Bench goal reached! Plus a workout tip.

[Zivic]

Or happy that he doesn't look like an egg with stubby appendages like the powerlifters in the videos you post. You come off as a dick over and over again, so think about the fact that everyone's goals are different before you post.

And who are you?

 

[RearAdmiral]

Yep, and really glad I did! I said I wanted to put on 25-30 pounds worth of muscle a year ago and 200+ gallons of whole milk later... I don't think I look any different because it was so gradual, but everyone who I don't see often says something.

I did the stronglifts 5x5 and 3x5 for a while, so just flat bench every other gym day, try to put 5lbs on the bar versus last workout day. Lately I've been trying a weight ramp up though, so only 1 set at max weight. I also bought a couple 1.25lb plates (that I had to sand the hole down for a good hour on one to get it to fit on the bar ) so that might help.



yeah a lot of it is mental. At my measly 150 though getting stuck isn't a big deal, you just look like an idiot pushing it down and deadlifting it off. My other lifts aren't too high either, 220 squat and 275 deadlift.


congrats again rearAdmiral, can't imagine being my size still and benching what I squat now! Someday maybe.

I never imagined it either...Stuff seems to happen when you keep at it. Very surprising results! Good luck.

 

[killster1]

what a idiotic thing to say is a tip.. good job patting ur self on back and giving zero advice! i wonder how much easier it is for tiny people to bench than people with long ass arms.. your sets only half the distance of mine

 

[VulgarDisplay]

what a idiotic thing to say is a tip.. good job patting ur self on back and giving zero advice! i wonder how much easier it is for tiny people to bench than people with long ass arms.. your sets only half the distance of mine

If I benched 225 at 160lbs I'd be patting myself on the back too.

May not seem like a ton, but when you weigh that much you're pretty strong pound for pound.

That would be like me benching 385. Not gonna happen, so congrats dude. Impressive lift.

 

[hans007]

I'm a 158 or so pound Asian guy. I'm 5'11" with gangly long basketball arms

Key to benching like that is to not cheat at bench pressing when you are building strength. I can do probably 2-3 reps at 225 . Do 4x8 at 185 normally. Actually get the bar to touch your chest way better workout then just cheat bench pressing like most guys do to feel good about themselves

 

[RearAdmiral]

If I benched 225 at 160lbs I'd be patting myself on the back too.

May not seem like a ton, but when you weigh that much you're pretty strong pound for pound.

That would be like me benching 385. Not gonna happen, so congrats dude. Impressive lift.

Thanks! I was doing solo yesterday and didn't feel as strong. So I went up to 195 on my heaviest. I remember when I needed definite spot for that!

 

[RearAdmiral]

I'm a 158 or so pound Asian guy. I'm 5'11" with gangly long basketball arms

Key to benching like that is to not cheat at bench pressing when you are building strength. I can do probably 2-3 reps at 225 . Do 4x8 at 185 normally. Actually get the bar to touch your chest way better workout then just cheat bench pressing like most guys do to feel good about themselves

Definitely agree. I don't bounce off my chest, I try to "pull" the weight down and "touch my shirt." Since I learned some form I noticed that some guys bench really poorly: weights tilted to one side quite a bit, lots of bouncing, pushing their lower torso/legs up(ouch!?). I at least always feel in control and stable, even if I can't make the lift. Some dudes I worry about them dropping the weight on themselves or getting an injury from being unbalanced.

Your strength is pretty darn impressive especially if you have longer arms like that! Can I ask you where your grip is on the bar?

 

[purbeast0]

congrats OP.

i remember when my goal was to bench 135lbs 10x. then i finally hit it.

then my goal was to bench 185.

then it was 225.

then it was 275.

then it was 315.

that was as high as i ever got (315x2) but i weighed 10-15lbs more than i do now. i can probably do 295-300 now.

now you have to set a new goal for yourself, it gets even more fun as you start putting up more weight

 

[Zivic]

congrats OP.

i remember when my goal was to bench 135lbs 10x. then i finally hit it.

then my goal was to bench 185.

then it was 225.

then it was 275.

then it was 315.

that was as high as i ever got (315x2) but i weighed 10-15lbs more than i do now. i can probably do 295-300 now.

now you have to set a new goal for yourself, it gets even more fun as you start putting up more weight

this...

