Training for Your First Bench Press Competition

Bench Press is one of the timeless tests of shear brute strength.  Entering a Bench Press competition in a Powerlifting competition is a great motivator to train and test yourself.

Rules

Check the local association's handbook for specific technical rules but here is a list of the more common basic rules that you should know.  Following these rules in your training will prevent bad surprises on the big day of the competition:

1.  Head and buttocks must stay the bench throughout the lift;

2.  Feet must stay flat on the floor throughout the lift;

3.  Spotters can help you get the bar off the rack;

4.  Referee will say "Start" when the bar is off the rack and steady at arms' length;

5.  When bar is still on chest/abdomen the Referee will say "Press";

6.  When you get it to full extension the Referee will say "Rack";

7.  Thumbs must be hooked around bar;

8.  There are specific technical rules for clothing and wraps (do your research);

9.  You can't lower the bar in the middle of your press;

10.  Typically, you will get 3 lifts several minutes apart.  Best one counts.


Training

Starting about 2 months out, really start to focus on your bench work.  You will do two Bench Press workouts per week, with at least 3 days in between to recover.  Day 1 is pure, technically-correct Bench Pressing with heavy weight.  Day 2 features lighter chest work with the exercises described below:

Floor Press

Set up the lower safety bars on the squat rack so that your arms are at approximately 90 degrees when you grasp the bar.  From there, press the bar to full extension.  Because this is not a full range of motion, it can help you work on your lockout. 

Chains

If you're lucky enough to find a pair of these chains in your gym you can use them to work on your bench press.  They just slip right onto the ends of the bar.

Benching with the chains is really cool.  When the bar is down low on your chest, there are lots of individual links resting on the floor.  As you raise the bar, with every inch or so, another link comes up off the floor, increasing the load you have to push.  The higher your bar goes, the heavier it gets.  Noisy fun.

Bands

Bands work sort of the same way as chains.  Rig up bands to some heavy dumbbells on the floor.  Loop the other end to the racked barbell.  You might have to play with different configurations to get the tension you need.

Bands will apply minimal tension when the bar is down on your chest but the higher you press, the more tension will be applied.  The dumbbells should be heavy enough that they don't move.  Band bench press is good for your lockout. 

Heavy Strict Bench Day (Day 1)

This is your heavy day when you use proper competition technique.
Get your training partners to spot you on this day if you can. 

Work on the fundamentals: 

1.  Pull shoulder blades together;

2.  Feet back tight but flat;

3.  Settle the bar for a couple of seconds on your chest;

4.  Wicked arch in your back;

5.  Pull elbows in as tight as you can;

6.  Visualize "bending the bar" toward your head;

7.  Press it up to full extension.

Nutrition

Keep your diet clean but generous.  Eat lots of complex carbs (ie oatmeal, veggies) alongside lean protein (ie chicken breast, beef).  Healthy fats also (ie nuts and seeds and cold water fish). Eat modest portions frequently through the day.  This isn't an excuse to get fat though.  There will be a weigh-in at the competition and generally the higher the weight category; the stronger your competition will be.  Protein and creatine supplements, as directed, will be fine during this program also.  Step on the scales every couple of days and wrap a measuring tape around your waist once a week to make sure that your gains are in  muscle, not fat.

Friends Don't Let Friends Skip Leg Day

Keep up with training the rest of your body while ramping-up for the bench press competition.  You may need to go a little lighter on non-bench days in order to focus your energy and recovery on your bench press progress.

