500lbs for 5 reps deadlifts light weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

585 Raw Bench (6 plates) Chase Adams

Chase RAW Squat 605 X 5

Caleb - Squat 500 lbs x 6

500 lb squat for 5 reps 5-18-2010

1.15.2011 Jeremy Deadlift 720 and 730 Beltless.wmv

Paused Benching up to 505lbs Raw

805lbs Deadlift

Benedikt Magnusson deadlift 400kgx5 Steve Gym

4 plates for 14 5 bench

605lb squat raw no belt no wraps 5 reps drug free louie peppe

Squatting up to 640 Raw, Drug Free

Ed Coan - Quads Gym Squat Workout

Coan PL Video Workout---Deadlift

Ed Coan 810x2---1992 Symposium

one arm Deadlift 405.wmv

725 Squat NEW PR!

Fakhri Mubarak 150lbs Dumbbell Shoulder Press for 23 reps

1-27-11 bench workout 135 to 500

Rick Hussey's Big Iron Bench Day 1-24-2011

The Third-World Squat by Craig Weller

The sun wouldn't be up for another twenty minutes or so. But already the class was gathered under the feeble glow of a single streetlight, on a concrete slab that at one time had been the foundation of a building. It was now our gym.
Piled in the red, volcanic soil off to the side was a rusty stack of weights and three Olympic bars. This was our equipment. We wouldn't need them today. Today was sandbag day. Each student, at the beginning of training, had been given a sandbag to fill with gravel. One smart-ass brought his back stuffed with a pillow. There's always a smart-ass.

You know who you are.

"Listo? Abajo! Uno... Dos... Tres..." I called out the commands as my fellow instructors and I walked the rows, checking form. They were knocking out rock-bottom overhead squats with excellent technique. "Buen forma, senor."
This was the second week of training, and the first time the majority of these men had done any kind of legitimate weight training in their lives. By the third week, many of them were loading the bar with weight in excess of their own bodyweight for front squats.
If you were to grab a group of typical American gym-goers, how many of them do you think would be able to perform a strict rock-bottom squat? How many do you think would even be able to make it to parallel in an overhead squat without falling on their face?

Special Warfare Training

As a member of the SWCC community, a component of Naval Special Warfare, I've spent more time in the last few years overseas than I have in the states. I've had the opportunity to design and implement the strength and conditioning programs of small forces on three different continents. In this subculture, one's livelihood and possibly one's life — not to mention that of your friends — is heavily dependent on one's body.
Open-ocean small boat operations take a tremendous toll. Operators on 11-Meter RIBs endure impacts that can shatter vertebrae. All while wearing body armor, small arms, and night-vision goggles mounted on ballistic helmets. A weak body will eventually break.

The 11-Meter Spine-Breaker 5000.

Our training, and that of similar forces in other countries, is necessitated by this. The techniques that I've tried, tested, discarded, and eventually adopted have led to the methods that I currently use for myself and many of the men that I work with.
Back home, I also oversee the training for civilian friends and their family members. This has given me a perspective on two worlds that are in some ways quite different.

Where You're From Matters

When it comes to training someone who's new to the world of squats, deadlifts, and the fine art of picking up heavy stuff, I've found a substantial disparity in the learning curve between North Americans and those from third-world countries.
In most cases, the guy who only wears shoes when somebody makes him is going to be pulling deadlifts from the floor and squatting like a pro. While the college kid from San Diego is still working his way down on rack pulls and making a monumental effort to even hit parallel in the squat.
There are a variety of possible reasons for this, but there's one dominant variable that's a great predictor of a trainee's immediate potential before they even step foot in the gym: The third-world squat.

The third-world squat.

You'll notice that in third-world countries, there will be a lot of situations where people are hanging out or working, and rather than sitting or kneeling down, they squat. They can sit like this comfortably for hours. It seems like a simple thing and can be easily overlooked, but try it some time. The average North American adult can't even get into this position, let alone stay there for any length of time.
I first noticed the impact that this posture could have on weight room performance as a side effect. In order to effectively communicate with the host-nation men that I was training, I wanted to be able to emulate their posture. If you're having a discussion with a group of men who are squatting in a circle around a map or a meal, it's a little awkward to be the only guy who has to run around trying to find something to sit on before you can participate.
That, and I dare you to try sitting down in the grass anywhere in East Africa. They have ants down there with bites so tenacious you can use them to suture wounds. It's generally best that your feet and some good, thick boots are the only thing you have touching the ground.
The guys I work with started doing the same thing, and over time, everyone became increasingly comfortable in this squatting position.
After my guys started developing their third-world squat technique, they started to notice something: Their performance in the weight room was improving. Deadlifting off the floor with a neutral spine and squatting deep suddenly felt like second nature. Lower back pain diminished. The guys started feeling soreness in their glutes and hamstrings after workouts that previously would've only really affected their quads.

Picking Apart Your Posture

Let's compare the differences between the two postures.
The classic North American squatting down to grab something from a low shelf or play with his VCR is going to balance on his toes and shoot his knees forward. He's going to try and make the movement feel as much as possible like his natural environment, which is sitting in an office chair.

Home to many butts.

The hips and ankles are immobilized and because the force is being relegated mainly to the quads, the effect of the posterior chain is minimized. The musculature of the lower back will be overactive in order to support the weight of the upper body without much assistance from the glutes. The thoracic spine will generally be flexed forward into a kyphotic posture.
Our Swahili-speaking friend is going to keep his weight on his heels. His feet approximately shoulder width apart and pointed straight forward, with maybe a small amount of external rotation. His feet are in line with his knees, and he'll squat down placing his kneecaps neatly into his armpits. This isn't a skill that he acquired at some point, but simply one that he never lost due to a lifetime of immobility and office work.

An advanced trainee.

In this posture, the thoracic spine is neutral and can be easily extended depending on where the individual's attention is directed. The hips and ankles are able to move freely and remain mobile. The posterior chain is carrying the weight of the body, rather than the quads. When he stands, the power to do so will be generated through the glutes and hamstrings. The lumbar spine remains stable and is used primarily to transfer, rather than generate, force.

You're What You Repeatedly Do

The law of repetitive motion, popularized by Mike Robertson and Eric Cressey, comes into play here. There are countless opportunities throughout the day in which you can practice the squat and groove proper posture.
How an individual begins to go about this will depend on how immobile he or she is. This means that you'll have to assess yourself. Stop reading this right now. Get out of your chair and get as far into a third-world squat as you can. Since you're probably reading this at the office on company time and don't want to draw too many curious looks from your co-workers, just pretend to be picking up a pencil or rearranging your computer cables.

How'd that work out for ya'?

