Live, Learn, and Pass on

Live, Learn, and Pass on. 

It's a saying I've been thinking about a lot the past few days. The first time I heard it, I was at a presentation at the Elitefts Learn to Train Seminar. At the time I just thought it was just another bullshit phrase that someone came up with. I didn't really think about it at all. Now though? I can't stop. It's eating me up. So this is what it means to me.


When live you DO things. This is when you're in the weightroom busting your ass. This is when you sweat and you bleed. All for what? Well I can't tell you what motivates you. You are the only person that knows. I can tell you what motivates me, however. My progress motivates me. Seeing somebody do something better than me motivates me. Winning motivates me. Failing motivates. Hell, losing just pisses me off and makes me want to do better.

While you live, you learn. You learn the in's and out's of powerlifting. You learn what different periodization schemes are. You learn about different training programs, like sheiko, block, and conjugate. You start to figure out what works for you and what doesn't. You learn all of this while you live, but I guarantee you didn't learn it all on your own. You probably didn't go out and read all of Supertraining and The Science and Practice of Training. No I'm willing to bet my left nut somebody, whether they were on the internet or in person, helped guide you through it with either an article, a video, or they took you under their wing and taught you what they knew.

This is where pass on comes into the picture. I wouldn't be where I'm at without the help of a few people. Hell, I can't even say it was a few people. The big ones are my stepfather and Curtis Garrison. Without Joe, my stepfather, I would probably have never set foot in a gym except for when my coaches in High School made me go. He taught me all the basics. If you have ever tried teaching someone the bare-bones basics of weightlifting, you understand how frustrating it can be. Especially if they are a know-it-all, like I was.

Bench the Budreiser Way: Part 2

Ok, so part 1 is just one way to do your heavy day. Lately I've been doing more heavy shit then backoff sets for the volume and I'm fuckin slamming Pr's on the regular. So here's a different spin on what the BUDREISER SPHERE METHOD OF DOOM is.

Day 1: Heavy bench #1

Main movement: pick one of the following

Option #1 Bench press

Work up to a heavy double @9 RPE (87%-95)

Option #2 Hanging weight bench

Just hang weight from the bar with bands. I like to use anywhere between 50-90lbs of hanging weight. Make sure you have a spotter for this because you really have to fight to keep in your groove with these. I think its better to do these touch and go. Pausing cuts down on how much the hanging weight is bouncing around and makes the lift easier.

Work up to a heavy double @ RPE 9. Percents are going to vary with these. Just leave a rep or 2 in the tank.

Option #3 Close Grip Bench

I think you guys know what a close grip bench is. Builds up the tri's and shoulders really well.

Work up to a heavy double @9 RPE

Option #4 Floor Press

One of my favorite bench builders. When you do these make sure you come all the way down. Don't just let your triceps touch then press it back. Come down until your elbows touch the ground, unless you have massive triceps. Then just let your tri's sink into the ground a bit.

Work up to a heavy double @9 RPE. For some people this will be more than their bench, and for others a lot less. It all depends on your structure.

Option #5 Feet Up Bench Press

Work up to a heavy double @9 RPE. These really helped to bring up my speed off the chest. Just be careful because it's really easy to get off balance and die doing these.

Supplement #1

Use the same movement as your main movement.

Take your top set and take 85% of it.

Use that weight for 4x3 or 5x2.

You can rep out the last set if you're feeling randy.

(Optional) Supplement #2

Do isometric holds around where your sticking point is.

Do these for 2-4 6 count holds. Only do them for 3 weeks at a time.

Assistance 

Do some kind of heavy lat training for 4x6-8.

Exercise choices are:

Barbell Row

DB Row

Meadow's Row

Chest Supported Row

Then do some tricep work for 50 reps. Just pump the hell out of your arms.

Choices are:

Tri Pushdowns

Elbows Out Extensions

DB Floor Press

Now for some bicep work

50 Reps

Do I really need to tell you what kind of bicep work to do?

I like heavier hammer curls.

Day 2: Volume Bench

Today is just a volume day. If you feel like shit just drop the percents by 10-20%.

Option #1

80% for 4-6x2

Option #2

70% for 4x4

Option #3

70% for 3

75% for 3

80% for 2x2

85% for 2x2

80% for 2x2

75% for 3

70% for 3

Option #4

If you feel like a bag of smashed assholes use this one

50-60% for 6-8x3

Option #5

If you have a massive boner for OHP then do it on this day. You can do whatever progression works for you. I don't train the lift so I'm not the person to ask on how to get better at it.

Assistance

Light, high rep upper back work

Face pulls

Fat man pull ups

Band pull aparts

Light DB flyes for a couple sets of 20-25 reps.

Really just stretch out your chest and get some blood flow.

Really light, high rep tricep pushdowns

3-4 sets of 25

Just try to get some blood in your arms.

Day 3: Heavy Bench #2

Your main movement is bench press. The only variation I would do here is paused reps.

Work up to a single @9 RPE (90-100%)

If you feel really good go for a PR.