Day 1 (The Heavy Day)

On Day 1, you'll do some decent warm-up sets like 3 sets of 8 with 40% of your max, then you will do one big nasty lift at approximately 90 - 102% of your max.  After that, you will do 5 sets of 3 with approximately 80 - 90% of your max.  You will go for a new max lift at Week 7 and then repeat the 7 Week cycle all over again with your new max if your competition is still in the future.  Here is a simple 7 week plan for build up for a competition:

Week 1  90% of max (1x1) then 80% of max (5x3)
Week 2  92% of max (1x1) then 82% of max (5x3)
Week 3  95% of max (1x1) then 85% of max (5x3)
Week 4  97% of max (1x1) then 90% of max (5x3)
Week 5  100% of max (1x1) then 85% of max (5x3)
Week 6  95% of max (1x1) then 85% of max (5x3)
Week 7 102% of max (1x1) then 80% of max (5x3)

Take 3-4 days off of bench work after this heavy Day 1.  Work on legs or back.  After 3-4 days you will be ready for Day 2 - the Light Chest Day:

Day 2 (Light Day)

On Day 2 you will do a good warm-up like you did on Day 1 but now you will do some other forms of bench pressing as follows:

Week 1  60% of max Floor Press (2x8)
Week 2  65% of max Chain or Band Bench Press (3x6)
Week 3  75% of max regular Bench Press (5x5)
Week 4  Incline Bench Press with Dumbbells (6x6)
Week 5  60% of max Floor Press (3x8)
Week 6  75% of max Chain/Band Bench Press (4x6)
Week 7  Incline Bench Press with Dumbbells (8x8)

The Taper

Give yourself about 4 days at least to rest and recover before the competition day.  You can you some really light maintenance work on legs or abs but rest your chest and delts and triceps before the competition.  Eat a good steady amount of carbs but go easy on salt since salt will make you retain water at the weigh-in.

Injuries

If you feel a muscle strain during your workout (feels like a sharp stabbing pain) stop immediately.  Ice the affected area as soon as possible (ice on for 5 mins, off for two mins for about 30 mins a couple of times a day for 2 days).  Rest that muscle completely for a week and then slowly get back into the training program.  Make sure you get thorough warm-ups.

LIFT IS GOOD!

Good luck Spencer

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Tom

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Happy New Year

Here's a rerun of an old post.  Still timely. Enjoy.

1.  Use that Home Fitness Gear

Ok.  You got a bunch of fitness stuff for Christmas.  What were they trying to tell you???  Never mind.  Just use it.  Even the most worthless of gear can be used for overhead presses.  Don't go gonzo and burnout by Valentines Day though.  Slow and steady.

2.  Eat Clean(er)

This is what its all about.  If you live on pizza and ice cream, you will be fat and unhealthy (sooner or later).  Even worse, you will spoil your appetite for healthy food.  Shop for fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meats like beef and chicken breast.  Avoid fast food.  All the exercise in the world will do you very little good if you go home and pig-out.

3.  Get Maximum Sleep.

Get as much sleep as possible.  Aim for 8 hours.  Discipline yourself to go to bed early.  Cut caffeine by the late afternoon.  Get your room nice and dark and cool.  Sleep is when your body repairs itself.  Most fat people are sleep-deprived.

4.  Drink Lots of Water.

Water is one of the most important nutrients used by your body.  You could easily be walking around dehydrated and not know it.  Have a big glass of water when you get up in the morning and sip water regularly throughout the day.  Even if you enjoy coffee or tea throughout the day...have some water too.

5.  Tap into the Energy

Call it jealousy.  Call it envy. Call it frustration, anger, whatever.  You can look like that.  You want to look like that.  Why not make yourself look like that?  Why should she get the all the compliments?  Why should he or she be proud of the way they look, while you're ashamed?  COMPETE!  Tap into that dark negative emotion and turn it into something good.

6.  Set Some Definitive Goals

Set a realistic goal and give yourself a deadline.  Next - figure out how you're going to get there.  Then focus on it.  Winners keep going.  Losers go home.  Be shrewd and tough on yourself.

Tom

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Fat Grips

So, I just received my new set of Fat Grips.  I bought them at Fitworks in Fredericton.  There were two sizes to choose from.  I started with the regular size.  Available also is a larger size.

Fat Grips are sold in an attractive industrial-like black plastic wrapper that urges the new owner to log-on to the Fat Grip website for tips.  The website is pretty good.

