[Intrigued]

Guys, im new to the powerlifting scene and am certain that for any beginner this is the best place to come for advice. Im just re covered from two separate serious injuries which prevent me from squatting (hip) and DLing (lower back). So over the coming months im gonna concentrate on my bench. Do u guys reckon that the 5x5 program is the best job for this ?? Also if I was to have my chest day on say Monday & Thursday which day would be the best to hit the tri’s because I need serious work in this area!!
Im six ft. , and currently benchin 225 @ 175, lookin to bring this right up!!!
All advice will be greatly appreciated!!!

[MEH89]

Do you want to compete in a powerlifting meet, or do you just want to have a strong bench? When you miss a bench press where do you miss it, off the chest, about mid way threw, or a the top, or lockout. To fix weak triceps you have to do compound movments, close grip benches, floor press, 5 board press raw. Then other assistance would be skull crushers, rolling triceps, elbows out, and pressdowns. Also you need to kill your shoulders, I dont personally doing any pressing movements. Here is some good shoulders exercises up right rows, side, and rear delt raises. Then you need to work on your lats pull ups, lat pull down, dumbell rows. Then you need to kill your forearms. hope that helps. Mark

[Intrigued]

Cheers man, thats great advice! what do u make of this for a a tricep day
closegrip 5x5
weighted dips 5x5
skull crushers with DB 5x5
push-downs 3x8-12

Also what would work best for the forearms .... hammer-curls, grippers ???

Not lookin to compete in the near future, not until i hit the big numbers!! usual stickin point would be around 6 inches off my chest!!

[Cub]

Have a look at the Metal Militia benchers or Westside Barbell. You should be able to find some decent templates.

[Intrigued]

thanks cub, looked at those sites and they are a real eyeopener!! Also imn the last few days i have been reading up on the COC grippers and im interested to know how many of u include these in training for the bench ??

[MEH89]

Alright for the forearms strength here are some exercises hammer curls, wrist curls, hand grippers, reverse barbell curls. The hand grippers work good to increase overall hand strength, be careful to not over train. I would say the best advice is to go, and enter in a meet. Its not always about putting up huge weight. The power lifting community is very different from any other sport. If you go you'll make friends, and you'll learn something trust me. The best thing you can to is go to a meet. Mark

[MEH89]

Here is a tricep day. Take these three exercise and rotate them for a three week cycle, Close grip bench for 3x8. Then floor presses, and 5 board press work up to a three rep max. Then do Skull crushers 3x5 with barbell. Then switch out every other week rolling skull crushers, and elbow out extensions 3x8-12. Then switch out every other week high rep dips, and pressdows.

[Adrenolin]

sorry OP but when you miss a bench, at the bottom middle or upper phase of the lift, which main muscle needs to be worked for each of those to improve upon your bench press?

last time i maxed i failed a little passed halfway.

Thanks

[MEH89]

Adrenolin, I don't give advice to lifters that are stronger than me most of the time. I would ask someone else on the forum that is strong like Kabuki. But if you miss it a little over half way, then its your tricep lockout power. I would concentrate more on getting your triceps up to par with your chest, and delts. just my opinion. Mark

[poppa flex]

6 inch off your chest is where alot of guys ive seen get stuck
ive had my guys do
camber bar bench
1 boards
bands
chains
and learning to explode threw the sticking point!
hit lots of boards
and plain and simple just get stronger!

[Intrigued]

Mark, i see there that you mentioned delts in your last post! what is the best way to hit this muscle and what is its importance in a strong bench !! what day should delts be worked i.e. shoulder day, back day ???

[Cub]

Originally Posted by Adrenolin

sorry OP but when you miss a bench, at the bottom middle or upper phase of the lift, which main muscle needs to be worked for each of those to improve upon your bench press?

last time i maxed i failed a little passed halfway.

Thanks

Start doing some board work.

[MEH89]

Intrigued, I train shoulders on my bench days. I have two bench days a week, one heavy, and one light. I train shoulders on both of those days. The shoulders are axillary muscles in the bench press, they play are large roll in the bench press. I train them on my bench day as an axillary muscle, if you wish to give them there on day, so be it. I personally feel that we get enough front delt work through the bench press. So I dont do any pressing movements. But once again you have to find what works for you. Here are some good shoulder exercises military press, db press, side, and rear delt raises. Also don't forget to hit your lats with pull downs, chins, and rows. The lats help stabilize the bar on the descend.

[MEH89]

Intrigued, here is how powerlifters set up they training. You can do it one of two ways. The first one is West Side, you bench twice a week. One of those days you hit a Max Effort lift above 90% of your max. Then the second day you do Dynamic Work, where you lift light weights really fast to work on speed, and form. Then there is Metal Militia where you work chest strength, and then the next you workout you lockout strength. Then there is the old school bench heavy once a week, and then a heavy shoulder day.

[rxp1997]

on a similar boat myself, have gotten very interest in powerlifting after two years of training DC. I am following EliteFTS Force Method, which is pretty much two MaxEffort days (Bench, Squat/DL) and two DynamicEffort days (ditto).

my greatest challenge is working on my bench form, as i would like to compete for the heck of it one day. But so far I am loving the workouts....