Like the Latte Art? Clever aren't I !?!I was going to reply to CasuallyMe via email - but I'll post it here as it relates to my training / competing and that's what this blog is about after all:
Thanks for the tips Tom, I really appreciate your support and I will try to get photo's and videos's at the comp although I tend to get caught up with everything going on and forget.
I'll put stickem on my shopping list. I bench in my running shoes - its ok at Doherty's the flooring is good, but at Shazza's studio my feet slip badly, but I'll try the squat boots and see if they make a difference to keeping my butt down. At the bench comp last year Bazza was yelling at me every time "get your butt on the bench" "get your butt down" You know... its big enough - it should be still touching the bench! LOL
Third point: bending the bar..... I'm having a hard time getting this. I don't know how it should feel when I'm bending, where my elbows should be etc. Shaz says to let the bar sink (when I'm shirted) when I pull the bar down my shoulders round forward off the bench.
SLOW bencher -this makes Shaz really really mad at me! Tuesday night she got mad and threatened to slap me "In POWERlifting the operative word is POWER and you are not using any POWER - Get MAD, get ANGRY. Its YOUR bar, YOUR lift - POWER it up!" So "explosive" is something I need to work on - big time! AND I need SPEED!
Yes, we have to wait for the press call - like an eternity! and wait for a rack call. Same for the Squat - wait for the signal to squat and also wait for rack call, and for deadlift just have to wait for signal to put the weight down. We are also not allowed onto the podium until the call "bar is loaded" and then you have 1 minute to set up for what ever lift it is.
I find that benching is the hardest of the 3 lifts, technique has to be spot on. I've made massive improvements in the past 12 months with my deadlift and squat. Here is my score sheet results from last years masters comp. My first comp ever.
Squat 65.0 75.0 85.0 (85kg=187lb)
Bench 55.0 65.0 70.0 (Failed) (65=143lb)
Deadlift 100.0 115.0 125.0 (Failed) (115=253lb)
My I rep max on these are now squat 130kg (286lb) bench 77.5kg (170.5lb) deadlift 135kg (297lb). You can see how much my squat and deadlift have increased and my bench has not much improved.
Shaz is wonderful, she really believes in me, that I have it in me to be a big bencher, I just have to get it right. The first week I benched with the shirt, I 'felt' that I had it in the groove. but the past two attempts have just fallen to pieces.
Cheers
Vicki xxx
1 comment:
Think of the bench form like this...you are trying to touch your butt and shoulders together, of course you cannot do that...but it shows what you are looking for. Bar speed, do you guys have any bands? Best way to increase bar speed. Put the bands on, low weight, and get some fast reps in. Not reverse bands as those are for lockouts. Bending the bar...when you come down with the weight let the shirt do some work, relax and act as if your hands are trying to clap. This forces your elbows in. Once you hear the press command you try to force your hands the opposite way, therefore pushing your elbows out a bit (do not flare them...it is a gradual pushing out, )like a pushup. Some of the belly benchers advocate elbows in on the whole movement, but that is not practical for folks that are benching like us. Also, doing some board work will help your lockout, which is the thing you need most of when using a shirt. Sorry if I talk to much, lol. I love talking powerlifting.
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