Well gents, I contacted Matt Reynolds via email about this article. He sent me his word doc. and
gave me the go ahead to post her up at bb.net. So if anyone wants to cut and paste this onto another website, I would hope that you'd contact him and show some respect.
Matt@keptprivate.com -> If anyone wants to know more about his personal training, contact him through the same addy, or ask me how I like it.
The key thing to look for IMO is that the most important muscles in bench press are
Triceps and
shoulders, followed by the pecs. Another reason to love powerlifting is that it combines power, speed, and repetition all within two seperate sessions.
Enjoy!
How to Dramatically Increase Your Raw Bench:
Conjugate Style
By
Matt Reynolds
As a competitive powerlifter and strongman, I put more stock into overall strength, rather than just the ability to bench press. But that said, I am often bitten by the bug to get my raw bench press up. I know that it’s pretty rare for anyone to ask you how much you squat or deadlift or how big of an atlas stone you’ve loaded. So for those of you guys who are looking to dramatically increase your raw bench and put on some good size at the same time, this article is for you. We’ll look at how Westside/ Conjugate style training can be used to accomplish those bench press goals, even if you aren’t a competitive strength athlete.
Conjugate Training
Conjugate training is a system developed in the Soviet Union that uses a variety of methods (during the same training period) in order to bring about strength increases. For example, when strength training originated, most lifters would just perform the competitive lifts over and over again. Some countries, such as Bulgaria, still use a form of this method with good success in Olympic Weightlifting. The Soviets, however, in the 1970s gave “70 highly skilled Olympic Weightlifters a system of 20-45 special exercises that were grouped into 2-4 exercises per workout and were rotated as often as necessary to make continuous progress. They soon found out that as the squat, good morning, back raise, glute/ham raise, and special pulls got stronger, so did their Olympic lifts. When asked about the system, only one lifter was satisfied with the number of special lifts; the rest wanted more to choose from. And so the conjugate method was originated” (Simmons).
Max Effort Method
“The max effort method is considered by many coaches and athletes as being the superior method of strength development. It places great demands on both intramuscular and intermuscular coordination as well as stimulating the central nervous system. These demands force the body into greater adaptation and this adaptation is what's responsible for strength gains” (Tate). “The one drawback to using this method is that you can't train with weights above 90 percent RM for much longer than three weeks before the nervous system begins to weaken. When this happens your strength will begin to diminish” (Tate). “The way to overcome this barrier is to switch the exercises used for the max effort method every one to three weeks. This keeps the body fresh so the method can be used year round” (Tate). In this program we will devote one day per week to max effort training for the bench press.
Dynamic Effort Method
The dynamic method is defined as “lifting a non-maximal load with the greatest speed possible.” When this is done, the rate of force development is dramatically improved, meaning that the time it takes you to exert your maximum force is much quicker. You’ll be faster, more explosive, and have better neural efficiency in the lift, which will allow you to break through sticking points by literally exploding the weight right through it! The weight used for the dynamic method should be around 60% of your one rep maximum, and through trial and error, it seems that for the bench press 3 reps per set is optimal. In this program we will devote one day per week to dynamic effort training for the bench press.
Repetition Method
“The repetition method, otherwise known as the bodybuilding method, is the best method for the development of muscle hypertrophy (growth). This is the method in which all supplemental and accessory exercises are trained. This method is defined as "lifting a non-maximal load to failure." It's during the fatigued state when the muscles develop maximal force. According to this method, it's only during the final lifts that, because of fatigue, the maximal number of motor units are recruited. This system of training has a great influence on the development of muscle mass which is why it's become so popular among the bodybuilding population” (Tate).
Now I will note that while I am a big Westside advocate, I have one main change to program…I believe that there needs to be more heavy gut-busting sets in the 5 rep range with the big lifts; squat, bench press, and deadlift. Many of the lifters that come to Westside are good powerlifters before they ever get there; many with a Western Periodization background or a background in bodybuilding, both of which utilize lots of sets in the 5-8 range. Therefore, when Louie convinces them to start performing max effort and dynamic effort work they get ridiculously strong, because they’ve already built the base of size and strength needed to handle that weight in their previous training. I believe that if you want to get substantially bigger and stronger then dues must be paid in the 5 rep range.
Now, it is important to note that “performing the sets to failure” does not mean that you perform the sets to absolute muscular failure using forced reps, drop sets, negatives, “burnouts,” etc. Nor does it mean to keep lifting even when your form gets flushed down the toilet from exhaustion. When you do those things, you are risking injury and making it so that you’ll never recover in time for the next training session. Instead, on repetition work, stop when your form starts to deteriorate and leave a rep or two in the tank.
