art icle s.e lit e f t s.

co m

http://articles.elitefts.co m/training-articles/efs-classic-the-basic-template-fo r-bench-press-wo rko uts/

EFS Classic: The Basic Workout Template and FAQ

elit eft s Sunday edit ion

The Basic Workout Template and FAQ

What is t he Basic Templat e f or Bench Press Workout s?
Wednesday: Max ef f ort bench press training T he Max Ef f ort Exercise: work up to one or three rep max Supplemental Exercise: triceps movement. T he best exercises f or this group includes JM presses, and barbell or dumbbell extensions, board presses or rack lockouts. Accessory Movements: triceps, lats, or delts This includes movements for the lats, shoulders and possibly extra triceps work. The best movements for this group include triceps extensions, rows and various shoulder raises. Prehabilation Movements: training of the joints This includes movements for the elbow and shoulder joint. The best movements for this group include external shoulder rotations, pushdowns and sled dragging for two to four sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Sunday: Dynamic bench press training Bench Press: work up to eight sets of three reps using three dif f erent grips all inside the rings. Supplemental Exercise: triceps movement. T he best movements are close grip bench presses, JM

presses, dumbbell or barbell extensions, high board presses, or rack lockouts. Accessory Movements: triceps, lats, delts This includes movements for the lats, shoulders and possibly extra tricep work. The best movements for this group include triceps extensions or pushdowns, rows and various shoulder raises. Prehabilitation Movements: training of the joints This includes movements for the elbow and shoulder joints. The best movements for this group include external shoulder rotations, press downs and sled dragging for two to four sets of 12 to 15 reps.

What is t he Basic Templat e f or squat /deadlif t workout s?

Monday: Max ef f ort squat and deadlif t training T he Max Ef f ort Exercise: work up to one to three rep max T he Supplemental Movement : this will include one exercise f or the hamstrings The best movements for them include partial deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts and glute/ham raises for three to six sets of five to eight reps. T he Accessory Movements One or two abdominal movements One lower back movement: the best exercise f or this purpose is the reverse hyper f or three to f our sets of 6 to 10 reps. Prehabilation Movements This can include exercises for the knee and hip joints. The best movements for this purpose include any type of lower body sled dragging.

Friday: Dynamic squat and deadlif t training T he Box Squat: work up to 8 sets of 2 reps with prescribed percentage T he Supplemental Movement This will include one exercise for the hamstrings. The best movements for the hams include partial deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts and glute/ham raises for four to six sets of five to eight reps. T he Accessory Movements 1. One or two abdominal movements f or three to f ive sets of 6 to 12 reps 2. One lower back movement: T he best exercise f or this purpose is the reverse hyper perf ormed f or three to f our sets of 8 reps. Prehabilation Movements This can include exercises for the knee and hip joints. The best movements for this purpose include any type of lower body sled dragging.

What is Prilipins Table?

A. S. Prilipin suggested that to achieve the proper intensity, one should use the rep/set scheme shown in the table, to ensure the greatest development of speed and strength. He discovered that if seven or more reps were perf ormed at 70 percent, the bar speed slowed and power decreased. T he same holds true when using 80 or 90 percent. Once one goes above the rep range shown, the bar slows, which translates to less power. If you do f ewer or more lif ts than Prilipin suggests, it will cause a decrease in training ef f ect. Number of Reps f or Percent Training

Percent 55-65 70-75 80-85 90+

Reps per set 3-6 3-6 2-4 1-2

Optimal Total Range 24 18-30 18 12-24 15 10-20 7 4-10

I t hink I hurt my rot at or cuf f . What should I do t o rehab it ?

