Then 305. For example here is a sample bench press workout of James Strickland where he utilized overcoming isometrics: You can click right here for a great training video of this workout. Ray Williams is a powerlifting legend known for his incredible strength and remarkable feats in the sport. Lets take another look at James Stricklands sample bench press workout: The A1 exercise highlighted above is the top set on the competition bench press that I am talking about here. BENCH PRESS: 5 sets of 3 reps Kick off with the powerlifting staple itself. When you are benching, you need to feel as though you are pushing yourself away from the barbell and into the actual bench. The Reactive Slingshot is a bit more flexible and pliable. It will be a solid overloading tool in your bench press training. They should be challenging but shouldnt be so heavy that you have to get amped up to complete them. I use the Slingshot 2-3 times per year in training cycles where Im trying to overload the movement. This is an awesome training frequency that works well for a large percentage of the training populace. But choosing the second option, with each session you were able to lift much more on average. If you are constantly alternating exercises, you will always be progressing. While we have discussed the neurological adaptations necessary for maximal strength in detail in the past and it gets very complicated very fast, all you need to know is that neuromuscular adaptations are the crux of actually getting strong. The 8-Week Program to Build Your Bench-Press Max Akim Williams gives insider advice on how to make the most out of your time on the bench. To use the slingshot in your bench press training, I would not jump into the heavier weights to start. Bench Press Slingshot Band Push Up Weight Lifting Gym Workout, Bench Press Sling Power Increase. In essence, this simply means altering the exact amount of weight you lift each session based on how you feel on any given day. It's up to you to make it the former, not the latter. Josh Bryant is a HUGE believer in using deloads over the course of a bench press training cycle. Bench Press: 3 sets of 5 repetitions with 85% of 1RM (block periodization style). The Slingshot is an effective tool for overloading the bench press. You can unsubscribe at any time by replying STOP or clicking the unsubscribe link (where available) in one of our messages. However, more research needs to be done on its application to muscular hypertrophy. If you can get yourself into a tight, tucked position each time, you create a strong base to push frommore weight lifted from improved leverages and stability. This top set is slightly sub maximal (but still very hard) and is based on specific training percentages that are covered in Part 2 of this article. Variety is the key herechoose different exercises as often as possible to target your bench muscles that are lagging the most. Influence of the Slingshot bench press training aid on bench press kinematics and neuromuscular activity in competitive powerlifters. While a majority of programs are designed for all three lifts (squat and deadlift too), there are very few that cover the bench specifically. *Bell pauses for a one-count at the bottom and explosively presses up. As you become stronger and become unable to cant add 5-10 pounds with each session, you still need to progress! For example here is Al Davis giving a perfect demonstration of an overcoming isometric contraction on the bench press. An experienced coach such as Josh Bryant will tweak these percentages each week based on how his client is progressing. Push-ups . Just remember to use them for no more than 3-6 weeks at a time. It should fit snug and comfortable, but not extremely tight. Your starting position is everything. This training log was also taken from the old training log archives at elitefts.com. The Maddog Slingshot has the most resistance out of all the Slingshots. This would involve protocols of using 15-20% more weight than your raw bench press for the same number of reps. Its important that when you do start your overloading on the bench press that you have a spotter. In addition, third parties, including Facebook, may use cookies, web beacons, and other storage technologies to collect or receive information from PowerliftingTechnique.com and elsewhere on the Internet and use that information to provide measurement services and target ads. All rights reserved. Josh sometimes has his clients bench press heavy once every 10 days. While it is considered obvious now, at the time the thought of altering weights in a strategic manner had never been formulated. No hip Circle? In a Josh Bryant style bench press workout you would perform your accessory exercises after your 1-2 supplemental movements. So theoretically you should be able to perform a greater number of reps before your triceps fatigue. Now that you have a firm understanding of everything that went into the program, its time to cover form. So I use the slingshot every other bench workout (as long as it's at . In order to get the full benefit of this superior training method you have to press into the safety pins as if you were trying to break