Trying to up bench

An also, you gave roco advanced technique through a video? What happens when he tries this with not the right person around huh? It slips out from under his wrist an lands on his neck ?
 
An also, you gave roco advanced technique through a video? What happens when he tries this with not the right person around huh? It slips out from under his wrist an lands on his neck ?

Now youre trying to find problems? @Rocco the Dog is a GROWN man. He knows what he's doing in the gym. @Docd187123 is just helping him improve. Thats what we pay him for (not in money, in smiles, and sometimes old dirty pesos).

But to go with your line of thinking, what if Rocco is alone in the gym, trying this advance technique and a bear comes in...riding a dragon?!
 
Now youre trying to find problems? @Rocco the Dog is a GROWN man. He knows what he's doing in the gym. @Docd187123 is just helping him improve. Thats what we pay him for (not in money, in smiles, and sometimes old dirty pesos).

But to go with your line of thinking, what if Rocco is alone in the gym, trying this advance technique and a bear comes in...riding a dragon?!
I thought we were all grown men here ?But a video seriously, come on man . He already stated he might have to ask a random person to help , using this technique without proper assistance could be harmful. Not sure if your familiar with this style of bench, even the most advanced can have trouble with it .
 
An I think your trying to make it more difficult than what it is.

If you wish to choose to leave pounds behind on the bar for whatever reason you want to call it feel free. I do not and will offer every bit of advice I deem appropriate to helping a person lift more.
 
Now youre trying to find problems? @Rocco the Dog is a GROWN man. He knows what he's doing in the gym. @Docd187123 is just helping him improve. Thats what we pay him for (not in money, in smiles, and sometimes old dirty pesos).

But to go with your line of thinking, what if Rocco is alone in the gym, trying this advance technique and a bear comes in...riding a dragon?!
I'd fuck both of them,if they would let me
 
An also, you gave roco advanced technique through a video? What happens when he tries this with not the right person around huh? It slips out from under his wrist an lands on his neck ?
Thanks @freestanding for pointing out how those bastards were acting like they were helping me get stronger when in actuality they were setting me up for failure and injury. I guess I will give up these studid weight lifting thing and start collecting stamps. I don't want to get my neck crushed.
I'd fuck both of them,if they would let me
I'd let you try, but you would probably get your neck crushed.
 
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Moving heavier weight appears to be addicting.
Was going to do a heavy chest day today but there was no one around to spot me. I don't know why but I had a strange feeling I was going to slip and drop the bar on my neck. I did tri's instead. Normally I would close grip bench at 135 for 4 sets of 12. I did two sets 135x12 and then 185x10 and two sets of 225x5. Last month I would never have thought of doing this. Moving heavier weights is more then addicting. Not worrying about the scale or BF%, just eating an extra 800cals a day. I would rather see poundage go up on the bar then down on the scale.
 
Was going to do a heavy chest day today but there was no one around to spot me. I don't know why but I had a strange feeling I was going to slip and drop the bar on my neck. I did tri's instead. Normally I would close grip bench at 135 for 4 sets of 12. I did two sets 135x12 and then 185x10 and two sets of 225x5. Last month I would never have thought of doing this. Moving heavier weights is more then addicting. Not worrying about the scale or BF%, just eating an extra 800cals a day. I would rather see poundage go up on the bar then down on the scale.
I just started doing close grip tris with 225x10x5. Everything feels so much lighter these days. But, I go heavy on tris which I believe brought my bench up at the transition point. Heavy negatives if you have a spot. Deadlifts IMO bring up over all strength. I atleast go heavy once every other week..
 
Deadlifts IMO bring up over all strength. I atleast go heavy once every other week..
I did deadlifts last week and my back was fucked up since. It is about 95% today and I have not been giving it a rest. If it feels good when I wake up I will be doing deadlifts tomorrow. I plan on another week of pain
 
Saturdays chest day, weight upon waking was 226, about another pound down evethough I have up my cals 2400 to 3200 :
Flat Bench
135x5
185x3
285x1 (video)
295x1-4 First time benching 295 in about 20 years and first and second felt easier then the 185.

