Bench issue.... i dont understand it

[WannaBPowerful]

I dont understand it.

I have friends that bench everyday. No recovery period. Big bench workouts too. And they get bigger strength gains than anyone. I have one friend that started benchin 185 and was at 285 in a year. And im 100 percent sure he didnt touch a suppliment. ALL my other friends that bench every day have had similar gains. Iv done everything short of benchin like them every day and havent had close gains. They aren't new to lifting, just started liftin evey day and it started working. How is this possible?! Isnt this against everything science and people say? How do they not need a recovery day or at least two. Can anyone explain this?

 

[BigArnie]

I smell a rat here. If your friends bench every single day, when do they get time to train back, hams, gluetes, abs, quads etc. etc? I think what is happening here is that the human body is so adaptable that it will become accustomed to benching every day and will eventually take this in its stride, seeing that the rest of the body does not get taxed very much. Also, let's face it, benching is by far the "easiest" of the three powerlifts. I mean, ask these same friends to deadlift heavy every day and see how long they can keep it up!

Having said this, there is a point to be made for increasing the training volume to very high levels, like weightlifters do.

 

[WannaBPowerful]

They dont

They usuially train nothing but benching. They arent powerlifters though. They just lift to lift. And all they do is bench. Flat, incline, and decline. Then they are done. But they do a ton of sets and never plan anything. Just go in and do it.

 

[Cubanito17]

I got a couple of jerkoffs in my weightlifting class that do that upset they do bench everyday and tri's and they've gotten weaker and have chicken legs then wonder why I just sit back and watch them while laughing. Hey 100lbs in a year is good but not awesome. You can go up more by getting a good 2 day minimum recovery under your belt for chest/tris/shoulders, when it comes to benching.

 

[ZZuluZ]

I wouldn't diss it that fast--- that's how many elite atheltes train. It's called potentiating the nervous system. The trick is never to go to failure. If, however, they DO go to failure then I can't explain it....

-ZUlu

 

[The mann]

 

[ZZuluZ]

Are those question marks directed towards me?

-Zulu

 

[Exodus]

my sentiments exactly the mann

that doesnt make sense at all........ even if they arnt going to failure

powerlifters like those who train westside.....use bands and other recovery workouts

not blast blast blast everyday.

who knows.

X

 

[ZZuluZ]

I'm still very much a newbie, but from what I understand it DOES work. THe reasoning is that it is the NERVOUS system not the muscles which make you stronger.

You can strengthen or largen your triceps as much as you want but it's the nervous system that let's you lift big weights. And the nervous system works best when you do an exercise OFTEN but not too failure (too prevent soreness, lactic acid, etc). People who advocate this include experts like Pavel Tsatsouline who BenchPress and Deadlift everyday. If you look at the guy he looks like he'd crumble deadlifting 200 pounds yet he deadlifts 600 pounds+.

The nervous system is essential to training and very often used. Using waves, supra maximal weights, etc....

*prepares to get flamed*

-Zulu

 

[The mann]

nope,the question marks are directed to bench pressing everyday in general.i have also read an article in powerlifting usa about that type of training ,it sure would drop my ass to just keep benching..................

 

[Phenotype X]

The nervous system DOES play a role in muscle contraction and stimulation, but it does not play largely significant in muscle adaptation,(not as much as you think). People who bench everyday most likely do not go to failure, especially if no recovery time is needed. As muscle fibers become taxed everyday, they will not gain the proper amount of growth, rather overtraining,(as everyone knows) What I'm trying to say is that they probably don't go to failure, or they just don't do it everyday. Maybe a day or two of intensity, followed by a relaxing, ROUTINE workout day. Without the recovery, you simply will not make the gains you had mentioned.

 

[goldenone]

The Max Effort method is considered by many coaches and athletes as the superior method of strength development. It places great demands on both intramuscular and intermuscular coordination and well as stimulating the muscular and central nervous system. These demands force the body into greater adaptation. This adaptation is what is responsible for great strength gains. When training using the Max Effort Method, the central nervous system inhibition is reduced, thus max number of motor units are activated with optimal discharge frequency (Zatsiorisky). The one drawback to using this method is that you cannot train with weights above 90 percent for much longer than one to three weeks before the nervous system begins to weaken. When this happens, your strength will begin to diminish. This is one of the major reasons why progressive overload training will only work for so long. With this in mind, and knowing that this method is great for the development of strength, you have to find a way around this three-week barrier. The way to overcome it is to switch the exercise used for the Max Effort Method every one to three weeks, thus allowing the body to recover. This keeps the body fresh so the method can be used year-round.

Quote by dave tate http://www.musclemonthly.com/articles/001215/001215-tate-westside-powerlifting.htm

 

[Phenotype X]

great post goldenone

 

[flex-mb]

The type of training that goldenone and ZZuluZ is talking about is the same tyoe of training that Olympic Lifters employ (I wonder if the US Olympic Team is emloying anything similar?). Nearly every Eastern Block Country, Former Soviet Republic and the Chinese train 6 and 7 days a week twice a day. These guys all work on Speed and Strength. Where do you think Louie got all of his ideas (he credits these guys all of the time)? This type of program/trainng is NOT original, Western thought!

 

[1-dawg]

First off, not to slam your partners but going from 185 to 285 is really not that big of a deal. Now if he went from 550 to 650 in a year then that is a big deal. When you first start lifting you will gain just by going into the gym and touching weights. This is even more true with young lifters.

Flex, you are right -- they train everyday but what can confuse the youngsters is that it is not balls to the wall training everyday. Even the Oly lifters don't go all out everyday, esp on something as silly as teh bench. Oly lifters rely heavily on speed which is mainly done with lighter weights. The eastern guys also rotate their exercises much like wsb.

 

[flex-mb]

Good follow up 1-dawg. Even though they are not doing extremely heavy work day in and day out, training 6 and 7 days a week kills those guys in the long run. Almost every Olympic Lifter only lasts about 8 - 10 years, some even less. The good ones like Akakios Kakhiasvilis and Naim Suleymanoglu have defied the odds and medaled in three, consecutive games. Powerlifters train a little bit differtently and have much longer careers.

1-Dawg - I may be in Orlando in the next two months. If I can talk the wife into letting me go off on my own for a half day, then I will try to train over there with you on the 'space coast' one morning or afternoon.

 

[1-dawg]

That would be great. Just let me know when.

 

[Deciever]

maybe the guys benching everyday are newbies... i know when i started lifting i could bench everyday and still make gains