In this program we will utilize all of our supplemental and accessory work on both bench days to help us increase muscle mass. Note: Because of the nature of a bench press shirt, powerlifters are handling extremely heavy weights on their max effort exercise and then usually following it up with an even heavier board press or rack lockout. – Because this program is based on raw bench improvement, there is no need to use ultra heavy high boards or rack lockouts, etc. Therefore it is important to get more volume in on the max effort exercise after a max has been completed to build both strength and hypertrophy.
Additional Conjugate Methods:
Because the very definition of the Conjugate Method states that a wide variety of methods and exercises will be used in order to raise strength, we’ll take a quick look at a few other methods that I think can improve performance in the bench press.
Isometric-Dynamic/Plyo Method:
Of all the methods of training, we probably know less about isometric work than any other method. What we do know about it is that it can help increase strength in the entire range of motion of a lift, especially if the isometric holds are followed by dynamic work. In order to really learn about this method, I suggest you read the section on isometric training in Supertraining. I do believe that this method can help dramatically in the bench press, and believe that it is best used before dynamic training on speed day by utilizing either isometric push-up holds, followed by plyo pushups, or barbell bench press holds followed by “rebound” benching, where the bar is thrown out of the hands at the top of the lift, and caught dynamically at the bottom of the lift. Isometric training can also be utilized on ME day by pushing the bar against the catch pins with max effort force for timed holds.
Dumbell/ Kettlebell Work:
Dumbell/Kettlebell work is great for GPP as well as shoulder girdle work. It is excellent for both conditioning as well as flexibility. Using them is as simple as doing some one or two arm swings to eye level both between the legs and outside the legs. Add some snatching and dynamic overhead pressing and you’re set. These can be done for using light weight and light volume as a warm-up to your training sessions, or cut down on your accessory work and do them heavier and for more volume at the end of your training sessions.
Concentric-Only Work:
Concentric-only work is excellent for extra workouts and when you are feeling beat up. The reason for this is because eccentric work has been shown to cause more damage to the muscle fibers and strain the CNS more so than concentric work. (That doesn’t necessarily make eccentric work bad, but rather we need to be careful with how we use it.) Concentric work is easy to recover from, (and can actually aid in recovery) which is great if you are feeling beat up in the first place. The best way to do upper body concentric work is with the use of the sled. Simply attach straps to the sled, add weight, and mimic the upper body movements you would normally do. Walk forward to pull the straps tight and do another rep.
Loading/Unloading
It is important to note that during training there must be occasional short periods (1-2 weeks) of extremely stressful training. During these periods intensity and volume are both raised to a point that if continued, overtraining would occur. This is called loading. Following the loading period, an unloading period of 1-4 weeks is utilized where the intensity is reduced to some degree and volume is greatly reduced. Before loading an athlete must be fully recovered and mentally ready to start the loading period. If done correctly, the athlete will be taken to the brink of overtraining during the loading period, then allowed to recover during the unloading period. The result is an incredible physical response that results in a dramatic increase in strength levels.
Form
Many people neglect their bench press form when trying to improve the lift. More times than not, the lifter will bench flat backed, elbows straight out, and either way too slow, or so fast that the bar violently bounces off their chest.
When you set up for a raw bench, it is of utmost importance that your shoulder blades are pulled together on the bench and are tight. This creates the optimal foundation for a strong push and will also allow the lats to activate properly. Arch your back as well (it doesn’t have to be a dramatic arch like many powerlifters use, but get your entire back tight – from your erectors to your traps.
Prior to the lift off, it is imperative that you take a deep breath “into your belly.” Allow the air to make your belly as big as it can be and hold that breath through any set of 3 or less reps. This does two things: one, it makes your bench stroke shorter, and two, it creates pressure and forces your body to stay tight throughout the lift. When you breathe out on a lax lift you are literally losing tightness and less force is applied to the bar.
As you bring the bar down your elbows should be at approximately a 45 degree angle to your body, and the bar must stay over the wrists and elbows. When this happens, the bar should tough on your lower chest or upper abdominals. Almost every guy in the gym benches with his elbows straight out, which puts great stress on the pecs. By tucking your elbows, the chest, shoulders, and triceps can equally share the load and your lats are also activated. The lats act as a spring. As the bar comes down, your triceps get pushed against the lats and an incredible amount of potential energy is stored. At the moment the bar is reverse your lats fire along with the chest, shoulders, and triceps, and the bar quickly gets pushed back to lockout.
As you push the weight back to lockout, push the bar back over your face and flare the elbows back out. This puts you in the greatest biomechanical advantage to complete the lift. It is in this position that both your triceps and front delts will be working together to finish the lift.
The Program
To increase your raw bench you must understand which muscles are most important for raw benching. It is not the chest or pecs as most people think, but rather the shoulders and triceps. The muscles to be worked (in order of importance) are:
1) Triceps and Shoulders
2) Chest
3) Lats, Upper back, and Rear Delts
4) Rotator Cuff: prehab
The difference between working your raw bench and working a shirted bench is that there needs to be more emphasis on shoulders and chest (including repetition work for muscle mass) and less emphasis on top end strength.