I set what I thought was an unattainable goal for myself yrs ago. I basically reached it with little to no effort. It really set me back as i kind of felt, now what once i reached it. I have a few goals in mind, and if/when I get to them, I kind of feel I can "retire". challenging part is, I can only lift 6-7 months out of the year.

little story from my gym.... I benched yesterday at the gym. Had a guy approach me. He said, sir, that is probably the most impressive lift I have seen at this gym. I guess I am lifting in a 'small pond'... everything is relative

 

[hans007]

Definitely agree. I don't bounce off my chest, I try to "pull" the weight down and "touch my shirt." Since I learned some form I noticed that some guys bench really poorly: weights tilted to one side quite a bit, lots of bouncing, pushing their lower torso/legs up(ouch!?). I at least always feel in control and stable, even if I can't make the lift. Some dudes I worry about them dropping the weight on themselves or getting an injury from being unbalanced.

Your strength is pretty darn impressive especially if you have longer arms like that! Can I ask you where your grip is on the bar?

well to be fair , i started off doing this really poorly but really worked on it.

for me i used to weigh like 185 pounds. i remember i measured my wingspan before and its like 6'3 so this takes a bit more work than a guy with t-rex arms. but i worked at it a lot back then trying to "bench my weight" .

anyway then i figured out how to eat, and lost 25 pounds but i guess i got used to that weight at 185. i wasnt remotely fat at 185, but you can lose a lot of weight without losing a ton of muscle if you know what you are doing it seems.

i basically just hold the bar where my shoulders are but my shoulders. i know some guys try other spots narrower and such, but yeah never really done that.



i don't really think 185 is even tha tmuch. i have a friend who is about 5'10. he was a recruited running back and choose to go to MIT instead (and by recruited imean like ucla, florida etc). in high school he benched 410. i think he actually fractured his wrist benching. but yeah he was 200-210 at the time.

 

[RearAdmiral]

well to be fair , i started off doing this really poorly but really worked on it.

for me i used to weigh like 185 pounds. i remember i measured my wingspan before and its like 6'3 so this takes a bit more work than a guy with t-rex arms. but i worked at it a lot back then trying to "bench my weight" .

anyway then i figured out how to eat, and lost 25 pounds but i guess i got used to that weight at 185. i wasnt remotely fat at 185, but you can lose a lot of weight without losing a ton of muscle if you know what you are doing it seems.

i basically just hold the bar where my shoulders are but my shoulders. i know some guys try other spots narrower and such, but yeah never really done that.



i don't really think 185 is even tha tmuch. i have a friend who is about 5'10. he was a recruited running back and choose to go to MIT instead (and by recruited imean like ucla, florida etc). in high school he benched 410. i think he actually fractured his wrist benching. but yeah he was 200-210 at the time.

haha awesome. I should measure my wing span too, maybe that will give me some insight into seeing if this lift is good or not.

 

[killster1]

well i just mention that because i have no idea how much more effert it is for me with 6'5" wing span compared to someone with shorter arms. My friend is the one that mentioned length of arms. He claims burnouts with 60-80lb are what gave him his 300+ bench today but he is naturally giant.

 

[tedrodai]

He claims burnouts with 60-80lb are what gave him his 300+ bench today...

At least the way you've worded it in your post...his claim is flat-out false. Claims like this (i.e. without relevant context) don't do anyone any good. 60-80lb burnouts are not the key on the road to a 300+ bench press. Heavy weights and proper diet are. His endurance sets might have helped him work through some plateaus along the way--who knows--but it didn't increase his strength. It doesn't matter what his wingspan is.

A big wingspan definitely makes the exercise more difficult though.

 

[Saint Nick]

My wingspan is about my height, 6' 5". What can I do to improve my bench? I can only bench maybe 125 on a good day (5x5)

 

[SociallyChallenged]

At least the way you've worded it in your post...his claim is flat-out false. Claims like this (i.e. without relevant context) don't do anyone any good. 60-80lb burnouts are not the key on the road to a 300+ bench press. Heavy weights and proper diet are. His endurance sets might have helped him work through some plateaus along the way--who knows--but it didn't increase his strength. It doesn't matter what his wingspan is.

