For the next 8 weeks I will be updating this thread on my experience attempting CT�??s
�??8 Weeks to a Record Bench by Christian Thibaudeau�??
First off I would like to introduce myself. I�??m a 22 year old college senior. In the past I�??ve trained HIT, Westside and Lance Armstrong Style (no weights lots of running/biking). I just finished up a season of intramural sports (basketball and hockey) and currently have 8 weeks that I�??m going to dedicate to increasing my 1RM Bench Press. The most time I�??ve ever dedicated to a �??powerlifting style workout�?? is a 4 x weekly Westside (DE/RM BENCH, ME BENCH, RE LOWER, Auxiliary Lower).
During my last cycle of Westside, I maxed out at about 355 lbs @ a bodyweight of 255 lbs.
Last week I tested out at 335 lbs @ a bodyweight of 231 lbs.
All of my percentages should be based on a 1RM of 335 lbs.
I�??m looking to increase my current raw max to the highest level possible (I will be striving for an increase of 60 lbs, but would definitely be happy with anything upwards of 30 lbs)
Sunday
3/23/2008
High Stress
1
Session 1
Warmups
Icepack (2min)
Caffeine
Extended Cluster
%90 Load
AMAP
30 sec rest
300 x 3
Decline Close
Grip Bench
5x(4-6)
90-120 rest
225 x 5
245 x 5
245 x 5
245 x 5 (last rep slow)
245 x 5 (last rep very slow)
2+ hour rest
6’3"
233
Session went well, Didn’t quite get as many reps as I would have liked with the first cluster set (only 3, missed the 4th rep). Perhaps I’ll decrease the weight?
The decline presses were grinders for the last rep of the last 2 sets
Session Two
2-3 Warmups
Icepack
Caffine
Bench cluster
90% max
5 cluster sets
5 reps (10sec rest)
275 x 5
275 x 3 (failed on 3)
265 x 3 (failed on 4)
0x0
0x0
Barbell Overhead
Regular
5x(4-6)
90-120 rest
115 x 5
125 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 4
135 x 4 (chested on last rep)
2 hours rest
There is no possible way that I could use 90% of my 1RM for the 5 rep cluster set. I bumped down to 275, then to 265 and still was hitting failure after only 3 reps. I decided to call it quits for this session.
I replaced the incline db presses with overhead presses because incline db presses always hurt my shoulders.
Session 3
Iceback
Caffine
warmup
3 sets of
Drop set cluster
83-??-??-??%
3-4 min rest
280, 275 , 270, 265
280, 275 (failure)
lying tricep ext
5 x (4-6)
115 x 4
95 x 4
85 x 4
75 x 5
75 x 5
I Must have a very low work capacity, or I pushed myself too hard on the decline bench press? CT recomends 90% load, but I could barely get 83% of my max up for the second set (which I hit failure on the second rep and had to rack the weight on the lowest rack setting).
The tricep extensions really hit my tri’s hard, I’m not used to that exercise (I typically have done weighted dips).
Just got out of a “contrast shower”. The first cold cycle gives you quite a shot of adrenaline, but after the initial shock of the first cold cycle, the hot and cold contrasts begin to feel very relaxing.
My heat transfer factoid of the day:
“The heat transfer from a human body while submersed in water at 10 degrees C, is approximately 115 times greater than a human body in air at 10 degrees C.”
On thursday I used 95-100 percent (I couldn’t get over 100) for the Partial Pin Press. On Sunday I did session 1 with ease. Session 2 I couldn’t use 90 without long resting periods, so I either tripled the rest or used around 80%. On session 3, I could only do Drop set cluster with the percentage of weights once. The other 3 sets I had to drop it 5-10%.
Also I didn’t do leg curls because I had no machine. Maybe you’ll get better leg results. I didn’t do seated cable row either, no machine, so I did regular bent over BBrows.
I did mostly everything. Took every serving of caffine/Surge/Power Drive/vitamin C recommended. Took contrast showers after every session. Walked 2 miles 5 times a day. My sauna I did once a week, improvision, just stuck a chair in the bathroom with a towel over, and sat while the shower was on blistering hot (it felt like a sauna!). Did Cryokinetics twice. Got a massage once. Did the icepack every time. I think you gotta follow the program to a T to get results.
First week it jumped 5 pounds. Second 10 lbs. Every week ahead was a 5 lb jump. 1 thing, I recommend doing sunday’s work on saturday, and tuesday’s work on monday, thursday’s work on wendsday, because if you’re working out for almost 6 hours on sunday, and have to work monday, your sleep will suffer.
Also, make sure to take LONG resting between sunday’s sessions. I know it feels like you can jump into another work out quickly sometimes, but I had to have AT LEAST 2 hours resting between each session. Good luck.
Also after this program, I suggest no benching for a week. Your body will be SO stressed that any pressing moments will just be a shock. I suggest working on deadlifts/cleans for a week or taking a vacation to Jamacia for a week.
I train westside, and my squat and deadlift has been going up every week recently. like most people, when I first started lifting I left these 2 exercises aside.
But I’m not seeing much improvement with my bench, so I’ll put in some paused benches, and then fire the weight up.
And go hard on my triceps on bench days, and hopefully I’ll see some good imrovement.
dead stop ben
barbell 1" from chest
6x3
2-3 min rest
275 x 3
285 x 3
275 x 3
265 x 3
265 x 3
255 x 3
Iso relaxation
speed bench
lower to chest
relax muscles
3 sec, then press
up very fast
10 sets
50%, rest (60-90)
170 x 3
170 x 3
170 x 3
170 x 3
170 x 3
170 x 3
170 x 3
170 x 3
170 x 3
170 x 3
weighted chins
5 x (4-6)
rest 90-120
25 x 5
25 x 5
0 x 5
0 x 5
0 x 4
EZ Curl standin
5 x 4-6 (r. 90-120)
Control negative
95 x 5
95 x 5
85 x 5
85 x 5
85 x 3
Seated Cable
Row behind neck
3 x 12 (60-90)
150 x 8
130 x 12
120 x 12
Two Surge
I am not used to this much volume. Training either westside or HIT has not prepared me for anything with this much volume. An hour later my muscles still feel full of blood.
Maximal Eccentrics
load bar 100% of max
lower bar (10 sec)
4 sets (3-4 min rest)
315 x 3
335 x 3
385 x 1
335 x 1
partial pin press
110-130 degress
stop short, press
4 x 3
2-3 min rest
295 x 2
275 x 2
245 x 6
245 x 4
Back Squat
5 x 5 (90-120)
135 x 5
205 x 5
225 x 5
245 x 5
265 x 5
Leg Curl
5 x 5 (90-120)
150 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 5
175 x 4
1000 mg V. C
Today was good, I had to train at a weird time in between lecture and lab. So the gym was almost empty, luckily after I got warmed up on the bench press I found a guy to spot me. He was very helpful, though I still didn’t want to go to heavy. 385 pounds hovering over your face and neck without a good spotter is kinda sketchy, so for the heavier negatives I decided to only do one negative in the power rack.
I didn’t read the partial pin press small print (stop short of the pins), whoops. Next time I’ll make sure they are continuous reps.