| 8 Weeks to a Record Bench |
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general_lfl
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Join date: Oct 2003
Location: Missouri, USA
Posts: 158
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8 Weeks To A Record Bench
by Christian Thibaudeau
01/03/05
This program will no doubt add consderable size along with the increase in strength. How would you go about using a similar program for the squat? |
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Kuz
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Join date: Jul 2004
Location: Connecticut, USA
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Interesting. I have been thinking of something to up my BP numbers, so the timing on this is perfect.
But man.... there is hardcore, super hardcore and then there is "restrict blood flow to the heart" hardcore. lol
Kuz |
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Christian Thibaudeau
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Join date: Feb 2003
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Kuz wrote:
Interesting. I have been thinking of something to up my BP numbers, so the timing on this is perfect.
But man.... there is hardcore, super hardcore and then there is "restrict blood flow to the heart" hardcore. lol
Kuz
Hey, just be thankful that I didn't include electroshock therapy before heavy sets... CLEEEAAAARRRR! |
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John K
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Join date: Feb 2003
Location: British Columbia, CAN
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I predict that first Tuesday bench press set being very, very difficult.
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cal
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Join date: Jun 2004
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That appears to be a very solid program. I totally agree with the starting strength comments. About 2 weeks ago I started my new routine. 3 full body days setup like the athletic pend. For upper push Day one was max strength (work up to 1-5rm) day two strength-speed (reactive benches) and day 3 was speed-strength iso-balistic benches with a three second pause.
After one week of including iso-balistics (jump squat and bench) all my heavy lifts flew up and my previous max for bench became my 2rm, ando now after 2 weeks I used it or a 3 rep max. So I feel starting strength is vital. |
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loconnor29
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Join date: Apr 2004
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For mini-session #2 of session #1, are you supposed to use 90% of your 5RM or 90% of your 1RM? |
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Swami
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Join date: Dec 2004
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Kuz wrote:
But man.... there is hardcore, super hardcore and then there is "restrict blood flow to the heart" hardcore. lol
Kuz
It's a rare occasion that I read something and laugh out loud. The line above did it for me. Thanks for the comic relief. |
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Zen warrior
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Join date: Jun 2004
Location: Quebec, CAN
Posts: 1394
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Supercharged article, as usual, coach Thibaudeau. I'm feeling pain already, as I'll try it asap. Major gains coming...
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phil s.
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Join date: Apr 2004
Location: Delaware, USA
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coach,
do you use the same weight for the whole 8 weeks?
Example: 315
Extended cluster- would you use 285 for all 8 weeks or would you increase the weight when needed |
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jackreape
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Join date: Jan 2003
Location: Texas, USA
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Lots of great ideas and concepts in this article, but I just can't see how you can do them all in the same week, even putting everything else on hold. 60+ reps a week over 90% for 8 weeks? Plus speed work, lockouts, assistance work,and bottoms up presses? MAYBE a person just starting out. Carefull, young Jedis...
Good luck. |
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mattrose
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Join date: May 2003
Location: Nova scotia, CAN
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loconnor29 wrote:
For mini-session #2 of session #1, are you supposed to use 90% of your 5RM or 90% of your 1RM?
read that part again I made the same mistake you did but. Use 90% perform 1 rep rack it
(rest 10 seconds bewtween reps)
perform 1 rep rack it. for a total of 5 reps rest 3-4 min between sets and repeat for a total of 5 sets of 5 reps |
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RepubCarrier
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Join date: Sep 2003
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 75
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very interesting... i'm just looking to switch my bench program up a bit, and this might work very well. Is there anyone out there who is willing to do this program and report to the thread how their max bench increases? I'd love to hear how effective this is. |
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Howard Roark
Level 4
Join date: Oct 2003
Location: California, USA
Posts: 679
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Yeah I second that. I would like to see a couple people try it and keep a log. |
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XSG
Level 3
Join date: May 2003
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 27
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Coach,
Just to be sure I am reading this correctly--on sunday you recommend taking 3 full servings of Power Drive (I was planning on a 9AM, 1PM, 5PM split) and 3 full serving of Surge? Is 3 servings of Power Drive overkill or Will the body utilize all 3 servings because of the stress the CNS will undergo on this day? And finnaly, would I maximize Sunday's results by putting the workouts closer together, leaving them about the same, or spacing them out further?
thanks,
JB |
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Paul0
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Join date: Jan 2005
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phil s. wrote:
coach,
do you use the same weight for the whole 8 weeks?
Example: 315
Extended cluster- would you use 285 for all 8 weeks or would you increase the weight when needed
What must be progression in 8 weeks?More Volume?
