here’s my reverse grip bench from today. 485x1. next week 500.
[quote]Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
[quote]ajweins wrote:
Hey MM,
I need some bench press advice and would appreciate it if you could steer me in the right direction.
I am mainly training for powerlifting and I train raw. My bench has been stalling for the past while and I think its because I am constantly changing my set up and I want some advice that I can stick with. I am always changing my grip widths because I am strongest with a fairly narrow grip (about a fingers worth gap between my pinky and the ring), yet every strong powerlifter writes that you need to go wide if I really want a big bench.
Here’s what happened today: I decided to try the wide powerlifter grip with my pointer on the rings. I definitely notice that the ROM is a lot less and I am tucking my elbows all I can but I just really lack explosiveness. I was on my second week of a 5/3/1 wave and only hit 335x2…obviously, I am supposed to hit at least 3 here and my second rep wasn’t even the cleanest.
Knowing that I am stronger then this I did another set after with my typical close grip described above and hit 335 for a relatively easy 3. I am probably good for 5 when fresh with this grip.
So my question is, can I get big bench by doing my closer grip since its where I am the strongest, or is it just not proper mechanics and I need to learn to go wide? I just turned 24 and weight around 205 if that matters at all. I am basically saying I am young so if benching wide is ultimately going to get me the best bench I can then I would rather reset my max to a wide grip and eventually get to my max potential.
Thanks for any help you can give me.[/quote]
some of the strongest raw benchers bench with a narrow grip. they have very strong triceps and pecs. a wider grip allows you to use more muscle groups, especially on the decent because you can activate the lats and “row” the weight down. i bench with a wide grip but always have.
if benching with a narrow grip is working for you, i would stick with it. raw powerlifting is much different from geared powerlifting. form with raw can vary greatly based on ones natural leverages and build. we don’t have the luxury of using 5 different plys of supersuit to support the weight. we have to find the most beneficial way we can to move the most weight we can with the gifts God gave us and our cotton t-shirts:)
[/quote]
Thanks for the insight MM, I do raw bench also and in my off-season bodybuilding training enjoy heavy triples. I grip the bar with my pinky wrapped around the ring – I’ve gotten up to 290x3, I’m going to try moving my grip in slightly after my next show. You’re looking a lot leaner, are you still considering bodybuilding again?
@AJ, impressive lift for 205 lbs – you’re only five pounds heavier than me in off-season mode and putting me to shame!
[/quote]
i’ll definitely do another show at some point. i’m very happy with my strength at this bodyweight and want to see how far i can go in powerlifting right now.
Meat are you squatting/deadlifting against mini bands in those videos?
[quote]VikingsAD28 wrote:
Meat are you squatting/deadlifting against mini bands in those videos?[/quote]
yep… i love how the bands force you to keep your form tight or you’ll fall forward or backward. also, it teaches you to be explosive out of the hole or else you hit the wall when the bands tighten up.
Pics from the House of Bounce-
more
agian
and again
once again
last one
OMG! There is a bear trying to eat your little girl!
Whew, looks like she got away at the end.
[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:
OMG! There is a bear trying to eat your little girl!
Whew, looks like she got away at the end.
[/quote]
more like silver back gorilla.
cycle 2, week 2 skwatts- tonight was one of those nights when everything felt light. i love those nights. they are far and few between. my plan during this cycle is to work up to 600lbs against bands. the bands add 100lbs at the top. tonight i hit a single with 585 against the bands after my working sets and it literally felt like a warmup. next week i’ll take it up to 600lbs against the bands. for meet prep the following week i’ll hit 600 straight weight and that should be my opener on squats.
squats against bands
warmup
0x10
135x6
225x2
working sets
(70%)-390x3
(80%)-450x3
(90%)-505x3
585x1- easy!!!
leg press
8plates x 20,30,40 - no rest between reps and not locked out.
abzzz machine
some x 20 x 3
MM, I noticed earlier in the thread you talked about your calories. Can you give us an overview of what you’re taking in on a daily basis, calories, meal frequency, ect. Thanks!
[quote]Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:
MM, I noticed earlier in the thread you talked about your calories. Can you give us an overview of what you’re taking in on a daily basis, calories, meal frequency, ect. Thanks![/quote]
i’m at the top of my powerlifting weight division so i’m just trying to maintain my current weight while getting stronger.
i take in 4 protein shakes each day. each with about 50 grams of protein. i eat about 6 small meals each day mostly made up of protein with some complex carbs in the way of multigrain pastas rice or bread. drink tons of water and eat lots of nuts as snacks throughout the day with yogurt and granola.
i eat some fruit, not much- mostly a banana and an apple for a snack. pretty boring but that’s about it. i really have no idea about calories. i basically snack all day and really never eat a huge meal ever.
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
i would much rather have a tant on my forehead than a bar on my throat:)
[/quote]
Just making sure this gem lives on in as many Threads as possible.
LOL
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
i would much rather have a tant on my forehead than a bar on my throat:)
[/quote]
Just making sure this gem lives on in as many Threads as possible.
LOL[/quote]
that’s just wrong…
I’m sorry Meat, i just haven’t laughed that hard since Celtics said he used to sell blood for weed.
cycle 2, week 3.
military press- decided to go for my long time goal of 315. hit it fairly easily tonight. i don’t plan to push this any higher now until after the comp. i’ll go back to hitting my working sets and repping out the last one now.
warmup
0x10
135x6
(75%)-220x5
(85%)-245x3
(95%)-275- decided to skip this set and go straight to 315
315x1
seated dumbell presses
40’s x 6
100’s x 6
120’s x 6
130’s x 6- had one hell of a time throwing these up with my t-rex arms. once they were up the reps were easy.
bicep curlzzz machine
some x 15 x 4
decline abzzz with 35lb plate
10 x 2
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
[quote]Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:
MM, I noticed earlier in the thread you talked about your calories. Can you give us an overview of what you’re taking in on a daily basis, calories, meal frequency, ect. Thanks![/quote]
i’m at the top of my powerlifting weight division so i’m just trying to maintain my current weight while getting stronger.
i take in 4 protein shakes each day. each with about 50 grams of protein. i eat about 6 small meals each day mostly made up of protein with some complex carbs in the way of multigrain pastas rice or bread. drink tons of water and eat lots of nuts as snacks throughout the day with yogurt and granola.
i eat some fruit, not much- mostly a banana and an apple for a snack. pretty boring but that’s about it. i really have no idea about calories. i basically snack all day and really never eat a huge meal ever.
[/quote]
Thanks for the feedback – are the shakes in addition to your six small meals, or are four or you six meals liquid?