Benching: Boards, Bands, Chains, Shirts

Righto ive been training under the westside protocol for the last few weeks and am wondering when I should start to implement boards, bands, chains, shirts and in what order.

At the moment my press is 365lbs

My goal was to press 400lbs raw before using a shirt.

What about the bands, chains and boards? Any ides on when I should incorporate them into my training?

Start now. If you’ve never used chains or boards most people advise using one or the other to start rather than combining them. Bands really teach you to accelerate the bar and train you to lift fast. Chains will mimick your strength leverage curve making them very practical for shirt work. Same thing with boards; they allow you to train you lockout, etc harder.

If you’re doing westside you can add bands to your DE day since thats for speed anyway and chains and boards as possible exercises on ME day.

Might be a stupid question, but when’s your competition? (I assume that’s why you’re looking at getting a shirt?) And are you going single or multi ply…?

[quote]sapasion wrote:
Start now. If you’ve never used chains or boards most people advise using one or the other to start rather than combining them. Bands really teach you to accelerate the bar and train you to lift fast. Chains will mimick your strength leverage curve making them very practical for shirt work. Same thing with boards; they allow you to train you lockout, etc harder.

If you’re doing westside you can add bands to your DE day since thats for speed anyway and chains and boards as possible exercises on ME day.[/quote]

Thanks bud, some very sound advice. I am following the westside protocol so that will fit in just nicely.

Cheers

[quote]Hanley wrote:
Might be a stupid question, but when’s your competition? (I assume that’s why you’re looking at getting a shirt?) And are you going single or multi ply…?[/quote]

Im not actually competing as of yet. Powerlifting has only been my training goal for 6weeks or so, so I havnt made any plans yet. Im more wanting to get the hang of it so when im ready ill know what to do so to speak.

And regarding the type of shirt ill have to look into it. There is 2 main feds over her so ill see what they cater for.

[quote]SmittyTheOx wrote:
Righto ive been training under the westside protocol for the last few weeks and am wondering when I should start to implement boards, bands, chains, shirts and in what order.

At the moment my press is 365lbs

My goal was to press 400lbs raw before using a shirt.

What about the bands, chains and boards? Any ides on when I should incorporate them into my training?[/quote]

Im sure people will question this method but i used chains and boards on the same day for 4 weeks straight, and my 3 board press went up 25 pounds…mind you i never really trained with either before so maybe my body just reacted very well to both, but i think using both for a few weeks is not a bad idea…from there go to just boards…i do chest on mondays, and than tris with boards/chains on fridays…i dont see a point of using the boards on chest day unless your in a shirt and you are trying to work it in…i compete raw and thats just my method but everyone does there own thing…good luck…

Cheers for the tips.

I might look at incorperating the bands and on DE day and rotate the chains and boards through on ME day.

My lockout is definatly my weakness atm so this should put me over 400 in time.

[quote]SmittyTheOx wrote:
Cheers for the tips.

I might look at incorperating the bands and on DE day and rotate the chains and boards through on ME day.

My lockout is definatly my weakness atm so this should put me over 400 in time.[/quote]

Absolutely, you will get 400 if you incorporate these methods smartly!!! why stop at 400 anyway?? just go to 405, get those 4 plates on each side!!! good luck bro

Cheers bud, the goal is actualy 520 (Australian Record) but well keep that between us :slight_smile: