking of going to my friends house(he has some home gym stuff) and having one of them spot me on a normal bench to see how much I can do.
Do you think this is a good idea or should I keep doing the routine I normally do for that day? I'll still do the other things for that day, just cut DB bench and CG bench out.

Posted by: DeadBolt

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seanp156

For the last 3 or 4 weeks the only bench pressing I've been doing is DB bench press and CG bench with the barbell. With DB's I've gone up to 45 pounders and CG bench at 95lbs (I know, for the most part light).

This next thursday, I'm thinking of going to my friends house(he has some home gym stuff) and having one of them spot me on a normal bench to see how much I can do.
Do you think this is a good idea or should I keep doing the routine I normally do for that day? I'll still do the other things for that day, just cut DB bench and CG bench out.

There is nothing wrong with it...but you def wont get your true max. A)You need a few weeks to adjust to the BB...going from DB to BB is a big difference so the weights need to adjust. B) It doesn't sound like you have been lifting very long so your muscles are not ready for those true 1RM's so yes you will find out what your current 1RM is but its not your true max.

Make sure you keep proper form and drive from deep down inside of you and you will be surprised how much you can put up. It will be good for you to use a BB but don't get carried away and hurt yourself.

Posted by: Seanp156

I'm pretty sure I'll be alright, my friend spotting me can curl 135lbs on barbell. I'm thinking I'll probably shoot for around 120lbs. I've been lifting a while, but I was retarded, my diet sucked as did my routine which I just changed about a month ago, and my diet about a week ago.

How long do you think it will take me until I can bench my own body weight (160lbs) in reps of about 8? I have no clue how fast I should be progressing with my routine and diet. I haven't starting taking whey yet b/c they didn't have it at the grocery store, so I'll hit GNC this weekend.

Right now, at least with DBs I can put up 90 (45 in each hand) and feel pretty good. When my friend started taking whey shakes in the morning and post workout his bench went up 10 lbs every week from 180-260, of course that's along with a good diet and routine.

Posted by: DeadBolt

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seanp156

I'm pretty sure I'll be alright, my friend spotting me can curl 135lbs on barbell. I'm thinking I'll probably shoot for around 120lbs. I've been lifting a while, but I was retarded, my diet sucked as did my routine which I just changed about a month ago, and my diet about a week ago.

How long do you think it will take me until I can bench my own body weight (160lbs) in reps of about 8? I have no clue how fast I should be progressing with my routine and diet. I haven't starting taking whey yet b/c they didn't have it at the grocery store, so I'll hit GNC this weekend.

Right now, at least with DBs I can put up 90 (45 in each hand) and feel pretty good. When my friend started taking whey shakes in the morning and post workout his bench went up 10 lbs every week from 180-260, of course that's along with a good diet and routine.

A good spotter isn't gonna do the work for you...remember that. If you wanted I bet you could put up 225 but he would be doing most of the work. I am not doubting you or saying anything will happen but if your form is poor and your not conditioned for it hitting a 1RM canbe dangerous. You are not use to the movement and you may be weak in some areas which may cause an injury. This is why i said keep proper form and be careful.

As for progression...everyone is different. I do not progress as fast as others when it comes to benching but many other features on me progress faster then others so its hard to judge when it comes to that. The 10lbs every week is fine for a few weeks but I can gurantee that will stop shortly.

Posted by: Mudge

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seanp156

How long do you think it will take me until I can bench my own body weight (160lbs) in reps of about 8? I have no clue how fast I should be progressing with my routine and diet. I haven't starting taking whey yet b/c they didn't have it at the grocery store, so I'll hit GNC this weekend.

Thats about a 200 pound bench which is a huge jump from your hopefull 120 pounds. For you to stay at exactly the same weight as well, would be strange.

165 is also easier to put on the bar

When I was in high school 5 pounds a week was good gaining for me. I was benching 150 my freshman year and I think that was for a single only, dont recall for certain.

Posted by: Seanp156

Damn 150lbs freshman year......Anyway, if I did "put up" 225 with the spotter doing most of the work I wouldn't count that really, I would only count what I alone could do, the spotter's there for safety if you can't get the weight back up, not to comeplete the rep for you...

Anyways I think 120 is reasonable from a safety standpoint and for my current condition, we'll see what happens. I'll definately do some warmup first.

Posted by: Mudge

I was close to average really, the stronger guys were doing 160/170, and the "gifted" guys were doing 185 and then hitting 205 in relatively short order. I eventually saw some 225 benchers who stuck with it that year.

For me though that was bodyweight, so it was decent but certainly not amazing. We all mature at different rates though and I was about average height (5'8") at that time and about average weight.

I like the idea of going for a doable max, or seriously use the max calculator and just train for 5s and occasional tripples. Going for singles all the time can open you up to injury. Form is very important and I wish I knew about it back then. I dont really remember getting hurt back then, being young I'm sure helped, but I wasn't maxing out all that much either.

I have a maxcalc link in my sig and a bench article if you'd like to study that up. I have a chart floating around somewhere that I printed and put in the back of my training log, so I can see where I am at, right there in the gym. I can also accurately predict a good weight for my next set for a given target range of reps, based on how much strength I assume to lose in between that set, and so on.

I do low volume high intensity stuff, so I am pretty much going to failure on every set. 4-5 sets of flat benching, 1-2 on the incline depending how I feel, I dont do anything else at the moment for "chest."

I do close grip benches for triceps (4 sets) and maybe one other movement, then I do my delts on that same day as well (only side laterals 1-2 sets for 12-15 reps). Inclines I feel are doing fine instead of direct overhead pressing, but I bench on a steep incline.

Rows on back day seem to be doing fine for my rear delts, I may add those back in for 1 set.

Posted by: BigDyl

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudge

Rows on back day seem to be doing fine for my rear delts, I may add those back in for 1 set.

Rows are such a good exersize. I swear they have increased the size of my forearms well beyond any bicept movement. Also, like you said, they hit the hard to isolate, rear delts.

Posted by: DeadBolt

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seanp156

Damn 150lbs freshman year......Anyway, if I did "put up" 225 with the spotter doing most of the work I wouldn't count that really, I would only count what I alone could do, the spotter's there for safety if you can't get the weight back up, not to comeplete the rep for you...

Anyways I think 120 is reasonable from a safety standpoint and for my current condition, we'll see what happens. I'll definately do some warmup first.

I only said that b/c people depend on spotters and in actuality their so called max lifts are garbage b/c the spotter does most of the work. I only count what was a complete clean rep...if my spotter breaths to hard I get pissed. This is why I enjoy lifting with someone for 2 years now...we know each other very well.

Posted by: BigDyl

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeadBolt

HAHA, i know what you mean. When they start moving their hand twoards the bar, I'm like "Get the hell away, Hold on dude I got it, I GOT IT, DONT TOUCH THE BAR ARAGHRG RAAAAAAARAGRARG!!!"

Posted by: DeadBolt

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDyl

HAHA, i know what you mean. When they start moving their hand twoards the bar, I'm like "Get the hell away, Hold on dude I got it, I GOT IT, DONT TOUCH THE BAR ARAGHRG RAAAAAAARAGRARG!!!"

Yea I can't stand it. If their hands are even between the bar and my eyes it pisses me off...I like to know 100% I'm doing the work. I think this is b/c the first time I went truely heavy the guy spotting me was all up close and in my grill the second I started to fail he walked away. I had no choice to get the weight up..he did it on purpose so I would learn. He of course was just out of my sight watching me but from then on I don't like being helped.

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