Why is it that I can go from one meet to the next and my bench press is not improving much if at all. I have inclosed my present workout and have until my next meet in January to make some improvements. I am desperate to bench 400Lbs before my 45 birthday next year in April. I have a max bench of 345Lbs right now can you help ME!
Johan D. Iowa

Answer:

First thing stop competing so damn much. 7 meets in one year! This is not a sport to sprint to the finish line in, it take steady methodical planning and strategies to reach your peak in the sport of powerlifting. Also your bench press routine is way to extravagant. Leave all that speed stuff and board work to those on a higher level than yours for right now. What we are going to concentrate on is cage work and dumbbell work. We'll also through in a little rotator cuff work at the end to keep your shoulder joint healthy.

Cage Work: Cage work is quite simple but oh so hard. We are going to do what we call here dead benches working the top and bottom half of your bench. You will learn to use your legs, lats and traps to help explode weights off your chest and past sticking points. You'll also be doing heavy lockouts to strengthen your triceps, forearms and wrist to help finish what you start.

Dead Benches are just that - benches started from a dead stop. Find yourself a solid sturdy flat bench that is about the same width as the bench you will be benching on for competition. Most run about 12-13 inches wide. Position it dead center of the cage. Laying flat on the bench find the pin adjustment that put the bar between 2-3 inches above your chest. The first 2-3 inches of the bench press are purely inertia from your shoulders and chest. After this initial thrust most benches either sink or swim. Elite pressers know how to use their lats and legs for leverage to drive heavy benches to conclusion. Dead Benches inside of the cage targets just this portion of the bench press. Your already 2-3 inches off your chest and th bar is just sitting there, so what you waiting for? Move the fucking weight!!!

Easier said than done, right? First thing we need to do is find what poundages you will be cycling on the exercise. You tel us your heaviest double is at 375 and max is 390. You also say that you have been stuck at this weight for about 4 months and that it never goes beyond 390 but have come down to 380 and as low as 360 when you had the flu and competed anyway. First don't compete when your sick - just eat the cost of the meet and get well. Below we're going to list your 1^st bench workout(Monday) of the week and its to be done in strict bench press fashion except the reps will be more than one of course.

375Lbs Double:

Regular Benches
131.25Lbs → 35%
168.75Lbs → 45%
206.25Lbs → 55%
243.75Lbs → 65%
281.25Lbs → 75%
281.25Lbs → 75%

Dead Benches
318.75Lbs → 85%

Bench Press: 6 set 35% x 20, 45% x 20, 55% x 15, 65% x 10, 75% x 7, 75% x 6-7
Dead Presses 3 set 85% x 3, 85% x 3, 85% x 2-3

Your goal here is to build endurance and static strength in your benches. The weights and percentages can be adjusted as the level of endurance strength changes. The reason both are combined here is that everyone has seen guys that rep out 225Lbs for 20+ times but have trouble pushing 315 for a double - there's no static strength there so the body doesn't know how to exert for a maximum effort.

Dumbbell Work: Allot of guys have trouble increasing their bench because the same reason you have been having - TOO MUCH BENCHING! Your second workout during this phase has know barbell benches in it, only dumbbells will be used in this workout. Our focus here is on balance and unilateral strength. We want clean strength in our benches as much as possible, no reds for tipping one side higher than the other or some other weirdness. This workout also focuses on your shoulders, triceps and biceps. From your past workout your assistance work was way to much, you don't need shoulders twice a week or arm either for that matter, once a week is plenty. Here's your second bench workout(Thursday) of the week:

DB Incline Press 3 sets of 8-12 Reps
DB Bench Press 3 sets of 8-12 Reps
Seated DB Shoulder Presses 4 Sets of 6-8 Reps
DB Lateral Raises 3 sets of 10 reps
Cable Pushdown (or) Lying Extensions 4 sets of 10-12 reps
DB Curls 3-4 Sets of 10-12 reps

Some people may say this is allot of sets its not so shut up do the friggin exercises and start eating(we'll discuss this at the end). You were doing way to much and your shoulder were hurting because you're doing all this work during the week and then your squatting heavy on Saturday's. Squats effect your shoulder girdle big fucking time dude. This cut way down on all the shoulder and arm work you were doing and give you the rest and recoup period between sessions to be more productive every day your in the gym.