Additionally, speed work is VERY important to raw benching because rate of force development needs to be very, very fast so that you can reverse the bar quickly at the chest and build to maximum strength quickly and blow through your sticking points.
The program will utilize two days that train the bench press. One day is devoted to maximal effort training, and the other is devoted to dynamic training. On both days, hypertrophy work through the repetition method is used.
Max Effort Day:
1) Max Effort Exercise: (Rotate between exercises and work up to a one rep maximum – do a minimum of 2-3 reps at or over 90%)(Bench fast! fast eccentric=fast concentric)
- Close-grip bench press (pinkies 2 inches from rings)
- Reverse band bench press (pinkies on rings)
- Incline bench press (middle fingers on rings)
- Floor press (pinkies 1 inch from rings – pause on the floor)
- Ultra-wide bench press (index fingers outside ring on bar) for 5-7 rep max. The ultra-wides are best used on deloading weeks.
2) Rep work with the max effort exercise (choose 4x6@65%, 3x5-6@70-75%, 4x3@80% – This uses Prilepin’s Chart as a guideline for the rep work)
3) Upper Body Repetition Work (using slower, controlled reps and a full range of motion)
A.
Overhead Press: (pick one exercise)
- Standing Military (3x5-8) or Push Press (1-3rm)
- Seated Military or Dumbell Press (3x8-10)
B.
Triceps: (pick one exercise) – usually a pressing movement one week and extension movement the next
- 4-5 board press for sets of 5-10 reps
- Rolling dumbell extensions (3x10-12)
- Elbows out extensions (3x10-12)
- Skull crushers (3x10-12)
- Push downs (3x10-12)
C.
Lats: (5-6 total sets, use combinations of vertical pulls and horizontal pulls)
- Pullups (2-3 sets of failure) or Pulldowns (3x10-12)
- Heavy Barbell Rows, T-Bar Rows, Chest Supported Rows, or Hammer Strength Rows (3x8-12)
D.
Rear Delts:
- Delt raise complex (rear, side, front) 2 sets of 10 each
- Reverse pec dec flyes (2x10)
- Face-down incline reverse flyes (2x10)
E.
Rotators:
- Face-down incline external rotations, or shoulder horn (2x10-15)
F.
Biceps: (pick a curl exercise or two and knock out approximately 5 sets total.)
•
Dynamic Effort Day:
1) Isometric/ Dynamic Work:
•
Pushups off plates/box: (Hold bottom position for 10 seconds cold, then 4 explosive reps - 2 sets)
2) Speed Bench (60% of 1RM for 6-9 sets x 3 reps)
• (supersetted w/ plyo pushups off plates x 3 reps - 30 seconds between each)
3) Upper Body Repetition Work (using slower, controlled reps and a full range of motion)
A.
Overhead Press: (pick one exercise)
- Seated Military or Dumbell Press (3x8-10)
B.
Dumbell Bench Press (incline, decline, or flat) (3x10-12)
C.
Triceps Extension: (pick one exercise)
- Rolling dumbell extensions (3x10-12)
- Elbows out extensions (3x10-12)
- Skull crushers (3x10-12)
- Push downs (3x10-12)
D.
Lats: (5-6 total sets, use combinations of vertical pulls and horizontal pulls)
- Pullups (2-3 sets of failure) or Pulldowns (3x10-12)
- Heavy Barbell Rows, T-Bar Rows, Chest Supported Rows, or Hammer Strength Rows (3x8-12)
E.
Rear Delts:
- Delt raise complex (rear, side, front) (2 sets of 10 each)
- Reverse pec dec flyes (2x10)
- Face-down incline reverse flyes (2x10)
F.
Rotators:
- Face-down incline external rotations, or shoulder horn (2x10-15)
G.
Biceps: (pick a curl exercise or two and knock out approximately 5 sets total.)
Note: if you are feeling beat up, do the main exercises and DRASTICALLY cut volume on the other bodybuilding stuff.
The key to making this program a success is hard work using the max effort method (maxing out), dynamic effort method (speed work), and repetition method (heavy, gut-busting sets in the 5 rep range). The other stuff is icing on the cake and can be utilized when you are stagnating. You don’t need to utlilize isometric training, or eccentric training, or other methods every training session. Make sure the focus of your program is on the max effort, dynamic effort, and repetition methods, and the rest will fall into place.
There is no short-cut for getting big and strong. It won’t happen overnight. The guys who succeed long-term are the ones who train hard and smart for years and years. Now get in the gym and start paying your dues!
How to Increase your RAW Bench
Linear Mode