If you couldn't keep your weight off of your toes and barely got your thighs to parallel before you started tipping over backwards, you have a fairly severe degree of immobility.
If you're at this level it'll be challenging, if not impossible, to squat down with your heels on the ground. Your goal here is simply to attain this.
In order to prevent falling backwards, grab onto something sturdy in front of you, like a doorframe or a handrail. While maintaining a neutral spine (sternum high and brace those abs!) grab onto whatever's in front of you and lean back on it, pushing your butt out behind you. Keep your feet pointed fairly straight forward, and don't allow your knees to track in or out. Your weight should be on your heels. Try wiggling your toes to confirm this. Now drop your hips progressively lower.
Once you can't drop any further, hang out for a while, slowly rocking side to side and up and down. This should free up a little bit more range of motion. Try to maintain this position for about one minute. Repeat this at a minimum of once daily. Either as a part of some pre-workout mobility work, or after sitting or standing for an extended period of time.

Ditching the Training Wheels

As you progress, you'll find yourself dropping lower into the position and becoming increasingly comfortable. At some point you'll be able to drop into a shallow third-world squat without the assistance of an object to hold onto. Congrats, this is your first benchmark. At this point, you'll most likely still need to lean far forward and stick your arms out in order to balance and not tip over backwards. This will be the next set of training wheels to get rid of.
From this point, continue working on the squat at least once daily. This frequency will help ensure steady progress. One minute of holding the position will begin to feel easier, and you can either lengthen the time, or begin adding more sets. Focus on dropping deeper into the squat each day, and bringing your spine more and more vertical. Physically placing your kneecaps into your armpits will help.
Eventually you'll improve to the point that you can sit deeply in the third-world squat without holding onto anything with your arms and without any difficulty in balancing. Your spine will be nearly vertical, in a neutral position, and you'll be able to move freely. Getting into and out of this position will feel no less natural than walking up a flight of stairs or getting into your car. Your body will reap the rewards of this new level of mobility.
From here, all you have to do is maintain what you've got by utilizing the squat on a regular basis. I occasionally set my laptop on my bed and check my email while in the squat position, or drop into the squat for a few minutes while watching TV.

The Time Is Now

Don't make excuses or think about maybe getting around to it sometime; you can start this today. Next time you have to bend down to try and decipher the mess of wires behind your television, check the air pressure in your tires, or pick up your kid, pay attention to your body. Run through a few quick checkpoints in your head. Are your heels on the ground?
Every day you have a chance to either improve your posture and movement patterns, or put another check in the negative column. The effects of consciously focusing on your posture in this position will eventually add up to some serious improvements in the way your body looks, feels, and performs.

© 1998 — 2007 Testosterone, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Zach Krych Injury & Comeback

Power Unlimited

Paused Front Squats 405x1

Greg "Mutant" Doucette Raw bench press 524 lbs 2nd attempt at raw unity 4.

1-26-2011 Jim Grandick Deadlift Day Rick Hussey's Big Iron

Gordon Lake 625lb Raw Squat

Rick Hussey's Big Iron Squat 1-22-2011

Garrett Gunz Griffin Raw bench 467@196bw Raw Unity4

Gordon Lake 575lb + Avg Band Deadlift 1-24-2011

Week 16 workout #1 01 24 11

Deficit Deadlift 250kg for 5 Reps (550lbs)

Reverse Grip Bench 245x12

Kevin Frasard- Bicep Training/Progress Pictures 1-23-11

barbell rows 405x10

700lb+550lbs of band tension to 12 in box

805x1 (2 board)

definition of a cAnNiBaL...

the question remains...when someone steps to you and they stare at you...what will they see... "What will they see?? They will see a passion and intensity that they have no capability of matching"- Chris Duffin

are u a Cannibal?

are you always hungry? always wanting more? is what you do now NEVER ENOUGH? does that PRIMAL RESOLVE keep you awake at night? does the sheer might of your ARROGANT STRENGTH make others angry, fire them up, or scare them....you might be a cannibal...

i'm not talkin about humans eating humans but i am talkin in terms of the game of iron. those who see out to be something bigger than themselves. they think about it 24-7...they are the 5 percent...people who put their life around what they do cause they are the few who have the strength to do it. i'm talkin about those who are hungry session after session...day after day...all they see is what they are hungry for and when they achieve it...its not enough...they want more and go after and EAT something else. its endless motivation of a wolf to always feed cause its hunger is never satisfied. we feed off pain like we fuckin breathe. we bleed and its motivation for us to push harder. we sweat without hesitation cause going thru hell is the only way to UNLEASH hell when the time comes. 

You know what I think? I think you're fucking scared. I think you need someone to tell you what you should do, what you should think and how you should feel. I think you take comfort in someone telling you to do x, y and z. The bottom line is you don't have the balls to trust yourself. If you want to stand half a chance in this game you better grow a set and learn to have the strength to stand by your convictions. How many times have you done something because someone else does it? Why? Why are you so quick to assume that someone else knows better than you? Damn, have some faith in yourself. - THE OX

they aren't afraid to do what they need to. they don't fuckin conform to shit. they are CHAOS incarnate. just their presence alone causes a wave of shock and awe at what they do. why they do it? two reasons...one, no one else is goin to fuckin do it and two, CAUSE THEY FUCKIN CAN. ANIMALS are only there for the moment and easily satisfied. CANNIBAL is always hungry...constantly evolving...having no limits to what they do. what they do is controlled CHAOS so when the gates of hell are open, they are capable of unleashing the true bowels of hell onto those who stand before them or those who dare to watch the carnage ahead. they are NEVER SATISFIED and only get stronger. FUCK LUCK. they don't use it in training and they damn sure don't use it on the battlefield. a CANNIBAL walks into battle knowin they will be stronger and hungrier when the dust settles...

lets eat the weak and scare the strong and crush the iron- Nate Gooch

remember ROCKY 3...remember the beast CLUBBER LANG was. even though he lost...he was hungry for what he wanted and got it. his mistake was that he was in the presence of A CANNIBAL. fuckin ANIMALS GET EATEN BY CANNIBALS. remember VISION QUEST...Shute was a pure CANNIBAL. he couldn't be beaten but he sure as hell wasn't goin to be beaten unless his opponent bled first...and he did. 

CANNIBALS are amongst us. they are warriors...in pure and primal form.  they either piss off, motivate, or scare people. period. they are misunderstood and often not taken seriously at all....but they doesn't matter to them. their hunger is what keeps them awake...their senses alert...their focus razor sharp...their PRIMAL RESOLVE unbreakable.  what are they hunger for? the best. the strongest. they realize to be unstoppable...they have to constantly put themselves into hell against those who are stronger in order to be stronger so they can be the strongest. they don't give a fuck at how many wins or losses...it matters that every challenge makes them stronger and more dangerous than before. if they win, it makes them hungry knowing they take and claim heads at any time. if they lose, it makes them fuckin bloodthirsty to take 1000 heads no matter how long it takes. when they face someone who understands who they are...a fellow cannibalist, they are willing to go to war with one another...blood and sweat. why? cause they know they BOTH will be stronger and hungrier and they will fuckin do it again. they aren't intimidated by each others strength...just motivated off of how much stronger they can make them. a CANNIBAL has pure untamed RAGE. that's their strength. evoking such is a fool's game. pain and suffering await those who play. THAT'S WHEN THEY BREAK FROM THEIR CHAINS...FROM THEIR CAGED CELL to be a motherfuckin nightmare....becoming what people fear they will become. THEY EAT IRON..for breakfast...lunch..dinner...THEY EAT HATERS cause it only motivates and makes them stronger...that's what the fuck they are for...for they ARE THE WEAK.