Fat Grips smell neat and are soft and pliable.  They install quickly and easily onto the handles of most exercise equipment.

They fit well to handles that are long enough.  I found a couple of cable handles in the gym that were two short to accommodate the Fat Grips.

I blasted out a few Dumbbell Arm Curls with the Fat Grips to see how they felt.  They were OK.  They were supposed to really crank my forearms.  I honestly didn't feel anything like that after a set of arm curls.  Maybe too early to tell.

I tried the Fat Grips on the bench press next.  They made for an interesting change but didn't really seem to make for more effective presses.

Then I tried the Fat Grips on the Lat Pulldown machine.  This worked better.  The pulling nature of this exercise forced my fingers to really clench onto the Fat Grips. 

I'll keep experimenting with the Fat Grips but my first experience leads me to believe that they would be most effective on pulling-type exercises.

Tom

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Benefits of Massage

 

Who doesn't love getting a good massage?  The fact that there are many tangible benefits to massage makes you feel even better about investing in this treatment.

 

 

Increased Lymphatic Return

 

Lymphatic system is sort of like the body's sewage system.  Lymph is extra-cellular fluid that would build up in your limbs and elsewhere if it didn't get re-cycled and processed.  Massage is one means of encouraging the healthy flow of lymph.



 

Combat Stress

Massage will help you to relax.  Relaxation means that you're combating stress.  Stress attacks your immune system and leaves you susceptible to illness.  Get a massage.  Relax.  Stay well.

Loosen Tight Muscles

Tight, restrictive muscles will cause painful imbalances and interfere will your everyday activities.  Those aches and pains that creep up on you may be easily remedied on a Massage Therapist's table.  One treatment can loosen a tight muscle which may be causing you a lot of pain.

Book a massage soon for all that it can do for you.

Tom

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www.brookstonemassagetherapy.com

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Bicep Training Video

Blast your biceps with this basic workout

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to my fellow Canadians.

Tom

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Classroom Workout

Sitting at a desk in a classroom can be a strain on the mind and body.  Doing a couple quick exercises once an hour will boost circulation, build muscle and relieve tension.  Here are a few good exercises that teachers can pick and choose from to get their pupils moving throughout the day.  They employ the desk a chair and for the floor-work you can use a yoga mat or some other pad.  This post is dedicated to Tressa, who is dedicated to educating your children.

Air Squats

Air Squats are a great leg and hip exercise that you can do anywhere, anytime.  Here are the cues: feet shoulder-width apart; heels glued to the floor, back straight, bum back, head up.  Squat as deep as you can comfortably go.  Return to erect position.  Do 12.  Gradually increase each day or week.

Step-Ups

 

Step-ups require stable chairs to step on to.  To perform a step-up: stand in front of the chair, lift one foot onto the seat of the chair and step-up on to the chair.  Do five step-ups on one side and then five with the other leg.  This exercise works glutes, hamstrings and quads.  Gradually increase the amount prescribed each week.

Heel Rocking
Prolonged sitting causes blood and other fluids to pool in the lower legs.  Heel Rocking works the calf muscles, forcing the blood out of the lower legs and back to the rest of the body. 

To perform Heel Rocking: start on your tip-toes then rhythmically rock back on to your heels...then back to toes.  This exercise works most of the major calf muscles, including key muscles that run along the shin-bone.

Upper Body Exercises

Add one or two upper body exercise to each mini-session.  Here are a few good ones:

Arm Circles
This is a good warm-up and exercise combined into one.  Feet shoulder-width apart.  Hands out to the sides.  Palms down.  Start with tiny circles to the front.  Slowly go bigger and bigger until arms are circling at full range.  Then reverse direction and go smaller and smaller until hands are hardly moving.

Chair Lift
If you have the space to allow participants to safely lift chairs you can use this exercise:

Chair Lift is a arm and shoulder exercise.  Feet wide apart.  Arms extended.  Slowly raise chair straight overhead then lower to bottom position.  Start with 10 and keep building over time.