Last we going to talk about you're eating habits. Limit the junk food as much as possible. You're a raw lifter so you need to train your body quality nutrients. This is not to say those who compete in assisted meets should not eat correctly, we all should eat as good as we can. Also add supplements to your diet only when you've got your eating plan down to a regular routine. Just adding things willy nilly doesn't work well.

Shake of Month

Peanut Butter Mass Express

Ingredients:

24 oz. 2% Milk - This is a weight gainer shake!
2 fresh Banana's
2 Large tblsp of natural Peanut Butter (Skippy Natural very good!)
4 Scoops of MHP Up Your Mass - Chocolate Brownie
2 tbsp. Flax Seed Oil
10-15 drops liquid stevia (optional)
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract

This one damn good weight gaining shake, especially after a good hard workout! Drink this one over the course of two/three servings a day.

Shake Stats:

Calories: 1429
Protein: 81g
Carbs: 152g
Fat: 71g(28 grams from Flax Oils)

If you have any questions feel free to drop us a line at -
Pro-Athlete Powerlifting

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Powerlifting Workout of the Month

Periodization To Maximize Strength Gains!
By: Pro-Athlete.net

“There is an alternative to the old fashion pain, torture, and agony method of training — try periodization - to maximize strength gains.”

The days are gone when pain, torture, and agony are the only way of developing strength. The new philosophy of getting bigger, stronger, and faster deals with the topic of cycling or periodization. The two terms are essentially the same. They involve the athlete or coach altering the weight training cycle by adjusting the intensity (how hard), duration (how long), and-or frequency (how often) of each weight training bout and-or exercise. The periodization system works on a percentage base of the athlete’s one repetition maximum (1RM). Cycles can last from two weeks to five weeks.

Using a five week cycle the training regimen would go as follows:

Week number 1 80 percent 1RM
Week number 2 85 percent 1RM
Week number 3 90 percent 1RM
Week number 4 93-95 percent 1RM
Week number 5 ....test for new 1RM and rest.

NOTE: Using this system for strength development it is important to never exceed the percentage limits placed on you by the week number of the training period. For example, If you feel that during week number two you are capable of lifting 93 percent of your 1RM, don’t! Stay within the 85 percent limit stated for that week.

During the first two weeks of the training period the following sets and repetitions should be incorporated:
A) Olympic style lifting movements 5x5
B) Powerlifting style lifting movements 5x3

For weeks three and four the following sets and repetitions should be followed:
A) Olympic style lilting movements 4x3, 2x1
B) Powerlifting style lifting movements 2x5, 2x3, 2x1

The fifth and final week of the cycle is a time to test and rest. Alter testing for a new 1RM in each lift, you can prepare a new training regimen using your new maximums. This is as easy as it sounds, simply adjust your new 1RM poundages to the same percentages used on the last training period. For example, during your first training period you might have a IBM in the squat of 435 lbs. Your training poundages for that period would be as follows:

Weekl 348lbs.
Week2 3701bs.
Week3 3921bs.
Week4 4051bs. - 4l3lbs.
Week5 Test for new lRM - 45Olbs.

Now using your new 1RM of 450 lbs. In the squat, you simply adjust your training poundage. to the same percentages used in the previous week. In other word., your training percentages are a constant during each week. Your new 1RM’s, on the other hand, are constantly changing and your training poundage. must also continue to change In order to continue placing stress on the body; therefore, forcing the body to adapt (principle of overload). Your training poundage. for the next five week period, 11 your new squat 1RM was indeed 450 lbs. would be as follows:

Weekl 360lbs.
Week2 383lbs.
Week3 405lbs.
Week4 419lbs. - 4281bs.
Week5 Test for new lRM - ???

This form of periodization can go on for as many as four to five cycles and can be used to peak for contests.

