- Joined
- Jun 6, 2012
- Messages
- 1,365
Incline yes, flat or decline, No
Exactly, It’s all about engaging the lats especially. When learning to utilize the lats, and not just squeezing your back, ppl don’t realize the bottom half of the bench becomes by far the lightest part of the lift. The lats act like a trampoline (regardless if you pause or actually bounce the weight). Over the years I’ve found the most gifted benchers naturally found that groove (lats) early on in their lifting careers regardless of their lifting knowledge.405...coy that. Proper training on the bench makes a huge difference on pushing weight and safety. So many people have no idea what proper form and set up is on the bench press it's painful to watch sometimes.
5’ 11” 225, I have pretty thick legs tbhStill lean AF to be moving that type of weight. What’s your height and weight?
I'm focusing on incline at the moment doing sets with 315 but the gym I trained chest in last week didn't have incline and I worked up to 395 for a single on flat bench. I'd probably get 405 if I tried next week. The heaviest I've done is 435, that was 9 years ago.
Some of you guys have either been on gear too long and have forgotten, or are in denial about your genetic abilities and take them for granted. 405 is insane. 315 is insane. 90% of people, no matter how hard and consistent they train, will never hoist weights like that. They just won't.
I'm curious what the starting strength was of all the guys on the board that are basically human forklifts. If you sauntered into a gym as a teenager and threw up 225+, I guess you need me to tell you that that's not normal. I remember in high school weightlifting class everyone was in the 95-175 range for their starting point. We'd all probably have to juice and add 100 lb of bodyweight if we wanted to add 300 lb to our press.
Iain Valliere is probably the best chest presser in the IFBB right now. Five wheels a side for a controlled triple on the incline. Well, Iain could bench 500 once at the age of 19. This is as far from normal as it gets. In 13 years he hasn't really improved that much because he started so damn close to his very high ceiling while guys like me have to live in the basement of mediocrity. It is what it is.
My first training log entry at 15 said something like 70lbs x 5. I had been lifting a while. Then I became obsessed with benching and hit 500lbs at 21. At 17 I was at 225, then at 18 I was at 350lbs which is when I started juicing. Then I tore both pecs and that was it, no more heavy pressing. In retrospect I would have done many things differently.
what did you weigh in high school and how tall? 415 is insane even without drugs.415 junior year of high school, 17 yrs old totally natural. Best 525x5 not natural of couse. Older brother 575 at around 225.
nothing has tore pec's generation after generation like the 405 flat bench press...