Need some advice.

[usc trojans fan]

well first off i'm 16 sophomore in highschool i play football 6'3 230 oline/dline
I want to get bigger and stronger
right now : i bench press 225 x8 reps and last set i can only get up around 5 i've been really sick so haven't gone to the gym in like 3 days now ( going tonight) i dumbell press 90 pounds 8 times i just want to explode and get bigger stronger and faster and be the best in football like i know i can ( i had lots of playing time in varsity this year) what workouts should i do to get my bench press up faster and more effieciently because i feel like i'm in a slump now with my bench press ( just 2 months ago was in a slump with 195) what nutrition and food i should be eating i take whey protein and eat healthy most of the time i use to take creatine but creatine i felt like it just got me skinnier and didn't work well for me also i'm horrible at squating i only rep on squats around 205 ( i never do them ) i could get them up but i don't got the best technique so what are some good workout routines and food i should be eating.

[RichMcGuire]

well first off i'm 16 sophomore in highschool i play football 6'3 230 oline/dline
I want to get bigger and stronger
right now : i bench press 225 x8 reps and last set i can only get up around 5 i've been really sick so haven't gone to the gym in like 3 days now ( going tonight) i dumbell press 90 pounds 8 times i just want to explode and get bigger stronger and faster and be the best in football like i know i can ( i had lots of playing time in varsity this year) what workouts should i do to get my bench press up faster and more effieciently because i feel like i'm in a slump now with my bench press ( just 2 months ago was in a slump with 195) what nutrition and food i should be eating i take whey protein and eat healthy most of the time i use to take creatine but creatine i felt like it just got me skinnier and didn't work well for me also i'm horrible at squating i only rep on squats around 205 ( i never do them ) i could get them up but i don't got the best technique so what are some good workout routines and food i should be eating.

You could consider:

http://www.wannabebig.com/training/p...bs-in-30-days/

But I also feel you reeeaaalllly need to up your squat..especially for football. You arent even squatting your own bodyweight. Since most power is driven through your legs anyways, youd make way more progress getting that up.

For performance, "healthy" is trivial. For your position, you'd probably want to gain some weight with lots of food (although I'm not football expert by any means).

Other than that, you might consider some pylometric type movements for power.

[Bako Lifter]

Do they teach grammar/punctuation at your high school?


You need to be focusing on squats, deadlifts, and cleans rather than bench. The guy across from you who squats 450 is going to run you over regardless of what you bench.

You also need to gain about 40 lbs if you want to dominate next year in varsity.

[usc trojans fan]

yeah i'm going to start doing more squats and leg presses and running up hills it is pretty bad thanks for the information.

[Alex.V]

Post this in the powerlifting forum, maybe Rhodes will weigh in.

[usc trojans fan]

Do they teach grammar/punctuation at your high school?


You need to be focusing on squats, deadlifts, and cleans rather than bench. The guy across from you who squats 450 is going to run you over regardless of what you bench.

You also need to gain about 40 lbs if you want to dominate next year in varsity.

well this varsity year i did pretty good and was only 210 so i don't see why i would need to gain 40 more pounds the person who's gonna win the match on d line /o line is the person who gets lower and is more aggresive i just want to make sure i'm stronger though to but thanks,i'll start working on them do i do all of these workouts in 1 workout day or what

[Bako Lifter]

Gaining 40 lbs doesn't mean you have to lose your aggressiveness or ability to get low and use leverage. But 220 is an outside linebacker size.

You will get matched up against some freaks from other schools, and will wish you weren't so small compared to them. Those are the kids who get picked up by colleges.

[Whoopipally]

Im going to college next year, and I just finished two years of Varsity football as a center. Im 6 feet tall. I was fucking 185 lbs my junior year. I was small. But I managed to get through that season with vigorous discipline and knowledge of the game. This past year, with heavy training on the right program, WHICH INCLUDES SQUATS, POWER CLEANS, DEADLIFTS, INCLINE BENCH, I got up to 220lb. And you know what? I got all conference in an 8A division. Im also going to attempt to walk on to Iowa State as a linebacker/long snapper this year. My point with all of this:

Get on a program that does compound movements: Squats, Deads, Incline, Cleans, ETC. I actually like this: http://www.wannabebig.com/training/d...ia-training-2/ It will take time, but I think it'll work if you add some cleans to that.
Eat A LOT. But good foods. Im talking chicken, beef, pasta, sandwiches, milk, etc. Its ok to have crap once in a while, but only once in a while.
I also want you doing a lot of offseason drills such as one man sled drills, 3 cone, etc.
THE BODY WEIGHT WILL COME WITH HARD WORK. If you stress on solely that, your fucked. Plain and simple. Your young dude.

[RichMcGuire]

I think the golden arches could prove helpful.

[thecityalive]

Your bench press is really secondary to the position of a lineman. The majority of your power is going to come from your legs.


Will bench help you shed blocks better? Sure. But if you want to be an explosive lineman, that is going to come from the squat and power clean. If you are horrible at squats, be a student of the weight room and work on them. Simple.

Protein is good, but consider upping your total calories. Whey protein isn't a magic supplement. It's basically dehydrated milk.

[chevelle2291]

I think the golden arches could prove helpful.

Chipotle.

[krazylarry]

Read.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...1_and_athletes
I wish I had 5/3/1 but when I was still playing in college.

Just don't buy the indigo 3g...

[joey54]

Do they teach grammar/punctuation at your high school?


You need to be focusing on squats, deadlifts, and cleans rather than bench. The guy across from you who squats 450 is going to run you over regardless of what you bench.

You also need to gain about 40 lbs if you want to dominate next year in varsity.

I agree with everything buy the gaining 40 lbs. Often when HS kids try to gain a lot of weight, it is counter productive. Lift heavy, eat a good amount, and continue to work on speed. College is the time to really pack on some good size. As a lineman in high school I had a much better season my junior year weighing 195 than I did as a senior weighing 230. And my best college season was again my junior year, starting offensive line d3 mind you, weiging 210. Technique, quickness, and aggressiveness go a long way at the lower levels. 240 as a sophmore in high school though can easily grow into a very solid 265-270 by senior year perhaps. Actually with it being May, almost June already and camp starting in August likely, 235-240 might be the best amound of good weight to put on.

As for the lifting, do the 5x5 program. I would do the one with the deadlifts and rows over the cleans, unless you are really good at cleans already. Drop your maxes a bit and work the program.