Bench 500 Advice

[turbo0450]

Hello All,

I have been a bench only person for quite a while. I have a few "world" records @ 181 and 165 so, i'm no stranger to hard work/training.

I have a goal now to hit 500lb bench. I'm hopeing to not get too big or weigh a lot more. I wouldn't mind hitting 200 but would want to keep it at 190.

I train 3-5 days a week. Chest/full bench/tris M, Legs Tue, Back/Bi's/lats/abs Wed, Rest Thurs, Boards/rack lock outs/heavy tris Fri. Sometimes another back day on Sat.

I have done West side barbell, 5/3/1, 6 sets of 3's, 10 sets of 2's.

I usually alternate every 2 months with West side and a variation of my own routine.

Stats are 5'8 180 benching 405-435 weekly. Decline 465. Incline 245 (never tried for much).

Diet is 60% pro 20% carb 20% fats or 40% pro 30% carb 30% fat. 3-4k calories.
3 (40-60) shakes on workout days, 2 (40-60)on off days, on creatine mono and take a mult vit.

Work outs only last about 60-90 min. I'm not that sore usually, unless I really pump it and do a good 90 min routine. I have involved some deadlifts and squats ( I went from 185 sq to 315 and no effect on bench) (I went from 225 deadlift to 405 with no effect on bench). So, now I just don't do those so much anymore.

What am I missing? I've been about the same for over a year.

TL DR
I feel I have a solid workout and diet and stuck at 405-435 bench, how do I get to 500?

Thanks in advance. I know there is some expert out there to shine some light.

[Travis Bell]

The easiest and fastest way? Go to 200 and watch your bench go up 30lbs.

Long run, it sounds like you are all over the place with your training. You need to find an effective way of training and stick to it for about a year.

This may sound odd coming from a fellow bench only guy, but you really need to stick with the squatting and deadlifting. Having strong legs does help with a big bench from the standpoint of building a solid platform on the bench.

But I really feel it keeps you focused throughout the week on training. I'd go nuts if I only trained 2 or 3 times a week. A 315 squat really isn't a solid squat to base your decision on of whether or not squatting helps you. Neither is a 405 pull.

Westside is a super solid program - but I'll say that because I train there. However it does really help the program if you have training partners. It took me from a 365 raw bench to 575lbs.

[gaz90]

crazy strength, btw!

build some more muscle. get up to around 210 with a decent bodyfat %

right now im 80kg and pull around 225kg, i want to be able to pull 300kg, so i know i need to weight about 100kg to do so...but hopefully less since im so damn short.

i obviously dont need to talk about programming or ask to see a video of your bench. not with those kinda numbers!!

im sure Vinny D and Travis will chime in on this anyway

[turbo0450]

Long run, it sounds like you are all over the place with your training. You need to find an effective way of training and stick to it for about a year.

I thought you were supposed to change every 2-4 weeks? Or is that more of a bodybuilding thing? I did West Side for about 3 months and saw no improvment (maybe I was doing it wrong, no trainers).

crazy strength, btw!

Thanks!

A 315 squat really isn't a solid squat to base your decision on of whether or not squatting helps you. Neither is a 405 pull.

That puts me at almost a 1200 total score. I'm pretty sure thats high for a bench only person @ 180.

[turbo0450]

And all my lifts are raw and drug free.

[big ragu]

I'm going to be no help, but damn that's a big bench! Do you mind if I ask why bench only?

[Travis Bell]

And all my lifts are raw and drug free.

Obviously I also compete in gear but I've always been drug free. That excuse makes no difference for me. You are either strong or you aren't.

[turbo0450]

I'm going to be no help, but damn that's a big bench! Do you mind if I ask why bench only?

My trainer I had was that for years (he was in his 70's when he met me). I guess it kind of just stuck. I really never got that into dealifting or squats.

[turbo0450]

Obviously I also compete in gear but I've always been drug free. That excuse makes no difference for me. You are either strong or you aren't.

Understood. Some care, some don't. I have used gear before. I had too small a shirt tho and it ripped my arms open (slight gashes on my tri's), but no pain no gain.

[Clifford Gillmore]

Understood. Some care, some don't. I have used gear before. I had too small a shirt tho and it ripped my arms open (slight gashes on my tri's), but no pain no gain.

Sounds like a good fit.

[turbo0450]

So.. Gain weight and stick to a routine for a year?

[Invain]

Adding 10 - 20 pounds will obviously help. I will say however, bench is the only lift that I can make solid progress on without gaining any weight.

Listen to Travis's advice. He's one of the top benchers on this board.

[patricky]

Obviously I also compete in gear but I've always been drug free. That excuse makes no difference for me. You are either strong or you aren't.

Holy shit 575 drug free that's nuts.

[gaz90]

Obviously I also compete in gear but I've always been drug free. That excuse makes no difference for me. You are either strong or you aren't.

I'm just curious...why do you choose to be drug free???

[turbo0450]

I'm just curious...why do you choose to be drug free???

I do because you're taking something illegal to win. So, technically it's a form of cheating. I feel the same about equiped lifting, but it's not illegal and they have different set of rules, meets, and records. So, I'm ok with that. I am finding it that most people I run into laugh when I say I'm drug free... .

[turbo0450]

Holy shit 575 drug free that's nuts.

Correct me if I'm wrong Travis, but I assume 575 is equipped? If not whats your bodyweight at?