them in half! Lastly, the number one reason for overuse injuries is getting greedy. Lat Pulldown 4 10 2 min. For the warmup, Bell suggests using a Hip Circlea looped piece of fabric that wraps below or above the knees to activate the glutes and hips. *Complete 3-5 sets. Essentially, the slingshot is taking over the work that the triceps would otherwise do. You can click right here to watch the training video for the week 4 heavy bench workout: **Performed with 70% of weight used during weeks 1-3. With that said, if you find that the main movement and accessory movement is leaving you drained and fatigued, just treat the isolation sets as active recovery and use light weight. If you are interested in Josh Bryant style programming then I highly recommend you subscribe to James YouTube channel: All exercises performed with 70% of weights used during weeks 1-3. If the question was, will using a slingshot allow me to lift heavier weight on average in training so that I can capitalize on that to lift much more without it?the answer would be a loud yes. Finally, James wraps up his bench press workout with three accessory exercises for his upper back, chest, and triceps. These percentages are based off your estimated 1-rep max at the start of the training cycle. If you are a novice or beginner, you should be reading the 55 program. Your last repetition should be an all-out grinder. The sling shot is an elastic piece of material that helps you bench-press more easily. Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means I earn from qualifying purchases. If you are looking for a bench press or powerlifting coach then I can think of no man better suited for the job than Josh Bryant. But if you absolutely must, follow the original routine first and any save adjustments for the next training cycle. Tudor made his discovery by watching Russians train. All rights reserved. Chad was better known for his squatting strength but he also put up some highly respectable numbers on the bench press while working with Josh Bryant. The Slingshot was invented by powerlifter Mark Bell, who holds a 545lb raw bench and 854lb equipped bench. The isolation exercises shouldnt be loaded heavythey are designed to provide direct stimulus to the smaller muscle groups and therefore do not require much, especially with the enormous amount of benching being done. Lastly, make sure to place the bar into the meaty section of your hand instead of wrapping your fingers around. We stand to empower those who seek to improve their life through fitness. Here are some examples of accessory exercises that Josh likes to use at the end of his clients bench press workouts: As a very general rule of thumb you might want to perform 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps on each of your accessory exercises. Please note that all of these workouts were taken directly from, Exercise G1: Standing rope cable pushdown, 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest. If you feel discomfort or sharp pain in your shoulder, its because you arent tucking enough. The researchers from that same study concluded that the Slingshot significantly increased 1 rep max strength while using the Slingshot participants were able to lift 17-24kg more than their raw bench press. In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies, Sign up below to receive our newest workout routines, recipes, news stories, and offers from our partners. 12-Week Program Lifting Chart. Lie down on the bench and grab the bar with an underhand grip. Lets look at the percentages of a sample 12-week peaking program. He has trained many of the worlds strongest bench press specialists including Julius Maddox. Dugdale, JH, Hunter, AM, Di Virgilio, TG, Macgregor, LJ, and Hamilton, DL. You can use a strength chart, but this can be done very easily using Epley formula and is something you should know and be able to do on the fly for all lifts. *****Performed at 59% of his projected 1-rep max. But furthermore, youre losing out on tension in the back, glutes, and legs that translates into a bigger bench. 2020 Mark Bell Slingshots. Marcy Flat Utility 600 lbs Capacity Weight Bench for Weight Training and Ab Exercises SB-315 ,. A: Explained earlier in the article, the sole purpose of accessories and isolation exercises is to increase your bench pressnot set a world record on reverse tricep kick-back extensions. Pick a weight that you can do about 3-6 repetitions with, bust out the set, and then do this calculation: One Rep Max = (Weight Lifted * Number of Repetitions)/30 + Weight Lifted. The Program Since it's the bench press you want to improve. You can click right here to watch the training video for the week 1 heavy bench workout: You can click right here to watch the training video for the week 1 accessory workout: **Performed at 81% of his projected 1-rep max. This could be a workout like 5 X 5 @ 70%. Sometimes things these things just happen on the bench press. You may feel like you need to pull the bar down, which will require you to use your upper back musculature a bit more than you would in a raw bench press. Workout-2: Max Effort Bench Press Training. Do You Really Need a Greens Powder in