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2004/11/18, 08:08 PM
Why is it that you should place your thumbs behind the bar when you are benching?
Is the bar hard to balance that way? I use a full grip but have noticed a loot of people doing it that way.
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2004/11/18, 08:14 PM
this is the grip i use because i feel i am better able to control the weight..and can move more weight...as well as relieve some of the pressure on my wrists....however this is often referred to as living dangerously..because if the bar rolls off...your thumb is not there to catch it...so there's a serious risk of injury...this has happened before so great precussion should be used...this is not for everyone...especially beginners...I use it because I have relatively weak wrists...and it puts extreme pressure on them when i lift very heavy...I also found I am able to move the weight faster usign this technique don't know why...
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2004/11/18, 09:51 PM
You keep your finger there because if you cant handle the weight and it starts to go up unevenly, then your going to lose it, it will roll forward, and break a few ribs on the way down.
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Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.
steve
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2004/11/19, 05:36 AM
thanks I didn’t think it looked to safe and I tried it once but I didn’t fill real secure so I went back to my way, then I noticed on the exercise instructions on this sight they do it with no thumb wrapped around the bar and thought I might be doing it wrong
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2004/11/19, 10:00 AM
You should wrap your thumbs around the bar. Doing it the other way puts undo stress on your wrists.
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I make fun of others to compensate for my low self esteem. It works.
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2004/11/19, 12:51 PM
I do thumb behind bar,
1. cuase my thumbs been jamed so many times they won't wrap aroundit very well.
2. I feel I can drive beter, cause I put the weight on my palms, I feel my thumb area gets in the way.But i also have small short thick hands so guess it all depends.
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The following, has not be approved by the FDA or FT, it was not meant to diagnose,treat,or prevent any diease(s) Please consult a moderator or doctor before using any of the suggestions or comments.
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2004/11/20, 12:49 AM
its a lat tricep grip,used carefully thou because of the danger of the bar rolling off your palm breaking your skull and have short term memory loss,from that encounter.:angry:
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2004/11/22, 02:03 PM
My name is Dave Tate, I started Elite Fitness Systems after spending the last 20 years in the pursuit of strength. Elite Fitness Systems was created in 1998 to provide athletes and coaches with the best training, information and products available.
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The Max Effort method is considered by many coaches and athletes as the superior method of strength development. It places great demands on both intramuscular and intermuscular coordination and well as stimulating the muscular and central nervous system. These demands force the body into greater adaptation. This adaptation is what is responsible for great strength gains. When training using the Max Effort Method, the central nervous system inhibition is reduced, thus max number of motor units are activated with optimal discharge frequency (Zatsiorisky). The one drawback to using this method is that you cannot train with weights above 90 percent for much longer than one to three weeks before the nervous system begins to weaken. When this happens, your strength will begin to diminish. This is one of the major reasons why progressive overload training will only work for so long. With this in mind, and knowing that this method is great for the development of strength, you have to find a way around this three-week barrier. The way to overcome it is to switch the exercise used for the Max Effort Method every one to three weeks, thus allowing the body to recover. This keeps the body fresh so the method can be used year-round.
So how do you use this method?
The best way to utilize the Max Effort Method is deciding on one main exercise that will be trained with this method. After a proper general warm-up, proceed to this exercise and begin to warm-up with the bar. Using small weight increases, begin to work up in weight with sets of three to five reps. When three reps begins to feel heavy, drop down to single repetitions. This is when you begin to make an effort to max out on the exercise. Keep increasing the weight until you have reached your one-rep max. Make sure to keep track of this record, because this is what you will try to beat next time out. A max effort exercise would look like this:
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Weight
Board Press
2
5
45
2
3
95
1
3
135
1
3
185
1
3
225
1
3
275
1
1
315
1
1
365
1
1
405
1
1
425
In the above example, 425 would represent the lifters one-rep max. This the number that should be recorded and broke on later dates. It is very important to only use this method with one exercise per workout and no more than one time per week for each lift.
The max effort meso cycle should only last 1 to 3 weeks with the latter being for the novice and intermediate strength athlete. The more advanced the athlete, the shorter the time spent per cycle or time spent per max effort exercise. This is due to the neuromuscular coordination and motor learning. The advanced athlete can call upon more motor unit activation (use more muscle) than the novice. For example, the novice may use 60% of their total muscle while the advanced athlete will be able to use 80%. The second reason is the neuromuscular and muscular coordination. The advanced lifter has always figured out and mastered how to do the movement. His body knows what to do and when. The novice athlete has not figured out how to do the movement and is far from mastering it. This will allow the novice to progress and break records for around three weeks on each max effort exercise. This, however, will not be the case for the advanced athlete. These athletes will have one good week where they break a record, then will be unable to break it for the next two weeks. So the solution is simple - switch every week! This will allow you to break records each week and avoided overtraining. Max effort training is a process of learning how to better synchronize the muscle involvement. This is because of the activation of the central nervous system, as well as other factors such as motivation and concentration.
