benching 400lbs

[devass]

I have been weighting lifts on and off since 1979 (I am now 41). I am not a fast or big gainer, but in the last 5 years my core strength has increased considerably. I am now up to benching 365 lbs. I have always wanted to bench twice my weight and in a fews yrs I think I will make my goal.

I get a lot of stares at the gym now because Iam not the typical overly built muscle bond guy ripped from chin to toe. So I think it surppises people when I can bench 315 8 times and bench 225 20 times. I like it when I put the 3rd plate on each side and someone offers me a spot and I can so "no thankyou", I am fine without a spot.

What is working for me lately is realizing less is more. I used to bench 2 or 3 tmies a week and do 10 or so sets. Now I only bench once a week and only do 5 to 6 sets. I made more gaines reducing my workout in the last few years then I gained in the ten years before.

 

[blackice]

In certain areas less is more, specifically taking about body excersices. My chest developed rather large and very perportioned. I know one doesn't have to bench their weight, or like kids at the gym pushing 225 in shit. I am tight for my weight and can push my bodyweight around plenty in plyometeric excersices. I don't think alot of weight is neccessary to get bigger or strong( again to a piont) but one can certainly get big using light-medium weights doing it correctly and with form.-aight.

 

[REDZULU2003]

I have found that it comes with time and patience. Work up the pundage gradually every 2 weeks and I go pretty well. Reverse Pyramiding helped me VERY MUCH in getting a higher bench press from nothing to a nice weight I can currently work with.

Reverse pyramiding is the same as normal pyramiding but you lift the heaviest load first i.e 1 rep and work down the pyramid to the lowest i.e 15 reps.

With time you'll notice you can handle heavier loads much more better.

My current bench is incline, decline and flat with 2 x 6 with 85-90% of my 1 rep max on all three bench positions [dec, inc and flat] and than 2 x 6 with 95% of my 1 rep max which brings the pecs to failiure ... I can barely lift the weight at the end ... this is building me nice shape and definition plus mass to my chest but couldnt have done it all without the Reverse Pyramiding and even traditional pyramiding from the early months which built the strength needed to get the poundage up I currently use and use that with good form even.


Another tip is to get explosive on the lifts so you can power out on the heavier lifts ... I found that clap push ups helpd me build this and transfer it into added strength to use on the power ups on the bench to work through the heavier lifts.

Do 3 x 10 clap push ups daily and in time this will work in your favour on the bench.

I also massage the pecs quite freq after sets to keep the blood in their and encourage a better pump.

Still early days and I aint lifting the poundage many of you guys do [only been lifting weights for 7-8 months though] but already gone up in poundage three times the weight I started on and my strength has sky rocketed .... REVERSE PYRAMIDING is the key for me to build strength .... use it on the Shoulder press and its working a treat.

Peace

 

[REDZULU2003]

I did have a spell in July/August 2008 when I benched my maximum ever at 460lbs for x4 reps before failiure and WOW when you lift such weight, you can appreciate how it feels .. awesome I can tell you. At the moment I dont lift that much in the bench but around the low 300lb range for approx 10 reps or so.

 

[MAXAMEYES]

Centuries ago, when I was really into lifting heavy, I found that the obscenely painful "negative failure" was an intense muscle blaster. The best part was that my connective tissues got a shitload stronger and more able to tolerate a lot of shock during martial arts.
Not only did I get stronger but also a lot more powerful.
Might want to take a look at plyometrics too...they build stoooopid explosive ability. That is, if you're into any sport that requires explosion.