Start with the cuf f complex which is listed below. Use f ive pounds f or all the movements. Overhead press Overhead tricep extensions Side raises with thumbs up Side raises with thumbs middle Front raise with thumbs up Front raise with thumbs middle Bent side raise thumbs up Bent side raise thumbs middle Bent f ront raise thumbs up Bent f ront raise thumbs middle Z ottsman curl this is like a curl with an extra twist at the top External rotation only top half External rotation only bottom half Start with one set of 10 reps with f ive pounds and work up to two sets of 20 with 20 pounds over time (by this I mean months, not by next week). When f inished with this workout, start the f ollowing shoulder traction work. Lay on the bench with an average or light band set up like you would a reverse band press. Lay on the bench and strap the band around your wrist. Dont grab the band you want all the stretch to go to the shoulder and not be limited by your grip strength. Let the band pull your arm up and out. Move the arm around to try and lengthen the shoulder joint. Do the same as above with the band wrapped around the power rack in dif f erent locations, except now you will be standing in f ront of the rack with the band on the side post of the rack. Move and stretch in every direction you can think of . Do the traction work bef ore and af ter all training sessions. Do the cuf f work 45 times the f irst week, three times the second week and then only on upper body days af ter that.

Other Stuf f : Use a cut up bench shirt f or all bench training. T his should be a loose shirt. Drop the bands on the squat f or awhile. You have time. Try the Saf ety Squat bar f or a three week phase. T he f irst two weeks use 15 sets of two reps. T he last two weeks will be eight sets two reps. Also use your squat suit straps down and try to use a medium stance. I actually like to use three dif f erent stances; close, medium and wide. Keep icing it. Remember when it begins to f eel better, you HAVE to keep with the above stuf f in some f orm or another to keep it f rom coming back.

I am weak of f my chest when I bench presswhat do I do?

T here are a number of things that can be done to help a lif ter that has a weakness of f the chest. 1. Work on your bar speed. 2. Your lats are weak. 3. You are not staying tight (shoulder blades pulled together and your belly f illed with air). 4. T he bar weight is simply too heavy! 5. Increase shoulder strength. T his is only a partial list. Be prepared to bench big.

What are t he percent ages t o use on dynamic bench day?

T he percentages f or dynamic bench press day when using straight weight (no bands or chains) or chains are as f ollows:

Beginner 60% Intermediate 55% Advanced 50% T he percentages are the same when using chains because there is a total deload at the bottom of the lif t. Remember that these numbers are guidelines and are always subject to change. T his is based on the lif ter and bar speed. Base your percentages of f of you raw bench press.

What is work capacit y and how do I increase it ?

During a dinner conversation with Mel Sif f and Louie Simmons the topic of periodization training came up. Mel made a statement that I will never f orget. He told us of a comment that was told to him by Medvedyev one of the originators of the periodization concept. T his comment was that periodization training in the United States has been set back 40 years by some of the current books written on the topic. T his is a statement Louie and I have been trying to tell athletes f or years. Not only will the progressive overload style of training lead to over training and stagnation, it also ignores one basic concept of training, increasing work capacity. Work capacity is the underlying component of any training program. It is the ability to perf orm work, which determines your level of f itness, that in turn, will determine your level of preparedness. If you raise your work capacity too f ast, youll over train and if you reduce it under your current level, you will digress. If your work capacity is still at the same level it was two years ago, then Ill bet youre at the same strength and hypertrophy level you were two years ago.

You can increase your work capacity by several means described below. Extra Training Sessions: T here are several types of extra workouts that can make a tremendous dif f erence in your training. Overseas, its not uncommon to see athletes perf orming up to three or f our workouts per day. T hese workouts can be designed f or a number of reasons. Recovery Workouts: T hese training sessions may also be known as f eeder workouts and are designed to aid in the recovery process. For example, if you perf ormed a heavy bench press workout on day one with 400 pounds, then on day two, you would use the same exercise with very light weight f or higher repetitions, such as 135 f or two sets of 20 to induce blood into the muscles to speed the recovery process. Another type of f eeder or recovery workout and the one most used at Westside barbell is with the use of a dragging sled. T he dragging sled has helped a lot of lif ters with a multiple of training situations. Weve seen the use of the sled add 30 to 60 pounds on ones deadlif t, aid in the recovery process, add lean body mass, and bring up weak points. T he sled can be used f or a number of dif f erent exercises f or both the upper and lower body. Some of these include: around the waist dragging, ankle dragging (drag the sled with the use of your ankles), pull-through dragging (drag the sled by holding the sled strap between your legs), and upper body dragging (drag the sled by perf orming f ront raises, rear raises, side raises, presses and extensions). T hese sled exercises are best used with the empirical rule of 60%. T his basically means that on the f irst day, you

