Bench/Squat testing next week... Bobo have a question...

[LakeMountD]

What do I need to do to maximize my strength while doing the bench test? I REALLLLLLY need to bench 300 and I think I can do it. I did 255 pretty easily today and I have my technique down. I have CEE, Energy Drink, Superdrol, M1T, Lean Extreme, Nolva, and Rebound.

I don't care about legality right now. Just curious if I could take like 2 days worth of any of that stuff to absolutely maximize my strength for that day? Thanks in advance bro, this is huge though because of the chat I had with the walk-on coach .

 

[Phoenix rising]

What do I need to do to maximize my strength while doing the bench test? I REALLLLLLY need to bench 300 and I think I can do it. I did 255 pretty easily today and I have my technique down. I have CEE, Energy Drink, Superdrol, M1T, Lean Extreme, Nolva, and Rebound.

I don't care about legality right now. Just curious if I could take like 2 days worth of any of that stuff to absolutely maximize my strength for that day? Thanks in advance bro, this is huge though because of the chat I had with the walk-on coach .

Lakemount,
In the short term for maximizing your max on your test I would suggest training your nervous system. West Side Barbell Club training I would highly recommend. 400mg of caffine (2 vivarins) also works great. ALCAR and L-Tyrosine would be a great addition.

Can you use wraps during your test?

You can trick the nervous system on your bench by doing a heavy assisted single (above 1 rep max) then resting for say 3 to 5 minutes then perform your max.

When is your strength test ???

 

[bigdawg55]

How many days until you test? Is it on Saturday?

What do I need to do to maximize my strength while doing the bench test? I REALLLLLLY need to bench 300 and I think I can do it. I did 255 pretty easily today and I have my technique down. I have CEE, Energy Drink, Superdrol, M1T, Lean Extreme, Nolva, and Rebound.

I don't care about legality right now. Just curious if I could take like 2 days worth of any of that stuff to absolutely maximize my strength for that day? Thanks in advance bro, this is huge though because of the chat I had with the walk-on coach .

 

[GetYourWeightUp]

Lakemount,
In the short term for maximizing your max on your test I would suggest training your nervous system. West Side Barbell Club training I would highly recommend. 400mg of caffine (2 vivarins) also works great. ALCAR and L-Tyrosine would be a great addition.

Can you use wraps during your test?

You can trick the nervous system on your bench by doing a heavy assisted single (above 1 rep max) then resting for say 3 to 5 minutes then perform your max.

When is your strength test ???

PR talk some more about this trick of the nervous system haha...I have the same test except mine isnt for 24 days...Say my max is around 450 how much should I pile on there for this fake rep haha vbmenu_register("postmenu_337754", true);

 

[Sticks]

Try doing some plyometrics right before the bench. Do 2-3 explosive push ups where your hands actually come of the ground. Rest for around 30 seconds then go for your max.

 

[Malek256]

Walk around, get pissed. Then go get furious until you're almost shaking until you want to go rip the hell out of the weight. Then get more pissed still.

That is how I benched 300. Took me 3 tries. Each time I just got madder!

 

[LakeMountD]

My testing is on Tuesday.

 

[Phoenix rising]

PR talk some more about this trick of the nervous system haha...I have the same test except mine isnt for 24 days...Say my max is around 450 how much should I pile on there for this fake rep haha vbmenu_register("postmenu_337754", true);

I have learned a safer and maybe more effective way of tweaking the nervous system. Take your 1 rep max and use 100-125% of you max load and perform a static hold for around 5 seconds. I believe Waterbury and Poliquin have some articles on tweaking the nervous system.

GetYourWeightsUp:

Since you have 24 days there is some time for you. I would perform a bench press variation 2-4 times per week. The trick here is using dfferent loads, volumes, and exercises. Do not train to failure.

 

[BigVrunga]

Some power lifters sniff ammonia tablets right before they lift

What do you think your max is right now Lake? If you did a chest day of MaxOT-style training using Westside-style form, you might be able to tack - 10-20 lbs on your max in a week if you're lucky.

 

[Beelzebub]

cheque drops :twisted:

 

[exnihilo]

deload NOW. no more heavy training... Go into the gym every day from now till your test and just practice benching with the bar and maybe quarters on each side, so you can work on technique. You need to work on being fast as hell in lifting the weight, and you need to get TIGHTER. If you do 255 easily and you fix your set-up you may be able to hit 300.

http://www.metalmilitia.net/articles/burns/CompetitionBenching.htm

Read that, practice every day till tuesday. When you get tight on the bench, you should get so tight you feel like you are going to hurt your back you are pulling so hard with your lats and lower back. Lower the bar quickly and with confidence (but stay under control) and when you get to the chest/abs, push hard with your legs at the same time you push with your arms (if you are super tight you should feel the bar get lighter and go up, if you aren't tight enough you will feel like you are losing control of the bar and coming loose on the bench).