The iron conforms to the will of my muscle while the fibers that make up my being are transformed into something more brilliant. Something sought after for so long. The day is drawing near. The day I have looked forward to with each breath. It is within sight. My body is ready for the day. My body is ready for the day of judgement.- Joshua Sarge

a CANNIBAL will fear NO WEIGHT...no number of weight on the bar...no placing...no nuthin will judge them. the only thing they are judged on is how much pain, suffering, blood and sweat they are will to endure as their hunger grows daily. They are will to do shit outside of what others do to acheive what others CAN'T become. they do today what many CAN'T DO so tomorrow they will BECOME what they AREN'T. the strong fear them. their strength is ferocious and arrogant in nature and untamed. no words are necessary. just the might of the RAGE is enough to move mountains without any fuckin effort. at the end of the day, you will speak that CANNIBAL's name. the haters hate them because who they are. so what? they talk of things they can't do...are too scared to do. when a CANNIBAL comes face to face with a hater...they are really face to face someone who fear them. a fuckin nightmare. so they laugh at their petty rules and judgments. true judgment comes to the one who faces the wrath of hell from THE CANNIBAL. period. a Cannibal aims to wreak chaos everywhere they go...why? BECAUSE THEY FUCKIN CAN. they are pure villians. they know what they do isn't heroic. people remember the fuckin monsters in movies...more than the heroes. they have the PRIMAL RESOLVE to do he unthinkable without question. why? BECAUSE THEY FUCKIN CAN! they face the PRIMAL RESOLVE, passion and intensity of a CANNIBAL that no mere mortal man can EVER HOPE to challenge nor match. their fangs drip with blood of those that challenged them...their eyes burn with hell and hunger that make men piss in their fuckin pants. they don't issue idle threats...just severe and devastating predictions. the more they sweat and bleed in training...the more they make others bleed and sweat in battle..cause to slay a CANNIBAL they will have to bleed and suffer first. WARRIORS go to battle as cannibals...animals with unbridled hunger...to not just survive but to be THE STRONGEST. even amongst is CANNIBAL BROTHERS...cause those who understand what a CANNIBAL is...DON'T fear themselves rather hunger for their challenge...those who don't understand what a CANNIBAL is...fear CANNIBALS they fear they will be next on their list cause they know...A CANNIBAL must eat, eat, eat, to evolve...if its a record, they will eat it. if its a title, they will eat it. if its a PR, they will eat it. no mere mortal can stand against the hunger and might of a cannibal...and hope to survive...

so...are u a CaNnIbAl?

TB

Ironman Week 3.m4v

back squats 315x18 tut

Eric Lilliebridge- 705 x 5 squat, belt & wraps PR

Squats 135x100

Ben Brand 500x7 close grip

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Ben Brand benching

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

2x20kg one hand pinch plus 7.5kg of chain

ST Bench 1 21 11

No Limit


by Ox





Every time we step foot in the gym we maintain an inner dialogue. We ask ourselves what the routine should look like, what exercises we should do and in what order. But more specifically, and arguably more importantly, we're forced to determine when to stop… When do we stop adding weight and when do we stop the reps. At first glance, I'd look at it and say it's pretty simple because you only stop when you can't do anymore. You do as much weight as you can for as many reps as you can, and then you stop. However, we really plan this shit out. We go into a training session with a plan on doing so many exercises and sets per exercises, blah fucking blah. We all imagine going into the gym and breaking through barriers. We wanna make progress; that's all we're in it for. That's what keeps us going.

What if the next time you walked into the gym you just said “Fuck it”, and got rid of all the structure? No more counting reps, no more minimum or maximum numbers of sets. Maybe it's back day and all you want to do is deadlift. Is it wrong to do 10 sets of deads and walk out the door? Maybe it's just opposite and you feel like having a fucking field day and doing 7 different exercises. Maybe a superset here or a drop set there. Just do whatever the fuck you want. No rules. You go when you wanna go and you stop when you wanna stop. That is assuming you trust yourself to have the balls and the drive to never let it be anything less than sufficient.

You know what I think? I think you're fucking scared. I think you need someone to tell you what you should do, what you should think and how you should feel. I think you take comfort in someone telling you to do x, y and z. The bottom line is you don't have the balls to trust yourself. If you want to stand half a chance in this game you better grow a set and learn to have the strength to stand by your convictions. How many times have you done something because someone else does it? Why? Why are you so quick to assume that someone else knows better than you? Damn, have some faith in yourself.

Have you ever felt like you cheated yourself because you were too rigid? You can't tell me that you've never stopped at four sets on one exercise even though deep down you felt like you were just getting into it. Instead of doing more, you moved on. In the same regard, I've seen guys stop at a certain number of reps. Why the fuck would you do that? You could get 14 but you stopped at 12 because you read that the optimal rep range for muscle building is 8-12. C'mon man, get serious.

Instead of going into a training session with all of your exercises, sets and reps predetermined, why don't you do something different? How can you expect to break new ground and smash through barriers when you yourself are continuously putting up new barriers? Stop restricting yourself to certain types and volumes of exercises. Do as many sets of an exercise as you feel are appropriate. Also, if you are physically able to do another rep, you better fucking do it.

In the 1973 movie “Magnum Force,” Clint Eastwood stars as Dirty Harry Callahan, a hard-ass San Francisco police inspector. Harry encounters a lot of pressure from his superiors in response to his stop at nothing tactics, which are viewed as less than conventional, but never fail to get the job done. Harry and his superior, Lieutenant Briggs share the following dialogue:

Harry Callahan: Well, I just work for the city, Briggs.
Lieutenant Briggs: So do I, longer than you, and I never had to take my gun out of its holster once. I'm proud of that.
Harry Callahan: Well, you're a good man, Lieutenant. A good man always knows his limitations...

If you watch the scene, you will see that Harry's comment was a dig. What he was really saying was that the lieutenant never had the balls to do what was necessary to get the job done. It was evident by Harry's ruthless style and win at all costs mentality that he disregarded any thought of limitations.

My question to you is this: How can you ever expect to achieve shit when you've been saying from the start what you're not going to do? Know your limitations? To even consider it is to have two strikes against you. You can't expect to go further than everyone else when you set limits for yourself.

