my new and improved "I WILL BENCH 300" journal

[rangers97]

ok, my journal is back and hopefully better than ever. I want to use 300 as a working weight and do reps with it, that is a short term goal right now. To get there, I am employing a movement based workout routine, training movements, rather then individual body parts. I will use the following split:
monday: lower 1
tuesday: upper horizontal movements
wed: off
thurs: lower 2
fri: upper vertical movements

I will be using a close grip bench press as my main bench press and also the incline bench press. I worked up to 275 for reps doing my standard bench press, but with the closer grip, it might take a little while to get back there and beyond, but that is the goal. i am trying to balance pushing and pulling exercises as much as possible.

diet is good, about 3000 cal per day, mostly from clean protein sources. Right now I weigh about 200lbs depending on the day (it goes from 198-201 depending on the day). Since its summer I am doing the 3000 calorie thing, once the summer ends, I will try to eat more perhaps.

the first workout:
friday 6/24
upper vertical
seated military press 155x 7,6

pullups bodyweight+15 x 6,5

dips bodyweight+95 x 6,6

close grip pulldowns 190x 6,6

bb curls 117.5x 5,4

cable side laterals 50x7

shrugs(trap bar) 277.5 x 8,8

the best thing that i have bought recently has been 1 1/4 lb plates...this way you can make 2 1/2 lb increments instead of a minimum of 5 and i am hoping this will make a big difference in that the smaller increments will help me to keep going up. last time i did barbell curls i did 115 for 7 and 6 reps, so instead of going up to 120, the 117.5 was perfect...still hard as hell!

[Firehawk]

What's your finger placement on the bar for bench? Pinkie on the rings?

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

What's your finger placement on the bar for bench? Pinkie on the rings?

I am either going to do pinkies on the rings or pinkies 2 inches inside the rings, I'm not sure yet. I know the second way will be way more tris than anything else, but I really like that groove for me, it's very comfortable. I'll let you know after Tuesday when I do the bench

You do pinkies on rings right?

[Firehawk]

I use pinkies on the rings yea. I was told to do that by the guys i train with. Most of them have held records at one time in powerlifting, this includes Clay Brandenburg, the strongest man in michigan history (high 800 bench press). So i shut up and listen when they speak .

They usually train pinkies on the rings and then when they are preparing for a meet and they are close to the meet, they are doing competition bench presses (index on the rings), trying to peak at their strength.

Only thing I'd suggest, if you go closer than pinkies on the rings, make sure you do some type of chest exercise like DB presses or something. No weak links bro.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

I use pinkies on the rings yea. I was told to do that by the guys i train with. Most of them have held records at one time in powerlifting, this includes Clay Brandenburg, the strongest man in michigan history (high 800 bench press). So i shut up and listen when they speak .

They usually train pinkies on the rings and then when they are preparing for a meet and they are close to the meet, they are doing competition bench presses (index on the rings), trying to peak at their strength.

Only thing I'd suggest, if you go closer than pinkies on the rings, make sure you do some type of chest exercise like DB presses or something. No weak links bro.

yeah definitely, I am going to include incline bench in my plans as well, so either way I decide to do the bench, I've got my chest covered with the regular grip inclines....

[Firehawk]

This isn't my advice bro, but the boys at the gym think incline is useless. lol BUT, they're powerlifters! We have an incline bench, it usually holds everyone's towels .

Typically we go from the bench press to dumbbell bench press with bands or without.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

This isn't my advice bro, but the boys at the gym think incline is useless. lol BUT, they're powerlifters! We have an incline bench, it usually holds everyone's towels .

Typically we go from the bench press to dumbbell bench press with bands or without.

That's why you're the power lifter and I don't know what the hell I am! lol
I am still 50-50 on whether the incline bench does anything more for your "upper pec area" than the flat bench does, but especially when I do it on a smith machine, it "seems" to hit the upper area more, but who knows...

I like the db bench, but since I usually always train alone, I find it too much energy expending to get the dbs into place. Actually on the subject of dumbells, my gym goes up to 105 lbs in 5 pound increments, but then only goes up in 10 pounds. I can usually work with the 115s in the 4-6 rep range, but what happens when I hit 6 on both my sets and it's time to increase the weight? Obviously to go to 125s might be a big stretch at this point, what would you suggest? Do higher reps with the 115s? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of trying to gain strength though? I guess that's where the bands come in right? Can use use these bands working out by yourself, or does it help to have someone with you?

