I have set a goal to bench 200 pounds by June 2010. My IRM now is 135. At 8 pounds a month for the next 8 months I should be mathmatically able to do it, but is that a realistic goal in terms of practical application. I presently weigh 160 and am trying to strengthen my delts, tris and bis. I do pec exercises and squats. Take lots of protein and have about 100-150 grams of carbs daily. Try to make it goodcarbs not from simple sugars.
Any words of advice? Is 8 pounds a month too much to expect.
Check out “Feedback from Meat” thread. Powerlifter Marauder Meat gives great advice. Read through that thread. A lot of improvement will come from improvements in form - grip, back arch, using your feet, etc. Then pick a decent program that addresses the basic lifts such as one of the 5x5 programs, WS4SB, or 5-3-1. Do take the deloads seriously. My 2cents. Some links to 5x5 programs below.
200 sounds pretty aggressive starting from 135, that’s a 67% increase if my math is correct. On the other hand, the first gains are the easiest, so you got that going for you. Also, improvements from poor form to good form alone can get you 25 to 50 lbs., so, if your form needs work, that’s another way to improve your numbers fairly quickly. I would also hit the rows, chins, and deads hard as well to help with your bench. I agree with Mathineer about seeking feedback from meat and finding a program that fits your goals. Once you tap your Newby gains and form, I would consider 5 lbs. a month great progress.
Also, I really, really like 5-3-1, but pick any good program and stick with it. Make sure you keep a log book, and post it here if you want. There are some good, experienced people on here to give you feedback and encouragement.
[quote]Pirate12 wrote:
I have set a goal to bench 200 pounds by June 2010. My IRM now is 135. At 8 pounds a month for the next 8 months I should be mathmatically able to do it, but is that a realistic goal in terms of practical application. I presently weigh 160 and am trying to strengthen my delts, tris and bis. I do pec exercises and squats. Take lots of protein and have about 100-150 grams of carbs daily. Try to make it goodcarbs not from simple sugars.
Any words of advice? Is 8 pounds a month too much to expect.
Thanks[/quote]
From the looks of your avatar picture you should be able to easily do 500lbs for reps. At your level that amount of increase may be possible. It’s hard to plan 65lbs of improvement to an exact number of months. With the right program just see how fast you can do the first 25lbs and you’ll be able to estimate your 200lb goal better.
Thanx guys for all of your help. I appreciate it and I am glad I found the 5x5 site, thanx Mathlneer. As for you Suflandy, you gave me a good belly laugh!!! You’re right I guess I gave my self away on that one!!
Appreciate the form comments and saw a good article on that on this very site. Well, I’ll keep ya posted. Even if I don’t make 200 by June, I will get there… I gotta to match my avatar
Go heavy on dumbbell presses for a few months. Keep upping the weight every week until you plateau. Then get back on bench and assess where you’re at. I did this a while ago and it brought my 1rm from 235 to 285. Good luck man.
Personally I think bench is over rated as an exercise, and currently like either doing dips with 135 LBS to 180 LBS harnessed on my belt; or doing alternating sets of push ups and cable pec cross overs.
Anyway - I can relate. In my late 30’s I started training seriously with weights again. I had multiple sites of ruptured discs in my spine (especially low back) and a PM&R medical doctor recommended I never squat or deadlift. I could barely deadlift 135 for few reps whenI started. I am much older now - I am going light now, for example doing higher reps of dead lifts with 375, finished with shrugs. But in the past few years my best deadlift is 500 something for 4 reps…I can’t remember exactly how much anymore, but it was like 545 LBS or something. So I do think old deconditioned and even injured old guys (like myself) can gain alot of strength, although I tend to do higher reps (10-20) now. But I went from 135 LB deadlift to 500+ deadlift, despite being told I could not or should not. I have less back pain now than I did when I started again in my late 30’s.
I think you can do it. I think you can add 8 LBS a month - but again I think the bench is over rated, especially for us old farts. I prefer open kinetic chains like dips to closed kinetic chains like bench because I think you are less prone to injury. Benching especially can cause distal clavicle osteonecrosis.