1-20-11 bench

Back Training 1-20-11

Deficit Romanian Deadlifts 295x5

barbell rows 505x5x5

Bench 1 17 2011 HD

Eric Lilliebridge- 510lbs raw close grip bench 1-19-11

Branch Warren: Feb 18 - Chest workout (part3)

Branch Warren: Feb 18 - Chest workout (part1)

Branch Warren: Feb 18 - Chest workout (part2)

Stan Efferding: The world's strongest bodybuilder

Narbeh Massehians 675 raw dead

Super Training Deads and Squats 1 18 11

Good Mornings 365x4

585x3 RAW Squat

Front Squat Form Check 405x1

Jim Grandick 1-19-2011 Deadlifts

J-F Caron deadlift

Christian savoie 800 lb deadlift

Franky Boneau 750 deadlift

charlie lyons 585x4 deads

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Sumo Deadlifts Form Check

5 5 plates for 8 hammer strength

LegsJan17.wmv

Greg Doucette Mutant Raged an easy 510 for 2 paused bench 6 days out fr...

Kevin Frasard Clips From 1-18-11

iFORCE Videos - Dusty Hanshaw Training Compilation

iFORCEVideos - Dusty's 2010 USA Abs Routine

1-17-11 Box Squats

235kg (518lbs) Squat (4 Reps)

So You Think You Can Squat Part 2

Bench Press 365 lbs for 8 Reps

So You Think You Can Squat Part 1

Max Misch - Gym - 01.17.11

Ken McQueen Deadlifting 600 Raw

Overhead Tricep Extension Superset w/Press 235 lbs for 4 Reps

Get Wide! By Steve Pulcinella FROM elitefts.com

Published: January 6, 2011

Call me old school, but what is it with kids these days? They come into my gym and all they want to do is get “cut” and have a “six pack.” I tell them, “The beer distributor is down the street if you want a six pack. Pick one up for me while you’re there! This here is a gym, boy, and in my book a gym is where you get bigger and stronger!”

Back in my younger days of lifting I wanted to be BIG; the bigger the better. Thick chest, tree-trunk thighs, WIDE shoulders, and a massive back were absolute musts. Nothing would stop me until I had attained hugeness. From the start I admired lifters like Doug Young, Bill Kazmaier, Pisarenko, and Rachmanov as well as bodybuilders like Arnold, Lou Ferrigno, and Pete Grymkowski. These guys could walk the walk and everybody gave them a wide berth. You really had no choice because they were all at least a yard wide.

I was pretty lucky when I first started lifting weights because my early influences came from Bob Hoffman’sStrength and Health magazine, a publication that emphasized Olympic lifting. The reason I got that magazine was because it was the only muscle magazine that was sold at the drug store near my house. My brother and I used to get it every month and I always admired the physiques of the Olympic lifters of that era. There were no articles on how to lower your bodyfat or anything about posing. Strength and Health showed you just good old fashioned basic workouts with heavy weights. Maybe if that store would have carried Muscle and Fitness I would be writing about tanning and oiling right now… who knows?

From those humble beginnings I started to grow bigger, stronger, and most of all wider. I became known in my neighborhood as the “muscle guy.” Because of the limited amount of equipment I had, I was forced me to do only very basic movements. We had a 400lb York Olympic set, a set of squat racks, a rickety bench, and a bar mounted to the basement rafters that I would use to do pullups. Fortunately, those basic movements happened to be the best lifts that a kid could do. I did tons of cleans, squats, rows, and pull-ups, which are pretty much the basics of my “get wide” program that I’ll outline in this article.

Stick to the basics and get wide like Steve.

Before I outline the program we have to talk about one thing. Some guys are lucky to be born with naturally wide shoulder girdles, and some aren’t. Back in the 40’s and the 50’s, Steve Reeves used to do deadlifts with his hands grasping the edges of the 45lb plates, thinking the weight and the extreme wide grip would pull his shoulders apart and therefore giving him a wider shoulder width. Whether or not that worked, I really can’t say. I guess if breathing squats and pullovers can expand the rib cage then maybe the super-wide-grip deads worked for Reeves. I wouldn’t suggest trying it though. One thing I can say is that even if you were born with narrow shoulders you can make a huge difference by slapping on some muscle on your lats and shoulders.

Here is the plan I have come up with to really work specifically to make a person as wide as a barn door. If you give this workout time and extreme effort it will work for you. This program will take the place of your regular back and shoulder workouts.

GET WIDE PROGRAM

Snatch Grip High Pulls- Pull the weight from the floor to the thighs with a grip that you would use to do a snatch. Give a little dip with your back straight and then explosively pull the bar up using the traps and some arm bend at the top. I would like to see the bar go to at least lower chest height. Keep the elbows high and always wear straps so that you can use more weight. After warm-ups I would like you to get five good sets of three reps.

Bent Over Rows- I’m talking about real bent over rows with your back flat and close to parallel to the floor. I hate these newfangled bullshit rows that I keep seeing in the gym where people stand almost straight up and drag the bar up their legs with a two-inch stroke. You should warmed up enough to go right into four good sets of ten reps. Use straps for better grip on the bar.

Pullups- Yes, just like in gym class. You don’t have to take a super wide grip; a shoulder-width grip will do fine. Do them with your palms facing away from you. Bang out four sets of as many as you can. If you’re getting more than fifteen reps, start using added weight. The main key on these is to go all the way down and get that stretch in your lats.

Close Grip Pulldowns With V-Bar or Palms Towards You- This will stretch out the lats and work them at their widest part. Again, four sets of ten reps, wearing straps.

Press Behind Neck- This will directly hit the main part of the deltoid. After warm-ups, hit four heavy sets and do five to eight reps.

Dumbbell Side Raises- These isolate the side head of the deltoids and cap off the shoulders, but you already knew that. If you bust your ass on these you will look like you have bowling balls under your shirt. Four sets of ten reps will do. You don’t have to be super strict with these. It’s ok to start out with good form but don’t worry if you start swinging the weights at the end of the set.

Remember, the one key element in any workout is you. Any program (within reason) will get you bigger and stronger if you work hard enough. If you train your ass off in the gym over a long period of time it will always pay off. Having fun buying all new shirts!

doubled minis and doubled monster minis + 380x8, 450x8

Iron Sport Gym's Planet Fitness response

Rick Hussey's Big Iron Gym Squat Day 1-15-2011

1/16/11 week 2 training for the arnold

Nate Glines TUT back squats 315x17

G Diesel Squats 445 x 1, 475 x 1 Greg Long's Gym 1/15/11

The Reintroduction of J.L. Holdsworth, and the Introduction of the FIVE PERCENT By J.L. Holdsworth

The Reintroduction of J.L. Holdsworth, and the Introduction of the FIVE PERCENT

By J.L. Holdsworth

For www.EliteFTS.com

 

Hello Everyone! My name is J.L. Holdsworth and I’m an asshole. I tried to fight it, but at the end of the day you just have to know who you are and embrace it. Some people love me for it and others hate me for it, but no matter where you fall, you’ll always be entertained. I used to think I didn’t want to be known as the guy who didn’t give a fuck, but then I realized, I don’t give a fuck. Some of you may remember me from my training logs on EliteFTS, and I may have slept with some of you (Jim), but others have no idea who I am, so I’ll give you some background.

