I Benched 107.5 kg in Competition 3-16-08

[Stubborn]

Damn, that was hot! 


Great stuff, Rip! Knew you woudl hit it. You may get even more in your comp, it does something to you.


Good luck!

[The BEAST]

YEA YEA YEA!!!

That was awesome...gosh I wish I were going to be there!!!!   I had no idea this thread was even here, I am such a bad friend

Good Luck...Miss You   

[ripitupbaby]

Damn, that was hot! 


Great stuff, Rip! Knew you woudl hit it. You may get even more in your comp, it does something to you.


Good luck!

Thanks Lift.   

YEA YEA YEA!!!

That was awesome...gosh I wish I were going to be there!!!!   I had no idea this thread was even here, I am such a bad friend

Good Luck...Miss You   

haha you must have gotten my voice mail last night.   
How many times are we going to miss each other on the phone?!  You're still a great friend LOL.  See you soon!   

[Bluto]

good lift 

[ripitupbaby]

good lift 

Thanks Bluto.   

[Vet]

OK, I set out to bench 225, and I did. 

So f*ck the haters, here's the video.   

My ass came off the bench a little, but I was still pretty happy with it.  I think the pause was long enough.  I got one more workout to get it right before the meet.  This is in the back of my friend's supplement store btw.

And 225 x 2 with the 1 board.

LOL at the Forza bench in teh back of a supplement store...

To be honest with you, I had a really hard time seeing your butt on both videos.  I'll take your word for it that it came up off the bench.  The Arch is awesome---I wish I could get my wife to arch half that much when she's benching.   With that kind of an arch if your but is coming up, try putting your feet out just a bit wider if you can.  That'll drive your hips into the bench and keep you planted without taking away from your leg drive.  Just be aware its really really close to the contest, your form is working, don't mess it up by experimenting.  To me, the pause was fine and explosiveness out of the hole was also good.  You looked to me like you've got more than 225 in you easy.  Just tap into the adrenalin.   

Are you planning on taking your opener the next workout and then deloading until the meet? 

[Geo]

hooray ripitup

[ripitupbaby]

LOL at the Forza bench in teh back of a supplement store...

To be honest with you, I had a really hard time seeing your butt on both videos.  I'll take your word for it that it came up off the bench.  The Arch is awesome---I wish I could get my wife to arch half that much when she's benching.   With that kind of an arch if your but is coming up, try putting your feet out just a bit wider if you can.  That'll drive your hips into the bench and keep you planted without taking away from your leg drive.  Just be aware its really really close to the contest, your form is working, don't mess it up by experimenting.  To me, the pause was fine and explosiveness out of the hole was also good.  You looked to me like you've got more than 225 in you easy.  Just tap into the adrenalin.   

Are you planning on taking your opener the next workout and then deloading until the meet? 

Yes, that's the plan.  I'm gonna see what the opener will be this weekend...I think 205's too light lol, I am gonna see how 215 goes.  Hell, I could open with 225 and just hope I get the lift, as I am about 50/50 with it now.  That means I should get at least one out of the three attempts.  LOL I'll prolly open just a little lighter.  At the last meet I did, the heaviest lift a girl did was 210! 

Thanks for the advice.  I still struggle with foot placement.  I have a hard time getting my feel comfortable, and the foot placement seems to change a little every workout.   

That's actually the bench I will be using for the competition next weekend!   

(Thanks Geo!)

[Vet]

Yes, that's the plan.  I'm gonna see what the opener will be this weekend...I think 205's too light lol, I am gonna see how 215 goes.  Hell, I could open with 225 and just hope I get the lift, as I am about 50/50 with it now.  That means I should get at least one out of the three attempts.  LOL I'll prolly open just a little lighter.  At the last meet I did, the heaviest lift a girl did was 210! 

Thanks for the advice.  I still struggle with foot placement.  I have a hard time getting my feel comfortable, and the foot placement seems to change a little every workout.   

That's actually the bench I will be using for the competition next weekend!   

(Thanks Geo!)

I wouldn't open with 225.  Open with something you know without a doubt you can get---say 205-210.  Then make a 5-10% jump and go from there.  You want to always set yourself up so you get your opener (it doesn't always happen that way, but thats the approach I take).  Getting that opener serves two purposes, 1) you know you won't bomb out of the contest then and 2) you build momentum...get that opener, set a slight PR on the 2nd attempt and you are mentally rolling to nail some big numbers on the 3rd attempt.  You see it too often where someone comes in fired up and they waste everything on that opener, which they miss, then they get mental and miss their second attempt.   Thats putting way, way too much pressure on the 3rd attempt and getting it as far as I'm concerned. 

[ripitupbaby]

I wouldn't open with 225.  Open with something you know without a doubt you can get---say 205-210.  Then make a 5-10% jump and go from there.  You want to always set yourself up so you get your opener (it doesn't always happen that way, but thats the approach I take).  Getting that opener serves two purposes, 1) you know you won't bomb out of the contest then and 2) you build momentum...get that opener, set a slight PR on the 2nd attempt and you are mentally rolling to nail some big numbers on the 3rd attempt.  You see it too often where someone comes in fired up and they waste everything on that opener, which they miss, then they get mental and miss their second attempt.   Thats putting way, way too much pressure on the 3rd attempt and getting it as far as I'm concerned. 

Yep, I hear ya.  That's the general plan.  I'll see how it goes and figure out the numbers this weekend.  At this point, I am just hoping to have another decent workout this weekend to make me feel good going into the meet. 

