Training for a 200lb Bench at 123

Training
81

[quote]sic wrote:
When you bench with DBs, like the inclines you listed above, do you keep your wrists turned out like you would with a barbell or do you rotate them in so your palms are facing you? Do you notice that either position makes a difference in the muscles used?[/quote]

Hey Sic,
My dumbbell inclines are very close to my bench style, with my wrists turned out. I have tried the other position with my palms facing in, but I find that is more work on my delts and not isolating my chest as much.

Oh and thanks for responding to my previous post, about TC and your husband with his experience with a “monster kitty” :slight_smile:

TC is still here, taking over my porch:)

G

82

Yes, my quads were on fire and it felt great. Our gym got this new front squat machine and it is awesome. There is no way I could have done 30 reps with regular f.squats.

The machine is angled like you are getting ready to take off for a sprint and the pads are on your shoulders of course. Can’t wait to load the weight on this one.

As for my next meet, just looking for bench right now. There is a USAPL in June that I am thinking of doing a push/pull combo. Definitely not ready for a DL meet right now. All the numbers I’ve seen for my weight class are 270-300lbs. Those numbers are with USAPL. Does a suit help with the DL any? I am not sure if these numbers are raw or suited.

G

83

[quote]c. wrote:
GBench wrote:
Trying to find a meet to compete in, in March or April so I need to start pausing again…Yeah!

Well our next meet might be closer to May, but if you want to drive up to Albany NY…it’s only about 8hours. I think.

c.

[/quote]

Thanks C, but I think 8 hours is a bit to far for me right now:) But its great that you are looking out for me!!

G

84

Tonights Log and DL training:

Did something to my knee the other day, feels a little twisted and tender. I 've been foam roller my IT Band and I think it must be a little inflamed right now. Only bothers me when I bend down, so picking up the log was a little bothersome…but definitely not enough to make me quit!! :slight_smile:

Warmup:
Upper body complex with bar x 2
5 hang cleans
5 overheads
5 front squats
5 bent over rows

Log presses:
the log (80lbs)x5
90x4
100x3
100x3
105x1 missed the second one
105x2 (regrouped, got both of them)
110x1 (PR!!)
115-missed
115-missed

DLs
135x5
185x5
185x5
185x5
185x2 (back tightened up and called it a night)

Figured I would rotate weekly with sets of 5 and than sets of 2 for my DL training. Since thats kinda what I do for Benching.

Glute/Hams
3 sets of 10

Ok, wish me luck, going for 190 on Saturday with the Bench!!!

G

85

Hey GBench-
Earlier in the log you said something about your butt coming off the bench, which was a problem for me too. I read an article on here somewhere (can’t find it) that cured me of that problem. You need to place your feet really wide (wider than you think) and then move them out even a little more.

Next, bring your legs in towards your shoulders as much as possible. Make sure your heel is still on the ground though. If you do it right, it is impossible to get your hips in the air when you bench. Keep up the good work, its pretty inspirational.

86

[quote]golferguy12 wrote:
Hey GBench-
Earlier in the log you said something about your butt coming off the bench, which was a problem for me too. I read an article on here somewhere (can’t find it) that cured me of that problem. You need to place your feet really wide (wider than you think) and then move them out even a little more.

Next, bring your legs in towards your shoulders as much as possible. Make sure your heel is still on the ground though. If you do it right, it is impossible to get your hips in the air when you bench. Keep up the good work, its pretty inspirational.[/quote]

YES!!! You are soooo right! When I first posted, I tried 185 and my hips came up, I than did exactly what you mentioned above two weeks later and got 185 clean! Up until than, I’ve always benched rather “flat” with hardly any arch. Bringing my feet back really increased my arch. Its a killer on my hip flexors though.

I am pretty tight there and I pulled many muscles trying to get my feet back as far as possible. You can look on my profile of my bench with “bands and chains” and see my new foot placement. My arch increased and the ROM decreased because of it, which is exactly what you want.

I’ve been stretching and foam rolling daily to try and increase my flexibility a little more.