Bench Dips
If your classroom has stable chairs that won't slide easily you can try Bench Dips.

Place the heels of your hands on the edge of the seat.  Feet straight out front (the farther - the harder).  If the chair wants to slide, get a partner to hold it in place then switch.  Using the power of your triceps, let your bum dip down toward the floor.  Then push straight back up. 

 

Go for 10 Bench Dips to start with.  Work your way up over time.

 

Floor Work

Time to drag out the mats.  Its time to do some cool core work.

 

Low Plank

Low Plank is an excellent exercise for abdominal muscles.  Adopt the prone position.  Place elbows on the cushy mat, right under your shoulders.  Dig your toes into the floor.  Now - pretend that a snake is trying to slither underneath you - so you have to push your body up off the floor.  Only forearms and toes should be touching the floor.  You can make the participants go up and down or up and hold for a prescribed period of time (start with 5 seconds and work your way up).

Bird Dog
This exercise is like a bird dog pointing at a pheasant.  It works several muscles on the back, shoulders and glutes.  Start on your hands and knees.

Now, raise your right leg and left arm simultaneously.  Lower them into start position.  Then raise the opposite limbs.  Do 12 in total the first time and build from there.

Bridges
This exercise is a great glute/hamstring workout.  Start on your back with heels tucked-up close to buttocks.

Now - push your hips up as far as you can.  Hold for a second and then lower.  Repeat 10 times for starters and build numbers from there.

Cardio

If you don't mind sweaty, panting students, you can get them to do a really cool exercise called Mountain Climber.  Start in the High Plank position (up position for Push-ups).  Place one foot forward.

 

Now, switch your feet back and forth.

 

Really fast...continuously.  Take a count each time a foot comes forward.

Aim for 15 Mountain Climbers the first time and progress from there.

Cool Down
If you did a challenging cardio exercise like Mountain Climber, try to follow it with a more sedate exercise in a supine position.  Here's a favourite twist on the Bridge that will fit the bill:
Single Leg Bridge

 

Start on your back like you would for the regular Bridge described above.  Now place an ankle across a knee.  Next - push your hips up.  This exercise is relaxing after the cardio routine and does a nice job of working the often-neglected muscles on the upper sides of the hip.

 

Do 10 one one side and then 10 on the other.  Everyone should be more relaxed and ready to focus on their studies after that.

 

Programming

Teachers can select one exercise to do between each class if you just have a minute or two.  If you have several minutes you can choose 2-3 leg, 2-3 arm and 2-3 core exercises.

 

Tom

 

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Kefir

Kefir is a fermented milk product.  It originated centuries ago in the Caucasus Mountain region.  It contains a huge quantity of beneficial microbes which make this food one of the best probiotics available.  I had a hard time finding kefir at the grocery store but have discovered it in the "exotic/imported" section of the grocer's cooler - near the goat milk etc.

Kefir comes in two different types of containers where I shop: the one picture at top and the one pictured just above.  It comes in plain and flavoured.  I prefer the type that is flavoured.  When you buy it in this second type of container you need to be aware of something:

The container has an interior foil seal which will be swollen outward.  This is a natural result of the fermentation process.  It is nothing to worry about.  When you get it home peel the foil off, stir with a spoon and enjoy.

Probiotics aid in digestion, which suggests that you might be able to absorb a greater amount of nutrients from other foods you are eating.  Kefir is also a good source of protein and vitamins and minerals. 

You can drink kefir like a beverage.  It tastes like...beer flavoured yogurt.  It is not like anything else.  It tastes tangy and refreshing.  It would be more economical to drink it an ounce at a time.  You will derive all the probiotic benefits from even a small quantity.  Some people put it on breakfast cereal.  It no good in coffee (trust me).

Your body craves a wide variety of different foods.  Try kefir - you might like it.

Tom

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