[bert1]

I have a max bench competition on friday. I do know the best warm up to perform prior to my first lift or how to calculate what I should use for my first lift. There are three lifts total and the best one counts (no shirt).

I am 27 and weigh 200 lbs, 5'11". 2 yrs ago I maxed out at 335#, no shirt.

My last bench workout was a pyramid :
185 x 10 (2)
195 x 8 (2)
215 x 6 (2)
225 x 4 (2)
275 x 2 (2)

I have been doing this for the past 3 weeks. Prior to that I was on a 5 sets of 5 reps scheme at 225#.

Any suggestions on a warm up prior to the 1st lift and a starting weight? This is my first competition.

[Flexo]

Originally Posted by bert1

I have a max bench competition on friday. I do know the best warm up to perform prior to my first lift or how to calculate what I should use for my first lift. There are three lifts total and the best one counts (no shirt).

I am 27 and weigh 200 lbs, 5'11". 2 yrs ago I maxed out at 335#, no shirt.

My last bench workout was a pyramid :
185 x 10 (2)
195 x 8 (2)
215 x 6 (2)
225 x 4 (2)
275 x 2 (2)

I have been doing this for the past 3 weeks. Prior to that I was on a 5 sets of 5 reps scheme at 225#.

Any suggestions on a warm up prior to the 1st lift and a starting weight? This is my first competition.

If I were you I'd probably set my first lift at 285lbs.

For my warm-ups I'd do 2 sets at 50%, the first set doing 12 reps pretty slow, and the second set having 10 reps, normal speed. Just to get the blood flowing.

Then maybe do three more warm-up sets for weight acclimaiton. One set of 6 x 70% (shouldn't be too hard), one set of 3 x 80%, then one set of 1 rep at 90%.

That's how I'd do it. If you can get 275lbs twice then you should be able to get 285lbs once, so make that your first weight. Usually weight lifting competitions have three rounds for each lift, so set your first round at a weight you know you can do. But if you follow that warm-up routine, your first set shouldn't be too hard. The trick is to first get blood pumping through your body, then follow up with some weight acclimation (getting your muscles ready for heavy weight). You might even want to do some very light cardio before you being your warm-up, just to get blood pumping. Get a good meal before you start so you have plenty of energy. Maybe even take some kind of caffeine boost.

That's what I'd do anyway. Good luck!

[poppa flex]

i would open up lighter than that!depending on how confident you are in hitting 285lb with a pause!if its too heavy i would open up a little lighter....i usually open with that i can do for a triple in the gym!2nd attemp goes by how im feeling!hoepfuly a personal best!then 3rd!over a PR

[poppa flex]

how did you do at that meet?

[jason2459]

Everyone's strategy is different. If this is your first meet I'd start with something that you know you will smoke easy. Second attempt hit somewhere around your 1RM and 3 attempt go for the gold and hit a big PR. Gym lifts and meet lifts are totally different because of the nervousness, adrenaline, and judging that is going on. Right now I have a gym lift of 280lbs and I can easily triple 245-255. With a pause on all of those.

For my first meet coming up an about a month I plan to do the following:

1st Attempt 245 (EASY... Build up the confidence and make sure I don't bomb out and get some numbers posted.)

2nd Attempt 275 (Should get it but want to make sure I get the press and rack call and keep my form in check. No lifting the butt and keeping the feet flat.

3rd Attempt 300 (This will be the challenge as I've never gotten 300 off the chest yet but working my way toward it in this last cycle of training leading up to my first meet.)

[Westerner]

Hi boys,im new one here,25 years old,not powerlifter,but i hope i will be some day,at least few years,now training football(soccer),but at the end of career.

Tomorow i have testing of maximum in bench,ill try to push 275pounds,and if i do it,that will be the same weight i did one year ago,before i break my hand,and that is my personal record.

Last year when i push 275 pounds i had 185pounds of body weight,and now im only 170 pounds,much lighter now then before,tall 5"11"...Im very skinny.
But i hope i will menage to do the same.

[MEH89]

I would just do singles all the way up after 135 warming up. I have always heard whatever you triple open up with. What is your max benchpress? Also did you do those reps with a pause? Mark

[powerhouse21]

Im in the same boat as you, Ive got a PL lifting meet coming up in april for USAPL. Itll be my first one. Ill start with like 295 just to get used to the form and than go up from there to 315 and hopefully 335.....ill be doing 181lb weight class

[Congealed]

I did 335x5 last week easily. Does that make me cool? I can do 385, possibly 405 now. 365x3, 275x15, 225x32.

But this is really not great. Unless you're doing 550 for reps, what good is it? If you can't even do 405 for reps, it's crap. Eventually I want to see 385-405 for reps on Incline Bench. Then do 220 dbells for Shoulder Press like Ronnie Coleman.

[Adrenolin]

Originally Posted by Congealed

I did 335x5 last week easily. Does that make me cool? I can do 385, possibly 405 now. 365x3, 275x15, 225x32.

But this is really not great. Unless you're doing 550 for reps, what good is it? If you can't even do 405 for reps, it's crap. Eventually I want to see 385-405 for reps on Incline Bench. Then do 220 dbells for Shoulder Press like Ronnie Coleman.

a 405 lb max on bench would be really good imo if you can only rep 335x5. when i maxed 410, i was able to rep 370x5....but then again i only max like twice a year.

[penn21]

i can hit 225 12 times but my max is only 285. Something dont seem right

[penn21]

Gotta Update. Hit 225 14 times and 300 even on my max. Superpump 250 works well

[Tumey]

Originally Posted by Congealed

I did 335x5 last week easily. Does that make me cool? I can do 385, possibly 405 now. 365x3, 275x15, 225x32.

But this is really not great. Unless you're doing 550 for reps, what good is it? If you can't even do 405 for reps, it's crap. Eventually I want to see 385-405 for reps on Incline Bench. Then do 220 dbells for Shoulder Press like Ronnie Coleman.

You are comparing Ronnie Coleman's lifts to a powerlifter. First off a lot of guys compete drug free and in the USAPL for my state. The record for a junior powerlifter at 242 is 430. So actually 405 is a good lift drug free.