Tsampa.org: Under the Bar

December 29, 2004

9 responses to 15 kg bench PR embalmed

John Says:
December 30th, 2004 at 3:54 am
Great job with the board pressing, Kris… and that Tiger Balm Red is some great stuff. I use it before lifting to warm-up my muscles. Also, how wide is your wide grip? I have experimented with hand placement and found that thumbs on the ring is as far as I can go and still handle heavy weight…
Kris Says:
December 30th, 2004 at 4:30 am
One man’s wide is another man’s medium… my “wide grip” is pinkies next to rings (66.5 cm/25.9 ” between the index fingers last time I measured http://tsampa.org/training/blog/archives/2004/10/#post_289 ). Perverse as it is, I can still handle as much weight close-grip as I can with this grip.
Robert Says:
December 30th, 2004 at 8:48 am
Won’t you do any speed work in your hybrid routine?
Kris Says:
December 30th, 2004 at 10:11 am
Mainly because I don’t feel speed work has done very much for me (guess I’m with Blakley on that one, so far at least). Also want to keep volume down, partially because of my easily irritable shoulders, and focus on one hard bench workout a week and see how that goes.
Robert Says:
December 30th, 2004 at 10:15 am
Ok, I see. The hybrid routine sounds interesting, I may try it but I will incorporate 6-8 sets of triples before the max movement. Speed before maxing out, would also serve as a warm-up.
Kris Says:
December 30th, 2004 at 3:27 pm
That might work. What is interesting though, is that the Twice a Week template from the EFS Training Templates booklet does not contain any speed benching either, but there is speed work for the squat (my SQ/DL day). That routine is below:

TWICE A WEEK BENCH DAY -

* ME Exercise: 1RM on chosen exercise (vary each week), then follow up with the following rep scheme on the same exercise that you just maxed out on with the percentage being calculated off whatever weight you hit.
Week 1: 4x6 @ 65%
Week 2: 3x6 @ 70%
Week 3: 3x6 @ 75%
Week 4: 4x3 @ 80%
Week 5: 3x2 @ 85%
Week 6: 2x1 @ 90%

* Triceps: one or two triceps exercises to assist lockout (rack lockouts, high boards, extensions, pushdowns)

* Shoulders: choose one exercise and have at it (presses or raises)

* Lats

—-

Below is the original Speed Bench Sucks program that my version for a raw bencher is adapted for (emphasis on low-end as opposed to lockout).

— SPEED BENCH SUCKS BENCH DAY —

* ME exercise: work up to 1-3RM on chosen exercise (floor, 2-3 boards, incline, reverse band)

* High end work: work up to 3-5RM (rack lockouts, 4-5 boards)

* Low end work: 3-5 sets of 8-15 reps (dumbells off bench, floor, incline or seated / military press, bradford, chain suspended push-up)

* Lat work: 5x10-15 reps (chest supported rows, pull-ups, pulldowns, db bent over rows)

—

I can warmly recommend the Training Templates booklet. Unfortunately it appears to be sold out at EFS http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=207 , but is still available at SS Power http://www.voimaharjoittelu.net/product_info.php/name/Elite-FTS-training-Manuals/products_id/1210 for 13? plus shipping.
Kris Says:
December 30th, 2004 at 3:28 pm
Just to make it clear, both programs outlined above consist of only one bench day a week.
Scott Says:
December 30th, 2004 at 5:41 pm
Nice one.

Is that video clip indicative of a new style (of narrative video)?
Kris Says:
December 30th, 2004 at 6:40 pm
Yes, it’s the next generation of powerlifting blog footage. The clips that tell the story behind the obvious “here’s me benching 90 kg, here’s my latest 100 kg squat”. The French Revolution pales in comparison.

Seriously, I think it would be fun to infuse a bit more metainfo into the clips themselves. Yesterday’s roller coaster workout lent itself especially well to it, but then again, the average workout is not precisely Shakespearean high drama. I could start dropping bars on myself or something. I need a stunt double for my next squat session. Anyone?