I’m from a small town in Michigan. I actually grew up with Josh McMillan (the newest member of Team EliteFTS), and I went to college with Kroc. Yes, there was test in the water where we come from. My athletic career started young with wrestling, and in high school I placed second (first loser) in the state. I played college football (fullback) at a Division II school, Ferris State University, and transferred to Wayne State University in Detroit, where I finished my degree in Exercise Science with a specialization in Nutrition and Fitness.

After college I was an assistant strength coach at Wayne State and then at the University of Kentucky. This is when I first met Jim, and immediately I didn’t like him. I was Olympic lifting at the time, and since he was powerlifting the “Westside” way (ie: he thought Louie was God), he thought I was gay for Olympic lifting. After talking to Jim, I decided that powerlifters seemed like my kind of people, so I started training for a meet. This is when I was first introduced to what it means to be in the FIVE percent.

While following the FIVE percent principles, I managed to become one of the top 275 pound powerlifters in the world in only four powerlifting meets. I had a best squat of 905, a 775 bench and an 804 deadlift, with a 2435 pound total. While training for my first WPO meet, I herniated my L5/S1 disc. Along with my stenosis, this caused some serious pain and problems.  While injured, I managed to fuck up the “pull and pray” method (apparently the injury slowed the pull), and now I have a wonderful little three year-old boy named Charlie and an ex-wife whose name is not important.  At least she was hot, and that is important.

You’re probably wondering, “What is this FIVE percent, and why is JL such an asshole?”  Well, you’re at least about to get the answer to one of those questions. The FIVE percent is that group of elite athletes and champions that sacrifice much and have the discipline of many. I belonged to that FIVE percent when I left my career as a collegiate strength coach and moved to Columbus to train at Westside after only doing one meet (in which I beat Dave and Jim).  The FIVE percent guided me as I set my work schedule up around when I was going to train, eat and sleep. These are the types of things it takes to be in the FIVE percent. So if you’re sitting there reading this article wondering why I’m writing for ELITE again, it’s because I’m rejoining the FIVE percent. 

In next month’s article, I’ll detail what exactly the FIVE percent attitude and principles are. I will also go over my powerlifting and bodybuilding goals (yes, bodybuilding... stay tuned for that one). This journey to get back in the FIVE percent should be an interesting one, and one that’s hopefully filled with much success and, I’m sure, a few failures.  I encourage you to follow my journey and embark on one of your own because “will is the one thing no one can take from us and the quality with which all great things are accomplished.” I made that shit up, but feel free to steal it. Talk to you next month bitches.

Orlando Barbell, Our Home is Your Home.

Posing/Practicing 1-16-11

Sam and Kevin Chest Training(cable work) 1-17-11

Rodney Raw Power Roller Bench Press Tip of the Month

Jonathan Greenwood Squats 405x22 (not legal depth)

Nate Glines barbell rows 495x5

700 lbs 317 5kgs RAW Sumo Deadlift

Chad Smith 700lb Raw Squat 218lb body weight 2010 NASA Natural Nationals

Kevin- Front Squat 365 For a Double

nate glines db bench 135'sx9 chest 001

Week 14 workout #4 01 15 11

jonathan greenwood cambered deadlifts 600x7, front presses 275x8

Interview with Strongman Nick 'atlas' Brewer at Londons strongest man ...

The Strength Shop 63, more barbell training

Kevin Frasard- T-Bar Row 8 Plates Plus a Quarter For 15 Reps

Rex Hubbard 410 Pound Fat Bar Bench

G Diesel 415 x 1 Flat Bench 315 x 10 Floor Presses

Kevin Frasard Delts 1-6-11

Mark Mazurek 805 x 18 shrugs

Mark Mazurek Shrugs 805 x 20 reps (NO STRAPS)

Luke Edwards Circa Max Week 2

Low box squats: 715 paused

Kevin Frasard- 1-10-11 PR Squats 555x1 565x1

Ryan Johnson 635 Raw dead

120kgx5 strict seated press

G Diesel 405 x 2 Bench 1/7/11

Tom Kemble Sportpharma Athlete Deadlift 430x8 12/8/10

T. Kemble bench opener 1/13/11 SPORTPHARMA

Squat/Military Training Week of 12/11

Max Misch - Gym - 01.10.11

Max Misch - Gym - 01.12.11

537 lbs One hand deadlift

Bobby Fields 800 Pound Bench Press

004.MPG

600lb Deadlift miss

Super Heavyweight BodyBuilder Ryan Watson: Offseason Chest Training

Super Heavyweight Bodybuilder Ryan Watson Offseason Lower Body Training

my back vs derek poundstone's back

yup i got a lot of work to do...but this is motivation for me more than ever...
TB

320 lb raw deadlift @130 lb BW

2brd bands and chains

Tom Mutaffis - Strongman Training

Zach Even - Esh Underground Strength Training Montage

500x20 deadlift Vince Urbank

tank deadlift training

The Yoke By Jim Wendler For www.EliteFTS.com

 

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The importance of the yoke was brought to my attention when I was a junior at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, Illinois. I was sitting in English class when Alison Kopec, who was sitting directly behind me, grabbed my traps, gave them a thorough rubbing and complimented me on their size. She did so with a certain amount of sexiness and purpose that whispered, “Let’s get it on.” This is when I realized that having a big yoke could potentially lead to some dirty carnality. It never did, but I haven’t won the lottery either, and I’m still playing. From then on, I’ve been a proponent of building a massive yoke. But it wasn’t until later that the term, “yoke” would become part of the EFS vernacular.

Fast forward 14 years. Dave and I are getting measured for dress shirts. I’m about to get married and neither of us have a shirt to wear. Nothing fits off of the shelf so we bring someone to the EFS Compound to measure us. As the guy is measuring us, we notice that one measurement involves going from shoulder to shoulder, with the tape measure being brought over the traps. He mentions that this measurement is the “yoke”. Dave and I compare measurements and I’m happy to say that I came out WAY on top. It was such a crushing defeat that we had to console Dave for a week. It was not an enjoyable week at the Compound, but I was secretly smiling. I was King Yoke @ EFS.

What is the yoke?

The yoke is comprised of several different muscles, none of which I know the technical names of. So to save face and to speak the language of most of my constituents, the yoke is the traps, rear delts and the neck. Of course the traps are the most popular faction of the yoke, but it cannot survive without the neck and the rear delts. They must co-exist.

So why would you want to big a yoke?

Besides the possibility of a large yoke getting you some nighttime nummsies (which should be enough to convince any man), the yoke is the basis on which you will be judged. This may seem like a harsh statement, but let’s face the facts. We live in a society that judges on physical appearance. Having big legs is ok, but no one notices. Big arms make you seem too narcissistic. A big chest makes you look like Captain UpperBody; a superhero no one wants to dress up like during Halloween. So that leaves the yoke as the essential body part to develop.

