2004 IPA Midwest State Bench Press Championship

Here are a couple of shots from an IPA bench meet last weekend.

I went 4/4.

435
485
500
520

My gym PR was 485.

The 1st photo is my setup for 435.

435 on the belly.


500.

Excellent performance! What (apart from hard work) would you attibute you big gain to? I hope you reach a double bodyweight BP soon.

Old Dax

[quote]Old Dax wrote:
Excellent performance! What (apart from hard work) would you attibute you big gain to? I hope you reach a double bodyweight BP soon.

Old Dax[/quote]

Dax, thanks for the complement. The Metal Militia workouts have done more for my bench than anything else. Being in your shirt each week helps the most. You learn your shirt inside and out. Most importantly, you learn how to get the most out of your shirt and how to hit the groove flawlessly.

The 520 bench was at a bodyweight of 241. 2.16x.

Brian,
First off, congrats on the awesome performance, the 35# pr and some sick numbers! My question for you is on form. In each of the pictures it looks like your ass has moved off the bench from where it was on setup. In the 520 pic, I think I can actually see the floor in the space in between your left thigh and the bench. I thought this was illegal in competition, how much leeway do they give you? Or am I just seeing things and your ass is on the bench the whole time? Thanks, and please dont think that I’m critiquing you or your form in any way, I’m just genuinely confused about what would constitute a “passed” attempt.

[quote]KBCThird wrote:
Brian,
First off, congrats on the awesome performance, the 35# pr and some sick numbers! My question for you is on form. In each of the pictures it looks like your ass has moved off the bench from where it was on setup. In the 520 pic, I think I can actually see the floor in the space in between your left thigh and the bench. I thought this was illegal in competition, how much leeway do they give you? Or am I just seeing things and your ass is on the bench the whole time? Thanks, and please dont think that I’m critiquing you or your form in any way, I’m just genuinely confused about what would constitute a “passed” attempt.[/quote]

I try to be pretty consistent with my set-up. There might be small variations in hip placement but I think, overall, each set-up is close to the last one. You know, when I first saw the 520lb. photo, I said, “look, my hips were starting to come up”, so you made a good call. I think that my ass did remain in contact with the bench though (and I received 3 whites on the lift).

As far as remaining in contact with the bench, IPA rules state ‘The buttocks must remain in contact with the flat bench surface during the entire range of motion.’. Although the top part of my buttocks may come off the bench slightly, due to the foot placement under the body, the lower part of the buttocks will remain in contact with the bench and the lift will be passed.

Do only a few federations require your feet to be completely on the ground?

[quote]Cowboy92 wrote:
Do only a few federations require your feet to be completely on the ground?[/quote]

In most federations your feet do not have to be flat on the ground. USAPL is one that comes to mind where the feet have to be flat on the ground.

Cool pics, Brian. Congrats, again.

Congrats on the pr man! Send me a PM. I’d like to talk to you.

[quote]snippdawg wrote:
Congrats on the pr man! Send me a PM. I’d like to talk to you.[/quote]

Snippdawg, you have a PM.

Whiddon, just sent you a pm…let me know if you get it cause I have had trouble sending pm’s in the past.