POWER lifters R us

Workaholic · 08-Feb-04, 05:16 PM

Hi,
I've been on this discuss forum for a month now and I've had great success with all your support and training advice. Thank you abarlement, Jaster, Tom_D and everyone.

My bench seem to plateua at 275. I got a personal record yesterday doing deadlifts *365. When my squat is up there I'll be competing at local powerlifting competitions at the 60 kg or 132.28 lbs weight class.

Any powerlifters on this bourd with usefull tips to give a lil edge while competing???

Lee J B · 08-Feb-04, 05:39 PM

When I did my bench meet I struggled on a few points, one I noticed most though was the timing in which your given, you can't simply bring the weight down to you chest and throw it right back it you have to wait for that whilstle .. and damn it seems like a very long time when that weights resting on you... so I would practice competition lifts in the gym a couple weeks before. ALso your not supposed to, but it's extremely beneficial if you can pull it off, on the squat (this is an art by the way I can't do it - and you probably will be faulted and failed for it) to help you get it back up everytime, just before you get to the bottom of the squat, ease the tension just slightly so you speed up marginally, it allows you to kind of bounce the weight very slightly (but makes all the difference) but if you do it too early or too fast they will fail you no doubt... I don't rec. cheating but hey ... Aside from that, I've got a ton of training tips as I am a powerlifter, but not been to many meets so competition experiance is limited. Was planning on doing one this summer but it will have to be october now.

**Jaster** · 09-Feb-04, 05:59 AM

Workaholic welcome to the POWER LIFTING CLUB!!!
Nice post Lee and I would give ya green if I didn't have to spread it around first. That said.
Yes, Pause benching is great because in meets you have to lower then wait for the judge to call lift. So if you max at 275 when you pause bench it might drop a little and be more like 250. (The pause makes it much harder) You can set the spotter rails just at the pause and start from the spotter rail insted of unracking (This is a trick I love) warm up first as this is a killer.
Also you say you are stuck at 275. How long have you been stuck?
Do you feel you are ready or have you already done chain or band benching?
Do a lot of dumbell presses HEAVY. Work your Triceps to death (They are used more then you think) Work your back and legs too!! Lats and legs are key to the bench press chain. This is why you see guys arching in the bench press! Good luck!!

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Lee J B · 09-Feb-04, 07:30 AM

Great advice Jaster, never thought of putting ths spotter rails there for the pause whilst in the gym... I bet that helps a ton when training, thanks much !! I'll give ya some green mate....when I don't have to spread it around too lol. But yeah, the pause is the big killer for new lifters in their first couple of competitions...

Workaholic · 09-Feb-04, 01:19 PM

Thank you jaster.
Well.. I've hit 275 a few times and thats only on a good day. When all tendons and muscle fiber seem to be at peak performance. I sometimes have trouble putting up 265. I've been flucuating from 260-275 for the past month. It seems like thats all I can do..... The main thing is not to gain weight. I can do allot more by adding on the pounds but I'd like to compete light weight, and because boxing requires it

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BTW great Advice guys!!

**MAURER** · 21-Feb-04, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Workaholic

Thank you jaster.
Well.. I've hit 275 a few times and thats only on a good day. When all tendons and muscle fiber seem to be at peak performance. I sometimes have trouble putting up 265. I've been flucuating from 260-275 for the past month. It seems like thats all I can do..... The main thing is not to gain weight. I can do allot more by adding on the pounds but I'd like to compete light weight, and because boxing requires it

:

BTW great Advice guys!!

lol i can't give you any advice sicne you're already doing a good job benching 275 and weighing 130something. just thought i'd give you some motivation... the world bench press record for light weight class in 564. thats right 564. he was a midget, but hey. you can do it!!

Workaholic · 22-Feb-04, 01:21 PM

I wish I could go further but I think I've reached my maximum output. I'm fairly close to 5'8 so not a midget.. Funny thought.. but I wish there were weight + height class divisions. 127-132 lbs weight class where you had to be 5'5'' to 5'8''. Without it; weight class's for weight lifting just doesnt feel right *IMO. For instant a 4'5'' competing against a 5'5'' both weighing 132 wouldnt exactly be fair. The shorter competitor with much higher *BMI would have a clear decisive advantage. Am I right or wrong or maybe I'm just wining too much??