choose the heaviest weight youll use f or that exercise and decrease the weight by 60% f or each day af ter that f or three days. Af ter that point, you repeat the process. T his rule is essential f or avoiding stagnation with any given exercise. A great benef it of the sled is recovery. T his is because f or many of the exercises there is no eccentric motion. It is believed that the eccentric is responsible f or DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). When the eccentric is taken away f rom the exercise, you are lef t with a concentric motion that will induce blood f low to the muscle without causing DOMS.

What are t he percent ages t o use on dynamic squat day when using chains or st raight weight ?
When using chains or straight weight, the percentages are as f ollows. Beginner: Week 1: 63% f or 10 sets of 2 reps Week 2: 65% f or 10 sets of 2 reps Week 3: 68% f or 10 sets of 2 reps Intermediate: Week 1: 60% f or 8 sets of 2 reps Week 2: 63% f or 8 sets of 2 reps Week 3: 65% f or 8 sets of 2 reps Advanced: Week 1: 55% f or 8 sets of 2 reps Week 2: 58% f or 8 sets of 2 reps Week 3: 60% f or 8 sets of 2 reps Four to six reps over the three weeks must be above training percent. T his is done in addition to the regular sets. Recommended Chains for Squatting Squat Max 200-400 Pounds = 60 pound chain Squat Max 400-500 Pounds = 80 pound chain Squat Max 500-600 Pounds = 100 pound chain Squat Max 600-800 Pounds = 120 pound chain Squat Max 800-900 Pounds = 160 pound chain T he chains are added on to the weight of the barbell. Make sure to warm up with the chains on the bar f irst, then add the weights. When the barbell is in the rack, f our to f ive links of chain should be resting on the f loor. At no point in time should all of the chain be of f the f loor during the squat

What are t he percent ages f or dynamic squat day when using bands?
Regular Training Phase Week 1: 47% 8 sets of 2 Week 2: 51% 8 sets of 2 Week 3: 53% 8 sets of 2 Four to six reps over the three weeks must be above training percent. T his is done in addition to the regular sets. T his phase should be used by the majority of lif ters. Recommended Bands f or Squatting Squat: 300-500 pounds

Light band 501-750 Average band 751-1000 Strong band Keep in mind, f or the bands to work properly, you must have tension at the bottom.

Why do you guys t each squat t ing wit h a wide st ance?

When you squat wide, you create better leverages f or the squat. T he distance between your knee and hip is greater with a close stance, thus a longer and more dif f icult squat. By using a wide squat, you cut this distance back as well as place the emphasis on the glutes, hamstrings and lower back. T hese are the muscles that squat big weights! While squatting wide, try to keep your toes straight ahead or slightly turned out. T his will create a tremendous amount of tension in the hips and glutes and make it hard to squat down. T his tension will create a great stretch ref lex out of the bottom of the squat. T his is vital to the development of barbell speed

Why do you pref er t he box squat over t he f ree squat ?

