The Road to 600

Editor's Note: This isn't your

typical training article. Instead, it's more of a glimpse into

what it really takes to achieve a specific goal — in this

case a 600 pound bench press. Still, you're sure to pick up a

few training tips along the way.

Six Hundred the Hard Way

The first article I had published in T-mag was called Bench

Press 600 Pounds. In it I provided twelve tips to help you

increase your bench press, tips that took me my whole career to

learn. Although the article proved helpful to many people, benching

600 is much more difficult than I made it out to be. It's not

an easy task and for me it seemed damned near impossible as I

was stuck at 585 at the time I wrote the article.

Truthfully, the numbers are irrelevant. To some, 600 comes easy;

to others, 600 comes not at all. You can get stuck with a 300,

400, 500, 600 or even 700 pound bench press. No matter where you

get stuck there are times when the standard fixes just don't work.

You have to be willing to try many new things and change in a

moment's notice. Your sticking points can be mental, physical,

technical or a combination of all three. You only need one solution

to break a sticking point but have many options. It's somewhat

like playing the lotto. There are many numbers but only one will

win. To increase your odds you have to play as many numbers as

possible.

To illustrate, allow me to tell you the story of how I finally

benched 600 pounds, the toughest challenge I've ever had in the

sport and perhaps in life.

In the Beginning...

I entered my first competition in 1984 and benched my first 500

in the summer of 1986. I was still nineteen at the time and felt

like 600 was just around the corner. I went to work on my plan.

The first step in accomplishing this goal was to put on more muscle

mass. I weighed 242 at the time and wanted to be 275. The best

way I knew to achieve this was to go into bodybuilding.

I spent three years in the sport and even did a few shows. I

felt my strength was going through the roof. During this time

I benched 315 for a set of thirty-two reps, 405 for sets of ten,

did 405 for six on the incline press and 405 for five on the behind-the-neck

press. My off-season body weight was now at 275 and my body fat

was lower than when I weighed 242. I didn't max on my bench at

any time during these three years.

After my last show I decided it was time to go back into powerlifting

and take a shot at 600. I trained on a sixteen week progressive

overload cycle for the meet. To my surprise, on the day of the

meet I only benched 450 in the 275 pound class! What the hell

had happened to my bench? Three years of adding mass had done

nothing for me!

I was bigger and harder than I'd ever been yet I was weaker than

I was three years earlier. Lesson learned: You can't use bodybuilding

methods to get strong. Bodybuilding is fine for adding muscle

mass but you have to do specific training for the one rep range.

You also have to train with speed. This I didn't learn until years

later. My bodybuilding training was all done slowly and required

little force. Not good for benching big numbers.

I went back to the drawing board. I knew what I wanted and just

had to figure out how to get there. Over the next five years I

used my old style of training that worked for me in the past.

The first phase of the cycle I'd do sets of eight reps, then over

the next twelve to sixteen weeks the sets and reps would drop

down to one or two sets of one to three reps. During the first

two years this helped me to get my bench back up in the 500 to

520 range. Then I got stuck and nothing seemed to get me unstuck.

Instead of trying to learn more I just kept doing the same training

over and over with zero success. I learned that I had to keep

educating myself. I'd go as far as to say you have to over-learn.

Just knowing enough will only get you enough. If you want more

than enough then you'd better learn more than enough!

Louie Simmons, A Torn Pec, and Rehab

At a meet in 1990, Louie Simmons tried to sink his fangs into

me. He'd known me for a few years and had noticed how much bigger

I'd gotten. He'd also noticed that I wasn't any stronger. This

is when he asked me to make a trip to Columbus to see what they

were doing at Westside Barbell.

I made a few trips up to train with them and hated everything

I saw. It just didn't make any sense. What I did learn is that

I had to bring my triceps up. So during the next few months I

increased my total triceps volume. I felt my bench finally getting

stronger but I also felt very old. My pecs and shoulders hurt

all the time. It was hell getting through my bench training. But

even with all the pain I did feel stronger than ever. That winter

I traveled to Columbus for a bench press competition. Based on

my training (a 500 pound triple) I knew I was good for at least

a 550 to 570 max.  My opener at 475 felt like crap. My second

attempt was 500. That was the attempt that tore my pec off.

I was told if I ever wanted to bench again, I'd have to get it

fixed.  After surgery, they said I'd be lucky to bench 400

again. I ignored them, but I didn't ignore Louie Simmons. 

He told me if I didn't change my ways I'd be out of the sport

within three years. My problems, he said, were from the heavy

progressive overload training I'd used my entire carrier. With

my arm in a sling, I told Louie about my goals. ³Listen to me,²

he said, ³and you'll bench 600.²  I listened and decided

to move to Columbus.

The first challenge came during rehab. All I could think about

was snapping my damn pec off again. I became gun shy, too psychologically

freaked out to work up to the heavy weights. My head was a mess.

