Magoo: The Quest for a 405 bench

[MisterMagoo]

took that advice.

FRIDAY

standing shoulder press: no leg drive, full pause at the bottom of each rep
45x15
135x5
135x5
135x5
135x5
135x5

floor press: pinkies on the rings, again pausing at the bottom.
135x5
225x5
275x5
275x5

row machine: this one's weird. doesn't take much weight at all to get rough
90x10 - two plates
140x10
140x10
140x10

two sets on a pulldown thingummy.

tried to do overheads, right elbow hurt like HELL.

weight: 221.5

[Ursus]

i promise man you will reap the rewards thats how i press and my shoulders are getting really strong really fast.

sa it get tough around 170 you can just repeat teh weight 2/3 times before moving on etc.

Good luck

[Stubborn]

Good advice on the shoulder presses, Goudy. I like to rotate between military, seated DB's, push press, and overhead pin lockouts. Put it all together and practice olympic (jerk) form and you will be over 300lbs quick!

[Ursus]

Thanks.

I used to do a lot of DB work for shoulders then i switched to STRICT military pressing and my strength increased quicklyt crossing over to bench press also.

Its also a sfe enough way and when done properly will strengthen the shoulders to prevent against injury.

I am looking for a strick 275lb press in the next year.

[MisterMagoo]

after the success with sumo rack pulls, tried normal sumo pulls today.

MONDAY

sumo pulls: not extreme width. siders-like, probably.
135x5
225x3
315x3
405x1
455x0 - went forward
455x1 - holy shit this was a slow rep.
405x1/1/1/1/1 - rest pause idea here, do a rep, unlatch my belt and count to ten, do another.

pause squats: just under parallel
135x5
225x5
315x3
315x3
315x3 - going for speed

static holds: overhand, no chalk
225x30 - seconds
275x20
275x20 - bleh

GM's: low bar, wide stance, no belt
135x15
135x15
135x15

abs

weight: 221.5

notes: considering i haven't sumo pulled from the floor in MONTHS, that wasn't that bad. the problem was remembering to keep my torso tight and "up". i've gotten so used to looking down and "back lifting" with my deadlift that doing things the exact opposite way was hard. still, a 455 sumo pull my first go in so long (let alone doing it as a main lift) isn't anything i'm ashamed of. i might stick with it if i can get my floor speed up to par.

[MisterMagoo]

eh

bench:
135x5
225x5
275x3
315x2
355x2
355x1
315x6
225x25

flies

chins

h-rolls

[jpm101]

Do not follow this thread all that much but, just wondering if Mr.Magoo is recovering from a quad/leg injury?

Doing military press off a PR has increased many a man bench. Including a true partial rep workout (three pin position) in the press. If the same amount of time was invested on overhead pressing,  there would be a lot more 300+ BB pressers. And in return, a higher bench for a lot of guy's. Can also throw in the PBN's in the mix. Raw power transfers well over in benching from heavier overhead workouts. Good Luck.

[Ursus]

This is my form i use. And it has substantially and significantly increased my bench but also made my tris shoulders and chest bigger and stronger.

Both from today

Second is better quality but darker. First has me talking and a bit fuzzy lol

[jpm101]

I know this is Magoo's thread but: Seems Goudy is one of the few, who post here, who gets it right. Any form of overhead pressing can be a key element in benching, as well as all around raw power. Being in love with the bench, and only doing that form of pressing, does not always lead to super sized lifts with regards to benching it's self. You have to mixed other forms of pressing into the training for best results for most people. Good Luck.

Side Bar: Strongest natural  presser (and strong man) I had ever met was a white boy from the Shetland Islands (northern Scotland). And  could pack on muscular weight fairly quickly without half trying. Avoided  taking any drugs because he wanted to get his U.S. citizenship. About 6ft and 225 or so. Took to strength training like a duck takes to water. Must have been that mix of strong Viking and Celtic genetics.

[Ursus]

Cheers for kind words JPM.

Also not trying to hi jack ur thread magoo. Enjoy readinh it and watching vids etc.

