HELP! Bench Press 315 by May 31????

[loco75_dfw]

Is this possible? I don't take any supplements other than Protein powder and my Centrum performance multi-vitamin. I made a goofy bet with a guy here at work. Here are my stats:

32yo
Weight: 214
Flat-Bench Press: 225 X 2 reps is my current max
Squat: 225 X 3 reps is my max as well.

I have been out of the weightlifting game for a few years and recently started up again in February. At the beginning of the year, I weighed 246lbs YIKES! But through sound nutrition and cardio, I dropped 32lbs. I do still plan to continue my cardio but it's only 20 minutes a day so I don't think that will zap my strength much.

So anyway, What is the best approach to reach 315. Is this possible? The days I have available to workout are: Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday.

Thanks for the help!!

Ok so here go my final results....1 rep max was 295. I have mixed emotions right now. I am happy I got this far but sad that I failed. Things I have learned are:

1. Cardio is not a big-bench killer..I do moderate cardio 7 days a week for 20 minutes.

2. Total body workouts are King. Although I tried to follow the basic 5x5 routine, I will admit I did NOT do heavy deadlifts, zero pull-ups, and my squat poundages would have been alot better on a Smith machine. I would spend so much concentration on keeping good form and balance that I think it hampered me.

3. As I progressed in heavier weight, I could definitley see some weaknesses in my body. My shoulders would ache and my triceps would feel sore. My lat work was moderate at best and I am sure that also affected me negatively in reaching 315.

4. There are some very knowledgeable posters here. I believe someone said that for me to do 315, I needed to do 225 at least 10-15 times. They were so right. I went from a max of 225x2 to doing 225x8. It's amazing. Also somene posted that I needed a strong back, shoulders and tri's. Again, see #3.

5. Finally, this is the greatest lesson of all that I have learned. Over the years since i started lifting, I would idolize the mass monsters like Arnie, Dorian and Ronnie C. I wanted to be massive just like them. I would go in the weight room and be so confused. Do I do 3 sets of 10 reps for mass???? Do I do 4 sets of 4 for strength??? When the hell are my triceps gonna bust outta my sleeves???? I think I would psyche myself out and change my routines every couple weeks and then get frustrated because I wasn't seeing results. Also, there is something I call the "Vanity Factor". Fellas u KNOW what I mean. Maybe u sneak a peek at yourself doing tricep pushdowns. Or, maybe u flex in the mirror when noone is looking...Maybe u stare at your body in the mirror every single day expecting to see Dorian Yates staring back. I dunno but I KNOW ya'll know what I am talking about. Anyway, when I started this 7 weeks ago, I promised to: NOT look in the mirror so much so I wouldn't get depressed and to STAY on the routine no matter if I felt like I wasn't making any progress. I just kept telling myself, "You WILL be working out for the next 30 years of your life. 4 workouts a week times 52 weeks in the year = 208 workouts on a yearly basis. 208 times 30 years = 6,240 workouts. So WHAT if u have a couple shitty workouts. Come back and do better next time..." I found that after time, I would see an occasional stretch mark or that the warm-up poundages seemed to be getting lighter and lighter. Stay the course!

So anyway, thanks for those of u that have read this far. I am hopped up on caffeine so I tend to ramble. My next step is to go on a 4 day split for 9 weeks.... I WILL do pull-ups...I WILL leave my ego at the door and do Smith machine squats. I WILL force myself to do standing military presses rather then the easier seated presses. I WILL do dips until I can't prop myself up any longer on the bars. I WILL do 1 rep maxes every 2 weeks to continually push myself. I WILL go upstairs and ravage my wife since she was looking sexy in her nightgown earlier...G'nite....

 

[silver_shadow]

hmm... even though this was not a fairy tale ending, it's still as close as posssible to a real life one. no reason to hang your head in shame - be proud of what you've already achieved. that said, this shouldn't be the end of the road as you pointed out.

coming back to training: smith squats are NOT the way to go. smith squats enable you to lift more because they give you a false impression of strength. the muscles you would use to balance a free weight squat are not being worked out - the smith takes over and you are able to lift more. in addition, smith anything forces you into an unnatural path (straight up and straight down) when in reality the human body needs to move through a slightly curved path. ditch the smith, burn it and burn what remains after burning it. stick around - there's plenty to be learned.

 

[Scotsman]

hmm... even though this was not a fairy tale ending, it's still as close as posssible to a real life one. no reason to hang your head in shame - be proud of what you've already achieved. that said, this shouldn't be the end of the road as you pointed out.

coming back to training: smith squats are NOT the way to go. smith squats enable you to lift more because they give you a false impression of strength. the muscles you would use to balance a free weight squat are not being worked out - the smith takes over and you are able to lift more. in addition, smith anything forces you into an unnatural path (straight up and straight down) when in reality the human body needs to move through a slightly curved path. ditch the smith, burn it and burn what remains after burning it. stick around - there's plenty to be learned.

You forgot to add "and pissing on it's ashes".

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[BiggT]

I'd say you've got a lot to be proud of. You've also got a lot left in the tank. Why not just re-set a new goal, like 350 by jan 2008?

 

[xblitz44x]

It's amazing how much you've accomplished; especially without including deadlifts, chins, or heavy squats into the mix.

"I would spend so much concentration on keeping good form and balance that I think it hampered me."

It definitely didn't hamper you. Stick with it. If you bail and resort to the Smith machine you're turning your back on those weak supporting muscles. You're losing balance for a reason. Fix it and your squatting weight will go up far beyond what you could achieve on the smith machine. This is all on top of what silver_shadow said about the unnatural path the machine forces you to follow.

Oh and I believe that standing military presses (push presses) will do nothing but help your squat. Stabilizing 185lbs over your head demands serious core strength.

 

[roy2]

Bravo man, nice attempt! It's too bad we couldn't vote this thread for the best of April.

PS - I would also stick with real squats.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

awesome job man, Few more weeks/months and you'll hit that 315 bench.

Have to agree with SS, don't use the smith. Keep squatting normally, the weight will increase and the balance will be second nature.

 

[loco75_dfw]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Like I said before, many of u have vast amounts of wealth and it almost seems criminal that I get it for free on this bulletin board

I will stick to regular squats and suck it up. I'm angry now. I want 315 so bad I can almost taste it. I was reading some articles on Westside barbell's site. NONE of the articles mention "How to bench 300lbs". All those dudes are doing 400, 500, and 600lb benches and that's just the bottom of the pack.

Has anyone here ever purchased their workout videos or done the bands? I am getting so addicted now and I want to keep pushing myself as much as I can.

 

[Kabeetz]

Congratulations. It's all about the journey bro, not the destination. You did the best you could do, you have everything to be proud of.

 

[Tweakle]

close to 300, not a bad ending.

smith squats are douchey to the extreme, stick to reg lifts