I hit 405 pounds on the bench last week! No shirt or anything. I know this is not a major accomplishment for a lot of you that post here but it was for me. It was a goal of mine that I wanted to reach prior to summer. Now to work on my squat & deadlifts!
I don’t know who you think posts here, but a 405 raw bench is a pretty great feat.
Congrats!
Did you video tape it?
Good work bro… hopefully Ill be getting there soon. 405’s a nice lift. Keep it up!
Not a big accomplishment? The great majority of folks will never reach near that. Great job!!!
D
405 raw is very impressive, nice work.
Its something to be proud of, I mean how many people in the world do you actually think can do that? Im sure its a small percentage, I did it my first time back in 1991, and havent done it now since 1998, but I`m trying.
Considering the fact that im gonna shout it from the mountain tops when i hit 315 this June, im pretty sure you have every right to be proud of a 405 raw bench.
great lift.
–JB
also considering you weigh 235, that’s an amazing lift.
[quote]Torque wrote:
also considering you weigh 235, that’s an amazing lift.[/quote]
Yeah I probably should correct my info, I now weigh 245. I don’t have a video of it (I don’t have way of taking the video or would even know how to post it). My previous best lift was 365 and I felt that since I had achieved that (I did it like 3 years ago) I had really let my training languish. I set this goal to motivate myself and push myself. I made it a New Years resolution and started really working on it late February. Thanks for the positive words!
what training methods did you use to get your bench up?
[quote]Hagar wrote:
what training methods did you use to get your bench up?[/quote]
I was lifting with a partner who came up with this plan:
We did 315 for 6 reps then dumbell flys (50 lbs each) for 10 reps. That was one set. We did 5 sets of those (if that was all we did that day we’d do it till failure). Then we’d do incline bench at 4 sets of 8 reps for 225 followed the machine where you sit grasping to handles that have you arms fully extended out (so you look like a T) then you bring them together in front of your chest. I hated that one, but I think it helped. I did this once a week.
I have to caution anyone who reads this: I am NOT an expert and don’t claim to be, I do try to read up and learn more about proper lifting and such. It is more then likely that someone more knowledgable is reading this post and scoffing. I welcome constructive criticism, its how I learn. That being said, I believe that this work out helped me reach my goal. If it helps you great!
[quote]Dedicated wrote:
Not a big accomplishment? The great majority of folks will never reach near that. Great job!!!
D[/quote]
Yeah no shiet. this guy, you put yourself down too much. Not many people can say they have a 405 bench so you should be damn proud, unless you only hang out with the westside barbell guys…
[quote]GunnyBear wrote:
I hit 405 pounds on the bench last week! No shirt or anything. I know this is not a major accomplishment for a lot of you that post here but it was for me. It was a goal of mine that I wanted to reach prior to summer. Now to work on my squat & deadlifts![/quote]
Good stuff man. I’m still trying to get to 300 (currently at 265)…
[quote]GunnyBear wrote:
Hagar wrote:
what training methods did you use to get your bench up?
I was lifting with a partner who came up with this plan:
We did 315 for 6 reps then dumbell flys (50 lbs each) for 10 reps. That was one set. We did 5 sets of those (if that was all we did that day we’d do it till failure). Then we’d do incline bench at 4 sets of 8 reps for 225 followed the machine where you sit grasping to handles that have you arms fully extended out (so you look like a T) then you bring them together in front of your chest. I hated that one, but I think it helped. I did this once a week.
I have to caution anyone who reads this: I am NOT an expert and don’t claim to be, I do try to read up and learn more about proper lifting and such. It is more then likely that someone more knowledgable is reading this post and scoffing. I welcome constructive criticism, its how I learn. That being said, I believe that this work out helped me reach my goal. If it helps you great![/quote]
Mad props.
That said I’ll start my critique. How many times a week do you bench? Do you ever feel drained before you start your workout? These are things you need to think about when you are going to failure. Going to failure can work, but you have to be careful that you are getting enough rest in between. Also I believe that there are better plans than going to failure, 10x3 being one of them. I would look into it if I were you.
Another thing I noticed is that you seem to be doing a lot of chest work, but what are you doing for your triceps? When I started doing weighted dips, and rack press my bench exploded. I believe that to get a big bench you have to train the triceps (This is where you should be doing your failure work).
Keep up the hard work.
Welcome to the club bro, nice lift. Was there a lift off and did anyone else touch the bar during the actual lift?
What are your current squat and dead numbers?
A
[quote]GunnyBear wrote:
I hit 405 pounds on the bench last week! No shirt or anything. I know this is not a major accomplishment for a lot of you that post here but it was for me. It was a goal of mine that I wanted to reach prior to summer. Now to work on my squat & deadlifts![/quote]
How many years of training did it take you to reach this? By the way, awesome accomplishment. I am chomping at the bit until I hit a measly 300.
