Guess how I destroyed my max.

[eat big]

Ok so today was the first time I was doing cardio in over a year. Have been making gains on the 5x5, nothing outrageous really. So after doing an hour of cardio for the first time in a year. I felt great and felt the need to do a big lift. Went over to the bench and destroyed my calculated max by about 30lbs. I got 345 pretty easy and was satisfied with that. Anyone else do cardio before they max?

 

[cubuff27]

Never done cardio before a Max lift...but I actually read an article about the East Germans not too long ago and when their shot putters would go throw their coach would make them throw first....then do a squat routine....then go throw again. Their SECOND throws were always further AFTER their squat routine. Pretty cool stuff and leads you to believe that most people don't do a proper warm up at all and that when you do do a warmup, do a large muscle mass one which forces the whole body to move. Our strength coach in college used to never let us warm up our arms by throwing (I was a QB), but made us do light sprints and lunges before we ever attempted to throw and even then we would only throw when we had to not to warm up.

 

[eat big]

Never done cardio before a Max lift...but I actually read an article about the East Germans not too long ago and when their shot putters would go throw their coach would make them throw first....then do a squat routine....then go throw again. Their SECOND throws were always further AFTER their squat routine. Pretty cool stuff and leads you to believe that most people don't do a proper warm up at all and that when you do do a warmup, do a large muscle mass one which forces the whole body to move. Our strength coach in college used to never let us warm up our arms by throwing (I was a QB), but made us do light sprints and lunges before we ever attempted to throw and even then we would only throw when we had to not to warm up.

Yeah, I was always under the impression that some warm-up sets was the best route to take. Doesn't look like it is for me though. Although I haven't maxed in a while, I am still surprised with the results because my calculated max was about 25 lbs. lower. I had never even tried 315 before either.

 

[gstacker]

yes! i thought it was kinda unusual for me too i did about 45 mins and felt great and decided to max and broke my 300lb mark finally hit 305, i always thought after running id be winded and should max out fresh but oh well im happy with it for now

 

[pong21]

Yeah, I was always under the impression that some warm-up sets was the best route to take. Doesn't look like it is for me though. Although I haven't maxed in a while, I am still surprised with the results because my calculated max was about 25 lbs. lower. I had never even tried 315 before either.

Nice work! Now you know what works for you.

 

[eat big]

There is a bench press competition at my school that is held every year. Coming up soon. The usual max for that is about where I'm at. Don't know if i'll do it because it's kind of chauvinistic.

 

[gstacker]

There is a bench press competition at my school that is held every year. Coming up soon. The usual max for that is about where I'm at. Don't know if i'll do it because it's kind of chauvinistic.

i say go for it, obviously you like to lift i bet it would feel great to win somthing like that and if not you prolly will at least have fun doing it.

 

[Chambewy20]

Do it man, let the others see what you've been working so hard towards.

Do it... do it....

 

[Protobuilder]

I just read something (didn't save it of course) that talked about how sprinting before a workout would boost strength.

 

[Assertive Guy]

Yeah, I was always under the impression that some warm-up sets was the best route to take. Doesn't look like it is for me though. Although I haven't maxed in a while, I am still surprised with the results because my calculated max was about 25 lbs. lower. I had never even tried 315 before either.

I've always thought warming up some way would be best, but to be honest in real life, you dont do 3 sets of squats before pushing your broken down car! So now, all I do is a strech of each muscle and 2 light reps, 2 medium weight reps, then straight into it. I do feel sorer after but it means I can actually spend more energy on the sets that matter, so I get faster gains.