These are so called pulse reps. The energy is locked in the pectoral muscle and only released through positive extension. The negative portion is only negative in name only as the muscle remains in a state of contraction because of the angle of the rep--the elbow is at a an 80-85 degree angle. It is much harder than what is considered normal benching. It is called pulsing by some weightlifters. It is harder because people who do many reps of bench presses "Pad" their numbers by bouncing the weight off their chest and only exerting force at the top of the rep when momentum runs out while there is almost no energy expended during the negative or down phase as resistance is only used to slow, not control the energy. In these reps there is no resting, the pulses are likened to a close punch having the energy explode through the target or at the top of the rep. A martial artist wants the power to flow through the body but only need about six inches to express itself. (See Kill Bill coffin escape, Bruce Lee six inch punch, the one inch punch, etc.) This bench drill is great training for that sort of explosive expression of power. This is phenomenally hard. Try them and you'll see. Here I present 47 straight of 225lbs of them while working out in the shed, my body shakes because of my height, I can just reach the phone books with the tips of my toes on the floor. I'm 5'3", 170 41 yrs old....on 10.01.06. Check out the book on martial art form I teach at Amenraenlightenment.com
As a response to body builders and the externalized martial art practitioners:
hese are not lock outs the energy is going past the rack, my feet are not planted upon the floor. As a power lifter I've lifted 465lbs as a power bench full ROM. I've leg pressed 1400 lbs using internal strength pushed pulled cars, trucks, vans etc. There is much more here meets the eye. It is training for punching using internal strength. You will not achieve the same using simple external energy --lock outs. Laugh all you want. But you will never learn to move an object using internal energy doing simple lock outs. You must externalize what is within. That is the point here and what makes it hard. Try this: do your lock out without a power base- with only the energy in you chest. Make the energy flow from your your chest skipping your forearms--I do not feel this in my arms at all. Only then will you understand that the energy flows through circular--through the bar and creates a circuit replenishing itself even as some flows past the bar. This is Martial arts I'm explaining here. If you can master this then you can punch with out punching--with out hitting your target, but projecting the energy past your opponent(past him through her). Try searching the microcosmic orbit on line. Or Tai Chi's tree hugging. This unorthodox exercise is an advanced form of the externalization of the energy created in this exercise.
In Sum, weight lifters can laugh all they want but they are not martial artist, those who have spent time within will understand the projection without, those who have spent all their time without will not understand the projection from within.