1. I can sit back f urther when box squatting . T his places more stress on the posterior chain muscles. Also, this puts less stress on the knees and will allow an athlete to train that may have had surgery or a previous knee problem. 2. I always know how low Im going. If I want to squat two inches below parallel, then I set my box up at that height. T his way my body will always sit as low as its conditioned. If I want to squat one inch high, then I set the box higher. 3. It allows a lif ter that has poor f lexibility, or weak hamstrings, to squat correctly. Many times an athlete that has either of the above problems cannot f ree squat without the coaches and trainers cringing. By putting this athlete on an above-parallel box, it allows f or a great workout. Make sure the extra steps are taken to strengthen the hamstrings and address the f lexibility problem. 4. Squatting on a box breaks the eccentric/concentric chain. T his is one of the best ways to develop explosive strength. 5. T he box is great f or teaching proper squatting technique. Most athletes and lif ters have very poor squat technique because of bad coaching, muscle imbalances and f lexibility. T he box can work as a great aid to teaching the proper way to sit back into a squat. 6. I can squat lower when using a box. 7. I can correct mistakes at the bottom of a box squat. T his is something impossible to do when perf orming a f ree squat. 8. Its easier to teach someone how to squat when using a box. 9. My recovery between squat sessions is improved.

Why and how do I push air int o my st omach when I squat ?

Walk over to a mirror. Take a look at your shoulders and take a deep breath. Did they rise? If they did, then youre pulling all the air into your chest, not your belly. You need to learn how to breath into your belly. T his is how we teach everyone to squat. For the squat, we advise the use of a weight belt worn one notch loose. T his

is to teach you to pull air into your belly then push out into the belt. T he belt acts as a great training aid to push against. As a side note, we use the same technique f or all of our max-ef f ort work, but dont use the belt in that situation. T his is one aspect of our training that has been misunderstood f or too long. We use the belt to teach how to use the abdominals f or the squat, bench, and deadlif t, and do not advocate its use f or anything else, unless the lif ter f eels its needed. Many in the gym, have worked up to 600 and 700 pound good mornings without any adverse ef f ects and have been doing them this way f or over 10 years. T his brings me to the next point. Weve been told breathing and using the abdominals this way will lead to back injuries. Louie Simmons has been coaching this f or the past 20 years at Westside and hasnt had any lif ters with these problems. Learning to use the belly has made a prof ound dif f erence in all of our squats, especially f or those who never tried it. I saw squats increase by 25 to 50 pounds on this aspect alone. Now thats what squatting big is all about. Filling your belly with air will also create a larger torso and give you a bigger base of support f rom which to drive. Ever wonder why those with bigger waists squat so much? T hink about it. We want as much tightness and support as we can get f rom the gross muscles of the spinal erectors, abdominals, and obliques.

How do you perf orm box squat s correct ly?

To take the bar out of the rack, the hands must be evenly placed on the bar. Secure the bar on the back where it f eels the most comf ortable. To lif t the bar out of the rack, one must push evenly with the legs, arch the back, push their abs out against the belt, and lif t the chest up while driving the head back. A high chest will ensure the bar rests as f ar back as possible. Slide one f oot back, then the other, to assume a position to squat. Set your f eet up in a wide stance and point your toes straight ahead or slightly outward. Also, keep your elbows pulled under the bar to ensure tightness in the upper back. When youre ready f or the descent, make sure to keep the same arched back position. Pull your shoulder blades together and pull as much air into your stomach as possible. Again, push your abs out. Youll maintain this tightness throughout the set. To begin the descent, push your hips back and push your knees out to the sides to ensure maximum hip involvement. Once you reach the box, you need to sit on it and release the hip f lexors while keeping the back arched and abs pushed out. At the same time, drive your knees out to the side.

To begin the ascent, keep pushing out on the belt, arch the back as much as possible, and drive the head, chest, and shoulders to the rear. If you push with the legs f irst your buttocks will raise f irst, f orcing the bar over the knees and causing stress to the lower back and knees, thus diminishing the power of the squat. You need to keep the barbell in a direct line with the heels throughout the entire movement and this can only be done by keeping your back arched.

What are some exercises I can do t o help me get t he bar of f of my chest ?

