18 replies to this topic

[deadweight]

After spending countless years in gyms and watching so many young ones starting out and even ones that have spent years of training........I found myself paying more attention to those that have a desire to reach 300 on the bench press.Especially if you weigh a buck and a quarter and your elbow is the largest part of your arm.I would watch as they progressed,always trying to keep them going in the right direction.Hardly anything seemed to stop them in the begining.The lighter weights held little threat of causeing them to overtrain.
I'll listen as they pointed out their favorite muscle stars in the numerous mags from the early 80s to now,that allways seemed to clutter my counter.Pisses me off......Soon their dreams would somehow bring me into the picture......Hey DEAD,how long will it take YOU TO GET ME this big?Hey DEAD,If i keep training can i weigh 220 someday?Will i ever bench 300,DEAD?Funny to me how far 300 is so far away from 265 when the bench starts to hover in this range.I would suggest,Why dont you try 275 since your previous best was 265?Cuz i wanna bench 300.I guess it seemed close enough to them at the time but my years in the weight pile told me,this 35 pound gap could very well be one that proved almost insurmountable if i couldnt get through to them before they left for college.Over the years i remember this as being the accomplishment most desire.
That BIG THREE HUNDRED!!!!!Slowly,i would feed them small doeses of reality so as not to bruise their ego or head them off to college with plans of letting the body building mags take over as coach<<<<<<THAT HAPPENS WAY TO MUCH..MAKES ME SICK.......Sure enough as these young lifters would come back home on vactions and to see them back at the local gyms and to witness that they came back with several months of lifting but with no bench progress to speck of.I was RIGHT.Any TRUE weightlifter can relate to what i say that this is a phenomena.Commonly,a new member will make steady progress that leads to a max bench somewhere in the range of 265 to 285 and then stall.The 300 looms in the shadows,so close yet so far away.Left to their own,they would choose to increase their triceps assistance.When questioning there reasoning.I heard my locl outs are weak.I miss my attempts near the top.My suggestion of cutting back on the cabel extentions in exchange for an equal number of close grip decline or flat bench sets drew mixed emotions .........I came to realize with hands on training that training decline benches at a 20 degree angle helped my bench rise above the bar.....I began substituting a close grip decline session in place of flat bench....No tricep extentions......I would tell them and suggest of two decline sessions to one flat bench session,spread over a 7 day period.All along allowing 72 hours of rest between training days.Ive reach 530 in my life time doing this system.Its proven to work........And for those that took heed and began useing this system became well over 300 lbs benches......I have 3 good bros that were stuck at 255 and the other around 285 and the other was stuck at 260 and all 3 after useing my system began raiseing the bar.....Now each one are well over 400 bench pressers.
Im posting this great info with hopes of enlightening someones logical side.Should you find yourself in this highly populated,sub 300 category without any late breaking sings of progress.If you work my plan you'll soon notice the ease in which you match and then surpass your best flat bench skills eve while useing a few exra pounds on the decline bar.I want to say dont be foled by muscle mags with tons of routines that would over kill a vetfor that matter.I allways say....what do you want looks or power?Really you can have both but if you want to add to your lift you cant do both at the same time....Pick and chosse what you desire......I say this because if you are over training and applying this system you will fall short.I as well have try doing both over and over and the end result was NOTHING GAINED.Ask yourself are you tired of going to the gym and scared of being watched on the bench because you dont have a super bench?Are you the one that has Good SIZE but cant bench 300?Then by god do something about it......... Im giving you the ticket to gain whats possible.....If i wasnt willing to help then i would let you contuine to be a soory bencher and contuine to let you be the laughing stock becuase you are big but yet cant bench jack shit......Take it from me......Ive been there and did somethign about it.......go for it.......what do u have to lose?.....dw

[Razor D]

i can bench 300 4 times , im a little guy

[cheops]

i can bench 300 4 times , im a little guy

I can bench 315 10 times and I'm a little guy to.

[MissKBuff]

I quite unfortunately can not bench 300lbs ...just don't think it's in the cards for me, lol...

HOWEVER, I could definitely bench my own weight (just over) at one time, and that's about 126lbs, GO ME! ;D

hehe...

[deadweight]

i can bench 300 4 times , im a little guy

I can bench 315 10 times and I'm a little guy to.

haha..what is this a benching contest.......Its all good bros.....They have many weightlifters that has been training for years and hasnt even come close......Very few are blessed and MANy are not....To those that wish they could should try to make a difference..........315 for 10 thats a good bench.....Im sure your hitting around 400 plus...good job bro....Keep that bench strong....dw

[deadweight]

I quite unfortunately can not bench 300lbs ...just don't think it's in the cards for me, lol...