Before initiating your periodization program, it is important to have developed a solid base utilizing several exercises which have given your body a strong foundation from which to add onto. Once you have begun the cycle, limit your number of exercises between four and six. Any more than this and you begin to limit your gains. Some suggested exercises are the squat, bench press, deadlift, military press, incline press, high pulls, snatches, clean and jerk, and power cleans.

When incorporating the periodization training method, development of the lower body should be emphasized twice a week and the upper body development two times per week, on alternating days. As mentioned before, you can use several cycles in a row because at the conclusion of each five week cycle you are adjusting the poundage. and in some cases the program. Of course the rest at the conclusion of the fifth week is important to allow the body time to adapt and revive itself.

The program works and is very motivating, because you are always peaking and adjusting for your new gains in strength. The “test and rest” week is both pleasing to the mind, which has a chance to visualize the results through the test for new 1RM’s, as well as physically giving your body same time off from the periodization training cycle. There is an alternative to the old fashion pain, torture, and agony method of training — try periodization - to maximize strength gains.

Thanks

News/Observations

Enough ranting form the BullDog, until next tile train hard, train heavy, train smart!

If you have any meets you want us to give space to drop us a line Powerlifting@Pro-Athlete.net and we will try our best to include your report in our next update.

Powerlifting Supplements - Reviews

ALLMAX NUTRITION
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How TestoFX HARDCORE Works:

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2. TESTOJACK (Free-Testosterone LH Activator) â€¢ TESTOJACK Promotes Luteinizing Hormone (LH)Production and is clinically proven to increase active â€˜UNBOUNDâ€™ testosterone levels by 98.81%. Unbound testosterone is the only form that can activate testosterone receptors for increasedmuscle growth and strength.

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Human clinical trials have shown that key ingredients in the TestoFX compound TestoJack have resulted in a 98.81% increase in free, unbound, biologically active testosterone. This percentage is important to note as itâ€™s not just the percentage for a couple of extreme cases but the average increase of testosterone for participants in the research study! TestoFX includes the exact amount of the active ingredient in the research study shown to effectively increase free testosterone levels.

TestoFX can help jack up your workout intensity and provides a muscle mass boosting stimuli all while minimizing undesirable androgenic and estrogenic side effects.

Our Conclusion:

Allmax Nutrition Testofx Hardcore is an old fashoin hardcore test productthat really works well. Some of the heavier (all those above 260Lbs) testers used a dosage of 3 capsules instead of 2. This stuff works, get yours today! [Order]

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The Nutrition Your Body Needs To Perform And Recover At It's Peak!

Muscle Stack Packs are essential to help your body perform at its best. This optimum level of vitamins, minerals, and essential fats were designed to help individuals balance their nutrition programs to improve energy and mental focus throughout the day.

Fortifying ones diet with a multi-vitamin and mineral is crucial due to the increased processing of foods and decrease in quality of soils and therefore the foods grown in them. These nutrients are essential to many functions in our bodies including proper immune system function, helping repair muscle after intense exercise, and fueling the brain for proper nervous system function. Essential fatty acids are important for the rejuvenation of skin and muscle, mobilizing fatty acids for energy, and proper nerve function.

Many athletes spend hours preparing food and balancing their protein, carbs, and fat, but if there are not sufficient levels of these micronutrients you will not be able recover as fast from intense training, lose that 10 pounds of excess fat, or get that 300 pound bench press. To take your performance to the next level- Add Muscle Stack Packs to your nutrition program.

Our Conclusion:

This is a really good vitamin and mineral pack for serious athletes! Everyone who tested it, loved this product for its recovery benifits. A great tool box addition that is pretty economical also. Get yours today! [Order]

Inner Armour
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ISOMaxx

Providing Ultra-Pure Whey Protein Isolate with Key Micro-Fraction Peptides!

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Lactoferrin has antioxidant properties and helps reduce inflammation
Immunoglobulins help accelerate recovery Lactoperoxidase helps improve immune function

Our Conclusion:

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