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5/3/1 - Back from the Dead(lift)

Day 6 Week 1

Needs Evaluation

Bench SV
Close Grip Bench Press (elbows tucked)
Bar x 5, 95 x 5, 115 x 5, 135 x 5, 155 x 5 and back down


Chins
BW x 5, 15 x 5, 25 x 5, 15 x 5, BW x5

Prone Raises
2.5 lbs plates x many for 2 sets

Inc Curls
15 lbs x around 8 for 2 sets

Addendum
Renegade Lunges, Bar hangs, Plate Circles, Stretches, Waiter Walks, Bent Presses

Wanted to start the session with a light deadlift SV to train upper back for deads and did rack pulls with 315 however my grip would not allow it. My forearms were scorched from fat bar snatch grip a few days ago. Did some cleans afterwards but decided not to push it. This is my light day, and mostly muscle building with low rep/higher set and medium loads. Volume still low because of frequency and lifts more geared to improve neural lifting aspects. Close grip bench to practice keeping elbows tucked, lowering on lats, increased ROM, triceps strength, shoulder flexion strength. Weight not heavy but no ppint in going heavier and losing what we try to train or doing too much.

Chins for lats and keeping the back locked. Curls are a stretch lift on incline. Really open the chest up. Flex tri's a bottom. Biceps can get tight if not trained through full R.O.M. Some mobility exercises. Not much leg work as I have a high volume of squatting and deadlifting per week. Any additional leg work will be mobility or single leg drills to helps balance out asymmetries and improve coordination, movement and stability Renegade lunges, single leg RDL's fit the bill here.

Next week, will start with light cleans or snatches for a few sets of 5.

Close Grip bench (elbows tucked)
 
Your DLs are too, really pleasing to the eye. I saw your bench press, and your head come off when the bar touches the chest. I have not seen that before. It is interesting.

Yes, it helps with the lift, specifically the bottom. @kennycro@@aol.com has talked about the neck reflex in pressing somewhere on the forum on a bench press inquiry I posted months ago. Let me see if I can find it.
 
Close Grip bench (elbows tucked)


@Abdul-Rasheed

...Your head come off when the bar touches the chest. I have not seen that before. It is interesting.

It's discussed here

PTTP for an explosive Bench

Yes, it helps with the lift, specifically the bottom.

With that in mind, let me add some more information...

Head Drive in The Powerlifting Bench Press

One of the keys to pushing weight in the Bench Press is the...

Tonic Neck Reflex Increase Strength - ExRx.net

Below is the "Cliff Notes" information that I posted in 2008 on this...

The Tonic Neck Reflex (Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex) and Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex increases strength.

One of the prime examples of the Tonic Neck Reflex occurs in the bench press. (Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 5(4):188-191, November 1991.Berger, Richard A.; Smith, Kirby J.)

When most lifters bench, they drive their head into the bench as they push the bar up. Doing so elicits the Tonic Neck Reflex.

This reflex causes the arms to straighten, thus producing a stronger pushing movement when bench pressing.

In my observations, many heavyweight lifters evoke an even more pronounced Tonic Neck Reflex by driving the head into the bench when bench pressing. These heavyweight lifters will lift their head up off the bench as the bar is lowered to the chest.

Just as the bar touches their chest, they simultaneously drive their head in to the bench. This appears to increase the Tonic Neck Reflex, producing even more drive in pushing the weight up.

Philippe does a nice job of demonstrating the movement in his video.

Side Note

As a side note, the Tonic Neck Reflex works in pulling movements as well. In performing a curl, row or lat pulldown, etc., have your head in a neutral position or slightly up. As you pull the weight up, tuck your head down into your chest.

Head Position on The Bench Press Ft. Filipino Thunder


Great video that goes into lifting your head in lowering the Bench Press and then driving your head down into the bench, once the bar touches your chest to diver it back up.

In the video, Mark Bell's Bench Press demonstrates this technique. As noted in the video, Mark lifts his head up as he lower the bar.

Once the bar touches Mark's chest, he drives his head back down into the bench. Doing so, produce more force/momentum in coming off the chest.

Running Start

Think of this method as getting a running start (getting momentum) in a sprint rather than coming out of the blocks from a dead stop.

As Filipino Thunder basically states...

1) Novice/Intermediate Powerlifter first need to learn the basics.

You need to be a proficient Bench Presser before you start training the Bench Press this way.

2) There are a lot of moving part with this method.

