Tatersalad
Member
I am sure this forum is flooded with these. I recently benched 370 and will try to hit 400 by end of August. Tell me all who have achieved this feat and just for fun throw your max bench out there
MESO-Rx
Anabolic Steroids
400 lb benchers
- Thread starter Tatersalad
- Start date
420x2 2 years ago. Rarely max out or anywhere near it. My best sets equate to a 450-460 according to 1RM calcs.
Tatersalad
Member
Impressive for sure
wsmwannabe
New Member
I've only hit 400 three times in my life. I have hit 403 two times (kilo plates) and 405 once. That was all about 3 years ago. If I had to guess, right now my max is about 380-390. About 2 weeks hit 335 on incline bench for an easy single. Probably could've hit 355-360, but I wasn't trying to push it too hard that day and risk injury. The weight felt easy, but something in my pec felt off.
Tatersalad
Member
Yeah you better be healthy and comfortable with that sitting on your chest. Personally I don't trust my wrists
Best benches 440x1 touch and go in the gym weighing 224lbs, 425x1 paused at a local push pull meet, and 407x1 (185kg) paused at an actual sanctioned meet.
Smolov Jr along with a lot of food and a gram of test a week got me the 440x1. Just getting to 405x1 and beyond just lots of benching in general. Usually 3-4x a week and a good amount of volume far from failure worked for me.
Smolov Jr along with a lot of food and a gram of test a week got me the 440x1. Just getting to 405x1 and beyond just lots of benching in general. Usually 3-4x a week and a good amount of volume far from failure worked for me.
425, was roughly 15 years ago!! Haven't touched a barbell press now in almost 3 years, mostly machine press, dumbbells every so often, pushups, and Smith machine press. Huge stability issue in the left tricep tendon after I detached it over 2 yrs ago
Tatersalad
Member
I do alot of my bench on smith machine. I'm alot more worried about injuries too at 47. Stability is very important to me.
Tatersalad
Member
To be totally honest I don't really even know why I max out from time to time. Might be that macho bad ass youth of 20 years ago trying to come out and play. All he would do now is get this middle aged feller hurt .
450 with comp pause at 245bw. I believe a comp paused +460 is very obtainable by end of this training cycle, especially if running a strength focused cycle. I've done paused 420 for sets of doubles several times and many sets of 405. I've done 315 for 12 before, I was proud of that one... 225 for like 24 or something?
Smolov Jr was the program that pushed me over 400 the first time. I credit the slingshot with a lot too, it gets you used to feeling +100% of your 1rm. I don't really recommend smolov unless you're cool with risking injury and/or bench is the only thing you're interested in bringing up. Good programming and avoiding injury is key... Those have always been my two setbacks.
Smolov Jr was the program that pushed me over 400 the first time. I credit the slingshot with a lot too, it gets you used to feeling +100% of your 1rm. I don't really recommend smolov unless you're cool with risking injury and/or bench is the only thing you're interested in bringing up. Good programming and avoiding injury is key... Those have always been my two setbacks.
Btcowboy
Member
I got nothing to add as I am still chasing 3 plates, just in for the comments and advice
My last run of Smolov was my most successful by far. I think the best way to run it is literally do nothing but Smolov Jr. No lower body at all and no upper body outside of just your Smolov bench sets. No cardio obviously and 8 hours sleep every night if possible. Run a decent cycle and eat as much food as you can tolerate for the duration. Like you said if bench is all you're interested in bringing up then this is the way in my opinion.
I incorporated the Slingshot with it too. Just on the last set of the 10x3 day I threw it on and added 30-50lbs. My theory was even on your last week's 10x3 sets you'd be pretty far from your theoretical 1RM and just that little Slingshot work would kind of get you adapted to handling a little heavier weight in anticipation of maxing at the end. That way maxing wasn't a total shock. Also did the 10x3 and 6x6 days back to back rather than the 8x4 and 10x3 days. Doing the two heaviest days back to back never made sense to me.
You tinkered with it at all or just run it as written? I'd like to do another run at some point and shoot for 455+. After a blast running a serious hypertrophy block focusing on triceps and other bench movers.
A ton... I was really into that program for a while. I forget most of what I did but, looking back, the thing I remember most is how insane that programming was. The volume and intensity were just turned to 11 the whole time..
The inverted juggernaut method is a probably much more reasonable approach to somewhat similar programming. I'd run it again if I was going to do a push pull meet... MAYBE.
Get your setup right for power when you lay on the bench. Upon lowering keep your elbows in, touch blow the nipples at the highest point and push up, 75% of the way up transfer the weight from your triceps to bring in more chest and lockout.
Double your tricep work, lift weight off the bench that you haven't lifted before to get used to the weight in your hands. Just press it off the bench and set it down. Take a week off before maxing out.
Double your tricep work, lift weight off the bench that you haven't lifted before to get used to the weight in your hands. Just press it off the bench and set it down. Take a week off before maxing out.
I do that when I want to increase weight for shoulders. Good idea.
cochino
New Member
Haha definitely some strong motherfuckers here. I don't bench anymore but my best was 365×1.
I think I still have a video of it floating around.
Test_Subject
New Member
I’ve had good luck doing bench 3x per week with the middle day being dedicated to close grip. Bench responds to frequency better than almost any other lift IMO.
My best bench was 405 x 3. Not sure on max because I don’t max out on bench (don’t compete).
My best bench was 405 x 3. Not sure on max because I don’t max out on bench (don’t compete).
Bork
Member
Hey bro, what kind of benching smith machine you got? I want one for squats and benching to avoid injuries. Currently I have an RML-690 and that’s working good for me with the safety spotter arms and the safety squat straps, but it feels clunky.
Tatersalad
Member
Oh I have no idea like model of it or anything like that. It's at my gym not a personal piece of equipment. I will look next time I am over there.
Bork
Member
Thanks!