I have said this a million times before; a big yoke = instant respect. No one wants to screw with a guy that has a big neck and a thick yoke. A massive yoke smells of hard work, strength, fighting and toughness. Every other muscle can be small if a big yoke is present.

So here are my rules to a big yoke. And to the doubters here is a picture of me and my yoke. This was taken right after prom. Aren’t we cute?

Yoke Rule #1 – Train Heavy

The history behind the development of the yoke started in the 8th grade. This is when I started to train. I didn’t know how to train but I did train heavy. This is the key component of being beefy. You cannot big a thick, impressive yoke handling weights that would be called “pink” if they were a color. Your training has to revolve around heavy squats, benches, and deadlifts. This is nothing that hasn’t been said before, but should always be reiterated. This is the most important rule if you want to go to Yoke State University.

Yoke Rule #2 – Deadlift

If you were to put me on a deserted island and allowed me to do one exercise, I would pick the deadlift. Also, since I suck at the deadlift no one would see how bad I was at it. No other lift works more muscles than the deadlift. The irony is that few people do this lift and when they do, it’s “for reps” or for “form work” so they don‘t hurt their back. These terms are code for “pussy”. Yes, I did just say that, but let’s be honest and call a spade a spade. So you must pull and you must pull heavy.

Yoke Rule #3 – Hang Cleans/Snatches

I know some people aren’t keen on the Olympic lifts, but they are gold when developing the yoke. While the Power Clean/Power Snatch are OK, the “hang” versions are much better. This is because most people will use more upper body when doing hang cleans or hang snatches. I recommend doing them one time a week, for 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps. Don’t be afraid to use straps. The Olympic lifts were a big part of my program for a number of years and I credit them for building the foundation of a proper Yoke. Don’t be afraid to try clean grip snatches.

Yoke Rule #4 – Neck work

I’m a card carrying member of the Neckwork Network. I think every man should be doing neck work, regardless of sport. No one wants to have a stack of dimes holding their head in place. It’s embarrassing. As for exercises, I’m not a big fan of neck bridges as they seem unsafe and every time I see someone doing them I have this intense urge to kick their heads out from underneath them. Since I know I’m not the only that thinks like that, I’ll play it safe and stick to the neck harness and the 4 way neck machine. Now let me bestow some wisdom on you; don’t try to max out on these exercises. I tried putting a 100lb dumbbell on the neck harness and after a couple of reps, felt an intense pain in my neck. Not a good thing. When training the neck, either with the neck harness or the 4 way neck machine, stick to higher reps – 10-30 reps. I like to do neck work after each workout. When I was lugging the pigskin for University of Arizona, I would 2 sets of neck work every morning and 2 sets before I went to bed. I put my neck harness beside my bed as a constant reminder. I did sets of 30 reps. Bottom line; do some neck work or be doomed to a life of buying off the shelf.

Yoke Rule #5 – Shrugs

Shrugs are the most common and popular yoke exercise and for good reason. They are easy to do and they work. I have done my fair share of shrug variations and found that each one of them is unique and special. Here are some of my favorites –

 

• Barbell Shrugs
• DB Shrugs
• Trap Bar Shrugs
• Fat Bar Shrugs
• Power Squat Shrugs
• Safety Squat Bar Shrugs
• Chest Supported Row Shrugs
• Power Shrugs

The key to doing the shrugs (as with all exercises) is to maintain good form. Reps should fall between 6-20. Don’t be afraid to do some high reps with them.

Yoke Rule #6 – Upright Rows

Now I know some people laugh at this one, but they are weak and pathetic, so pay no mind to their chuckles. Up rows were a staple of my training for many years and I recently brought them back. After a recent up row session, my wife commented on the new growth of my traps so I know these work. I don’t like doing these too heavy as they hurt my shoulder sometimes and my form goes in the dumper. These are done for higher reps; 10-15.

Complicated By Justin Harris For www.EliteFTS.com

This article originally appeared as an EliteFTS.com Q&A here

Recently on the Q&A, someone asked me about my thoughts on tweaking the DC training program. He was having some difficulties getting his numbers up but was worried about not following the program to the letter. While I answer questions like this all the time, this one got me thinking about how unnecessarily complicated people make training out to be. And ironically, it was this exact same thing that started a miscommunication between my and the originator of DC training. We’re good friends now, but we started off on the wrong foot because of a misunderstanding. I’ll tell the story and hopefully answer the question in the process.

Around 2001, DC training was first being written about online. Dante (the originator) never intended to release a training “program.” He replied on a training forum about why people don’t grow at the rate they want to, and the thread eventually grew to over 1000 pages.

Early on, when DC training was starting to grow in popularity, someone asked a bunch of really tedious, insignificant questions about little things like “where do you place your elbows when doing triceps press downs if the bar is two inches wider than the one you usually use?” My response was something along the lines of “Jeezus, it’s just weight lifting! Why does everyone have to make it so ridiculously complicated? It’s not rocket science. You lift hard, get stronger, eat more, and then grow. That’s all there is to it!”

Dante took it as a knock against his routine. That was all wrong. I was praising his routine because it isn’t rocket science. At its core, his routine is train harder, get stronger, eat more. The only response to that is for your muscles to get bigger.

I’ve trained with many top people over the years. I’ve literally trained with the strongest people on earth. I’ve trained with and competed with the best bodybuilders on earth. I’ve had discussions about their training, diet, and supplements. I have the actual printouts of all the “secret” supplement protocols that the top bodybuilders use. I know all the “secret” cycles that the strongest people in the world do before a meet. In all the time I’ve spent with those people, I don’t think I’ve ever talked about minute training details.

The one thing they all have in common is they don’t focus on the little details. They focus on going to the gym and lifting as heavy and hard as they can. They take pride in losing training partners on a weekly basis. They take pride in making sure “the new guy” doesn’t make it through his first squat session.

I’ve trained with Dante himself on multiple occasions. We even have some videos of it on YouTube. He’s a big dude. He’s always near 300 lbs and he isn’t fat by any means. Want to know how planned out our training sessions are? We decide what exercise to do about two minutes before we do it. Then whatever exercise we use, we make sure we do whatever it takes to get better, whether it be an extra rep on the first set of the rest pause, adding an extra 5-lb plate, holding the last rep’s negative a few seconds longer, or anything else that allows us to go to the log book and write down a new personal record next to that particular exercise.

Hard work is what pays off. The only thing you should ever really worry about is if you’re working hard enough. I’ve talked about this with many people over the years, but there is a very definite contrast in conversation between the “top guys” and the “local competitors.” Whenever I’ve spoken with a group of up and comers—the local guys just starting to do competitions—the conversation always revolves around the “secret” cycles, the exotic compounds, the rare products, the combination of supplements that only the “top guys” must know about. That’s always what the conversation turns to.