Your Life? However, rack lockouts and other partial range of motion lifts can also be utilized. CAT sets are extremely effective for boosting maximal strength and increasing your rate of force development. To make things as simple as possible I will cover three of the bench press training frequencies that Josh uses with the majority of his clients. The slingshot bench press was included in my article on the Best Bench Press Variations. As mentioned previously Vincent later teamed up with Josh Bryant to finish what he started. For example, if you lift 225 for 5 reps, your max is roughly 263 pounds: (225*5)/30 + 225. While this is also important to do while raw benching, you might find it more difficult to maintain a level of consistency with your touch point while using the Slingshot. There is also some carryover slightly above and below the exact point that you are training. It's a relatively straightforward bench-only program that gradually decreases volume while increasing intensity before attempting a new PR on week 5. In a study by Dugdale et al. It can effectively increase muscle strength and is suitable for any athlete who want to increase their power, pressing strength, speed and dips. You can click right here to watch the training video for the week 2 heavy bench workout: You can click right here to watch the training video for the week 2 accessory workout: **Performed at 83% of his projected 1-rep max. This program is not only used to help increase the bench press but other compound lifts also, such as the squat and deadlift. The accessory movements are still important but nowhere near as important as the exercises performed earlier in the workout. Some of Joshs bench press secret weapons include compensatory acceleration training, overcoming isometric contractions and targeted supplemental and accessory exercises designed to annihilate your weak points in the bench press. In this guide I will teach you all of Josh Bryants secrets for a world-class bench press. The Slingshot can enhance volume-loads during performance of bench press using unaided maximal loads. He actually has his athletes alternate between sets of overcoming isometrics and sets of speed bench presses. Part 10: Chad Wesley Smiths Bench Press Program. **Performed at 84% of his projected 1-rep max, ***Performed at 65% of his projected 1-rep max, ****Performed at 62% of his projected 1-rep max, *****Performed at 66% of his projected 1-rep max, ***Performed at 54% of his projected 1-rep max, **Performed at 87% of his projected 1-rep max, ****Performed at 64% of his projected 1-rep max, *****Performed at 69% of his projected 1-rep max, **Performed at 71% of his projected 1-rep max, ***Performed at 55% of his projected 1-rep max, ****Performed at 63% of his projected 1-rep max, ****Performed at 65% of his projected 1-rep max, *****Performed at 71% of his projected 1-rep max, **Performed at 75% of his projected 1-rep max, ***Performed at 57% of his projected 1-rep max, All exercises performed at 70% of weights used during weeks 5-7, ***Performed at 76% of his projected 1-rep max, (Note: Chad tweaked his pec on the top single and further aggravated it on the speed triple. If Im transitioning into a program where Im going from benching 2X per week to 3X per week, then using the Slingshot is a great tool to help me transition to higher amounts of volume while keeping my shoulders and elbows healthy. The slingshot is a wide band with holes on either side to slide onto your arm which then stretches across your chest and ribcage to create an increased elastic response at the bottom of the lift. Please note that all of these workouts were taken directly from James YouTube channel. Most people should be able to get almost twice the number of reps, which will allow you to fatigue your triceps while not overloading the shoulders. Part 9: James Stricklands Bench Press Program. This page is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The Reactive Slingshot is designed better for beginner lifters who have under two years of bench press experience or bench press under 300lbs. The top set should be hard but NOT an absolute grinder. James is capable of pressing the 200 pound dumbbells for reps but only used the 100s to 130s during this training cycle. In other words, handling a similar amount of sets & reps with more weight, or using the same weight for more sets & reps. Josh Bryants bench press peaking programs are designed for one thing and one thing only: to help you put up a huge bench press on the day of your powerlifting meet. Download Skwaat Program Whether you're a beginner or advanced lifter, the stronger in 30 days: Skwaat Program is bound to add pounds to your Skwaat. Some of you reading this may need to deload every 2nd-3rd week while others will do their best deloading every 5-6 weeks. This is because you need to keep your upper back and lat muscles much tighter while benching with a Slingshot, and if youre not getting the requisite amount of tightness, then it will be harder to stabilize and control the bar on your chest. How to Lose Belly Fat Overnight (15 Hacks), 1 Month Exercise Bike Results (With Pics). Note that it is still highly recommended to