If you do not always break a record, don’t worry about it. The strain is more important than the record itself. With this in mind, if you happen to break your record easily to the point that you really didn’t strain, then you must pursue another record that actually involves strain.
Max Effort Parameters
Load (Intensity)
90 to 100%
Number of Exercises
1
Repetitions
1-3
Rest Interval
2 to 5 minutes
Frequency / Week
1 (Squat Day) / 1(Bench Day)
Weeks per Exercise
1-3
Some Max Effort Movements for the Bench Press include:
Board Press: This is a special max effort exercise designed to help strengthen the lockout of the bench press. It is also very effective in increasing triceps strength. This exercise is performed exactly the same as the bench press except you pause the barbell on a board that is placed on your chest. The board for this workout will be two 2 by 4 boards about 12 inches in length. Make sure to pause the barbell on the boards before the ascent.
Close Grip Incline Press: This is a max effort exercise designed to isolate the upper middle regions of the pectoralis minor, as well as the triceps. To begin this exercise, lay with your back on a incline bench, grasping the bar with one or two fingers on the smooth part of the bar. Unrack the weight so the arms are fully extended. Lower the barbell, with your elbows in a tucked position, to the upper chest region. Press the bar back to the starting position.
Floor Press: This is a special max effort exercise designed to help strengthen the midpoint of the bench press. It is also very effective in increasing tricep strength. This exercise is performed exactly the same as the bench press, except you lay on the ground instead of on a bench. Make sure to pause in the bottom of the movement before the ascent. This exercise has been used with much success at Westside Barbell Club for the past seven years.
Close Grip Bench Press: The bench press should be performed with the shoulder blades pulled together and driven into the bench. The elbows should be in a tucked position. The bar should hit you in the lower chest area. The bar must be pushed in a straight line, not back over the face.
Reverse Band Press: This is performed the same as a standard bench press but with the added assistance of bands. The bands will help to get the bar started off the chest, then you will have to finish it off at the point where the bands quit helping. This is at the mid- to lockout point. This is where most of us will miss the bench press.
Floor Press with Chains: This movement is performed lying on the floor with the legs straight. Set up the J hooks low in the power rack so you can unrack the weight the same as you would a standard bench press. Once unracked, lower the weight until your elbows hit the floor. Pause at this point and press the bar back upward. The technique should be the same as used with a standard bench press.
Sample Max Effort Workout
Floor Press: Start with the bar and work up in weight using 3’s or 5’s. When the sets begin to feel heavy (75% to 80%), drop the reps to 1 per set. Keep working up until a one-rep max is reached. You should not exceed a total of 5 to 10 reps above 90%.
Triceps Extensions: If a barbell is used, then do not exceed 40 reps. If you use a dumbbell, then do not exceed 60 reps. Example: Barbell Extensions: 5 sets of 8 reps. Dumbbell Extensions 7 sets of 8 reps.
Rows: The lats are a very important muscle while bench pressing and should be trained on the same plane as the bench press. This is why rows are the best choice. They can either be Barbell, Dumbbell, Chest Supported, Low Rows or any other type of rows. Sets and reps are up to you, but a good guideline would be 4 to 5 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Dumbbell Cleans: This movement will complete the sample max effort workout and is intended to work the rear delts and traps. These muscles are important for stabilizing the bar path during the bench press (4 to 5 sets of 8 to 12 would be a good place to start).
Summary:
The Max Effort Method is one of the staple methods used at Westside Barbell for the development of Maximal Strength. I also believe it is one of the most important methods for strength development when used properly. You must change the movement every one to three weeks and you must strain. The method will not work as well when these two criteria are not met. The sample workout is just what it says - "a sample". You must also rotate the accessory movements every few weeks and concentrate on those that work your weak points. If you train your weak points, then you will get very strong; if you train your strong points, then you will get very weak. You can only be as strong as your weakest link.
"The individual who goes the furthest is generally the one who is willing to do, dare and attempt new things. The sure thing boat never gets far from shore". - Dale Carnegie
If you have any questions or you are interested in one of our catalogs give me a call at Elite Fitness Systems 888-854-8806 or contact me via e-mail at EliteFTS@email.msn.com.
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