Whenever I’ve talked to the “top guys” in bodybuilding or powerlifting, the discussion is never about rare compounds or exotic products. It’s always about eating—how much, how often, what to eat, when, the time they spent $120 on breakfast at Bob Evans. That’s the difference. When I talk to Matt Kroc, we talk about food. After we talk about what to eat to get bigger, we talk about what training partner threw up after squats or deadlifts.

When a I meet a local guy at a show or at the gym, they never ask about food. It’s always about some exotic compound. The funny thing is nine times out of 10, I’ve never ever heard about the “magic” compound they’re talking about. I’m sure most of the top guys in the sport haven’t either probably because they were either in the process of chewing a big chunk of steak or their ears were ringing from the set of deadlifts they just finished.

As owner of Troponin Nutrition and the reigning Jr. USA Super Heavyweight bodybuilding champion, Justin Harris has helped hundreds of athletes with individualized, sport specific diet and nutrition planning. His writing on nutrition and performance has been spotlighted in publications including Muscular Development and Ironman magazine and he has been featured on the cover of numerous others.

Chains and Bands By: Louie Simmons

There are many keys to success, but two invaluable ones are accelerating strength training and accommodating resistance by add-ing chains or bands or sometimes both.
Chains and bands are used in all of our training, be it the dynamic method for speed strength and acceleration or the maximum effort day to develop absolute strength.
In the bench press, bands and chains have helped 17 of our lifters achieve 550 or more and 7 lifters have done 600 or more. When I talk about bench training, I am referring to my lifters with a 550 bench or better; that's who we experiment with.
On speed day for the bench, while doing the 8-10 sets of 3 reps, the chains are attached in the following manner. Loop a 1/4-inch-link chain with a hook around the bar sleeve to regulate the height of the 5/8-inch-link chain (5 feet long). Run the 5/8 chain through the metal loop and adjust it so that half of the 5/8 chain is lying on the floor while the bars in the rack. Use 60% of a no-shirt max on the bar. For example, if your max is 500, put 300 pounds on the bar. When the bar is on your chest, only the weight of the bar should be on your chest; that is, all the 5/8 chain should be on the floor.
If your best bench is 250 pounds or less, use one pair of 1/2-inch-link chains; these weigh 23 pounds a set, so you are locking out an extra 11.5 pounds. A 350 or more bencher should use one pair of 5/ 8-inch-link chain. By doing this, you will be locking out an extra 20 pounds. (They weigh 20 pounds each, but half is on the floor at lockout.) A 500 pound bencher can use both the 5/8 and 1/2 inch chains for a combined added weight of 31 pounds. A 600 bencher uses two 5/8 chains and sometimes adds a 1/2 inch chain, for 40 or 51 added pounds at lock-out.
You can experiment on your own, but remember this process is to build bar speed and acceleration. It also teaches you to launch the bar off your chest. A special note: Lower the bar fast and try to catch and reverse the weight as fast as possible. Never pause.
On max effort day, warm up to 315, then do a single. Next, add a 5/8 inch chain on each side and do a single. On the next set, use two sets of chain, then three sets, and so forth. This is similar to how a bench shirt works: the weight is less at the bottom and much greater at the top. The chains build not only acceleration but also a fast start and a strong lock-out.
For floor pressing, simply drape the 5/8 inch chain over the sleeve of the bar and you're ready. J.M. Blakley and George Halbert do a lot of floor presses like this. George will use 200 pounds of chain (5 sets of chain) and works up to a single. His best at a bodyweight of 220 is 440 plus 200 pounds of chain, which is 640 at the top.
J.M. uses a different combination of weight and chains. ,J.M.s best is 400 pounds on the bar with 7 sets of chains, for a combined weight of 680 at lockout. Try any weight-to-chain ratio. Feel free to experiment. A cambered bar can be used as well.
These are a few methods to add to your max effort day.
Bands are a little tough for some on speed day because of the added eccentric properties they create. Also the weight resistance is much more radical at different positions:
much less at the bottom, but much greater at the top. Remember, the bands are literally pulling down on you.
There are three bands with different strengths: pink is the least strong, for 300 pound benchers and below; green for 300-450 pound benchers; and blue for 500 pound benchers and above (shirtless max).
When using bands, be careful not to overdue it. The bands produce a large amount of eccentric overloading and can cause exces-sive soreness, but they are more than worth it. They build the lockout as well as the start. One realizes very fast that you have to outrun the bands, so you develop a fast start to enable you to lock out a heavy weight.
The most popular methods us-ing the bands are as follows. On max effort day, do board presses with four 2 x 6’s. Loop the bands through the bottom supports of the bench and then around the sleeve of the bar. When using four boards, the tension is never released. Be-cause of this, a quick start is impossible and locking out a heavyweight is really tough. To make it even tougher, use a cambered bar. ‘J.M. presses’ with bands are very popular at Westside. To make it as tough as possible, use several bands. Lower the bar straight down, aiming between the nipples and chin, stop 4-5 inches off the chest, and press back up. Use a close grip.
Bands and chains are often used for triceps extensions. This will radically change the strength curve of the movement by accommodating resistance (lifts are usually easier at the top).
A Westside supporter who con-stantly bugs me with some of the craziest ideas actually came up with an exercise that really works. So thanks to Doug Ebert for the follow-ing band exercise. Attach a blue band to the bar and start with 95 or 135 pounds because this is tough. Then take a pink or green band, depending on your strength, twist it once, and place it around your upper back so the tension is pulling back your hands. Now lie down on the bench, stretch the band to grab the bar, and start benching. This ‘double’ tension is unreal.
Also try the ‘lightened’ method, recommended by Carl of Jump-Stretch. Attach a set of blue bands to the top of the power rack with a slip knot. Load the bar to 135. It should be almost weightless at the chest. This way you can bench 135 pounds more than normal. This builds tremendous power at lockout, which is perfect for bench shirts.
Bands and chains have helped to increase our list of 550 benchers at Westside to 17. George Halbert recently benched 688 at 235 to capture the world record at 242. George also holds the 220 world record. Only two people can claim to hold a world record bench in two weight classes: George Halbert and Dave Waterman.
Now on to squatting. With an army of 800+ squatters, 22 to be exact, when we experiment and establish results, they are sound and proven. We also have a 755 squat-ter at 165 and a 782 squatter at 181. They all use chains and bands. Here's how.
First use a set of 1/4-inch-link chains that attach to the bar sleeves. We suspend a metal ring from the 1/4 inch chains, which regulates height of the 5/8 chain from the floor. Loop the 5/8 inch chain through the metal ring so about three chain links are lying on the floor when you are standing. When you are sitting on the box, slightly below parallel, half of the chain will be unloaded onto the floor.
How much chain should you use? If you squat 350 or less, use one set of 5/8 inch chain, equaling 40 pounds at the top. If you squat about 600 pounds, use about 60 or 70 pounds of chain at the top. If you squat 800 pounds, use 80~120 pounds of chain at the top. As you can see, about 10% of your squat weight should be added with chain. If you are doing sets wIth 400 on the bar, you will be standing up with 520. An 800 squatter whose top training weight is 480, or 60%, will add 80-120 pounds of chain to the bar, equaling 600 at the top.
To use bands for squatting, if you squat 650 or less, use green bands. If you squat more than 650, use blue bands. Here are two ex-amples of 900+ squatters. Billy Masters and Dave Barno used a top weight of 500 pounds and 150 pounds of tension with blue bands. Billy did 909 and Dave did a perfect 925. Neither train at Westside, but they use our methods.
When squatting, wave your training weights from 50% to 60% in a 3 or 4 week cycle. Do mostly 8 sets of 2 reps with 45 seconds rest between sets.
For max effort work, one can choose a bar weight of, say, 400 or 500 pounds. Do a single and then add a set of chains. Keep doing singles and adding a second and third set of chains until you break a PR or miss. You can do the same with Flex bands. Good mornings are a great exercise to do with chains and bands. High pulls with the pink or green bands are also great.
I have seen one of our lifters with a 600 deadlift go to 670 in 6 months by using bands on the deadlift. Bob Young would use 275-315 on the bar, with about 200 pounds of tension from the bands. We use the platform that Jump-Stretch sells with their bands to do this exercise.
If you want to excel at powerlifting or any sport, then you must develop speed strength, increase acceleration, and gain absolute strength. Bands and chains can be instrumental in developing these aspects of strength. I highly recom-mend that you try them as soon as possible. For chains, call Topper’s Supply at 614-444-1187. For bands, call JumpStretch at 1-800-344-3539.

