Thread: Bench Max?

What kind of rest interval did you use? Assuming you didn't allow for full recovery, maybe something like 250?

Originally Posted by footballmaniac

I haven't maxed out on bench since last year when I got around 210. I just started using creatine last tuesday. Wednesday I benched 225 for 4 sets of 3 reps. I lift at my high school and the lineman coach(who use to be the strength and conditioning coach for an arena football team) was hired by my school to be the strength coach for the whole school. I think he's having us max out in a few weeks. What do you guys think I could do?

So what does he have you guys doing for a workout?

http://www.kalanen.fi/maxrepcalculator/

255+

That's right around what I expect it to be. I'd like to get to at least 300 by the start of next football season.

As far as workout, he's been adding stuff every week with an emphasis on dumbbells for chest and shoulders.

Monday: Deadlift, Clean, high pulls and some leg presses, curls, extensions

Tuesday: Off(I don't know why)

Wednesday: Bench- Flat and Incline, Dumbbell Press-Flat and Incline and Front squats which we just started. Everyone seems to be having problems with them and only does 45s on each side, so 135, for sets of 5. I put on a 45 and 35 on each side, so 205, for sets of 5 and could've easily done more.

Thursday: Military press w/bar and dumbbell, standing press, lateral raises, a couple other ones that I don't know the name to

Saturday mornings: Squat, Lunge, Leg Press, Curls & Extensions

Originally Posted by footballmaniac

That's right around what I expect it to be. I'd like to get to at least 300 by the start of next football season.

As far as workout, he's been adding stuff every week with an emphasis on dumbbells for chest and shoulders.

Monday: Deadlift, Clean, high pulls and some leg presses, curls, extensions

Tuesday: Off(I don't know why)

Wednesday: Bench- Flat and Incline, Dumbbell Press-Flat and Incline and Front squats which we just started. Everyone seems to be having problems with them and only does 45s on each side, so 135, for sets of 5. I put on a 45 and 35 on each side, so 205, for sets of 5 and could've easily done more.

Thursday: Military press w/bar and dumbbell, standing press, lateral raises, a couple other ones that I don't know the name to

Saturday mornings: Squat, Lunge, Leg Press, Curls & Extensions

Looks ok but ask him why you train deltoids the day after chest....that is really a bad idea.

Well I wouldn't ask him that cuz you don't know him. He's one of those "it's my way or the highway" type of guys.

I'm interested though as to why you shouldn't train deltoids the day after chest.

They're already hit pretty good during chest day. I wouldn't be comfortable, personally, under the supervision of someone who doesn't allow me to ask questions or understand why things are the way they are.

Maybe I'll try and do lighter weight on that day and then go to my gym on Sunday and do shoulders hard. I would go to my gym to workout for everything but the coaches want players to lift at the school. So if you don't lift there = less playing time.

I heard that if you lift heavy on bench you should strengthen your rotator cuffs. If that's true what exercises could I do for that?

That's not a bad idea. There are many things you can do for shoulder integrity - YTAs, internal and external rotation, stuff like that. If you Google shoulder rehab exercises you should fine all sorts of stuff for strengthening the smaller (and more vulnerable) muscles of the shoulder. This will become even more important as you get older. You may also consider benching powerlifting style - it's much safer on the shoulders.

Will do. I really want to get my shoulders strong for next season. They were my weakest link this year. Thanks for all the help.

No problem. If you want real strength, simply do overhead pressing. Jerks will be great since they work all three heads of the shoulder and will help develop power; military presses are good for strength. You can rotate the two to get very strong and powerful shoulders. That plus the integrity exercises means your shoulders will probably be very strong and not as vulnerable as most other athletes' shoulders.

Yea I injured my shoulder during the season this year. I was running to block a guy on kick return and he pulled some basketball juke move on me and I put my arm out to block him. I heard a pop as my arm got pushed back behind me and then another pop when I hit the ground. That hurt worse then when I cut my fingers with hedge trimmers. Luckily we have this chiropracter who specializes in sports. He came over and dug his fingers in my shoulder. That increased the pain like 10 fold. After that though it felt a lot better.

Another advantage to bench pressing like a powerlifter is that it is more functional for a football players. It more closely mimics the way you are supposed to position your arms when you drive.

Would incline be more beneficial for football?

Originally Posted by footballmaniac

Yea I injured my shoulder during the season this year. I was running to block a guy on kick return and he pulled some basketball juke move on me and I put my arm out to block him. I heard a pop as my arm got pushed back behind me and then another pop when I hit the ground. That hurt worse then when I cut my fingers with hedge trimmers. Luckily we have this chiropracter who specializes in sports. He came over and dug his fingers in my shoulder. That increased the pain like 10 fold. After that though it felt a lot better.

I would have gone to an orthopedic surgeon over the chiro in that instance.