Incline Bench
135x12
185x8
225x6
250x4 new PR
225x6
135x15

Body weight dips
4 sets of 12

Back was still not 100% but had no discomfort benching. Would not have been able to do doubles at 285 and 295 but it did not seem as heavy as I thought it would. After watching the vid it seems like I am not doing the thing I thought I was. I don't look as tight as I thought I was. @Docd187123 , @Masters Power and @insertnamehere , could you please give me a critique. I was wondering if I am waiting too long before dropping the bar. It looks and feels like a lot of wasted energy. Also, should I add more working sets or does this seem like enough. Thanks
 
Saturdays chest day, weight upon waking was 226, about another pound down evethough I have up my cals 2400 to 3200 :
Flat Bench
135x5
185x3
285x1 (video)
295x1-4 First time benching 295 in about 20 years and first and second felt easier then the 185.

Incline Bench
135x12
185x8
225x6
250x4 new PR
225x6
135x15

Body weight dips
4 sets of 12

Back was still not 100% but had no discomfort benching. Would not have been able to do doubles at 285 and 295 but it did not seem as heavy as I thought it would. After watching the vid it seems like I am not doing the thing I thought I was. I don't look as tight as I thought I was. @Docd187123 , @Masters Power and @insertnamehere , could you please give me a critique. I was wondering if I am waiting too long before dropping the bar. It looks and feels like a lot of wasted energy. Also, should I add more working sets or does this seem like enough. Thanks


You could've been a little tighter in that video but it was still a pretty good bench. Notice how your feet and legs move a little towards lockout, the tighter you get the more you eliminate that which is just kinetic energy being lost instead of being used to press the bar. It's not a huge deal now but will be when you attempt a true max effort lift. Keep working at it like in the videos and pictures I linked you.

Your bar speed though looked fast on that 285 which is good. It means you had more pounds in you and you're still able to power through the lift. Next time you take a video, try taking it directly from the side so we can see your upper back better and also how the bar tracks.

As to the volume, if it's working for you it's fine. If it's not you'll need to figure out if you need more or less volume. As it stands now it looks good but again, it'll vary with your results. Flat bench looked good but wih incline I would do more reps and volume like 5x10 or something. You attacked intensity on flat bench doing singles so attack the incline wih volume. Maybe next week or next bench session flip it so that you do a high intensity incline session and folks it up with flat bench for reps
 
Rocco try doing an all out set dialed back in weight with your main lift for 3 weeks, each time trying to beat your prior week. In order to build a big bench it also helps to have a big rear shelf to push back into the bench. What I mean by this big shelf is your upper back. Doing lots of face pulls,seated DB power cleans, and rear delt work. These movements done for a major pump with short rest will build up the area where you jam into the bench for that upside down feeling where the distance is shorter. Lastly your going to need really strong triceps. Any thing and everything for building size and strength in the tricep muscle. I like to daily for good blood flow in my spare time to take a light band and drape it over a door way and do a fast 10-150 reps of push down and this also will help to build up the tendons. I'm not saying you are,but because many do use PEDs, one must know that PEDs grow muscles faster than tendon so we need to work the fuck out of those tendons to make sure things stay balanced. Good luck on your mission.
 
Nice lift, Rocco! Looks pretty solid to me but like Doc said, work on grounding your feet so their not dancing around.

What are you doing as far as breathing? I can't seem to pick it up from the vid.

Agree with Doc on the volume - if its working, dont fix it and consider alternating intensity and volume with flat and incline.
 
Notice how your feet and legs move a little towards lockout
like Doc said, work on grounding your feet.
I was under the impression that I should push off with my feet as I soon as the bar touches my chest? Should I apply the leg pressure to drive my ass toward my shoulders from the time I set up, when i start dropping the bar or when the bar is changing directions?
What are you doing as far as breathing? I can't seem to pick it up from vid.
I take a deep breath and hold it through out the entire movement. I told my spotter that I would give him a nod when I was ready. After I have the bar in position I take the breath. You can see in the vid that he gave me the handoff and was letting go and realized I did not give him the nod so he reaches back.

If I hit my one rep max is it possible to hit it again in 3 to 4 minutes and do 5 singles at my max? I am a 'more is better' type guy and if 5 singles at 90% is good then 5 singles at 95% must be better and 100% would be best.

I really what you guys to know how much I appreciate you taking the time to help me with this

Rocco
 
Rocco, as the others have said I don't see too much wrong with that press. Make sure your shoulders blades are retracted and sunk into the bench.

I would add a warm up single between 185 and 285 at 235. If you are truly at your 1 rm you aren't likely to hit it again in 3 or 4 minutes. I do a couple of backoff doubles at around 90% after a max single and it seems to work well.
 
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