**MAURER** · 22-Feb-04, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Workaholic

I wish I could go further but I think I've reached my maximum output. I'm fairly close to 5'8 so not a midget.. Funny thought.. but I wish there were weight + height class divisions. 127-132 lbs weight class where you had to be 5'5'' to 5'8''. Without it; weight class's for weight lifting just doesnt feel right *IMO. For instant a 4'5'' competing against a 5'5'' both weighing 132 wouldnt exactly be fair. The shorter competitor with much higher *BMI would have a clear decisive advantage. Am I right or wrong or maybe I'm just wining too much??

lol you are whining but you are right. lol its ok though, we'd all like to think that that we have been screwed over somehow and thats why we're not the best.

Workaholic · 23-Feb-04, 07:55 PM

realistic lifts.. if I compete right now.
Bench: 265
Squat: 275
Deadlift: 385
Total: 925
I'm not sure if I should enter any competitions or wait untill I can breakthrough the 1000 lbs barrier. I've been trying to pull 405 on the deadlift for some time now... Had a dizzy spell last time I tried lol. So I'm fairly maxed out on my bench and deadlift. I can probably gain another 40 lbs or so on the squat. Any suggestions on how to reach your max for the squat?

Bench shirt question. I recently ordered a phenom bench shirt double ply. So Hopefull it'll add 20-30 lbs on my bench. Personally I dont have any idea how it can add more weight. When I put 300 lbs on the bench and lift it off the supports, I feel I wont beable to push thru the 70% lift stage of the bench. The shirt will oviously help at the bottom of the bench but when your at the point where you have to use all arm to get it up... how will the shirt help? I ask this' because my 275 bench stulls at that point and It takes me 5-7 seconds to push the weight up 4 inches, then I can lock out.

abarlament · 23-Feb-04, 08:04 PM

Enter a competition as soon as you can, the experience will be useful from what I've heard. Also about your squat, are you using a wide stance? A wider stance will help move more weight.

It sounds to me like you need to really work your board presses and floor press. They help work through that sticking point. Don't forget your chains too.

Workaholic · 23-Feb-04, 08:13 PM

My stance is just outside shoulder width so its not too wide. When training for squats how much weight should I put on? I generally do 6-8 reps , 4 sets of deep squatting with 155 lbs. Recently I've been training with the BC zone rep for olympic lifts . Hes been teaching me how to clean and jerk. Its awesome. You need so much explosiveness!

Tenacious · 24-Feb-04, 12:58 AM

im 5'5" 125 i max out in bench at 185 ive been lifting for 2months and im pretty athletic im a sophmore in highschool and i started halfback i still have 2more years in highschool but i need to get bigger and stronger i want to hit at least 225 by my junior year can you tell me if it would be safe for me to the the supplement NO2

**Jaster** · 24-Feb-04, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tenacious

im 5'5" 125 i max out in bench at 185 ive been lifting for 2months and im pretty athletic im a sophmore in highschool and i started halfback i still have 2more years in highschool but i need to get bigger and stronger i want to hit at least 225 by my junior year can you tell me if it would be safe for me to the the supplement NO2

NO2 will not help you there. EAT more and lift Dead lift, Bench press and Squat as heavy as you can for 6 to 8 reps (Getting hard at 6 and failing at 8)once you can lift more then 8 up the weight.

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nate · 24-Feb-04, 08:40 PM

how long is the pause?

Workaholic · 13-Apr-04, 02:33 PM

Its been awhile since i updated my progress. I've rencently started adding the floor press routine to work outs. I've been trying westside style training however it hasnt really upped by bench. The only solid progress is the deadlift which i got a personal best a few days ago at 405 lbs. I'm at a point where it seems I cannot make any further progress in my bench. I've been stuck at the same weight for 2 months. I cant even add 5 lbs to the bar. Would i need to bulk up to add more wight?
140lbs@265