Training the Lock-Out By: Louie Simmons

We are in a new millennium, and the times are a changing, as they say. Bench press shirts are a major part of powerlifting, so get with the program. No one cares what you bench press without a shirt. There are a lot of gym world champs, as long as they stay in their own gym. I’ve always been a slightly above average bencher. I was eighth in 198- without a bench shirt and ninth in 1997 with a shirt. So if I can keep up with the times, so can you.

Here at Westside we have 12 men who bench more than 600 and four over 700 at the time I am writing this. Also four different men at Westside have held an all-time world record. Is this a coincidence? Hardly. We have a training plan that is designed to produce explosive power and incredible absolute strength. I have discussed the dynamic method many times. Basically we use 45-50% of shirtless max with mostly close grips for 8 sets of 3 reps. This is followed by triceps, lats, and rear and side delt work. But what happens max effort day at Westside that has produced four 700 pound benchers, with more to come? We max out like the Bulgarians: Regardless of our level of preparedness, we do as much as possible on that day. While it may not be our all-time best, it is absolutely all we can do on that particular day.

Let’s start with J.M. Blakley, who has done 710. J. M. likes to do floor presses. He drapes 200-320 pounds of chain over the bar, doing triples. After loading the chains he adds weight; after 225 he jumps 20 pounds a set. This adds up to 12-18 total lifts.
Another exercise that is popular for J.M. (and myself) is the J.M. press. It is done with a close grip, lowering the bar in a straight line down toward the upper chest, stopping about 6 inches above the chest. The elbows are at a 45 deg angle from the body, thereby taking the delts out of the lift, leaving the triceps to do most of the work. I refer to these as J.M., who first demonstrated them for us. J.M. is very dedicated to powerlifting, having traveled all over the United States and overseas to compete. I am honored that he represents us with such passion and dignity.

Kenny Patterson was the youngest to bench 700 at 22 years old. He has held all-time world records in the 275, 242, and 220 weight classes, and no doubt will break more records. One of Kenny’s favorite exercises is overhead band press. Using a set of blue Jump-Stretch bands that reduce the load 155 pounds at chest level, he will work up to a max single. For most lifters, this combination will equal their contest best. This is done without a bench shirt. Kenny says these have taught him to accelerate to the top. One learns that the weight adds on quickly as the bar reaches the top. This method truly is accommodating resistance. Kenny will also have a record with green or pink Jump-Stretch bands. Kenny’s Favorite triceps extension is with dumbbells with palms facing each other. He has worked up to 125’s for sets of 8-10 reps. That takes strong triceps, and that’s what it takes to break world records.

Rob Fusner has benched an all-time record of 735 at 308. What makes Rob so incredible is that he has totaled 2358 in a full meet. One of Rob’s favorite exercises is the floor press with bands. The bands add roughly 170 pounds at the top. Rob will use a close to moderately close grip. After starting with the bands, he will add weight and work up to a max single. Rob’s standard triceps extension exercise is steep incline dumbbell extensions with the elbows pointed out to the sides and the dumbbells touching the upper chest. They remain touching as Rob extends them to the top. This method really works the area around the elbows, and this area is responsible for locking out the arms. Rob will perform 8-12 reps for sets until the triceps are fatigued. We look for Rob to not only break more bench records but also break the total record some day.

George Halbert was stuck at a 475 bench for 2 years. After joining us, he made an official 628 after 1 year of training at 275. George had a lock-out problem, but obviously he solved it. He dropped down to 198 and made a 683. Then George jumped up to 215 and made 701, 716, and 733 at one meet. This is the greatest bench press according to coefficient to date. How does he do it? Well, I’ll tell you two ways and only ways for now. George’s lock-out problem was addressed by board press with bands. George has done 365 on the bar plus 400 pounds of band tension off four boards, and Rob did 345 plus 400 pounds of bands. George said he could lock-out that much and so could Rob. He was right. George had the stamina to do three benches over 700 at 215, while Rob made 661, 694, 716, and 735. As long as you are explosive enough to blast the weight into the lock-out zone, you can lock-out almost anything.
The second exercise helps George blast the bar into that zone. On dynamic day George, being very strong and explosive, uses 170 pounds of band tension at the top. This also provides 80 pounds of tension at the bottom. George does his speed sets, jumping 5 pounds each set up to 245 for a total of 8 working sets.

Bands have many benefits. One is accommodating resistance. Second, they add kinetic energy in the eccentric phase, by out-accelerating gravity. Third, bands work much like muscle and connective tissue. Fourth, they build tremendous stability: just watch someone trying to bench with bands for the first time. I have talked about four of the greatest benchers on the planet. They will lift anywhere and any time, out of respect for out competitors and for the sake of competing.

I have presented eight exercises, but there are many more to choose from. They all work for someone, and you may be that someone. To close, I have some personal advice for all who read my articles: I keep a bottle of testosterone sitting on a triple-layer bench press shirt in the back of my gym, but I have yet to see it bench 5 pounds. To be great, it takes planning, work, dedication, courage, and aggression. If you lack one of these, you will fail, and you have on one to blame but yourself. Losers hate winners, so it’s better to be hated in powerlifting than to hate.