The other guys in the gym ragged me about it constantly and at

the time I hated every one of them for it. I even had one of them

throw tissues at me when I complained of twinges in my torn pec.

The ragging paid off of course and I became so pissed off at them

I forced myself back under the heavy weights.

The only choice was to deal with it. The more I dealt with it

the better it got. I learned that if you fear something you have

to not only stare it in the face, you have to follow through and

do it. The more times you do it the better it gets. Then one day

you realize you're no longer scared.

On the next max effort day I knew I had to deal with the demon.

On this day I figured out how to take all the fear and use it

to my advantage. I put on the bench shirt and began to work up.

When I felt like I wanted to pull out I'd think of the worst possible

situation: tearing my pec again and the bar falling on my head

and crushing my skull into pulp. I let this build until the point

where the fear was out of control. I stuffed all this fear inside

and when I got under the bar all I could think of was getting

that fucker off me. I shoved will every bit of aggression I had

and ended the day with a 550 pound bench. I was back on the path

to 600.

So Close and Yet So Far

Over the next couple of years I posted a 540, 550 and 560 bench.

My training was based on a general Westside template (see The

Periodization Bible Part II). In 1996 I benched 585 easy.

Back in the gym I just kept doing the same things I had been doing.

Over the next three years I missed 600 ten times in meets. 

Now I was faced with another problem. How in the hell was I going

to get a lockout? I could jam the bar to the top but just couldn't

finish my right arm.

Then, in the summer of 1999, I decided to try on my shirt to

see how it fit.  My bench felt strong so maybe I could give

600 a good ride, I thought. On my last heavy set the bar decided

to drift out to the right side about four inches and I tore off

my right pec. After an MRI  I was told the decision for surgery

was up to me. The tendon was still attached but the muscle was

split almost in half.

I decided to forgo the surgery and get back to the gym. I knew

what I needed to do and started the rebab training again. The

one thing I'd learned is you have to get in the mix ASAP no matter

what the weight. So on max effort training day I still worked

up to a one rep max, although it was only 200 pounds. Maxing allowed

me to deal with the mental BS right away and get to the real issues.

Within a few months my speed work was back to normal but I was

still having trouble locking out my right arm. 

Once I was back in shape I had to put the shirt on again and

see how the training was going. I worked up to 600 and missed

it three times at the top. The right arm just wouldn't lock. As

it turns out, this day would send me back to the surgeon yet again

for shoulder surgery. My teres had been torn for some time and

could've been part of the reason why the arm wouldn't lock out.

After the shoulder surgery I once again went right back to work.

Recovery from this surgery was very intense and fast. Within one

month I had my strength back but was lacking shoulder stability.

I could press fine but had a hard time setting the bar and locking

the bar out. At this point I added in some special movements to

focus on this problem. You can only fix one thing at a time so

the triceps training went on the back burner and I began a series

of shoulder movements geared toward stabilizing the joint. I used

the following shoulder complex:

1) Front raises, thumbs down

2) Front raises, thumbs up

3) Overhead dumbbell presses

4) Bent over side raise, thumb up

5) Bent over side raise, thumb down

6) Bent over front raises

7) Zottman curls

8) External shoulder rotations, bottom half

9) External shoulder rotations, top half

I used light dumbbells and performed two sets of 12 reps four

days a week at the end of every main training day. At night I'd

do 100 push-ups and lower the position each time 100 was met.

I started the push-ups standing against a wall and worked down

until I was performing these off the floor. I'd do as many reps

as I could then rest a minute or so and keep going.  At first

to get all 100 would take many sets and long rest periods. Once

I was able to get 100 on the floor within ten minutes (about one

month) I dropped the push-ups.

The last movement I included was a reverse barbell shrug while

lying on the bench. I began with 95 pounds and could barely get

ten reps. I worked this movement for about six weeks and got up

to 225 for ten. At this point the shoulder joint began to stabilize

itself and the lockout was almost better than before the surgery.

In the fall of 2001 I benched 500 at a bench meet and decided

to focus again on triceps strength. I added in high board presses

with bands and a few other heavy pressing triceps type movements.

I wanted to try to use the bands for most of the partial range

max effort movements to fix my lockout problem. I needed to be

able to strain at this position for a longer period of time. I

also added in more bands on the speed day.

At a meet in the winter of 2002 I opened with 500 then went to

545. I missed to lift halfway up and decided to take it again

on my third. I switched back to a thumbless grip and managed to

make the lift. It was very sloppy and just about killed me in

the process, but I had the strength to strain and press it to

lockout. This is when I knew I had to again change many things.

First, I was always beat up and would wake up every night unable

to move my arm because of the shoulder pain and my elbows hurt

when I trained. Second, my lockout was still way off. The bar

wanted to always fly back toward the rack. Third, I was pressing

with my pecs first off the chest, not my triceps. Forth, I had

no idea what I was doing with a bench shirt. Fifth, I'd totally

lost my confidence in the bench.