HOWEVER, I could definitely bench my own weight (just over) at one time, and that's about 126lbs, GO ME! ;D

hehe...

;)BUFFY you rock my friend....You keep that love for your barbell.......I will say i cant wait till you put a 45 lbs plate on each side and bench it....Thats a good goal for now.Then from there up the bar....Besides i would hate to see you able to bench 300 being a female and all because then you would look llike a shemale for sure Picture yourself with a hairy chess along with a big bulky frame and ruff looking hands with a grip from hell....... Not a pretty picture buffy...I think you look better benching 126 to 135.... Thats just my oppion....dw

[ItalianMuscle]

I remember putting up 300 in highschool. I was a scrawny dood, soaking wet about 155lbs. That was pretty much everyone on our football teams goal to do at least 300lbs. We had a few guys that did over 400, pretty amazing back then(89-90) Id be lucky to get 315 for 10 right now. Havent benched in years. Not into those power/strengths of feet anymore. I just want to look nice/ripped..

Back when I was 25-27 they used to have bench offs at local bars. Went to a few and entered a few competitions. Pretty awesome feeling when you have the entire bar cheering you on and your benching. I came in 3rd both times I did it.. It was always the littlest guy benching the most.

[piotr]

hey DW could you please post an intermediate level chest routine and an intermediate level back routine for me?

piotr

[bgptbull81]

i am working on the 400 mark..got 350 once but thats it......can get 300 for 5-6 reps.... so now i gotta go for 400..

[\SHINE/]

My best was 340lbs for 8 reps, I have currently backed the weight off to save the shoulders a bit.

[piotr]

my best is 308lb (140kg) but only for 2 reps ... not too hot really ... but it felt sick at the time

piotr

[any1uno]

I'm not a great bencher. My lifts are squats and deads! But...have found through improving my form I was able to increase my bench. Now will need to give CG declines a try. Haven't done them as I hate CGs..but that is on the flat bench.

Would love to see what you have in mind for Piotr.

Nice post DW...keep up the great work sir.

[deadweight]

I'm not a great bencher. My lifts are squats and deads! But...have found through improving my form I was able to increase my bench. Now will need to give CG declines a try. Haven't done them as I hate CGs..but that is on the flat bench.

Would love to see what you have in mind for Piotr.

Nice post DW...keep up the great work sir.

hey bro,if you throw in those declines in a few weeks you will see that bench go up....I wouldnt accept im not a good bencher.....You just havent found what works for you.Give it a shot bro.....You will be surpized and be shanking my hand...
decilnes 2 times a week
flat bench 1 times a week
spread out.......
train 5 sets of 5 decilnes
flat bench 3 sets of 5s.....note start off 20 pounds below max and each week add 5 to 10 pounds to lift...simple as 1-2-3...dw

[any1uno]

Thank you for the confidence DW. I can offer this. When competing at 165 (28 yrs old) I had a 490 squat, a 530 dead and a 265 bench. Now at 50 I am doing 3 reps at 275, my squat is 5 reps at 455 and a triple at 565 for deads. But, now I weigh 220! My bench is slowly increasing but...with the new information you have shared I'll be giving this a try. I have a goal of a raw 400 set...and it's taking a long time to reach..but I feel that it is possible.

Thank you again.

[deadweight]

Thank you for the confidence DW. I can offer this. When competing at 165 (28 yrs old) I had a 490 squat, a 530 dead and a 265 bench. Now at 50 I am doing 3 reps at 275, my squat is 5 reps at 455 and a triple at 565 for deads. But, now I weigh 220! My bench is slowly increasing but...with the new information you have shared I'll be giving this a try. I have a goal of a raw 400 set...and it's taking a long time to reach..but I feel that it is possible.

Thank you again.

U never know till you give it your all bro...I too had to stuggle with the bench in my first 5 years of training...But then after i was interduce to this way of training my bench started to clime quicky.After all the years of training i m a 500 bencher raw.My deadlifting days are just about over due to a disk problem.Ive been fighting this for the last 6 years and finally its taking me to the end.....So,now im just a down to two lifts.squats and benching....My best deadlift ever was 680 back in my prime days competeing in the usapl......I miss those days....Anyway,if you do decide to try this then let me know about the progress....Im willing to share anything i know to help my brotha in power....We stick together my freind....Much repect for what you repersent....a great powerlifter.....peace..dw