Speed Bench

[Grandk]

I am looking to incorporate a speed bench day into my routine to mix things up. I plan on doing my warm up and then doing 3 reps of 8 sets. I have a few questions.

1. Should I go down at a normal pace and focus on exploding up or should the entire set be done at a faster pace?

2. Is there an equation to estimate how much weight one should do? 80%? Higher or lower?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[slobberknocker]

I go down fast but with control. I pull the bar down fast using my own force, then I use my own force to stop the bar for only a brief moment, and then I use my own force to accelerate the bar off of my chest.


I think 50% of your current 1RM is the guideline, but I've actually been using a little less than that. I just try to focus totally on bar speed, and not at all on weight. In this case, too light is probably better than too heavy.

 

[Grandk]

I go down fast but with control. I pull the bar down fast using my own force, then I use my own force to stop the bar for only a brief moment, and then I use my own force to accelerate the bar off of my chest.


I think 50% of your current 1RM is the guideline, but I've actually been using a little less than that. I just try to focus totally on bar speed, and not at all on weight. In this case, too light is probably better than too heavy.

What do you do for sets? 3 reps of 8 sets on such a light weight as 50% 1RM dose not seem as if it would do much for me. What other chest excercises would be beneficial on speed bench day?

 

[slobberknocker]

8 sets of 3. I don't do any "chest" exercises. My DE bench is speed bench, a tri exercise, a lat exercise, and a shoulder exercise.

 

[overhead]

What do you do for sets? 3 reps of 8 sets on such a light weight as 50% 1RM dose not seem as if it would do much for me.

The point is to work on bar speed, the weight is not that important. If you are not concerned with increasing speed, than I guess it would not do much for you.

 

[Becoming]

Grandk- I would do what slobberknocker is reccomending- from experience it works very well...

"3 reps of 8 sets on such a light weight as 50% 1RM does not seem as if it would do much for me"

The goal is to build SPEED, it WILL seem pretty easy, especially without bands or chains, but after a couple weeks, you will notice a BIG difference in the speed you generate with your max attempts...

As a point now, I only work as high as a weight I can move as fast as 135 (which is very easy for me)...

I also am finding better results from just less than 50%.... 10-20 pounds makes a big differnce in the results I get

 

[Grandk]

8 sets of 3. I don't do any "chest" exercises. My DE bench is speed bench, a tri exercise, a lat exercise, and a shoulder exercise.

Thanks again for your advice! Much appreciated.

 

[Grandk]

The point is to work on bar speed, the weight is not that important. If you are not concerned with increasing speed, than I guess it would not do much for you.

Bar speed is very important to me. I need to work on my overall explosiveness. I will implement this lift ASAP.

 

[Grandk]

Grandk- I would do what slobberknocker is reccomending- from experience it works very well...

"3 reps of 8 sets on such a light weight as 50% 1RM does not seem as if it would do much for me"

The goal is to build SPEED, it WILL seem pretty easy, especially without bands or chains, but after a couple weeks, you will notice a BIG difference in the speed you generate with your max attempts...

As a point now, I only work as high as a weight I can move as fast as 135 (which is very easy for me)...

I also am finding better results from just less than 50%.... 10-20 pounds makes a big differnce in the results I get

It is settled then. I'm doin 'em! Thanks for the input.

 

[XtremePowerLifter2000]

the reps should be as fast as possible, but keeping proper control. If the bar speed is decreasing or you are feelin gyou are putting out to much effort then u are using to heavy of weight. 50% is a good weight to start with, then once you get into the groove of DE benching you will then more then likely start up by going by feel.


Kc

 

[Liftbig]

1. lots of people do it very fast on the eccentric and concentric. thats fine as long as you can stay tight, keep you form, and it doenst kill your joints. i cant do it that way, becuase of the said reasons. i use a controlled eccentric and on the concentric i push as hard and fast as i can. even if im using 185 lbs i push like im using 500 lbs.

2. in general my speed weights range from 40-60% of a RAW 1rm. currently i use about 45% with additional bands or chains, and around 50-55% with straight weight. start with 50% and adjust based on your speed, and how your max effort lifts are going. thats my rule of thumb, if my max effort lifts are going up then im using enough weight for speed bench, if they go down though, im using too much weight.

 

[slobberknocker]

1. lots of people do it very fast on the eccentric and concentric. thats fine as long as you can stay tight, keep you form, and it doenst kill your joints. i cant do it that way, becuase of the said reasons. i use a controlled eccentric and on the concentric i push as hard and fast as i can. even if im using 185 lbs i push like im using 500 lbs.

2. in general my speed weights range from 40-60% of a RAW 1rm. currently i use about 45% with additional bands or chains, and around 50-55% with straight weight. start with 50% and adjust based on your speed, and how your max effort lifts are going. thats my rule of thumb, if my max effort lifts are going up then im using enough weight for speed bench, if they go down though, im using too much weight.

good info

 

[thebrute]

I am looking to incorporate a speed bench day into my routine to mix things up. I plan on doing my warm up and then doing 3 reps of 8 sets. I have a few questions.

1. Should I go down at a normal pace and focus on exploding up or should the entire set be done at a faster pace?

You should do 10x3(with each set being done in 3 seconds)
Focus on exploding upwards

2. Is there an equation to estimate how much weight one should do? 80%? Higher or lower?

Thanks in advance for the help.

They say about 45-50% of your 1RM.
hope this helps. tb

 

[Becoming]

It is settled then. I'm doin 'em! Thanks for the input.

You will be happy with the results- 12 weeks of this and I am blowing up weight I used to struggle with for 5-10 seconds... my max flies up now.... Let us know your results!

Good knowledge from Liftbig....Nice post.