question for power lifters ...

[PoodleGal]

... or any lifters out there. i am having the hardest time getting over a few weights i ahve been at for about 4 months. my bench has plateaued right at 355. i have tried just about everything, except for partial lockouts and resistance band training. has anyone ever done these, or any other techniques for that matter? just trying to reach my goal of 405.

also deadlifts. anyone find it useful to do partials form the mid-point to completion, or do you just stick to full reps. my progress is great on these, but i would like to try and mix it up. may try it bare foot.

any ideas? thanx.

[Stevo]

Holly powerhouse batman! Your profile says you are a female, and you're max bench is 355!! WOW!!! I'm not sure that it is US that could YOU advice, but I'll try. BTW- womens world bench press record is about 375 I think, so if you get 405 you're the champ. (my record is 385 so you'll kick my but too!)

I've been weight lifting for 7 years, specificaly to gain a lot of size and strength because I'm a hard-gainer who's naturally very thin. I did power lifting (deads, cleans, squats, flat bench) for 2 years, and thats when I set all my records (see my website), but had to quit going so heavy due to shoulder, knee, and elbow damage. But here is what worked for me-

Pyramid sets- 10-8-6-4-2 reps, increasing weight. for 6 weeks.

Step loading- Week 1-2, 10 reps. Week 3-4, 8 reps. Week 5-6, 6 reps. And so on. Increase the weight each step. Go down to as low as 2 reps for power movements only (bench, deadlift...)

The whole idea is that your are doing something new that will shock your muscles and make them grow. Try something like that for a while, and go back to what you were doing currently because it obviously works. Also remember that hitting a platue is sometimes good. It lets your muscle size catch up with how strong you are. If you get to strong for your size, muscles tear and joints get wrecked. Its a big problem for steriod users.

O.K., this is a long post, but finally- Partial deadlift. Deadlift was actualy my best lift, 605 max, and at the time it was between 2.5 and 3 times my own weight. Partial deadlifts are commonly used by pro bodybuilders because it isolates the lower back muscle group. A full dead lift involves the butt and hamstring area too. The partial deadlift will strengthen your lower back, so if that is your weak area, try it for a few weeks. But if you want to add to your overal deadlift max, you'll need to do full lifts after a while.

Finally, I am not a certified trainer, but I've read and experienced a lot, so if my methods help- cool. Stick with it and the 405 bench is yours.

[deviance99]

Originally posted by PoodleGal:
my bench has plateaued right at 355. .Work harder :)

[scatmann69]

holy damn!!, is that towel? even if it is im still scared, my max bench (3 years ago) in highschool was 305, towel 360, but damn. damn damn damn damn daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn... oh and my max bench now is prolly only like 200 now, i got weak as hell. i want to meet you.

[chadfox]

I think I plataued at 55lbs, man I'm weak.

[mr_dabalina]

Another way to blast through a lull in deadlifts is concentrating on your squatting form. Make sure your foot placement is identical on both exercises for a few weeks and see how that pays off.

Bench Press is all about shock. Make sure you do your drop sets, fet up to elminate leg push.

Keep it reeeeeeeeeeeeeal.

[JonB]

Ya check out Steves website for some information. He's defintely the "man" to consult on fitness/nutrition.

Steve...was that you back in 1997 like that photo says right by a girl (assuming ur sister) ?

What a difference between now and then if it is. I actually had an opportunity to meet steve at our TCW bbq. Really really, nice guy. Hope to possibly see you at the mainstage Steve ;)

[Stevo]

Yup that was me and my sister at her dorm at U of M in 1997. I started lifting later that year. I used to be a skinny nerd, but now 7 years later I'm a really big nerd. Same guy different size :) . Anyone who wants my advice is certainly welcome to it, since I recieved similar advice myself several years ago. Just paying it forward.

The best advice I can give anyone is just to get involved and learn from experience. Surfing around on websites like TCW's fitness area, and reading magazines is a great way to utilize other peoples experiences to speed up the process, and learn specific techniques like poodlegal was looking for. But basicly anyone who enjoys weightlifting will stick with it and be succesfull.

[deviance99]

Check out bodybuilding.com too. Those articles are wonderful. They have everything from the moderate diet/workout plan to the extreme. These articles AREN'T just for bodybuilders either, they are for ANYONE who wants to eat healthy.

[StockTrader03]

Bodybuilding.com is a joke as far as information goes. If you want to gain more on your bench deadlift and squats start doing WSB aka Westside Barbell. Elitefitnesssystems.com has the best information on it.