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Christian Thibaudeau
Contributor
Join date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 16509
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XSG wrote:
Coach,
Just to be sure I am reading this correctly--on sunday you recommend taking 3 full servings of Power Drive (I was planning on a 9AM, 1PM, 5PM split) and 3 full serving of Surge? Is 3 servings of Power Drive overkill or Will the body utilize all 3 servings because of the stress the CNS will undergo on this day? And finnaly, would I maximize Sunday's results by putting the workouts closer together, leaving them about the same, or spacing them out further?
thanks,
JB
Your schedule is perfect. 3-6 hours between each is best. 3 servings of Power Drive, won't be overkill in this situation. In fact I've used up to 5 servings myself as an experimentation. It will just ensure that your body has a maximal level of neurotransmitters available and will keep you in the zone. It's not a stimulant so you don't risk CNS overload/overstimulation. And since you're only doing this once a week (and using PD only 3x per week) your body wont get used to it. |
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Christian Thibaudeau
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mattrose wrote:
loconnor29 wrote:
For mini-session #2 of session #1, are you supposed to use 90% of your 5RM or 90% of your 1RM?
read that part again I made the same mistake you did but. Use 90% perform 1 rep rack it
(rest 10 seconds bewtween reps)
perform 1 rep rack it. for a total of 5 reps rest 3-4 min between sets and repeat for a total of 5 sets of 5 reps
Exactly, this is cluster training. You perform 5 reps per set with your 87-90% of your 1RM but you take 10-15 seconds of rest (replace the bar) between each rep. |
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Christian Thibaudeau
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jackreape wrote:
Lots of great ideas and concepts in this article, but I just can't see how you can do them all in the same week, even putting everything else on hold. 60+ reps a week over 90% for 8 weeks? Plus speed work, lockouts, assistance work,and bottoms up presses? MAYBE a person just starting out. Carefull, young Jedis...
Good luck.
Well, actually the program is NOTHING compared to what most elite lifters go through!
I will say that yes, it's a lot of work. And it obviously cannot be done by someone who works a physically demanding job or is under a ton of stress. However the fact that you train only 3 days out of 7, with at least 1 day of rest between each session AND given that restoratie measures are AT LEAST as important as the training itself, any intermediate to advanced trainee can thrive on this program given that he follow it to the "T".
Obviously someone who screw it all up by doing the bench program BUT does more auxilary work, don't eat well, party a few times and don't make proper use of restorative measures WILL get overtrained or even injured. |
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Christian Thibaudeau
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general_lfl wrote:
This program will no doubt add consderable size along with the increase in strength. How would you go about using a similar program for the squat?
The exact same approach should be used. However with the squat I'd stick with 4 weeks cycle because of the higher level of systemic stress placed on the body . |
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Christian Thibaudeau
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phil s. wrote:
coach,
do you use the same weight for the whole 8 weeks?
Example: 315
Extended cluster- would you use 285 for all 8 weeks or would you increase the weight when needed
Increase the weight every week, or at least try to. Normally you should be able to add at least 5-10lbs each week. Sometimes more.
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Christian Thibaudeau
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Paul0 wrote:
phil s. wrote:
coach,
do you use the same weight for the whole 8 weeks?
Example: 315
Extended cluster- would you use 285 for all 8 weeks or would you increase the weight when needed
What must be progression in 8 weeks?More Volume?
Tony, we went over this. I told you that I would NEVER asnwer your questions again after what you did to me. Changing your login name wont change a thing. |
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Will42
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Join date: Oct 2002
Location: South Carolina, USA
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CT,
Could you add a Dynamic squat day 72 hrs afterthe thursday workout or would this be too much for your body to handle?
Thanks
Will42 |
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Christian Thibaudeau
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Will42 wrote:
CT,
Could you add a Dynamic squat day 72 hrs after the thursday workout or would this be too much for your body to handle?
Thanks
Will42
It would be too much. As they say "Jack of all trades, master of none". This is a program to peak a stagnant bench press, everything else has to take a back seat.
However you can perform this bench workout for 4 weeks then go back to a westside-type powerlifting program for 4 weeks. |
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Universl
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Join date: Jun 2003
Location: California, USA
Posts: 89
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Exercise 2: Decline Close-Grip Bench Press
Method: Regular sets
Sets: 5
Reps: 4-6
Rest intervals: 90-120 seconds
Tempo: Control the load during the eccentric (lowering) portion, but no need to go too slow.
How much weight should one use for this exercise?
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Stacked
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Join date: Apr 2004
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CT- As far as nutrition, should we be eating like we would during a bulking cycle, or is that not as important as the recovery measures you outlined. Thanks. |
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