[quote]GunnyBear wrote:
I hit 405 pounds on the bench last week! No shirt or anything. I know this is not a major accomplishment for a lot of you that post here but it was for me. It was a goal of mine that I wanted to reach prior to summer. Now to work on my squat & deadlifts![/quote]
Hey tveddy, I checked out your numbers, impressive man. What do you mean by rack presses?
I def agree with you about the triceps, when I used to heavy weighted dips, my bp improved greatly. I stopped doing them bc my shoulders were killing me but they are ok now. I got a bum elbow right now and it kills just to do bodyweight dips. Any alternatives other than rack press you suggest to get to your numbers?
Thanks,
A
[quote]tveddy wrote:
GunnyBear wrote:
Hagar wrote:
what training methods did you use to get your bench up?
I was lifting with a partner who came up with this plan:
We did 315 for 6 reps then dumbell flys (50 lbs each) for 10 reps. That was one set. We did 5 sets of those (if that was all we did that day we’d do it till failure). Then we’d do incline bench at 4 sets of 8 reps for 225 followed the machine where you sit grasping to handles that have you arms fully extended out (so you look like a T) then you bring them together in front of your chest. I hated that one, but I think it helped. I did this once a week.
I have to caution anyone who reads this: I am NOT an expert and don’t claim to be, I do try to read up and learn more about proper lifting and such. It is more then likely that someone more knowledgable is reading this post and scoffing. I welcome constructive criticism, its how I learn. That being said, I believe that this work out helped me reach my goal. If it helps you great!
Mad props.
That said I’ll start my critique. How many times a week do you bench? Do you ever feel drained before you start your workout? These are things you need to think about when you are going to failure. Going to failure can work, but you have to be careful that you are getting enough rest in between. Also I believe that there are better plans than going to failure, 10x3 being one of them. I would look into it if I were you.
Another thing I noticed is that you seem to be doing a lot of chest work, but what are you doing for your triceps? When I started doing weighted dips, and rack press my bench exploded. I believe that to get a big bench you have to train the triceps (This is where you should be doing your failure work).
Keep up the hard work. [/quote]
[quote]Mad props.
That said I’ll start my critique. How many times a week do you bench? Do you ever feel drained before you start your workout? These are things you need to think about when you are going to failure. Going to failure can work, but you have to be careful that you are getting enough rest in between. Also I believe that there are better plans than going to failure, 10x3 being one of them. I would look into it if I were you.
Another thing I noticed is that you seem to be doing a lot of chest work, but what are you doing for your triceps? When I started doing weighted dips, and rack press my bench exploded. I believe that to get a big bench you have to train the triceps (This is where you should be doing your failure work).
Keep up the hard work. [/quote]
I bench once a week. I don’t always go to failure, in fact I do it very rarely. I think you are right in saying it is important to rest properly. I train triceps twice a week, once by themselves then once with biceps. My lifting partner thinks like you that the triceps are the key. Sometimes I do feel drained before workouts, chest or otherwise. When that happens I try to push through it and catch my second wind but sometimes I won’t go as heavy or as long.
[quote]Amsterdam Animal wrote:
Welcome to the club bro, nice lift. Was there a lift off and did anyone else touch the bar during the actual lift?
What are your current squat and dead numbers?
[/quote]
It was actually kind of funny. My regular lifting partner wasn’t there that night and I had another fellow to spot me. Well he didn’t think he could handle it himself and had two other guys (cardio boys) stand on either side of the bar. I was kind of embarrassed that I had 3 guys spotting me. I didn’t have a lift off, brought it down to my chest and pushed off and brought it up and racked it and they didn’t touch it. That made me happy for about 5 min then I realized that I now had to set a new goal LOL!
I don’t know my stats for squats & deads, honestly that is my next goal. What would you suggest as a goal and training plan?
That seems to be a lot of tricep work in one week. My guess is that your numbers on delts and chest actually may be hurting a little because of that. Unless you have some ridiculous recovery time, your tri’s would still be fatigued.
[quote]GunnyBear wrote:
Mad props.
That said I’ll start my critique. How many times a week do you bench? Do you ever feel drained before you start your workout? These are things you need to think about when you are going to failure. Going to failure can work, but you have to be careful that you are getting enough rest in between. Also I believe that there are better plans than going to failure, 10x3 being one of them. I would look into it if I were you.
Another thing I noticed is that you seem to be doing a lot of chest work, but what are you doing for your triceps? When I started doing weighted dips, and rack press my bench exploded. I believe that to get a big bench you have to train the triceps (This is where you should be doing your failure work).
Keep up the hard work.
I bench once a week. I don’t always go to failure, in fact I do it very rarely. I think you are right in saying it is important to rest properly. I train triceps twice a week, once by themselves then once with biceps. My lifting partner thinks like you that the triceps are the key. Sometimes I do feel drained before workouts, chest or otherwise. When that happens I try to push through it and catch my second wind but sometimes I won’t go as heavy or as long. [/quote]