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continued from : The Quest: for the 405lb Bench
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I sometimes work with some stand up trainers at Kinesiologists.ca. They are a group of people with similar passion and experience in strength and conditioning. I don’t have a degree in this stuff so sometimes its good to see how they train people in the same situation as my clients. It’s a gauge to see if I am, in fact ,on the right track.
Because we work in such close proximity, and because we are all athletes in one way shape or form, the conversation will usually get around to this age old question:
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I’m not quite sure where the need to press weight off you chest became an accurate measure for over all fitness but (darn it ) it is! haha (joke…. but not really cause it is!:))
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So these guys at the clinic are registered kinesiologists and exercise physiologists. They came up with a series of tests to determine who indeed is the fittest! There is a three minute bike test for distance; a pull-up test; a complex including a bunch of exercises I haven’t looked at yet; and (wouldn’t you know it) a bench press contest. 75% of your weight for maximal reps.
What I want to sayabout such games is this: If you have the chance to be around a great bunch of like minded individuals and someone suggests you do something like a competition… DO IT! Don’t be worried about your training splits and how you should not train this way today because tomorrow is you chest day. Changing things around in every way possible and keeping it fun is far more important than measuring each rep. And it is a tremendous source of pride to think that even your recreation…. is training! If you are lucky enough in life to have a bunch of friends that you can work with towards a common goal, you have something very special. DO NOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED! It could be the biggest reason you achieve your goals.
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Back to the bench contest:
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well at this point I can bench press 365lbs so I figure I’m gonna rake. Right?
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Wrong.
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75 percent of my weight is 215lbs. At 225 I have achieved 25 reps. so I thought 27-28 ish? BUT here’s the thing: the test requires that the bar touch the chest. As I have said before, I don’t do bench press this way. It is dangerous. Lots of shoulder issues bringing the bar that far down. So…
…I only achieve 14 reps. Shame sets in. Then Aaron does 27 at 155.
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How could this happen? Answer: Capillary function (which I will talk about next time)
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