read this article in full to understand how the program functions and how to properly use it to maximize your progress. If theyre not, you risk hurting your shoulder joint, which you need for all pressing and pulling motions. As you can see the percentages creep up each week so that you are using a weight very close to your true 3-rep max on the third week. There is a reason the strongest bench presser in the world Julius Maddox continues to place his faith in Josh. First, it relieves any pain you may be having and prevents it from happening in the future. After all, Josh is concerned with one thing and one thing only: results! Its constructed with more of an angled sleeve, which will be advantageous for people who have a long range of motion or a lower touch lower on their chest (on or below the sternum). This is Mark Bell's 5 week Sling Shot bench press program, also known as the "Stronger in 30 Days" program. After the speed reps, James moves onto two key supplementary exercises: the reverse band bench press and v-bar dips. It enables you to overload the bench press, like knee straps do in the squat for example. If youve already been benching consistently for a couple of years, then the Slingshot is a tool that every bench presser should try at least once. On the RPE scale, your accessories should be registering a 9. As you bring the barbell down during the bench press, the Slingshot creates elastic tension on your chest, which allows you to use more weight than you normally would for the same number of reps. Because the bar load is partially supported by the elastic tension, the Slingshot can also reduce the amount of stress on the shoulders and elbows when the bar is on your chest. In other words whether you get your best results with a high, low, or moderate training frequency is primarily dictated by your parents. You can unsubscribe at any time by replying STOP or clicking the unsubscribe link (where available) in one of our messages. Take the Bar Through a "J' Path. Reverse Band Bench Press: How-To, Benefits, Why Do It? here are some stats: height: 5'9. weight: ~200-205lbs (stayed in this range the entire program) bench: ~275lbs 1rm to ~315lbs (lifetime PR) the 275lbs as a 1rm is a bit of a sandbag as i workout alone and hadn't truly maxed on the . Take a look at this diagram: On the left it a clear case of elbow painthey are far in front of the barbell, requiring the triceps and elbow extensors to carry an enormous amount of load. This is an apt program if you are preparing for some competition. If you respond well to a higher-frequency approach then you definitely want to check out this program. And here are some of Joshs favourite supplemental exercises to improve your lockout strength: As a general rule of thumb Josh prefers full-range of motion movements that also overload the lockout portion of the bench press. (2019), the slingshot was found to reduce the muscle activation of the tricep, proper elbow position for the bench press, relationship between volume and hypertrophy, 6 Decline Bench Press Benefits (Plus, 1 Drawback), 8 Close Grip Bench Press Benefits (Plus, 1 Drawback), Reverse Grip Bench Press: How-To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, 3-Board Bench Press: Technique, Benefits, How To Program. Do you wonder how Josh Bryant trains to hit bench press PRs? 10 BEST BENCH PRESS ACCESSORIES TO INCREASE STRENGTH AND TECHNIQUE. Get STronger in 30 Days with my 30 day program for bench. Thank you Josh for sharing your gift with the world. The Sling Shot, created by Mark Bell, is a complete game changer. However, for most trainees deloading every 4th week works like magic. Josh has found through trial and error that trainees with a lot of fast-twitch muscle fibers do better on a somewhat lower training frequency while lifters with more slow-twitch muscle fibers need a relatively higher training frequency for optimal progress. Easy answer if youre looking to get strong: you dont. My Sling Shot mirrored exactly my raw bench programming, only differing in one way- the intensities were about 20-30 pounds greater. A mini band also works. You want to feel how much support youre getting from the slingshot by having a common reference point for a similar set/rep/load protocol. You definitely dont have to do this much work in a single workout. The Mark Bell Slingshot is a tool that powerlifters use for bench press training. If an athlete can handle more volume then there may be the potential for greater hypertrophy adaptations. But I wouldn't have done so much with the slingshot if it wasn't for the fact that I fail close to lockout. Obviously this is not the fault of Josh Bryants training routine. * By entering your phone number and submitting this form, you consent to recieve marketing text messages (such as promotion codes and cart reminders) from Mark Bell Sling Shot at the number provided, including messages sent by autodialer. As clich and corny as that soundsits the truth. This reduction in both volume AND training intensity gives his body a chance to fully recover from the prior 3 weeks of intense training and sets him up to lift some massive weights at the end of his bench press peaking cycle.