[Firehawk]

You can use bands on your own for DB Press, it's just if the band slips up on your arm or back a bit you have to reset everything cause there's nobody there to pull it back down.

My gym only has DB's in increments of 10 all the way up. Generally everyone doesn't train the big 3 lifts for more then 3 reps unless it's speed day when some of the big boys train for more reps. DB Press is considered accessory work, and accessory work is done generally anywhere from 6 - 15 reps. No more than 15 though.

So, I'd suggest working up to sets of 10-15 with the 115s then jumping up to the 125's. You can also do bands if you want but you'd prolly have to drop back to 100s with a smaller band because they are hell on your triceps.

[rangers97]

good advice bro, thanks, however, you say the bands are murder on your triceps huh? In that case, it may be a good idea for me to forget that idea, as I have very bad elbow joints, where the triceps meets the elbow back there, anything I do that is out of the ordinary or especially stressful to the tris, can kill me and set me back big time, so I just stay with what I know I can do generally...fortunately I can still press heavy, so if I keep that going I should be ok and I know I can db press heavy, so I may just try what you suggested, do the higher reps...

[Firehawk]

Yeah you don't have to use bands. It's just another way to hit the triceps.

Last thing you wanan do is get injured.

[rangers97]

let me ask you a question...I know you're going for the powerlifting angle, but have you put any appreciable muscular size on since you started your program? If you tell me you got a lot bigger doing what you're doing, I may be inclined to give it a shot, if you would take me under your wing after all we've been through, lol. But like I said, I would like some size, some strength as well, and I know I like lifting low rep. I know you are getting stronger, I wonder what your program has done for you size wise?

[Firehawk]

My triceps are getting bigger bro. That's for sure. Ive only been training as a powerlifter WHILE eating enough to gain muscle, for the last month. I was eating like 1800 calories for so long while i was lifting, and was still putting strength on. My chest is thicker, my lower back is rock solid, my lats are getting a bit wider as well...things are coming together for me.

You will definitely get bigger from powerlifting. If you've been to any big powerlifting meets you'll see how big some of those guys are. Sure some juice, but that doesn't mean anything anyway because if you didn't get size from lifting low reps then they wouldnt get bigger either. It's all what you want to do.

Perosnally, I like the idea of challenging myself to get new numbers every session. I think that a great strength base is much better to go after first because it prepares your nervous system for heavy weight. So later on when you want to put pure size on, youll be slinging much heavier weight to start with and thus put size on quicker. Most bodybuilders neglect the neural component and it hinders them.

Most of the advice i pass on to you and others was from what i've learned training under these guys that would just blow your mind at what they can do. Most of them have held records at one time or another for various lifts in certain weight classes. So i have to give credit where credit is due. I'll just say i've learned probbably triple what i knew in 2 years of training alone! And I love seeing others make excellent gains, especially when it's something i suggested.

I mean, look at GCS. His bench skyrocketed in 6 weeks. Klinger the same thing. GCS is putting on weight and he's not getting any fatter!

[rangers97]

getting bigger without getting fatter---thats the 10,000,000 dollar question right? lol
can you do me a favor and pm me your routine? Or PM me a solid powerlifting routine that would give me strength AND size??

[Firehawk]

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3390

This one's proven to work time and time again dude.

[rangers97]

monday 6/27

smith squats 275 x 8, 7

hamstring curls 140 x 6, 6

standing calf raises 240 x 10, 10

incline crunches with 25lb plate over head 10, 10

I have been having an ongoing problem with my right knee, something in there feels like it is bruised? but I know I didn't do anything to bruise it, so it it obviously something that could be worse, so I decided to try the smith machine for squats to see if that would be easier as it's less to concentrate on, you just press. I liked it, I was able to go lower than I do with the regular barbell and it seemed good...i will continue doing them for a while.

I'm just going to stick with 2 sets per exercise and really kick the crap outta myself for those 2 sets, hopefully that will help me with my progress and my goals.