Bench Press PR: 315lbs

I’ve been keeping a training log with the blog feature on My T-Nation. I never intended on making it public (unless someone wandered into it, I guess), but I am so excited about reaching my goal of benching 3 plates, that I thought I’d share it here.

Here is the workout, and you’re more than welcome to check out the blog to see my progress toward this PR:

Chest, Shoulders & Triceps

5 Minute warm up on stationary bike

A1. Bench Press
135x10
185x8
225x6
245x4
265x3
285x2
305x1
315x1 - PR & BENCH GOAL REACHED!!!
225x12

B1. Incline BB Press
185x10
185x9

C1. DB Lateral Raise
22.5x12
22.5x12
22.5x12
C2. DB Shrug
100x10
100x10
100x10

D1. BB Decline Close Grip Press
185x8
185x5

E1. Decline DB Tricep Extension
25x8
25x8

good job!

Congrats on the PR!

and then you are still able to go and do 225 for 12 reps!

Is that also a PR (after working up to a 1RM anyway)?

Great work.
Now it’s time for a new goal.

Outstanding!! (That works out to about 600 pounds with a shirt).
What was your bench weight PR when you 1st started?

Awesome job! I recently hit three plates per side and it is definitely a milestone in our lifting progress. Congrats.

D

Great work, 3 wheels is a manly milestone.

[quote]Andy Shelton wrote:
Outstanding!! (That works out to about 600 pounds with a shirt).
What was your bench weight PR when you 1st started?[/quote]

What fucking shirt are you using?

Good stuff. Just think, 400 is not that far away now.

[quote]Donut62 wrote:
Great work, 3 wheels is manly milestone.

Andy Shelton wrote:
Outstanding!! (That works out to about 600 pounds with a shirt).
What was your bench weight PR when you 1st started?

What fucking shirt are you using?[/quote]

I believe it’s the shirt of insecurity in which people cloak themselves. When wearing this garment, they become delusional enough to believe that the only thing keeping them from a 500lb bench press is the fact that they don’t own a shirt. Of course, they never get a shirt, becuase thinking that they can bench that much is fine for them, and actually doing it would be rather pointless.

Bear

Awesome.

Now set yourself a new goal or better yet enter a bench press contest. That will really get you cranking it up.

Thats a hell of a work-up to it too.

I’m surprised you had anyting left in the tank!

Good job on hittin a milestone.

Thanks for the remarks.

[quote]SWR-1240 wrote:
Congrats on the PR!

and then you are still able to go and do 225 for 12 reps!

Is that also a PR (after working up to a 1RM anyway)?[/quote]

I actually hit it for 15 the week prior (when 305 was the PR). I was shocked at that, to be honest, but it felt so light after going heavy.

[quote]
Great work.
Now it’s time for a new goal.[/quote]

I know, though I’m unsure of what it should be. I think I need to improve my squat – I have a lot of trouble squatting big weight and I must improve.

As far as benching, though, I had been saying that once I reached 315 I’d back off the flat bench so as to protect my shoulders, which I’ve had problems with (from benching in the past). But, now that I’ve hit it, I’d like to hit it again and again and eventually hit it for two reps, etc.

I think I’m going to move up in rep ranges for about 6 weeks…maybe I’ll shoot for 275 for 5x5…?

To the poster who asked about my max when I started: I never really trained for or even tested my max. The most I’d ever hit before was 285, so I’d say that’s where I was at a couple of months ago when I started focusing on reaching 315. My blog might shed some more light on the progress I made in the weeks prior.

Man thats impressive!

I bet you woulda hammered a nice 335/345 if you did less of a warm up!

[quote]Right Side Up wrote:
As far as benching, though, I had been saying that once I reached 315 I’d back off the flat bench so as to protect my shoulders, which I’ve had problems with (from benching in the past). But, now that I’ve hit it, I’d like to hit it again and again and eventually hit it for two reps, etc.
[/quote]

Ithink if your rows are staying pretty consistent with your bench, and your benching the proper way- you should be fine.

giving your shoulders a rest isnt such a bad idea, though. lol

mazel mazel

[quote]maxx power wrote:
Man thats impressive!

I bet you woulda hammered a nice 335/345 if you did less of a warm up![/quote]

I’m surprised my warmup is considered that much. I don’t really feel strong until I’m at 245/265 or so.

What would ya’ll recommend for warming up?

[quote]maxx power wrote:
Man thats impressive!

I bet you woulda hammered a nice 335/345 if you did less of a warm up![/quote]

I was thinking the same thing…

[quote]Mr. Bear wrote:
Donut62 wrote:
Great work, 3 wheels is manly milestone.

Andy Shelton wrote:
Outstanding!! (That works out to about What was your bench weight PR when you 1st started?600 pounds with a shirt).

What fucking shirt are you using?

I believe it’s the shirt of insecurity in which people cloak themselves. When wearing this garment, they become delusional enough to believe that the only thing keeping them from a 500lb bench press is the fact that they don’t own a shirt. Of course, they never get a shirt, becuase thinking that they can bench that much is fine for them, and actually doing it would be rather pointless.

Bear[/quote]

Hahahaha!

[quote]Right Side Up wrote:
maxx power wrote:
Man thats impressive!

I bet you woulda hammered a nice 335/345 if you did less of a warm up!

I’m surprised my warmup is considered that much. I don’t really feel strong until I’m at 245/265 or so.

What would ya’ll recommend for warming up?[/quote]

Right, when I maxed at 315 for two my warmup went 135x8, then right to 225 for five, then three at 255, three at 275, three at 295, then two at 315.

By cutting back on the warm up volume you might have a little more to give when you’re heavy. The 135 for eight to ten should get the blood circulating along with the 225. The next sets are just getting the nerves and muscle fibers ready to fire on the heavy load.

D

[quote]Dedicated wrote:
Right Side Up wrote:
maxx power wrote:
Man thats impressive!

I bet you woulda hammered a nice 335/345 if you did less of a warm up!

I’m surprised my warmup is considered that much. I don’t really feel strong until I’m at 245/265 or so.

What would ya’ll recommend for warming up?

Right, when I maxed at 315 for two my warmup went 135x8, then right to 225 for five, then three at 255, three at 275, three at 295, then two at 315.

By cutting back on the warm up volume you might have a little more to give when you’re heavy. The 135 for eight to ten should get the blood circulating along with the 225. The next sets are just getting the nerves and muscle fibers ready to fire on the heavy load.

D[/quote]

Is that just going for a pr or all M.E. Work? I usually use the same leaps he does for m.e. work and than some singles after, but maybe I should cut down?

Naphta, yes even for max effort work (that is what you mean?) I would say this would give you a little more gas in the tank.

I remember years back when I was struggling to hit that great 225 milestone. I would warm up by doing a few sets of push ups and then climb the weight up from 135 and couldn’t hit 225.

A guy that later became my lifting partner and had muscle on him that showed a lot of experience told me to nix the pushups and cut back on the warm up to 225. The next time I tried it I did that and surprised the shit out of myself when I hit 225 for three reps.

A lot of newbies will burn themselves out on the warm up.

D