by Vag
In the first part
of this article, we talked about diet and nutrition. Now, let's talk
training. The one thing I run into all the time is people not knowing
how to develop their training routine. The first thing you need to do
is know what you are training for. Do you want to be cut? Do you plan
on putting on size for show? Or do you want to train for that one big
lift?
Typically, when someone wants to be ripped they
stay in the area of 12-15 reps. This will not put on maximum size but
can be used for rounding and fat burning. 8-10 reps is typically the
area for a bodybuilder. 6 or less reps in a set is the powerlifting
range. A lifter has to train his body for what he wants it to do. If
you want ultimate power you don't do sets of 10 to build size. Sets of
10 will build strength but will not teach the body to hit the highest
lift it can for one.
The body is a blank slate. Isolating it to one thing will allow the
body to be at its maximum for that thing. How many times have you done
better on your second or third rep then on your first? Look into your
training that might give you the answer. To achieve the big bench,
train for it. Developing a training schedule is not difficult if you
know a few basic rules.
Rule #1: Don't Overtrain
The
first, and main rule to follow is don't overtrain. You can't bench
three times a week and expect your bench to go anywhere but down. If
you do, you'll only increase the risk for injury. If you are following
a routine that calls for you to bench more then once a week, my advice
is, stop. When lifting for ultimate strength, every major muscle group
needs about 48-72 hours to recover. If you bench three times a week,
you cannot achieve huge lifts.
Plus, benching once a
week and designing the workout to do accessories, for the bench, will
give the body time to rest between benching and strengthen for the
bench. By accessories, I am referring to the smaller muscle groups that
complement the major one you are working on. For the bench, these
include the triceps, shoulders, and lats. When you bench at this level,
you have be careful not to over work the accessories.
Sound a little confusing? When you bench, the movement recruits
other muscles. This means even if you lift your butt or twist a little,
it is still benching. So benching three times a week can burn those
muscles out too. If the workout is designed to do the accessories for
the bench, it gives other muscles time to recover before they are used
directly again.
Ok, now you are saying if you lift other parts in the same week, I
still could be using the parts I used while benching. Yes, that would
be correct, but now they are used indirectly and give them more time to
recover. I never said powerlifting was for the faint at heart.
Rule #2: Give Muscles Plenty Of Rest
Plan
your routine to allow for maximum recovery. This means if you want
those parts to be their best, design the workout so that each body part
can rest as much as it can. If you bench on Sunday, for example,
triceps would be the most logical body part to exercise after doing the
bench routine. Benching and strong triceps go together. If the routine
calls for lifting on Monday then doing biceps and back would be the
most logical.
Old school training used to design
training schedules on the push/pull method. One day would call for you
to exercise muscles that pull (biceps/back) and other days would be
designed for muscles that push (chest/triceps).
Rule #3: Never Give Up
Put
on an intense lifting face. Never, never give up. So many lifters walk
into a gym with good intentions. So very few actually accomplish the
goals they set out for themselves. The only way you can accomplish any
goal is to first show up. Show up mentally and show up physically. Or
why bother showing up at all? Naturally it takes a lot of time
and education. While training, be open to new ideas and watch others in
the gym. Know when someone in the gym is doing an exercise incorrectly.
That way when that person comes up to you and talks, or tells you are
doing something wrong, you can just say, "Thanks," and walk away with a
smirk.
Everyone has a different way to train. Not all of them are right,
and not all of them are wrong. But, when you know the facts about
training, you can take what works for you out of any conversation and
then there is never any wasted time. Strength training is one of the
toughest sports to handle. Training has to be heavy, hard, and
constant. Saying I can't do that today is not an option. Being too
tired is not a choice. Being the best at anything takes a lot of time
and dedication. Knowing your training is crucial to success.
There is no wrong way to train when you know and follow the facts.
Old school training has its place, as do new forms of training. With
education, a competitor can make his own choices. Knowing that not
touching the bar when entering a bench contest and only doing
accessories does not work for natural competitor cuts down on time and
frustration when training for a contest. Learn your sport, keep the
goals reasonable, never quit, and know what you got to do. When it
comes to powerlifting, know it's not a sport, but a state of mind.
The 8-Week Heavy Bench Routine
I
have included a 4-day routine for building a strong bench. It's not the
be all, end all, but it will definitely help the lifter who doesn't
know how to train for a better bench or the one who needs a boost in
the bench. You can adjust this routine to fit your particular needs.
This workout should only be used for approximately 8 weeks. .
During your 8 weeks of the program, pay close attention to how your
body responds to the training. After the 8 weeks is up, change will be
needed. Design a modified program that gives you more time for rest or
just lighten the weight for a 2-week off cycle.
To maximize this workout, a lifter should start this workout with
lighter weights. He should know about his range for each exercise and
know failure. If any of the workout is not tough enough, raise the
weight. If the reps for the abs are not enough, raise the reps. Always
write down and keep track of what you do. The program is designed for
increasing the bench press so even though legs are part of the routine,
watch the extras as it will drain strength from the main focus. But
don't forget this important fact: strong legs and strong abs will mean
strong bench.
On heavy bench day, if your final rep is a failure, don't worry. Try
again next week with the same weight. If the final rep is easy, then
add 10 pounds and try again. If you hit that too, and it takes at least
20 pounds to fail, then start at 20 pounds or higher next week. After
completing this program, try your one rep max again. The typical gain
you can expect is around 20-30 pounds on your bench.
One final note. Warm up is very important. Whether you choose to
lift light, stretch, do some cardio, or whatever, just do it. Anyone
who is dedicated to training usually has their own style of warming up.
Just make sure that the body part you are training and the muscles
associated with that part are ready to start heavy.
SUNDAY
Warm-up
Heavy Bench
• 225 lb. x 6 reps (75%)
• 235 lb. x 5 reps (78%)
• 245 lb. x 4 reps (82%)
• 255 lb. x 3 reps (85%)
• 265 lb. x 2 reps (88%)
• 275 lb. x 1 rep (91%)
• Final end rep (around 90%)
Note: The above poundages refer to a lifter who already has a 300
pound one rep max. Your numbers will vary depending on your individual
goal.
Triceps
• Close Grip Bench: 3 x 3 (75%)
• Skull Crushers (Light): 3 sets x 8 reps
• Dumbbell Kickbacks: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Pushdowns: 3 sets x 8 reps
Abs
• Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
• Cable Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
MONDAY
Warm-Up
Back
• Pull-Ups: 4 sets x 10 reps
• T-Bar: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Front Pulldowns: 3 sets x 8 reps
Biceps
• Hammer Curls: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Preacher Curls: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Straight Bar Curls: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Seated Curls: 3 sets x 8 reps
Abs
• Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
• Cable Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
TUESDAY
Day off
WEDNESDAY
Warm-Up
Shoulders
• Barbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Dumbbell Shrugs: 3 sets x 6 reps
• Incline Press: 3 sets x 6 reps
• Front Delt Raises: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Shoulder Flyes: 3 sets x 8 reps
Triceps
• Single Arm Skull Crushers (Heavy): 3 sets x 6 reps
Bench Like An Animal, Part II