High-Rep Dumbbell Press T his movement is done with the use of a bench or stability ball. You want to do a standard dumbbell press, but keep your palms f acing each other; this will keep your elbows in the correct benching position. I f ound the repetition range of 12 to 20 to work best with this movement. You want to do three sets, trying to f ail at around 20 reps f or the f irst set. Youll then rest about f our to f ive minutes and try to hit 20 again f or your second set. More than likely this wont happen, but it gives you something to aim f or. Rest another f our to f ive minutes and knock of f the last set. T his method of dumbbell usage works best in place of the max ef f ort movement. Dumbbell Floor Presses

T he f loor press is another great way to teach you how to stay tight in the upper body when pressing. When your legs are out straight, more of the load is transf erred to the pressing muscles. To do this movement, you lie on the f loor and have your training partners hand you the dumbbells. Once again, youll want to keep your palms in. Lower the bells until your triceps hit the f loor, pause f or a split second, and press back up. T his movement f its in nicely as the f irst movement youd do af ter doing dynamic bench or max ef f ort bench work. Play around with the sets and reps to see which work best f or you but always try to break your record each time you do them. Barbell Floor Presses T his is one of the classic max ef f ort movements that stood the test of time. T he f loor press is perf ormed by setting the hooks or supports up in a power rack so you can bench press while lying on the f loor. Get under the bar with your shoulder blades together and shrug into your traps. Tuck your elbows and unrack the weight. Lower the weight until your triceps hit the f loor. Pause f or a split second, then press the weight back up in a straight line. T his movement can be done several ways. T he f irst is with straight weight. Just warm up using three to f ive reps in an ascending pattern until you reach your one rep max. T he second way would be to work up to 60% of your best bench press. When you reach this weight, youll begin adding one 20-pound chain on each side of the bar with each additional set until you max out. For developing strength of f your chest, using straight weight would be the best bet, because itll teach you to press out of the bottom with maximal weights. Cambered Bench Bars T his is a bar with a f our inch camber in the middle of it to allow f or greater range of motion. T here are right and wrong ways to use this bar and the style you use is dependent on your own f lexibility and ability to use the bar. T he f irst way is to take the bar down to your chest, which I believe works dynamic f lexibility but is only benef icial with very lightweight. I dont believe the heavy work should be taken all the way down to the chest because of the excess shoulder rotation. T he best way to use this bar is to bring it down to a point where its only about a half inch lower than where a regular bar would be. T his way you wont be getting any type of ref lex of f the chest. T he last way to do this is with the use of boards to control how low the bar will go. Use two to three inches of boards so you can control how deep the bar will travel. Ultra Wide Bench Presses T his is simply a wide-grip bench press outside your widest grip. For most people, this would be with your f oref inger on the rings. T his isnt a good movement to use f or a one-rep max because of the stress it puts on the shoulders. Its best done working up to two heavy sets of f ive or six reps. Dynamic work f or the bench press T his is the key to developing barbell speed. I explained this method in great deal in many of my other articles, so I wont go into great depth here. In a nutshell, spend one day per week training your bench f or speed. T his is best done using weights in the 45 to 55% range (based on bench shirt max) or 55 to 65% range (with non-bench shirt max). Once you reach your percent, eight to 10 sets of three reps is all thats needed. Make sure to push the bar as f ast as you can. It should take you no longer than 3.5 seconds to complete the set.

What is General Physical Preparedness (GPP) and why should I care about it ?
GPP is intended to provide balanced physical conditioning between all the f itness components such as f lexibility, strength, endurance, speed, and other f actors. According to Yuri Verkhoshansky in The Fundamentals of Special Strength Training in Sport and as outlined by Mel C Sif f , there are several f unctions of GPP: To f orm, strengthen or restore motor skills, which play an auxiliary, f acilitator role in perf ecting sports ability. To teach abilities developed insuf f iciently by the given sport; increase the general work capacity or preserve it. To provide active rest, promote restoration af ter strenuous loading, and counteract the monotony of training