If you set up properly, stay tight, lower the bar quickly under control, use a lot of leg drive and throw the weight back up explosively, you may be able to milk an additional 30lbs out of your bench, possibly more.

EDIT: a little dbol between now and then wouldn't hurt either

 

[Phoenix rising]

If you are allowed to use wraps I would highly suggest wearing them. I have a pair of Inzer knee and wrist wraps. The board sponsor APT has wraps that are similar to what I have. I bought the longest ones. What I have is banned in most power lifting competitions but I dont care because I'm not a power lifter I swear by these things. They feel like you have extra tendons and ligaments.

 

[GetYourWeightUp]

I have been using the 5 by 5 program on bench...doing 5 sets of 5 reps at the same weight. If I complete the 5 sets of 5 reps I go up 5 pounds next time. I do this on monday and thursday of each week and I can usually get 5-10 pound increase a week. I am currently getting 365 5 sets of 5. With a max around 450 I think. Do you guys think I should keep this going up until my test or switch it up?

 

[exnihilo]

I have been using the 5 by 5 program on bench...doing 5 sets of 5 reps at the same weight. If I complete the 5 sets of 5 reps I go up 5 pounds next time. I do this on monday and thursday of each week and I can usually get 5-10 pound increase a week. I am currently getting 365 5 sets of 5. With a max around 450 I think. Do you guys think I should keep this going up until my test or switch it up?

If you're getting stronger keep it up. Stop benching 7 days out from the test though. Also, if you don't do any heavy singles you won't be able to stay tight and maintain form (not to mention you probably won't have the confidence under the bar) with a bigger weight, and you won't have a shot in hell of hitting that calculated 1rm. So you might want to do some heavy singles, say a few reps with 95% 1rm as your last workout a week before you go in for your test.

Also, warm up like a powerlifter on the day of your test, a lot of reps with the bar only, and with quarters on each side, then singles only from there, concentrating on perfect form, and slowly working up to your 1rm, doing say:

bar x 3 x 10
95 x 3 x 5
135 x 1 x 3
185 x 1 x 3
225 x 1 x 1
275 x 1 x 1
315 x 1 x 1
365 x 1 x 1
405 x 1 x 1
425 x 1 x 1
450 x 1 x 1

Take about 3-4 minutes rest between the everything from 405 onward, and spend a good minute before you do the last two sets just pumping yourself up, getting FIRED UP. Then have someone you trust completely give you a lift off and hand the weight off to you. Have some slayer or vader (or any suitably ripping hard music) playing in the background as well. Above all, the weight is going to feel fucking heavy and it's going to feel like you're not going to make it - fight that weight up as if your life depended on it.

That'd be my formula for making a PR

 

[BigVrunga]

Vader!! YES!!!

 

[-2z-]

I just got back from the gym and this thread is making me want to lift some more....lol.
It's a shame I'm beat to snot.

 

[LakeMountD]

Well I came in and got my 300 lb max on bench and although I didn't squat, due to my ankle injury that didn't allow me to do leg work for 6 weeks!, I did do hang cleans just for the fun of it. To my surprise I got 225x8, not bad for not having done legs in so long. It definitely showed, however, because now even 4 days later I still can't even shrug my shoulders my traps hurt so bad haha.

 

[GetYourWeightUp]

225 for 8 on cleans? thats dam good whats ur max?

 

[LakeMountD]

225 for 8 on cleans? thats dam good whats ur max?

I think it was like 290 or something like that. I could have done much more. I didnt plan on testing and on my first set easily did 225-6 then decided i might as well test so I was already pretty fatigued. I should have gotten 10 or 11.

 

[BigVrunga]

Dude that's crazy!! The only guy I've known personally that could clean and press that much was benching 450lbs.

My bench is over 300lbs, and yet I can barely get up 205 on the clean and press. WTF is that about!?

Awesome man!

BV

 

[LakeMountD]

Clean and press? No no no, Hang Clean my friend . HANG CLEAN lol. I was coming off of an ankle injury unfortuantely.


However, when we just did push presses about 6 weeks ago (before I hurt my ankle), I was doing 205 for sets of 8 . That is where you have it up by your chest and you do the split and push it above your head. So technically I could push press 225 a few times.

 

[BigVrunga]

Clean and press? No no no, Hang Clean my friend . HANG CLEAN lol. I was coming off of an ankle injury unfortuantely.

Oh ****! Read that one wrong. Well, that's still bad ass man...that's my biggest problem right there is getting under the weight. I think I have to work on the form...

BV

 

[LakeMountD]

Oh ****! Read that one wrong. Well, that's still bad ass man...that's my biggest problem right there is getting under the weight. I think I have to work on the form...

BV

Trust me I definitely know the feeling. I don't have as much form as a lot of the kids who did these lifts in high school. My friend did 270 for 6 on hang cleans and he is the same weight as me, a little shorter which makes it easier, but his explsosive form kicks ass. Once I get the form down I should really kick ass on these.