BENCHPRESS GOAL

[FITKLUNK]

Hey every one, just wanted to share my goal to be completed by my 40th birthday 02/09... This goal has been on going for several years now and i think posting it here on this forum may give me the motivation needed to reach it. So, i am a 5'7 ish male weighing in around 165lbs, my goal is to bench press 225lbs - 20 reps; my best came in around 16 about three years ago.

Currently I am comfortable with 225lbs for 6-7 reps. Today's mains portion of my chest work out was 205lbs four sets 8,10, 8 ,8. I plan to build on this to 10 reps x 4 sets. then increase weight each time, eventually combining heavier weight with higher reps. I plan to test once a month at 225lbs for as many reps as possible. wish me luck and suggestions greatly appreciative.

Mark

[mbake]

A very admiral goal Mark. What kind of rest are you getting. I think you can do this! It will take a lot of determination, and I think after reading your workouts, the proper rest. I also think proper rest is one of the most overlooked issues in achieving specific lifting goals. Especially for us who don't get paid for the training it takes to reach those goals. The olympic athletes take resting to an extreme and we could take a page out of their planning. Let me know if you have already considered this. i just try to find something that isn't as obvious as the training itself. Hope the suggestion helped. I'd like to challenge anyone who reads this to put up $25.00. That's right I'd pay 25 bucks to see Mark do this and if we get a group to follow suit he would have a great goal. And if he doesn't do it the party is on him!

[FITKLUNK]

Mike That sounds like a deal...

As far as the rest goes I will do a chest work out 2 a week and for sleep Ideally waking up around 7 - 7:15 am

bed time usually 10 - 11 pm so average sleep should easily be 8 hrs. Monday is my next work out core lift on bench press will be 205 for 4 sets of 10....

Mark

[dave vz]

When are you training triceps? I would train them after your chest workout and I would put equal attention on them. Having the additional strength and endurance in the triceps can help you overcome those last few reps when the chest is screaming. When I was powerlifting I always worked the assisting muscles as hard as the core exercises and it paid off. I was able to bench 325 lbs for 10 reps when I weighed in at 175 lbs....Eh, but I was a lot younger then.

I will turn 40 one month before you. I think I need a goal too. I think mine needs to be cardio based.

[FITKLUNK]

thanks for the suggestions dave...

My weighin today is 165lbs completed 4 sets of 10 @ 205 no spots - bumping to 215 friday. Did not sleep well due to the thunderstorms all night and having a dog scared and panicked.

Mark

[FITKLUNK]

HEY ALL,

quick update on my progress - I decided to test my B Press for the first work out on July (friday 4th)

225- 8 reps so that is where I am currently - completed 4 set of 8 at 215 also.

I think I am also going to add one heavy set between 250 and 275 for 2-3 reps. My thought on this is as I get comfortable with the heavier weights 225 will feel very very light...

Mark

[dave vz]

Mark,

Have you ever tried lifting for low reps-heavy - first chest workout (3-8 reps to failure) and then on the next chest workout go with 15- 25 reps sets with what you can take to failure.

I found this combination always led to increases in weight and size.

Good luck,

Dave

[mbake]

just curious, are you going to try and increase your mass (gain weight)? That's what moves things. In other words, i know some body builders that aren't as strong as a bigger less lean power lifter who has more mass.

[Core Dynamics]

Hey, I'm in with $25 for Mark to reach his goal! Mark has trained me before and I know what he's capeable of! I know he can do it! I've got 10 years on you guys and I'm going to set a goal too. Right now, I can do somewhere around 25-30 full-body push-ups and I would like to be able to do 50 sometime before my 50th birthday. I turn (gulp!) 49 next month. That hurts just to say it! Anyway, Mark, can you help me?

Libby
Core Dynamics

[FITKLUNK]

Hey all,
after a full recovery of july 4th week end, today chest work out had some improvememt.

at 215 reps were 8-10-8-8 1 set 250 2 reps did not have a spotter available set of 9 may have been possible jsut did not want to risk.

as far as gaining wt. no I do not want to gain weight rather increase muscle and loose fat- I figure i have atleast 8 lbs of fat to loose and would love to replace 5 bls of muscle onto that.

Thanks for the encouragement Libby, I do not doubt that you can make your goal also. lets start anoter thread for you and we can then work on some tips ...

Mark

[Core Dynamics]

Okay. The thing is... with me and push-ups... I really don't know how many I can truely do. I work out so much with my teaching and all that when I do push-ups, I'm pretty fatigued. What I will try to do is bang out what I can before teaching a class and see where I end up. During a class, after already lifting, I know I can do 20. It's slow at the end but I get it done. So, I will see how many I can do tomorrow morning at 5:30am (yikes!) and let you know. That's with the assumption that I sleep well, which I usually don't! Okay Mark. It's on.

Libby

[FITKLUNK]

update on workout: 215lb 4 sets 10,9,9,9 250 lb 1 set 1 felt very tired on that one oh body weight still hanging around 164 lbs

next week I hope to put 215 behind me with 4 sets of 10.

Libby still patiently waiting to see how many push ups you did?

Mark

[mbake]

Mark looks like your going to do it! Keep up the good work. Libby, come on girl you can do it! When is the last time you did some decline push-ups? Might help mix it up a little??? Looking forward to see how many you are at now.

[FITKLUNK]

Todays work out was pretty good 215 4 sets of a solid 10 with 250 lbs 1 set of 2

Friday I am jumping to 225 for sets of hopefully 8 each and then build onto that...

Mark

[Core Dynamics]

Okay, decline push-ups sound like a real challenge. Don't think I've ever done those. The pressure's on! May need a little instruction... Mike, I'll see you tomorrow at 11am. Maybe a demo??

Libby