bench programming

[Bazza20]

this, you need to take the time to find the most efficient way for you to lift (this will include lifting heavy to find where you are breaking down so you will make gains in the process), who cares if it means you make small gains for 6 months, but when you start programing to make gains over time you will become a much better lifter than someone who doesnt thinks that simply getting stronger with average technique is that only way

Lol. Sticky seemed to get those new lifters of his to 100kg in a couple of months while you spent that whole time blaming falling out of the groove for all your lift failures.

 

[Bazza20]

So you're of the opinion that incline benching helped you add numbers to the bar?

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think it hurts, i am very weak at it so improving it should help. Personally BTN press and other overhead work are my favourites. Strong shoulders can only help the bench.

 

[callan]

Lol. Sticky seemed to get those new lifters of his to 100kg in a couple of months while you spent that whole time blaming falling out of the groove for all your lift failures.

and it was, my bench technique isnt set in stone, its hit and miss, i also only max out in comp, so while stick was pushing his lifters to 100kg i was mid cycle and didnt want to go fucking it up with a stupid race lol were those benches paused in comp conditions? no lol leading up to my last comp i could of got 100kg tng bench no problem, i was doing triples on 97 lol

i was also only benching once a week with almost no assistance, and wasnt going to change my training leading up a comp.

 

[Bazza20]

Also my other tip is listen to Freako over anything I say about bench because his benching smokes mine.

 

[Bazza20]

i was also only benching once a week with almost no assistance, and wasnt going to change my training leading up a comp.

At least we have both discovered that shit doesn't work.

 

[Bench Polkov]

That was my logic if your hitting alot of strict mil pressing and plenty of flat bench incline seems kind of unnecessary.

What do you think of running coan but sub incline for mil press with weight adjusted accordingly?

I think that would work very well. Not that I'm trying to say Coan was wrong though. I just haven't found incline necessary. My bench moved quite well on 5/3/1 where I did bench assistance on both bench and mil press days.

 

[Bench Polkov]

Callan, Baz. Stop it, you're getting nowhere.

Baz, Scott taught his lifters technique too. And I'm pretty sure Callan understands the importance of volume.

 

[callan]

At least we have both discovered that shit doesn't work.

yeah lol its all just a matter of trial and error

 

[0ni]

Regarding strength vs form, I think that if I went to PCT and had Sticky fix my form, I would get probably something like a 2.5kg gain on the bench just from fixing my form. However, the better form would allow my bench to increase at a much higher rate due to the form being more efficient. For example your low bar squat will increase at a much faster rate than your high bar squat; simply because it's more efficient technique so the strength window is higher. There was a time when I could low bar just 5kg more than I could high bar, now the difference is much bigger.

I have no idea if this is true or not but this is the most sense I can make out of it

 

[callan]

oh and sorry about the thread hijack

 

[callan]

Regarding strength vs form, I think that if I went to PCT and had Sticky fix my form, I would get probably something like a 2.5kg gain on the bench just from fixing my form. However, the better form would allow my bench to increase at a much higher rate due to the form being more efficient. For example your low bar squat will increase at a much faster rate than your high bar squat; simply because it's more efficient technique so the strength window is higher. There was a time when I could low bar just 5kg more than I could high bar, now the difference is much bigger.

I have no idea if this is true or not but this is the most sense I can make out of it

depending on your current technique id say you would get more than 2.5kg out a a technique tweaking, but you hit the nail on the head with being able to increase at a higher rate due to efficiency, spot on technique will also help you avoid unnecessary plateaus.

swapping from high bar to low bar and learning about tightness my squat jumped 50kg in a few weeks (so like 2 training sessions)

 

[0ni]

swapping from high bar to low bar and learning about tightness my squat jumped 50kg in a few weeks (so like 2 training sessions)

But the immediate difference was only a few kgs right?

 

[Bench Polkov]

Regarding strength vs form, I think that if I went to PCT and had Sticky fix my form, I would get probably something like a 2.5kg gain on the bench just from fixing my form. However, the better form would allow my bench to increase at a much higher rate due to the form being more efficient. For example your low bar squat will increase at a much faster rate than your high bar squat; simply because it's more efficient technique so the strength window is higher. There was a time when I could low bar just 5kg more than I could high bar, now the difference is much bigger.

I have no idea if this is true or not but this is the most sense I can make out of it

This. Improved technique would allow more efficient training.

 

[Bazza20]

Callan, Baz. Stop it, you're getting nowhere.

Baz, Scott taught his lifters technique too. And I'm pretty sure Callan understands the importance of volume.

Freako I've said it 3 times now. Im not saying technique isnt important, I know sticky taught his lifters good technique. I am just saying that strength is number 1 by a mile.

 

[0ni]

well, im glad i got something right

 

[callan]

But the immediate difference was only a few kgs right?

lol actually added it up, it was 30kg in a few sessions, 50kg after a training cycle;
the immediate change once i got used to handling the weight (so like not freaking out as much) was 30kg, so thats will bad tightness and massive chest drop. squat went from 87kg high bar grinding through 10 reps with really bad technique, to 120 for triples with a rough understanding of tightness and average technique. my first comp i got 135 squat and had a stab and missed 140 with chest dropping. so about 50kg over one training cycle leading up a my first comp and most of that was simply becoming aware of tightness and trying to maintain it through the lift.


if you are able to i would defiantly go and get your technique looked at

 

[callan]

i feel that for a beginner, technique is the first thing that should be addressed.

once its right or close enough strenght and tchnique become even par with each other, they both need each other, its pointless being strong with no technique, and pointless having spot on technique with no strength lol

i think we all understand where baz and i sit on our views towards lifting lol lets just leave it at that hahaha

 

[0ni]

Yeah, I've been addressing my form a lot recently.
Am going to make a dedicated thread about this but 6 months of maxing out nearly every day finally decided to take it's toll on me lol. Last Tuesday I decided I needed to change something, took a few days off doing light shit and started again this Monday. I now do 6 sessions a week where I just practice the main lifts, I don't go heavy and I don't grind the reps (8 RPE if you're familiar with that) but I do a tonne of volume. The other 4 sessions a week I go heavy, but do exercises where form is not so important or will not ruin my groove in the powerlifts (eg front squats, incline bench, overhead shit, RDL, shrugs etc etc)

The theory is that I will make a lot of gains by just getting better at lifting, instead of forcing the gains out of me. TBH I think 6 months going balls out is incredible, and I think if I jiggled shit around a bit I could keep it up even longer but I want to give this a try

 

[Bench Polkov]

Freako I've said it 3 times now. Im not saying technique isnt important, I know sticky taught his lifters good technique. I am just saying that strength is number 1 by a mile.

And I'm saying that for beginners both should be focused on equally. This is not always possible if you don't have a coach but if you do have someone yelling cues at you the entire time your strength will improve a lot faster. And at the same time, as you get stronger you iron out weaknesses and your technique improves. Its not this or that is more important, both are.

 

[Bazza20]

Well to get back on topic then. For the last few weeks I have been doing floor press, incline, BTN press and dumbbell variations of these for assistance. All this talk of bench i decided to run out and test my flat bench out since I haven't done it for a while.

Couple warm up sets and equalled my PB much easier than i had done it before which was also done at about 7kgs higher bodyweight. Nothing too special but i would be confident going back to flat bench for a couple weeks and lifting fresh i would be good for a 5 kg + PB. So I am confident I am getting good carryover from the lifts I am doing.