Like any technical movement, practice is required in learning to perform it correctly.

Powerlifting Vs Bodybuilding Bench Press

The objective is completely different between them: each elicits a different training effect.

Determine your objective, then employ the one that is the right tool for the job.

Kenny Croxdale
 
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Definitely do. As a matter of fact, you already have as you've 'liked' posts within that Thread!
Kenny is a powerlifting encyclopedia who has walked the walk. There is a TON of great benching information in that article.
Yes. I remember watching that bench press of yours. I still try to copy that initial setup. lol.
 
1) Novice/Intermediate Powerlifter first need to learn the basics.

You need to be a proficient Bench Presser before you start training the Bench Press this way.
I fall fall into this category, so I won't attempt anything like this any time soon. Thanks for sharing. A lot of interesting details. Great to know.
 
Day 7 Week 1
Res/light walking/stretches

Cycle 1
Day 1 Week 2

Bench Press (intensity day/comp style)
Bar x 5, 135 x 5, 170 x 3, 200 x 2,

215 x 2, 215 x 2(1 board) 215 x 2, (2 boards), 215 x 2, (1 board) 215 x 2 (no board)

Squat (light volume)
135 x 5
225 x 6 x 4 sets

Cable rows- 15 x 3 (light weight)

Pushdowns - 20 x 2 (light weight)

Rear Flies - 12 x 2 (5 lbs)

The overtucking on Saturday irritated my shoulder. I will just use a close grip and my regular flare for incline and close grip as my shoulder does not tolerate so much flexion, even with light weights. 215 felt bad first set. I wasn't controlling weight and almost free falling. heavy weights will not tolerate such. This is why I had more sets than I intended. I needed to find my groove and did by the 2nd board set. Hence the final two sets.

Squats were good. However, these days "light days" still don't feel light. Got to gym late, so I skipped a warmup as I was trying to evacuate the premises to get home and eat and rest. Light bodybuilding afterwards.

Bench, a little more controlled but not as fast. Weight feels heavier with faster descent. Practice tension but also speed. The trick is to lower at the fastest speed that doesn't sacrifice tension.




Light day...but it's still 225 lbs. Groove felt strong.

 
Day 2 Week 2

Clean and Press
95 x 3, 125 x 3
140 x 2 x 4 sets

Deadlift
315 x 3, 335 x 2
355 x 2 x 3 sets

Incline press
135 x 5
155 x 5 x 4 sets

Pulldowns- 20, 15, 12

Pressdowns
20, 20

Back Ext
Max Bw (12-15 x 2 sets)

Had to work fast again today. Work and plans in the evening. Not much warmup. Clean and presses felt very good. Deadlift felt meh. I wonder if my squat workout yesterday affected. My glutes felt stiff and wedging was hard. Texas bar is harder to wedge on due to unpredictability of bar. Grip also gave. My grip is so narrow, I don't reach the knurling. May try to consolidate squat and deadlift workouts to same day, but we'll speculate.

Incline felt good. Strange bench. Very low non-adjustable rack height. Had to stand to un-rack, then sit for the reps. Some pump work than done. I wonder if my squat workout wouldn't affect my dead as much if I pulled conventional instead of sumo. Sumo stance and squat stance are similar.

So far pressing 6 days a week has not bothered my shoulder, unless I do a strange movement. No hard tucking, just change of grips should be enough. Incline seems fine after today too. Pump work helps recovery. I do a lot of hanging between press sets, sometimes knee raises.

Press was on today. Good amount of volume at heavy weight.


Deadlift not grooviest. hard time finding stance, glutes tired from squats. Combining squat and deadlift to same day may be useful.
 
There's a lot of give in that bar but you do a great job of controlling it. At times I see people that are too hasty and they start the lift while the bar is still bending.

A real stiff bar really has a different feel when deadlifting. I can feel the increased range of motion but I can also get tighter with it. The gym I frequent has a single Eleiko IPF bar and plenty of typical Rogue bars. I always try to use the Eleiko if I have the chance, for every lift.

What federation are you planning on competing in?
 
There's a lot of give in that bar but you do a great job of controlling it. At times I see people that are too hasty and they start the lift while the bar is still bending.

A real stiff bar really has a different feel when deadlifting. I can feel the increased range of motion but I can also get tighter with it. The gym I frequent has a single Eleiko IPF bar and plenty of typical Rogue bars. I always try to use the Eleiko if I have the chance, for every lift.