A big wingspan definitely makes the exercise more difficult though.

While I don't agree with the initial claim of burnouts creating a high max bench, what you're saying about endurance work not improving overall strength is not true. Research shows that endurance weight training does improve people's strength, but not as much as true strength training. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[Zivic]

well i just mention that because i have no idea how much more effert it is for me with 6'5" wing span compared to someone with shorter arms.

shorter arms and a barrel chest obviously make a difference. Genetics plays a big roll in every aspect of lifting/working out. it doesn't however change the general inputs that lead to increasing strength

My friend is the one that mentioned length of arms. He claims burnouts with 60-80lb are what gave him his 300+ bench today but he is naturally giant.

firs off 300+ isn't a big bench. One could go to the gym once a week, do a few sets of bench, doing nothing more than that and likely break the 300 barrier. heck, I could go in, cold turkey after 6 months and bench over 300.... it took me two weeks (two workouts) to get back to 315 x 6 in my workouts, so 300, is not a lot. (this obviously assumes a few factors, and everyone's situation is different, so don't take this as I think everyone that can't push 300 is a weakling...)

so because 300 is not a lot(in a general sense), a person could go in and do a crappy workout and still gain enough strength to pull off a 300+ bench. the 60-80 burnouts are not contributing in any significant way to gaining meaningful strength.

You want a big bench?
*Bench heavy in the low to moderate rep ranges
*use free weights - stay off the machines and that includes the smith machine
*Include heavy squats and deads into your routine - this will make your entire body stronger. You have a sticking point in your bench press? push harder on your squats and deads and you will likely push through it.
*don't over train.... bench once a week, and don't do a 20 sets. If you really are lifting heavy 6-12 working sets will be plenty for a single workout
*watch your diet. You need to eat enough to fuel your workouts, more so when you are going heavy

I am built for bench press, to a point I kind of take it for granted. When you guys start talking 405+ for reps, now you are talking some serious numbers.... so you update us when the "burnout" routine gets your friend into that territory/

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Zivic do you have some vids of your epic lifts?

 

[Onita]

300, in a general sense, is a lot to bench.

 

[Zivic]

Zivic do you have some vids of your epic lifts?

Never said they were epic... I workout by myself most of the time and never really got vids. My last good workout partner kind of had a mental break. So now I workout in the middle of the day with mainly 50+ yr old women. Makes bench day interesting trying to get a spot.... either way, I have no reason to BS. Next week on bench day I can get one of me benching if you like. Pm me your email and I'll send it over.

Fwiw My strongest gym bench was 485 @ ~222 lbs. That was few yrs ago. I haven't really maxed out in a while so not sure what I could do but when I get into my workouts a 370+ for 6 reps is about where I am at. I am probable 8 weeks off that. On Tuesday I did 315x6, 325x5, 330x4

 

[Zivic]

300, in a general sense, is a lot to bench.

I don't work too much on military press, but I bet I could come close to pushing that for a seated press

 

[Onita]

I don't work too much on military press, but I bet I could come close to pushing that for a seated press

Congrats?

 

[Zivic]

Congrats?

everything is relative. to a person that casually goes to the gym, 300 might seem like a lot. to a person that works out regularly and puts forth some effort, 300 isn't really all that much.

 

[KIAman]

I've been going to the gym for about a year now and barely do 225. When I first started, my 1 RM was 135lbs. The difference is I am no longer making noob gains and it is going very slow compared to before. I cannot imagine I will get to 300lbs any time soon. At my rate, I am guessing I could get there in 3-4 more years.

I am 6 feet tall with 6'1" wingspan (I have small hands relative to my body).

 

[Saint Nick]

I've been going to the gym for about a year now and barely do 225. When I first started, my 1 RM was 135lbs. The difference is I am no longer making noob gains and it is going very slow compared to before. I cannot imagine I will get to 300lbs any time soon. At my rate, I am guessing I could get there in 3-4 more years.

I am 6 feet tall with 6'1" wingspan (I have small hands relative to my body).

That's impressive... At my strongest I could do 135. I don't eat enough!!!

 

[Zivic]

Zivic do you have some vids of your epic lifts?

I do now... you have PM