Thanks again for the tip, if you come across any others in benching or deadlifting, please share!

G

87

[quote]GBench wrote:

YES!!! You are soooo right! When I first posted, I tried 185 and my hips came up, I than did exactly what you mentioned above two weeks later and got 185 clean! Up until than, I’ve always benched rather “flat” with hardly any arch. Bringing my feet back really increased my arch. Its a killer on my hip flexors though.

I am pretty tight there and I pulled many muscles trying to get my feet back as far as possible. You can look on my profile of my bench with “bands and chains” and see my new foot placement. My arch increased and the ROM decreased because of it, which is exactly what you want.

I’ve been stretching and foam rolling daily to try and increase my flexibility a little more.

Thanks again for the tip, if you come across any others in benching or deadlifting, please share!

G[/quote]

LOL! I looked at your videos right after I posted and watched the bands and chains video, and watched you hit the reps no problem without raising your butt. Like you said, it is tough on the hips.

With deadlifting, the only tip I can suggest is to keep doing it, going heavier each time. Especially with you just starting it, doing the lift and doing it heavy will make it skyrocket! What always made my deadlift shoot up was doing a 5x5 for 3 weeks, but then have to do a lighter day just because it is so taxing on the CNS. Make sure you add 5 pounds minimum every week. Play with it. I’m sure you’ll be hitting 300 in no time. Good luck.

btw, you are probably the one who should be giving me bench tips lol

88

[quote]GBench wrote:
sic wrote:
When you bench with DBs, like the inclines you listed above, do you keep your wrists turned out like you would with a barbell or do you rotate them in so your palms are facing you? Do you notice that either position makes a difference in the muscles used?

Hey Sic,
My dumbbell inclines are very close to my bench style, with my wrists turned out. I have tried the other position with my palms facing in, but I find that is more work on my delts and not isolating my chest as much.

Oh and thanks for responding to my previous post, about TC and your husband with his experience with a “monster kitty” :slight_smile:

TC is still here, taking over my porch:)

G[/quote]

Alright you guys, cut it out.

The system is set up so that every time someone types “TC”, I get an email alerting me.

Come to find out you’re talking about some kitty!

89

[quote]TC wrote:
Alright you guys, cut it out.

The system is set up so that every time someone types “TC”, I get an email alerting me.

Come to find out you’re talking about some kitty!
[/quote]

Hah! You mean some “pussy?” Just kidding! You know I love you. :wink:

90

[quote]TC wrote:
GBench wrote:
sic wrote:
When you bench with DBs, like the inclines you listed above, do you keep your wrists turned out like you would with a barbell or do you rotate them in so your palms are facing you? Do you notice that either position makes a difference in the muscles used?

Hey Sic,
My dumbbell inclines are very close to my bench style, with my wrists turned out. I have tried the other position with my palms facing in, but I find that is more work on my delts and not isolating my chest as much.

Oh and thanks for responding to my previous post, about TC and your husband with his experience with a “monster kitty” :slight_smile:

TC is still here, taking over my porch:)

G

Alright you guys, cut it out.

The system is set up so that every time someone types “TC”, I get an email alerting me.

Come to find out you’re talking about some kitty!
[/quote]
Aww TC…you might not have wanted to tell us that. And you like to talk about Kitties!

Gina,

Nice job on the workouts…and Most of the USAPL records are in gear. You will get less from a DL suit than a bench shirt or squat suit.

Malinda

91

I haven’t tried a dl suit yet. I let you know how much it adds to my deadlift.

Claire

92

[quote]cvb wrote:

Gina,

Nice job on the workouts…and Most of the USAPL records are in gear. You will get less from a DL suit than a bench shirt or squat suit.

Malinda

I haven’t tried a dl suit yet. I let you know how much it adds to my deadlift.

Claire[/quote]

From what I’ve gathered a good deadlift suit can give somewhere between 40-60lbs, (conventional) I have a metal pro deadlifter and deadlifted 495 in it, haven’t tested my raw max in awhile but it was 430 at the time, probably was good for 440 though. The 495 was sloppy and wouldn’t have passed in a powerlifting meet but I pulled a clean 465 right before the 495. Other people I have talked to have gotten similar results from the Metal DL suits

93

[quote]firebug9 wrote:

Aww TC…you might not have wanted to tell us that. And you like to talk about Kitties!

Gina,

Nice job on the workouts…and Most of the USAPL records are in gear. You will get less from a DL suit than a bench shirt or squat suit.

Malinda
[/quote]

Thanks Malinda, but I was hoping you would say that the DL suit would add 100lbs or so :slight_smile: wishful thinking huh??

G

94

Ok, note to self…don’t plan on setting a PR when you’ve been “out with the girls” the night before :slight_smile: We go out once a month and I planned on not having more than one glass of wine…oh well, 30 minutes into it and that promise I made to myself was broken :). I don’t drink much at all, so 2 glasses do me in. But I had to train this morning, because I was meeting a friend of mine to bench and couldn’t let her down.

So heres my workout (not feeling all that great)

Warmups
bar
95x10
135x8
155x3
175x1
190x missed it
190x missed again
*got it barely off my chest, but I had to go for it. I can remember when 185 wouldn’t move off my chest either. Give me a couple more weeks and I’ll get it!!!

Band Work:
115x5
120x5
120x5

Incline Barbell:
140x4, struggled on the 4th, missed the 5th one
140x4, struggled on the 4th, missed the 5th one

Decline Barbell:
155x4
155x5

Really had to work through this workout, felt terrible. Going to have to have a talk with the girls before our next outing :slight_smile:

G

And has anyone heard from c yet???

95

Do you think if I have a glass of wine the night before I could hit 175. :slight_smile: I would be thrilled.
Diana

96

[quote]Plant lady wrote:
Do you think if I have a glass of wine the night before I could hit 175. :slight_smile: I would be thrilled.
Diana[/quote]

Thanks Diana! I am glad that I was able to hit 175 even with a night out…but mentally and physically it messed my training day up…oh well, live and learn.

G

97

Ok, tonight was ARMS (mainly triceps and one exercise to failure for Biceps)

Warmup on flat bench:
bar
95
135

Close grip bench press
135x5
140x5
145x4

Rack Lockouts (just above 90)
225x5
245x5
275x5
295x5 (took me 3 starts to get the weight moving, once I got the 1st rep up, the other 4 easily followed)

305x1 PR!! Never tried 300 before, so had to go for it. Once again, it took me 3 starts to get the bar moving. It wasn’t pretty but I finished it.

Seated Dip Machine:
90x15
115x15
140x10

Dumbbell Bicep Curls: 6-12-40-6

Ok this is a killer exercise you pick a heavy weight for 6 reps, than immediately lower the weight and do 12 reps and than once again, immediately lower the weight and do 40 reps, than increase the weight and try 6 reps again!!! Talk about going to failure!!!

The point is to fatigue your fast twitch muscle fibers first with the 6 and 12 reps than since you don’t stop to rest, your slow twitch muscle fibers have to kick in to complete the 40 reps, than when you are completely shot, you try to go back to the heavy weight for 6 reps to recruit any of the fast twitch fibers that might be left.

I used 30lb dumbbells for the 6, 15lb for the 12 and 8lbs for the 40, than back to 30 for the 6. But I only got 2 reps of the last 6.

And thats it for Biceps, thats all they need.

This exercise is also great for shoulder work.

calling it a night.
G

98

Hi Gina,
Those bicep curls sound miserable, in a good way.
You mentioned that it is good for shoulder work. My left shoulder is pretty weak, would something like that help out if I added it in on the left side only. The right side is all good, I wonder if it’s OK just to work the weak side…
db

99

I enjoy reading your workouts thanks for posting them.
Diana

100

Workout looks great. You lockout strength is awesome. I think I’ll try the bicep exercise on Friday. It sounds painful but good:)