Thread: 50's Something and Need to Bench 300 lbs

warm up with 225-245 lbs then jump into the 260+ range this will leave you with energy to complete the sets. Yeah look to create some explosion on the upward movement. Slow down and explode up, drive your feet into the ground, keep the small of your back on the bench, find a spot on the ceiling and drive it upward. Also people forget to control their breathing, out the mouth while exploding up and inhale thru nose on the down movement.

Also alot of it is mental, so before you sit down. Get it in your head that you will lift this weight. Focus and breathing people neglect to do properly.

Originally Posted by midwest216

warm up with 225-245 lbs then jump into the 260+ range this will leave you with energy to complete the sets.

Bonobo's current 1RM is basically 255. Although he can ultimately spend some time in that 225-245 rep range, you're not going to find any protocols that recommend warming up at 90%-95% intensity.

Originally Posted by midwest216

Slow down and explode up

Although it is a fantastic idea to apply as much force as possible on the concentric, an intentionally/purposely slowed eccentric is going to make him sore and decrease the amount of force he's able to apply on the way up.

Originally Posted by midwest216

keep the small of your back on the bench

This may or may not be physiologically possible. Even if it was possible to keep the lumbar region flat on the bench, doing so would cause the lifter to entirely eliminate any sort of arch. Eliminating the arch would, first and foremost, almost entirely decrease any sort of tightness that he would create in his body as well as significantly increasing the distance the bar needs to travel. Perhaps you are referring to keeping the butt and traps flat on the bench?

Originally Posted by midwest216

out the mouth while exploding up and inhale thru nose on the down movement.

Doing so would completely eliminate tightness on the concentric portion of the lift (the press towards the ceiling) -- this could cause a failure in locking out or just getting stuck half way up. Additionally, if one improperly times the exhale (they exhale slightly before they start moving the bar up), one will probably leave the bar stuck on their chest. On 50% sets it might not affect the success of the rep but on a 100% rep it may (will) have a significant effect.

Rather, maintaining intra-abdominal pressure throughout the whole lift will allow the lifter to maintain a constant pressure and stability. Constant pressure can be maintained by holding one's breath in throughout the entire lift. Frequently, 'advanced' lifters can push out even a triple or more on one breath. Because Bonobo is leaning towards maintaining safety, it would probably be prudent for him in particular to take a fresh breath between each rep.

Also, this is were getting a quality belt helps a lot as well --- it's basically a necessity for all the major lifts.

A good drill for ensuring you are properly 'breathing into your stomach' is to stand in front of the mirror and take a very large breath. If the shoulders rise up towards the sky, then the drill needs to be repeated until you learn to take a very large breath 'into your stomach' without causing your shoulders to rise.

Originally Posted by m11

I hear what you are saying on all points.

What's the purpose behind the weekly 1RM?




Aside from all that, what is the programming that you finally selected to go with?

Also, feel free to post a video if you are interested in some critiquing of your form.

The weekly 1RM is just for mental motivation, to see where I am at. Doing it on Saturday after warming up and before I really do my sets shouldn't take much out of me. But mentally, I think the benefits for me are pretty significant.

I have been devouring the guidance given here and been reading the links. Today will be back and deltoids (which need some care and adjustment given my shoulder problem) before moving on to my non-bench-related normal workout. Then Saturday, I have more things to try. Once I do all that, I can evaluate and then formulate my workout strategy.

Posting a video is a good idea. My camcorder has a broken firewire connection, but I think I can get that fixed and take some videos for critique.

Regarding frequent tests of your 1RM: You're logic is not uncommon and in fact may seem intuitive. However, as I briefly touched on earlier, weekly 100(+)% lifts is physiologically counterproductive towards reaching your goal. Aside from the significantly greater likelihood of injury of max+ loads relative to submaximal loads, you are just improperly training your CNS. All in all, you're training your CNS as much (probably more) than you are training your actual muscles -- you won't need to add 20 or 30 pounds of muscle to get to a 300 pound bench.

Replacing any preconceived notions about what you may or may not know about getting stronger with the discipline (you don't need me to tell you about that) to recognize that a proper (powerlifting) program is designed to bring you closer to your goal is something to consider. One would be hard pressed to find a proper program that would instruct 100+% lifts outside of your 'meet' (San Diego).

With that said, you are still probably a good candidate for basic, linear periodization program (I'm referring to Starting Strength). If you are interested, send me a PM and I can get that over to you.

Improving your technique will help greatly as well. Once you get the video equipment in order, a head on shot (not from where a spotter would stand, but from where your feet are) and a side view would be great. Also, getting a shot with a light weight (135#) and a heavier one (245) would be helpful too.

Originally Posted by m11

With that said, you are still probably a good candidate for basic, linear periodization program (I'm referring to Starting Strength). If you are interested, send me a PM and I can get that over to you.

I tried to send you a PM, but my post count is still too low for that. But I am interested in the program.

I sent you a PM

Good info m11, I guess I stand corrected. I see alot of guys arch their backs so much they look like their bent in half, lol. I meant, keep your butt and traps on the bench, personally I prefer to try and keep as much of my back on the bench and no feet on bench! I don't do regular bench anymore due to shoulder issues, but before I stopped I was pushing 335-345 for 5reps and 4 sets, I warmed up with 250 for 8-10 and 1 rep. Hey I'm still new to lifting regularly, I've been lifting for about 7-8 months. I'm still learning.

As requested, I have two short videos of me lifting:

However, I cannot post them as I still have fewer than 20 posts. And i can't PM anyone as well. If someone wouldn't mind, I can e-mail the two links for the videos for him/her to post here.

The first is 135 lbs. The second was supposed to be 245, but I screwed up and it is 235. My M1R is 280 on a Smith machine but only 265 on the free bench (I am still nervous about maxing without a spotter.)

I know they are short (no video is allowed in the gym), but please have at me. I want to improve my form.

You're welcome to send them to me but they'll need to be uploaded to YouTube (or another video sharing site) anyways.

135 pounds


235 pounds

UPDATE:

Well, I was back in the US last week and decided to give it a go. I warmed up, and at the end of my warm-up, I got up 285 with only some trouble. Then I waited for the trainer. And waited. And waited.

He finally came, and went to spot me. This is actually the first time I have ever had a spotter, and he helped lift the 300 lbs in position, but I think we miscommunicated, and he let go before I was set, and I dropped the barbell on my chest. Everyone went crazy, and I jumped up. I wanted to try again right away, but I only got the barbell up 2/3's of the way.

I tried to do a normal workout after that, but the pain started coming. I ended up going to the hospital that night, but x-rays were negative. Still hurts now, though, mostly in my sternum, and mostly when I cough, breathe hard, twist, etc.

The trainer apologized profusely. he also gave me a schedule for the next four weeks so I can try again when I get back to the US for another week's stay.

THis is what he wrote, for doing Tuesdays and Saturdays:

Week 1: 10, 8, 6, 4 with 2-3 minutes between sets. (However, I don't know what weight)

Week 2: 5,5,5,5,5 (Once again, I don't know the weight)

Week 3: 8, 6, 6, 3 at 80% max

Week 4: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 starting at 80% and moving up 10 lbs each rep


I got confused and did the week 4 yesterday. I started out at 235, then moved to 245, 255, 265, and finished at 275. No real problem with any of them, although the third one at 255 was a little bit of a struggle.

After that, I finished with tricep benches and declines before going into my cardio.

Oddly enough, while my chest is still quite painful, lifting really had no effect on it. The cardio was worse as far as chest pain.

Any suggestions or clarifications on his proposed training schedule would be appreciated.