I have some Nordic blood in me as well as Celtic like your friend. And also ancestors from the Sheltlands...I am not lying. I have said this before on Getbig! In Northern Shetland islands they view themselves as Norwegian and actually speak Norwegian rather than viewing themself as Scottish!! Mad coincidence...sadly that is where our similarities end. I am no strongman competitor

I think best way to build a big bench is have big shoulder press and lockout as well as bench pressing regularly.

Lats also play a strangly significant part in regards to controlling it lowering it etc. I also retract my shoulder blades and 'pinch' I try to hold the pinch as long as i can though on lighter sets i push so fast i lose it.

Good work Magoo

[MisterMagoo]

Do not follow this thread all that much but, just wondering if Mr.Magoo is recovering from a quad/leg injury?

any reason you asked this?

[_bruce_]

Keep it up Magoo.

Finally got my vidcam and practiced a good deal - is there anything from SLAYER you wanna hear...
took a look at Megadeths Hangar18, but my guitar sound is too bad to let the song shine - especially the beginning.

[jpm101]

Magoo: No malice intended but your squat seems a little less than strong compared to the Sumo pull. Just wondered if  a regular squat motion ( bar/weight on the shoulders) causes trouble for you, with regards to the leg position. The ratio of squat to bench is a little behind also.

Good idea on the rest-pause thing. Might consider it on a 355lb bench, with a 12 to 15 second (by the clock) R/P. Should be able to get 3 to 4 more good reps out of that. Good Luck.

[MisterMagoo]

Magoo: No malice intended but your squat seems a little less than strong compared to the Sumo pull. Just wondered if  a regular squat motion ( bar/weight on the shoulders) causes trouble for you, with regards to the leg position. The ratio of squat to bench is a little behind also.

it could be a lot of things. my guess is flexibility to an extent. a buddy of mine bought olympic lifting shoes and i been thinking of picking up a pair.

my bench is just oddly high because i have these little arms.

[jpm101]

Or you could place a 2X4 (or BB plate) under your heels when squating. If that feels better and the balance  and weight shits improves (which it should on the quads) than invest in a pair of Olympic shoes. That is , if you feel the need to. Good Luck.

[thewickedtruth]

Or you could place a 2X4 (or BB plate) under your heels when squating. If that feels better and the balance  and weight shits improves (which it should on the quads) than invest in a pair of Olympic shoes. That is , if you feel the need to. Good Luck.

you guys actually tried that with any sort of weight? let's plant a 2 x4 for on an already difficult walkout and try to get positioned on it? 

not the safest of things to "experiment" with but a decent suggestion non the less....

i'd buy a pair of oly shoes if i coudl find some in my size at a decent price..

[The Apprentice]

Or you could place a 2X4 (or BB plate) under your heels when squating. If that feels better and the balance  and weight shits improves (which it should on the quads) than invest in a pair of Olympic shoes. That is , if you feel the need to. Good Luck.

no, the heel on olympic shoes is hard and guarantees your feet will not "sink" while squatting.

if you use a board or plate and squat in "regular" sports shoes, your feet will still sink, as the weight will compress the soft heel.

[jpm101]

Raised heels on a 2X4 (or whatever) is an old standby for BB'ers who may want more focus on the lower quads. It can also insure better balance and a deeper & more flexiable  squat for most people. That is why I suggested it to Magoo. May improve his squating depth & range a bit.

It is something akin to the front squat affect, where the bar is held in front of the body rather than resting on the shoulders/traps. 400-500 lbs is not out of the question for some heavy BB'ing squater's. Why would it not be? Really not much of a challenge to back away from the rack and step on that 2X4. Control is the name of the game in lifting.

Olympic lifting shoes have raised heels built into them. Are heavier and  have a couple of straps above the laces. Even with that they still allow more flexibility to the ankle/foot area than a PL'ers shoe. Olympic lifters depend more on quick foot and weight shift  position changes than PL'ers do. The old style of Olympic shoe was more of a low riding boot. Good pair..about $150-$200. I have a 11 and a half foot and probably could have trouble finding a new pair if I needed any.