Why is sled dragging used f or GPP? T he sled is easy to use and doesnt require a special trip to the gym. T he sled is specif ic to the development of the special skills necessary f or maximal strength. (And by the way, we never run with the sled.) Many movements can be trained with the sled, some of which are listed below. T here are movements f or the abdominals, shoulders, hamstrings, etc. Virtually every muscle can be trained with a sled. T he sled is a great way to induce active restoration. In many of the upper body dragging movements, the eccentric is eliminated because of the nature of the sled. T his, in turn, is great f or recovery because the tearing down of the muscle is much less in concentric-only movements.

What are some sample sled dragging movement s?

Around the waist f orward dragging: T his could be classif ied as the king of all dragging exercises. Run a nylon

strap through the sled with the other end attached to a weight belt. Keep the belt one notch loose to allow f or you to pull in and expand your belly as much as possible. T his will allow you to better push your abdominals against the belt in the same f ashion we advise f or the powerlif ting. As you walk f orward, do so in a explosive, dynamic motion, driving into the belt as you step. You should hear the f orces snap the sled with each step. T his is much dif f erent than just walking f orward. T his type of dragging is great f or the development of the hamstrings and glutes. Ankle dragging: T his movement is great f or the hip f lexors and hamstrings. To perf orm it, youll need to attach one nylon strap to the sled and pass a second through the f irst f or a T shape. Tie or loop the end of the second strap around each ankle. Start the motion in a split stance position and pull the back leg f orward with a slight bend in the knee. Concentrate on using the hip f lexors and abdominals, not the quads. T his movement has a prof ound dif f erence on many lif ters Ive consulted. It teaches them how to use their abdominals in a way thats conducive to doing the squat. Rope dragging behind the knees: T his style of dragging will pulverize your hamstrings. Attach the strap to the sled. Run a rope or another nylon strap through the f irst. Face away f rom the sled and grip the second strap behind your knees with a close stance. Stay in this semi-squatted position and walk f orward.

Front raises: T his was one of the best and most successf ul things Ive ever seen f or sore and damaged shoulders. It helped more lif ters get back to the bench than any other movement. Attach one strap through the f irst in the same manner as the ankle dragging. Face away f rom the sled and grab one strap in each hand and walk f orward while simulating a dumbbell f ront raise with the straps. Rear raises: T his movement is perf ormed the same as the f ront raise, except youll be walking backwards and perf orming a rear raise. T he benef it to these f ront and rear raises is that the loading during the eccentric phase is taken away. What youre lef t with is a concentric-only activity that causes little to no soreness.

What is t he cuf f complex?

1. Front raise thumb up 2. Front raise thumb down

3. Side raise thumb up 4. Side raise thumb down 5. Bent raise thumb down to side 6. Bent raise thumb up to side 7. Bent raise thumb up to f ront 8. Bent raise thumb down to f ront 9. External rotation top half 10. External rotation bottom half 11. Z otman curl 12. Overhead press * All for one set of 10 reps.

How long can I use t he bands on t he bench press?

T his is entirely up to the individual, but using bands f or every workout is not advised. Here are some suggestions on how to cycle bands during your dynamic bench cycle. 1. Alternate bands and straight weight every week. 2. Alternate bands and chains every week. 3. T hree weeks of bands f ollowed by three weeks of straight weight or chains. T hese are just some suggestions and its up to you to f igure out what works best. Listen to your body and over time it will tell you what is best f or your training.

What is st raight weight ?

Straight weight is when you are lif ting without bands, chains or weight releasers.

Weak of f t he f loor when deadlif t ing?

If you are weak of f of the f loor when deadlif ting, your problem may be a lack of lower back strength. Try doing good mornings (and its many dif f erent variations), reverse hyperextensions, back extensions and heavy abdominal work. T he 45 degree back raise is also a great exercise. Make sure your f orm is also correct, as it could be a technical problem.