Back off sets:

Option 1:

90% of your top single for 3x2

Option 2:

80% of your top single for 6x3

Option 3:

85% of your top single for 4x2-3

Optional movement: Slingshot Bench

Throw on the slingshot and hit your max for 3x2.

I like to do these in 3 week waves. I start at my max and then move up 5-10lbs a week.

Assistance

Same as heavy day 1, just use different movements.

Weekly Set Up

Monday: Heavy Bench Day 1

Tuesday: Lower body program

Wednesday: Volume Bench Day

Thursday: Lower body program/off

Friday: Heavy Bench Day 2

Saturday: Lower body program

Sunday: off

If you have any questions, leave a comment. Thanks for reading.

Bench the Budreiser Way: Part 1

Everyone loves benching. The only people who don't love are the people who like deadlifting, AND WE ALL KNOW THEY DON'T FUCKING MATTER.

In part 1 of the Budreiser bench method, we are getting over everything you have read before. Variations of the bench are fuckin awesome to build your bench. You just can't give up heavy benching to do them. Bench first, do other shit later. That's the motto. It's kind of like yolo. Bench a lot to bench a lot. Terrible phrases and sayings aside, let's lay out a basic template for the budreiser bench method.

Day 1: Heavy Fucking Bench Day

Flat bench: work up to a heavy 2-4 reps. This isn't a max, this is where you work up to some heavy shit but leave 1-2 reps in the tank. I really like auto regulation, because fuck planning out what you do. I like to have a general idea of what I'm going to do but picking a specific percent is just begging for a way to fail down the road.

(Optional movement): slingshot or overload bench

I like to do this for about 2-3 doubles at just below my current max and ramp up to my max or just above it. This helps build confidence in the weight. These reps are all paused. I'm not a big fan of partial range of motion movements because they don't let you hold feel the weight through the whole range of motion. Personally, I am weakest 1-2 inches off my chest and holding maximal or supra-maximal weights at my chest helps me build confidence in the weights I'm trying to press.

Main supplement:

Pick one of the following for a 3-6 week time frame

Feet Up Bench Press: Work up to a heavy-ish single with a 6-8 rep max back off set.

This is where you bench with an arch, but have your feet in the air or on the bench. I use a slightly closer grip with this, usually 1-2 fingers closer. This blows up my upper body. I originally started using this movement because of a knee injury that prevented me from using a proper set-up. Once I could actually use a proper set-up, my bench had moved up 20 pounds. I feel like this blows up my bottom end strength and speed in the bench and helps me use my pecs a lot more in the press.

Spoto Press: Work up to a medium-heavy double (at least 1-2 reps in the tank)

This is where you bring a weight down to about an inch or so off your chest. Pause it for 1-2 seconds then press that shit up. I do not like using completely maximal weights on this because you have a tendency to cheat too much when you do. More sets with light(er) weight is better in my opinion. This is great for people who lose tightness or who need more speed at the bottom of their press.

Incline Bench Press: Solid movement. I'm only adding this in because a lot of people love it. Personally, I've never seen much carryover from it. It makes me feel like shit. If you want to use it, go for it and use a lower incline.

Close Grip Bench: Amazing movement. I have always seen great carryover from working my close grip. Work up to a heavy double or triple with a higher rep back off. Blows up tricep and shoulder strength. This has been a movement that has been a mainstay of many powerlifting greats throughout time. I don't really think I need to get in the specifics of who.

#2 Supplement:

Pick one of the following

Isometrics: Set the pins in a rack right below your sticking point. DON'T USE THESE FOR MORE THAN 3 WEEKS AT A TIME. Josh Bryant says no longer than 6 weeks. Always superset these with some sort of explosive movement, such as CAT benching, or at the very least, plyo push ups. Use them for 2 to 4 six count holds.

Speed Bench:

Start at 70% for 4 sets of 4 reps for week 1, then week 2 use 75% for 4x4 or 5x3, whatever feels more comfortable and moves faster. In week 3, use 80% for 4x3. Focus on reversing the weight as fast as possible without bouncing or heaving the weight. If you use this for 3 more than 3 weeks, just start over with the original weights unless your bench max has moved more than 15 pounds in a 3 week time frame.

Use a different supplementary movement from the first section for a 3x5 as supplement #2 

Assistance movements:

do as many of these as you want  for sets of 12-20

Dips

Face pulls

incline db bench

hammer curls

reverse curls

Day 2: OHP

Main Movement: OHP

Do a 5x3 and add 5 pounds every week.

Hit some heavy ass back shit. 

I like:

Chest supported rows

V grip lat pull downs

Shrugs

Weighted pull ups

Light shoulder assistance work

This day is more about recovery than anything, don't be afraid to drop this day if it affects your recovery too much.

Day 3: Volume Day

This part deserves its own post.

Tune in next time to bench bigger!!

Quick introduction guys
I am a 181 pound bencher with a PR of 325 pounds. I'm making this blog because I am sick and tired of all the fucking bullshit that is put out on dat der worldwide webz. If you want to learn how to put up some big benches, then keep reading. If not, then fuck off. In the immortal words of Donnie Thompson, "No one gives a damn about your squat."