if i give out my current bench routine...

[texasRUSH]

could you tweak it to get me to 400lbs in a month? or is that about impossible?

right now my weeks look like this....


heavy days
flat bench: 12x185x1,10x225x1,10x275x1,6x315x1,6x345x1,3x365x1,8x275x1,10x225x2

incline: 12x185x1,10x225x1, 8x275x1, 4x315x1, 8x245x1, 10x225x1

incline flys:  20x45x1, 12x55x1, 12x70x1



light days

flat bench: 15x185x1, 12x225x2, 10x275x1, 10x225x2

incline flys: 15x50x2, 12x60x1, 12x65x1

declines:  15x225x1, 12x285x2, 10x350x1  and by the end of this it's cables til i'm toast....by then i'm pretty much out of it anyway 

[sarcasm]

if you're doing 3 with 365 you should be damn close to 400 for a single already, if you went in and just did 10 with 135, 8 with 185, 5 with 225, 3 or 4 with 315, 1 or 2 with 365 you would probably get 395-405 for a single.

[Geo]

quit dickin around with those lighter sets.....

if your pushing 365 off ya there's no way you should be counting 225 and less as workin sets

[texasRUSH]

lol well answered THAT question now didnt it....

thanks guys...so i should cut my total sets down and use heavier weights all around?

250,275x315x335x350 for reps?

[Geo]

if ya have access to heavy enough DB'S get into those too

wieghted dips'll get your numbers up there too

[themetalgod]

do some close grip bench presses triceps triceps triceps.

[texasRUSH]

i do...and use almost the exact kinda weights....i used 315 for 8 reps with my closed grip benches..

[brianX]

Try lowering the bar to your chest.

[LiftBig]

could you tweak it to get me to 400lbs in a month? or is that about impossible?

right now my weeks look like this....


heavy days
flat bench: 12x185x1,10x225x1,10x275x1,6x315x1,6x345x1,3x365x1,8x275x1,10x225x2

incline: 12x185x1,10x225x1, 8x275x1, 4x315x1, 8x245x1, 10x225x1

incline flys:  20x45x1, 12x55x1, 12x70x1



light days

flat bench: 15x185x1, 12x225x2, 10x275x1, 10x225x2

incline flys: 15x50x2, 12x60x1, 12x65x1

declines:  15x225x1, 12x285x2, 10x350x1  and by the end of this it's cables til i'm toast....by then i'm pretty much out of it anyway 

Ditch the flyes all together....drop those BS light weight sets of anything over 8 and do multiple sets from the 3 to 6 rep range.  Do a couple of doubles and singles at the end. As for sets....I go by feel and you can do the same.

[bigbadwolfe]

What does your Back and shoulder work look like? You need a big back ,big traps and rear delts to help get that big bench. AND LOTS of HEAVY HEAVY TRIS!!!!!!

[benchthis]

What does your Back and shoulder work look like? You need a big back ,big traps and rear delts to help get that big bench. AND LOTS of HEAVY HEAVY TRIS!!!!!!

    close grip that shit 

[Eric2]

My best was 445 for a single. I would start with a good pre-stretch on the shoulders pec and tri's. Hit the back muscles with barbell rows to ram blood in the upper body.
   I would then load the bar with no less than 225 and warm up with that. Then jump straight to 275 for 1. 315 for 1. 365 for 1. 405 for 1 and so on............ Once I hit my max then I would ram 315 for 8 to 12 reps and I would be done.

[texasRUSH]

my shoulder days look like this...

seated shoulder presses...

10x185x1,8x225x1,8x275x1,4x315x1,8x255x1,8x225x1

bent over laterals for my rear delts: 12x50x1, 10x60x2

front raises: 10x50x1, 10x55x1, 6x60x1

side laterals: 10x40x3 (weak... )   i feel i have very strong rear delts from shooting heavier bows in competitive traditional archery for years...usually 65lbs or more of draw weight.

dumbbell shoulder presses: 10x60'sx1, 8x70'sx1, 8x75'x1

shrugs til i can't hold anymore weight..usually really heavy shrugs for about 5-6 sets then just run the rack til my grip gives out or i'm so low in weight that i dont even think it matters anymore.




and trust me...i hit it when it comes to triceps...those i know for a fact are heavier caliber when it comes to moving weight. 

[sarcasm]

whoa, wait a minute, are you saying that you can shoulder press 315 for 4 but you have trouble benching 400? 4 reps with 315 would put you at around 350 for a single on the shoulder press and your bench should be at leats 90-100lbs. more than your shoulder press, every guy i've ever known who could military press 315 for reps could bench 500 or damn close to it.

[texasRUSH]

you saying this shit is in my head?   

yep..i do 315 once a week...i can usually hit 2-4 reps with it no problem...but for the sake of form deductions and this or that...(yeah people think my weaknesses is my depth) i ONLY go to 90* and no farther down because i have this tendon that rolls or *pops* during any kinda shoulder moments...especially raises...it came up when i was playing tennis in highschool.   it starts to get pretty painful towards the end, so now i dont even risk it.  and yeah...i can almost closed grip and shoulder press what i bench and it bugs me.    it really depends on how much i've eaten and how i feel after back and chest day too..sometimes touching 295 on the press is harder than usual..but if i rest two days and have eaten accordingly before i lift...yeah 2-4 reps is not a problem. and no..there's no way possible i could touch 350 on a single in the shoulder press...anything 300 or a little over feels like i'm stuck under a truck.  i could probably do a partial starting from halfway up the press to fully extended but no way full range of motion with that much. and i've never heard of partial reps for shoulders anyway... 

[bigbadwolfe]

Hey Rush if you wish send me an email i'll send you a kick ass bench workout that if you follow it you will see great gains. We will have to modify some to your specifics.
Do you compete should be my first question?
secondly do you wear gear(shirt)?
Thirdly do you have access to bands and boards?

bigbadwolfe800@yahoo.com

[texasRUSH]

email sent big guy! looking forward to hearing from ya!