What federation are you planning on competing in?

Thanks @Antti. Yeah, it's odd to move to that bar because I used my home bar (stiff) last week and was able to get my wedge perfectly. Maybe I'm rushing my wedge a bit and trying to explode too much? A slower descent seems to help me find that sweet spot better.

I compete in USPA which does use a whippy bar for the deads, which I used to be stronger on but the straight bar feels much more solid. Maybe it has something to do with leg drive, and that I have a stronger pull from the floor than from an elevated height. The whippy bar artificially shortens the lift, which should be an advantage. However, because of this, the bottom position isn't as leg dominant.
 
Thanks @Antti. Yeah, it's odd to move to that bar because I used my home bar (stiff) last week and was able to get my wedge perfectly. Maybe I'm rushing my wedge a bit and trying to explode too much? A slower descent seems to help me find that sweet spot better.

I compete in USPA which does use a whippy bar for the deads, which I used to be stronger on but the straight bar feels much more solid. Maybe it has something to do with leg drive, and that I have a stronger pull from the floor than from an elevated height. The whippy bar artificially shortens the lift, which should be an advantage. However, because of this, the bottom position isn't as leg dominant.

I can't see any rushing or such, looks good to my eyes on the video.

The whippy bar should be easier, yes. Likely you just need time to get used to it.
 
Pretty stiff legs on catching the clean - is that intentional? Seems like it could be hard on the back or elbows - I've always tried to absorb a little more shock in the knees.
 
Pretty stiff legs on catching the clean - is that intentional? Seems like it could be hard on the back or elbows - I've always tried to absorb a little more shock in the knees.

Indeed it is intentional. The bar is not really "caught" per se as it never comes down, more like it is being propped at the exact level I will press it from with as little effort in the clean as possible. The torso stops it rotation early and the arms merely guide the bar to my exact press position as the elbows come under. The core and lower body are "pre-braced" prior to the catch and the lats and chest mostly catch and hold the weight. Then I'm ready to press.

The "no dip clean" technique is described in great detail in Power to the People:professional", which has lately been my lifting bible. Marty Gallagher used this clean technique, when the clean and press was still a competition lift, to break a junior level record C+P with a circa 260 lbs. lift in the 198 weight class. Well over bodyweight, which these days is an excellent standard to strive towards.

Note. This clean style is only used in my practice if the clean and press. For push press or standard power clean reps, a knee dip is usually used as the latter lifts require heavier weights. I've yet to reach a weight I can press that I can't "no dip clean".
 
I can't see any rushing or such, looks good to my eyes on the video.

The whippy bar should be easier, yes. Likely you just need time to get used to it.

On the second rep, I drop my hips a bit fast and they raise before my pull starts. I think I was trying too hard to explode the rep as opposed to gradually apply and build pressure/grind.
 
Day 3 Week 2

Bench Press
Bar x 5, 135 x5, 170 x 5
185 x 5, 195 x 5, 190 x 5, 200 x 3 (Long pause/last rep)
185 x 3 x 2 (3 second pause each rep)

Front Squat (Prying)
135 x 2, 185 x 2, 225 x 2

High Bar Squat (Mobility/loosening)
225 x 2 x 4 sets

V-Handle Cable Rows, D-Bell sidebends x 5 (80's), K-bell box squats, Incline Curls, Back Extensons, Hanging, Stretches

Bench volume session, waved the work set weights, slowed descent. Practiced liftoff on toes, feels wobbly sometimes. Max glute contraction helps. Up on toes makes lift a little less stable, but leg drive and arch feel stronger. Additional pause sets after main sets for off the chest speed/strength.

Front squats were for strength stretching. A slow deep sink into bottom position with a 5 second hold on bottom. Really opens hips up. Hips get tight after deads and squat sessions. When I combine the two, following days will contain light SV exercises like these. So my frequency remains. Special exercises. A little more pump after training with rows/curls but no triceps today. A lot of pressing so that's okay. High bar sets were light squat day work, as back a bit tired. Additional hanging and pump work. Will be good to go for light deadlift day tomorrow, as I have higher intensity squats on Friday. Next week, Deadlift and Squat heavy days will be limited to twice a week and SV exercises will plus in the rest of the days. Bench and press will still contain 3 days a week each. Firing from the hip a bit, but the cycle is still going well.

195 set, nice and easy


200 in a bit of a fatigued state. Up around 80 % so reps limited to three.
 
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