[Vet]

Yep, I hear ya.  That's the general plan.  I'll see how it goes and figure out the numbers this weekend.  At this point, I am just hoping to have another decent workout this weekend to make me feel good going into the meet. 

Go in, do 205-210, try to get it 1-3 times using your contest form and then finish up your workout and get out.   Rest next week and come into the contest fired up. 

I'm someone who always has problems the "deload" week before a contest.  If you are getting really antsy (like i do) go in and do some light dumbell work.  DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT WILL MAKE YOU SORE, just move a bit.   That helps me focus. 

[ripitupbaby]

Go in, do 205-210, try to get it 1-3 times using your contest form and then finish up your workout and get out.   Rest next week and come into the contest fired up. 

I'm someone who always has problems the "deload" week before a contest.  If you are getting really antsy (like i do) go in and do some light dumbell work.  DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT WILL MAKE YOU SORE, just move a bit.   That helps me focus. 

What do you think about getting a leg workout and a back workout in during the first half of the week?  Bad idea?

[Vet]

What do you think about getting a leg workout and a back workout in during the first half of the week?  Bad idea?

the week before a contest?  no.   Unless you are extremely restless.  Then to go in and do 3-4 sets of pulldowns and 2-5 sets of light leg work won't hurt to just get the blood flowing.  That said, if you can't do that---you are the sort of person who is going to push it no matter what, stay the hell out of the gym. 

You need to rest, let the body repair itself, and set yourself up for an all out effort that weekend. 


Like I said, I get really antsy the week before a meet.  Moving a bit helps me relax.  But don't be stupid about it. 

[ripitupbaby]

the week before a contest?  no.   Unless you are extremely restless.  Then to go in and do 3-4 sets of pulldowns and 2-5 sets of light leg work won't hurt to just get the blood flowing.  That said, if you can't do that---you are the sort of person who is going to push it no matter what, stay the hell out of the gym. 

You need to rest, let the body repair itself, and set yourself up for an all out effort that weekend. 


Like I said, I get really antsy the week before a meet.  Moving a bit helps me relax.  But don't be stupid about it. 

I figured that's what you were gonna say, I just thought I would check. 

It's not easy for me to not do much of anything, I get mental...but if it's what I should do, then that's what I'll do. 

Moving will help...a little light cardio...

[ripitupbaby]

CHAINS last night.  I lightened them up a little.  They still felt heavy! 
This is the final workout before the meet except for the shirt work this weekend.

Chains weigh 73 pounds.  I put 100 on the bar to make 173 at the top.

5 sets 173 pounds x 3
2 sets rotator cuffs x 15
3 sets weighted ab crunches

[w8m8]

GO RIP !!!

YOU ROCK !!!

[ripitupbaby]

GO RIP !!!

YOU ROCK !!!

Thank you w8m8...I'm doing this for the girls!   

[Geo]

I am setting out to bench 225

you'll never make it (you're just a girl) so why don't you be a good little pet and go get the bread on the table and your buns in the bed !

[ripitupbaby]

I did my last shirt workout...pretty much my last workout...till the meet next Saturday.  

Basically the plan was to get the shirt settled and then figure out what my opener is going to be.  

3 board 185 x 2
2 board 205 x 1
1 board 215 x 1

215 x 1 - I totally failed on this.  About 2 inches from my chest, I rolled my wrists forward to try to get the bar to touch, and the weight pretty much flopped on to my belly.  It wasn't going anywhere at that point.

225 x 1 - I actually got this with the pause/rack commands.  It didn't exactly go up easy, but it went up.

235 x 1 - I only did this to see if it was going to take even heavier weight to get the bar to touch easily.  I thought this was 230 when I did it and then figured out it was 235 afterwards.  It was a fail.  

After that, my shoulders were burning bad, so I stopped.  
I'm a little concerned about how to approach this meet...I'm thinking that maybe I should just open with 225, but I'd say it's still 50/50 that I will totally bomb out.  

[ripitupbaby]

you'll never make it (you're just a girl) so why don't you be a good little pet and go get the bread on the table and your buns in the bed !

 

[Stubborn]

You are going to rest up before this meet right? Take it easy and relax, you already hit it.


I would open at 210-215 to get your confidence up and get in the groove. You know you can smoke 215, especially all rested up and fresh.


Your gonna knock'em dead.

[The BEAST]

Can't wait to hear and see how the meet goes for you....this weekis going to seem so long!  Rest up little girl

[ripitupbaby]

Thanks guys...I'm on bedrest now.  I wish!

The only thing I'm concerned with re. less than 225 as an opener is that I will struggle too much to get the bar to touch like I have been doing during the workouts.  225 seems to be the point at which I can at least get the bar down IF I stay in the groove. 
Whatever happens, it's all good...at least I already have video proof that I can do 225.   

[calmus]

Thanks guys...I'm on bedrest now.  I wish!

The only thing I'm concerned with re. less than 225 as an opener is that I will struggle too much to get the bar to touch like I have been doing during the workouts.  225 seems to be the point at which I can at least get the bar down IF I stay in the groove. 
Whatever happens, it's all good...at least I already have video proof that I can do 225.   

next time work on visualization

[cauthon]

Whatever happens, it's all good...at least I already have video proof that I can do 225.

Since when was this the quest to bench 225 in training? Drink a pot of coffee before weigh in (unless you are making weight in which case wait till after), make sure that shirt is on really well and do it up right. If you go into a meet expecting to bomb then you probably will. You shouldnt even acknowledge the possibility.