New training PR -finally!

[toolpod]

Ok...finally bumped my bench training PR yesterday

I hit 450 at 199 bwt. (201 before me and my copy of Popular Mechanics hit the John for a long download ;D )

I had done 455 some time back, but I never really felt comfortable with that because the spotter put his hands on the bar. He swore he didn't give me anything, but that didn't matter.

This time nobody touched the bar but me.

This was the third Sunday in a row that I tried 450, third time was the charm...ended up being late for Church.

Started with some rotator cuff prehab, ramped up as follows:

10X135
8X225
5X315
1X405
1X420

After that I went on to miss on my first attempt at 450...I don't normally have much of an arch, but what I did have sorta collapsed during the push (DOH!)...I ended up stalling about 2-3 inches from lockout...right on the edge of closing my elbows in...fought it for about 4 seconds before the spotters took it.

I was not happy.

I waited about 10 minutes and then went for a second try...not really expecting to get it...last week my second attempt went much worse than the first...but I got pissed and set up tight for another shot.

My spotters were screaming at my head to "leave it all here!" I grabbed the bar and brought it down, it felt lighter somehow and then I threw in the kitchen sink. Got it up to the sticking point, struggled for about a half second, and then I felt my elbows start to move in, and I knew I had it then! Locked out and put it back in the rack! Duckies but that felt good.

After that I was pretty much useless for the rest of the day.

Granted, there was no long pause...pretty much a touch and go, but that will come in time I suppose.

I try to keep fairly good form in the gym, I'm good for a competition pause at 430 - 440. I just figured I get it first, then make it pretty!

Forgot one thing: Thank you Lord!

[dopar66]

Amen!

EXCELLENT JOB! Congratulations! That's quite a milestone, TP. I'll be happy if I can ever get my bench to improve, no less hit a PR. You deserved to be useless for the rest of the day!

I appreciate your sharing that!

God Bless.
Doug

[Deleted]

Huge congrats TP. You have one heck of a bench press. 2.26 x body weight is awsome!

[toolpod]

Thanks guys! I've been hammering at it for a good long while...hopefully this means I'm off of my plateau that I've been stuck at!

[Deleted]

TP,

First, congrats on the raw numbers (450 raw at 198 ). As for the shirt sizing, I have been wearing a size 48 F6 for about two years. It was suggested by Ken Anderson (our Titan rep) I try a size 50 Katana.
I used it for about 6 weeks and ended up using less weight to touch full range than I did in the F6. I recently received my 48 Katana and have only used it once. I am going to attempt to use the shirt for a one board this week. I believe I now have the correct size shirt. I consider myself an "arch" bencher and I think the shirt is made for this type of bencher. It takes time to learn the F6 and Katana shirt (and any other shirt for that matter). I think the biggest thing is that you keep your elbows tucked in on the way down and flair them on the way up. Also, as you increase the amount of weight on the bar it forces you back toward the natural groove toward the chest rather than toward your stomach. For what it's worth I used a FRANTZ denim for 10 years. I will NEVER go back to denim. Closed back Titans are legal in every federation.
Lastly, I am 5'10" 240lbs. I would suggest you try the "training fit" probably a 46 in either shirt. If you find you can touch with something less than your raw max then move down a size.

Let me know how it turns out.
Randy

[Eagleface]

That's awesome, congrats bro.

[toolpod]

Thanks guys! Appreciate it!

As far as the F6 shirt goes, my chest is 46". I'll try a 46 with training fit then! I definitely want something with a more natural bar path...that seems to be the way to go. It's hard for me to stay on top raw with the different movement involved with this denim. My main goal is to hit 500 raw...so that takes precedence over all things shirted! I'm definitely trying to work on my arch, but as you can see from the clips below, I need a lot of work in that department. Thanks for the advice Randy, I'll keep you posted

I finally got some vidcaps up. The first two are from the PGH Monster meet in April, I hit 415 and 430 raw to win the 198#Raw division. (It's a black T-Shirt )

home.alltel.net/jpat34/jim415.mpg

The pause on the 430 attempt felt like forever, but was only about a half-second on review.

home.alltel.net/jpat34/jim430.mpg

The last one is my 440 attempt shirted (in a double denim) from the APF state meet

home.alltel.net/jpat34/jim1a.mpg

Looking at the video, my right foot moved at lockout (!@$!#%!). Unsure if that warranted a no-lift, don't remember if I got a red-light for it, but either way not real happy about THAT. I thought that I had my "happy feet" beat.

[toolpod]

Randy,

One last question...With the tighter shirt...what is the pain threshold? I'm used to cuts from denim shirts...what difference should I expect from an F6/Katana in training sizing?

The denim I've used doesn't really hurt that bad during press, although afterwards I have cut-marks across my pec and arms/pit about 4-5 inches across. The one time I tried a poly, admittedly not sized right...too small...It cut across in a band only about an inch wide...and it hurt like crazy coming down. Bad enough that I though more about the pain than the lift, adn that was only with 425. Just curious what to expect as normal.