I had my sites set on June with the goal of a 600 bench. I didn't

care what the total was; I just wanted to get back in the game

and needed a place to start.

The Last Push

The first thing I had to do was get healthy. To do this I used

three workouts instead of two. The two standards were one max

effort workout on Wednesday and one dynamic workout on Sunday.

I was still going to train these days but was now going to have

one max effort day, one repetition day, and one speed day.

For the max effort day nothing was going to change. The speed

day was going to be with mini bands one workout and chains the

next. The rep day was going to be a speed day with only 225 with

no bands or chains for 15 sets of three reps with 30 to 40 seconds

rest. I'd then follow this with bodybuilding work for the triceps,

lats and delts. Most of this work was strict and to failure. I

had to put muscle mass back on that I'd lost and needed it quick.

I used a lot of dumbbell presses, dumbbell raises and pulldown

work. During this time I also started getting Active Release (ART)

treatment each week.

I kept this schedule for six weeks. During this time I started

to get healthy again and some of my max effort records were getting

broken by 50 pounds. Once I felt healthy I went back to the one

max effort session and one dynamic session except for a few changes.

My max effort work kept going up to the point where I began beating

many of the 600 plus benchers on the movements. After four or

five weeks I put the shirt on again and missed a 525. Now I knew

what was wrong. My triceps were stronger but I was still pressing

with my pecs first and counting on my leg drive to get the bar

off my chest. I also had to bring more speed into the training.

Now my plan was to use bands on every speed day and set up a

circa maximal phase to bring the speed back.  [Editor's note: "Circa maximal" means

using submaximal weights for a short phase.] I lowered

the bar weight to 185 for the first two to three sets with one

band. The band's weight is equal to 40 on chest and 90 at top.

I'd then jump to 205 for two more sets. If this felt good I'd

add another band for two more sets with the same weight. This

slowed the bar down but taught me to push faster. Then I'd reduce

the weight to the original 185 with one mini band for two last

sets. I called these my ³super speed sets². This was used for

a short three week cycle to prep my body for the circa-maximal

phase to follow. The circa maximal phase used for this meet is

as follows:

Week 1: Warm up

to 155 with two mini bands (band weight 80 on chest and 180

at top). Two sets were done here. I then put on two chains each

side and did three sets (chain weight 0 on chest and 80 at top).

This is a total of nine reps and was maximal for me. I then

went down to 155 with one mini for two more sets. From there

I went on to triceps, lat and delt work. I kept the triceps

work light and supersetted pushdowns with band extensions.

Week 2: Warm up

to 155 with two mini bands. Two sets were done with this weight.

I then added a mini band choked (not folded) for one set. Next

I jumped to three mini bands for three sets (band weight 120

on chest and 270 at top). These sets were slow as hell but taught

me how to lock out and think.

I've always been an aggressive bencher. By this I mean just

lay down and shove the bar. I had to learn to think throughout

the lift. With the bar moving this slow at the top I learned

how to position my elbows to finish the lift if it got too heavy.

I then went down to 155 with two mini band for two sets. The

accessory work was the same as week one. My max effort work

for this week was high rep dumbbell presses with the intention

of getting away from the heavy work and work more on restoration.

Week 3: The same

as week two except for my max effort day I did board presses

and broke my six year old record by 25 pounds.

Week 4: De-load week. I was going to use 175 with one mini band but after

the first two sets I began to feel I was going to hurt myself

because the bar was moving too fast. I put on another set of mini

bands for two more sets then did one last set with 175 and one

mini band.

I stayed with this for about four weeks. If I felt beat up I

just used 185 with one mini band and stayed there. I also began

catching the bar again. By this I mean I didn't let the bar touch

my chest. I also benched a few weeks with my feet on a crate.

This was to take my legs out and teach me to drive with the triceps

first. After the speed work I did low pin presses for three sets

of three reps. After that I went to triceps, delt and lat work.

My max effort days were the same as everyone else in the gym.

Over all this time we used board presses, floor presses, chain

presses, and reverse band presses.

At the meet I opened with 550; the weight went up like an empty

bar. I then jumped to 605 for the second. Here I was again at

the weight I'd waited so long to get. Unlike all the times in

the past, this day I had all my bases covered and the weight flew

off my chest to lockout. I went for 635 on my third, but it didn't

happen. No worries, because I know I can get it the next time.

Conclusion

Hopefully you'll find this motivating and perhaps reach your

goal without making the same mistakes I did along the way. I had

to learn a hell of a lot over the past eighteen years to break

600. I learned that as long as you keep your sites set on one

specific goal and don't give up, someday it'll be yours. It may

take longer than you think (six years for a twenty pound record

in my case) but as long as you're willing to put in the time,

listen to others and never quit, you can achieve whatever you

set your mind to.

Take it from me. I've seen it all, torn it all, heard it all,

and told myself it all over the past six years. If I can do it

then anyone can. Now get your ass back in the gym.

For more information about these methods and products visit www.elitefts.com.