Upping Your Bench Question

[Carmen]

hey bro, how is telling someone to looking into doing a WSB or a Metal Militia type of routine for increasing their bench BS? please explain...

i thought your advice was great.

 

[Illuminati]

i thought your advice was great.

thanks. i ran with a WSB routine for a while, and saw some huge gains in my bench. i did a lot of band work on speed days, and was starting to incorporate the bigger bands on ME days to do some lockout work (suspending the bard with the bands.) but my upperbody was taking a pounding from the bands. so i have backed off it for a little bit...

 

[Carmen]

thanks. i ran with a WSB routine for a while, and saw some huge gains in my bench. i did a lot of band work on speed days, and was starting to incorporate the bigger bands on ME days to do some lockout work (suspending the bard with the bands.) but my upperbody was taking a pounding from the bands. so i have backed off it for a little bit...

i haven't used them, for a few reasons. I used boards in my last routine, but my raw bench suffered, even though my shirted bench improved (205).
I do my aux work twice a week- shrugs, lats, shoulders. my upper back is pretty strong - i think thats whats helped my bench, along with the increased tricep strength from doing the declines.
i'd love to break 200 raw some day.

 

[Illuminati]

i haven't used them, for a few reasons. I used boards in my last routine, but my raw bench suffered, even though my shirted bench improved (205).
I do my aux work twice a week- shrugs, lats, shoulders. my upper back is pretty strong - i think thats whats helped my bench, along with the increased tricep strength from doing the declines.
i'd love to break 200 raw some day.

Sugarplum...if you can get some bands, and do the suspended bench, you will be amazed at how they work the tri's. i was skeptical the first time i went to do them, but i was feeling them for the next couple days.
just curious, but what are you reasons for not using a WSB? also, you shouldn't say that you would love to break something (as in a PR), that is the defeatist mentality. rather, you should say "i will break 200!"

 

[Carmen]

Sugarplum...if you can get some bands, and do the suspended bench, you will be amazed at how they work the tri's. i was skeptical the first time i went to do them, but i was feeling them for the next couple days.
just curious, but what are you reasons for not using a WSB? also, you shouldn't say that you would love to break something (as in a PR), that is the defeatist mentality. rather, you should say "i will break 200!"

i just haven't had a coach that showed me what to do. i workout alone, in a gym where i'm the only one powerlifting, and often the only female. so trying something new without help is a daunting task, but i do it. just not with bands yet.
i'm joining a new 'hardcore' (supposedly- i haven't seen it yet) gym tomorrow, so i shall see.
oh, and i will break 200.
i just hit 170 raw, so its gonna take some time.

 

[Illuminati]

i just haven't had a coach that showed me what to do. i workout alone, in a gym where i'm the only one powerlifting, and often the only female. so trying something new without help is a daunting task, but i do it. just not with bands yet.
i'm joining a new 'hardcore' (supposedly- i haven't seen it yet) gym tomorrow, so i shall see.
oh, and i will break 200.
i just hit 170 raw, so its gonna take some time.

i was going to ask about that. i think it was about a week or so ago that you posted about going for a 170 PR. and i don't think you ever said anything about whether or not you made the lift. so, belated congratulation! keep pushing it.

and yes, it is kind of daunting to try something new in the gym. first time i busted out the bands to do some speed work, i didn't know how much weight to use, and wasnt' ready for them, and i was almost flattened. and then the first time i did some suspended bench work, i had them all set, everybody was staring at me, and out of no where, this guy comes up, and said "you train WSB? mind if i lift with you?" made it a lot easier. and the whole time i thought that there were no other PLers in the gym.

 

[INK]

Thanks alot guys. Your advice has helped alot.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Twice a week would be ideal for strength. Westside Barbell. ME and DE days.