Best for Magoo to try on a pair and see if they fit his needs before investing  big bucks. Or just try that 2X4 thing and see what happens. I think Magoo could be an easy 400 squater if he gave himself half a chance.. Good Luck.

[MisterMagoo]

Raised heels on a 2X4 (or whatever) is an old standby for BB'ers who may want more focus on the lower quads. It can also insure better balance and a deeper & more flexiable  squat for most people. That is why I suggested it to Magoo. May improve his squating depth & range a bit.

Best for Magoo to try on a pair and see if they fit his needs before investing  big bucks. Or just try that 2X4 thing and see what happens. I think Magoo could be an easy 400 squater if he gave himself half a chance.. Good Luck.

1) i'm not a bodybuilder. don't give a shit about lower quads.

2) i'm a 450 squatter. 405 is usually a tough but solid triple for me.

3) i don't need to go any deeper. look at my video. that'd pass just fine in a meet. my problem is leverages.

[QuakerOats]

i agree with Magoo on his squatting depth, it's more than low enough, he goes much lower than most clowns you see in gyms these days, still waiting on the mighty "jpm" to post some pics after coming on like a training expert for so many years.

[jpm101]

Did not mean to undo Magoo's cool...kind of funny though.

1) Never said Magoo was a BB'er. General reference to the heel raise/flexibility and lower quads for some BB'ers, that is all. Stronger lower quads can help the overall squatting performance. So maybe giving a shit could not hurt.

2) Did not know  Magoo was a 450 squatter. As mentions before, I do not come to this thread much. Congrats on the 450. Just that his squat, as listed on 17 Nov, seemed a mite low compared to the Sumo DL. That is what I went by.  And wondered if a leg problem was present.

3) If Magoo does not need to go deeper than so be it. And if he gets 3 green lights at a meet...great. Though some PL'ers will go below what is required to build that extra power boost it can give to contest rules squats. Very important for a stronger power base for some lifters. Also helps hamstring strength overall.

What I may post is not just meant for any one person, Magoo or anyone else. I understand that maybe hundreds of guys come to this site daily, so I consider it like a bulletin board. Only views or suggests on my part that's all, no big thing. Disregard if you wish, I do not care. Come here to just waste a little extra time anyway. Now I will be taking special notice before invading Magoo's special place again. Good Luck

[Ursus]

Magoo...just my 2c but looking at your numbers i think your hamstrings are weak.

I dont know if or how you train your core but by bring up your hams and ab strength will significantly increase your squat and dead...thus having an effect of furthur increasing.

135 for sets of 15 on GM is weak compared to squat.

[MisterMagoo]

135 for sets of 15 on GM is weak compared to squat.

that wasn't a max set man, i've gotten 315 for sets of 8-10 with a belt. i said right in the log i just did that to stretch out and get some blood moving.

i'll try some more hardcore core work though. it's one thing i tend to neglect. and like someone in there said i haven't done fuck all for isolation work in a while.

as for a 2x4, keep in mind i'm CAPABLE of hitting rock bottom in a pair of flat shoes, i just don't feel my leverages are optimal.

[Ursus]

ah 315 8-10 is awesome...what way do you do them, how far down i mean.

I wouldnt worry about the 2x4 then as you know yourself. Plus a bit tough on knees perhaps. I started doing abs a few weeks ago, feel ebtter for it. I think i have had a hernia for years. Docs says it isnt so maybe it isnt.I wnet to docs ages ago. Just feels like softish gristley tissue size of a large pea. But softish. I also have ganglion of my shin and have had small ones on my neck before..im gonna trust the docs. To minimise rish i started doing abs.

Then agan if it was a hernia it would have gotten worse or i would have known by now.

[MisterMagoo]

well they aren't bodybuilder-style. i stand about shoulder width, knees slightly bent, bar low on the shoulders, try to hit parallel with my upper body but probably stop a bit high. best i've ever done was 425 for a single a while ago. these days i'm thinking 365/385 would be my limit.