[Meatfish]

Nope, that is Travis' RAW bench, his gear whore number is late 800s I believe. Either way, the guy is a fucking beast in the moderately fat ass weight class (242s I think?). Anyway, reason I chimed in is PEDs aren't illegal everywhere to use. I choose to not partake but that's mainly because I'm a crappy lifter anyway, nothing to do with legality, and if a fed doesn't test you can assume most are on at least a little pick me up so where is the cheating factor? It must be said though that taking and then beating the tests to win in a tested fed is lame in a sport with no real rewards outside of self and peer respect...

[MarcusWild]

How many guys are there right now that are under 200 lbs and can bench over 500 lbs raw? I think that's your answer.

[turbo0450]

Nope, that is Travis' RAW bench, his gear whore number is late 800s I believe. Either way, the guy is a fucking beast in the moderately fat ass weight class (242s I think?). Anyway, reason I chimed in is PEDs aren't illegal everywhere to use. I choose to not partake but that's mainly because I'm a crappy lifter anyway, nothing to do with legality, and if a fed doesn't test you can assume most are on at least a little pick me up so where is the cheating factor? It must be said though that taking and then beating the tests to win in a tested fed is lame in a sport with no real rewards outside of self and peer respect...

Agreed.
575 @ 242 is 2.37 bodyweight

MY 2 bests in meets are:
391 @ 162 is 2.41
405 @ 176 is 2.30

But right now I've lost so much, just cause in an already small sport, not a lot of people are about bodyweight. All they see is 575! That is what motivates me to move to the 190-200 class @ 500lbs.
500 @ 200 is 2.5. Which is more if I can make it there.

I have seen (non-drug free) someone do 495 @ 165. I didn't even lift when I saw that (I didn't know it was a non-drug free).
495 @ 165 is 3.!!!

[mike95763]

You're kind of making a big deal out of the whole X bw thing. Weight lifted is weight lifted. It's cool to be proud of being strong for your size, but it almost seems like you're minimizing Travis' lift by pointing out that it was 2.37 x bw while your best was 2.41 x BW. It kind of makes you sound like one of those "I could lift that much if I was as big as him/used his form/took the same suppliments/used his gear" kind of guys.

[chris mason]

Turbo,

Why are you defending your squat and deadlift? Those numbers suck. You are obviously a very good bencher, but for the life of me I will never understand why someone would want to be so unbalanced as to have a world class bench and a squat and dead that a drug free woman can exceed?

[turbo0450]

You're kind of making a big deal out of the whole X bw thing. Weight lifted is weight lifted. It's cool to be proud of being strong for your size, but it almost seems like you're minimizing Travis' lift by pointing out that it was 2.37 x bw while your best was 2.41 x BW. It kind of makes you sound like one of those "I could lift that much if I was as big as him/used his form/took the same suppliments/used his gear" kind of guys.

I was just pointing out BW and how little people care about it. I didn't mean to down Travis at all.

[turbo0450]

Turbo,

Why are you defending your squat and deadlift? Those numbers suck. You are obviously a very good bencher, but for the life of me I will never understand why someone would want to be so unbalanced as to have a world class bench and a squat and dead that a drug free woman can exceed?

I wasn't "defending" to say, just stateing that I upped those areas with no better results twords my bench. I'm good at bench so, I stuck with that and never really pressed twords anything else. I am pretty unbalanced.

I'm going to take Travis's advice and gain some more weight and keep at a solid routine (that includes deadlift and sqaut). I am thinking about getting some training at a West Side Barbell gym (http://www.dtsperformance.com/) closest one to me.

We have gotten off topic, anyone else have any advice to my OP?

[Travis Bell]

Correct me if I'm wrong Travis, but I assume 575 is equipped? If not whats your bodyweight at?

That is my raw bench. Tested back in December. Before this last meet I floor pressed 585. Haven't done a straight weight max in awhile because I'm focused on my equipped numbers right now.

My equipped best is 850. I compete in the 275 class usually weighing in around 255-260

How many guys are there right now that are under 200 lbs and can bench over 500 lbs raw? I think that's your answer.

There is Denis Ceri and Adrian Larsen is about all I can think of. Those are two exceptional benchers as well. Very few people will ever reach that mark.

Agreed.
575 @ 242 is 2.37 bodyweight

MY 2 bests in meets are:
391 @ 162 is 2.41
405 @ 176 is 2.30

But right now I've lost so much, just cause in an already small sport, not a lot of people are about bodyweight. All they see is 575! That is what motivates me to move to the 190-200 class @ 500lbs.
500 @ 200 is 2.5. Which is more if I can make it there.

I have seen (non-drug free) someone do 495 @ 165. I didn't even lift when I saw that (I didn't know it was a non-drug free).
495 @ 165 is 3.!!!

I'll believe the 165lber doing 495 when I see it.

Who cares about the bodyweight number?? That makes no sense to me. It'd be one thing if a super was trying to bench 500. That's not very impressive. But really it sounds like you are pretty content with your gym lift at your current bodyweight. Do something in a meet and people will care.

[gaz90]

I do because you're taking something illegal to win. So, technically it's a form of cheating. I feel the same about equiped lifting, but it's not illegal and they have different set of rules, meets, and records. So, I'm ok with that. I am finding it that most people I run into laugh when I say I'm drug free... .

illegal and immoral aren't always the same thing. but anyway, thats a damn fine bench you have, to say that you're also drug free makes it even more impressive i think.

hope you reach your goal of 500, and good luck!