Chapter IX Repetition Effort Method and GPP work

Kettlebell Benching
Hang kettlebells under the
bar with jump stretch bands.

This works the stabilizers

like nothing else. Do high
reps up to 25 per set. For
pre-habilitation, do 4–6 sets
of 25 reps. This will build
tremendous endurance in the
arms, chest, and delts.

Kettlebell bench
Sled work is our main GPP work.

At Westside, we do a lot of walking with ankle weights up to 20 lbs for each

leg. George Halbert used this method to rehabilitate himself after ACL
surgery. Using weighted vests and carrying Indian clubs while walking are also
great ways to get in some GPP. Also, try wearing ankle weights of 5–10 lbs
per leg while benching or training the upper body. Don’t be afraid to do a little
extra work such as swimming. It’s great for rehabilitation and even better for
pre-habilitation.

Bench Press Technique Notes

While bench pressing, you should be able to hold your breath for at least three
reps, if not for five full reps. Put all of the air into your belly first and then
into your chest. Hold it before taking the bar out of the rack and continue
Barbell curls and upright rows Bottoms up kettlebell presses are holding it until the lift is complete.
are excellent as well. great for the stabilizers.
When taking the bar out of the rack, lift yourself up off the bench and pull
While walking with the sled, use a second strap and do curls, upright rows, your shoulder blades together. The upper back must be arched. This is very
external extension work, triceps extensions, peck/deck stimulations, overhead important. Don’t worry about the arch in your lower back because it can
pressing, or isometric work. This can be done for long durations because be dangerous. To use the triceps properly, you must learn to stretch the bar
you’re able to breathe while walking. It’s much better to work the upper body outward to fully utilize the triceps. External rotation is a must for safety and a
while walking than it is while sitting on a bench. successful bench. If you’re having difficulty with this, try using an arch bar.

42 43
Chapter IX

Chapter X
To touch the weight on your chest, you must have your spotter lift the weight
out over your lower chest or upper belly. If you’re wearing a bench shirt, the
shirt is weakest at the chest and strongest over the collar. Your elbows should
SAMPLE REPETiTiON
be under the bar at all times. Keep in mind that if you press the bar straight
up, the elbows won’t turn in or out. This means that you won’t have any pec EffORT WORkOuTS
or rotation injuries. If the bar falls over your face, your elbows must stay un-
derneath the bar to maximize your pressing muscles and avoid injury.

Repetition Work for Hypertrophy

This is not hypertrophy for bodybuilding but for benching.
Dumbbell pressing is great for increasing the size of the triceps,
delts, chest, upper back, and all of the muscles for bench
pressing.

Workout 1: Press to failure

Perform three sets to failure. We suggest using three different weights.

• 155 lbs for 13 reps, 11 reps, and 9 reps

• 125 lbs for 23 reps, 21 reps, and 19 reps
• 100 lbs for 31 reps, 26 reps, and 22 reps

Rest 5–6 minutes between sets. Only the last repetitions are really beneficial.
These can be done on an incline, seated, decline, or flat bench.

Workout 2:
Dumbbell bench presses for time
An excellent way to build muscle size is to perform dumbbell bench presses
for time or at a certain weight for time. We recommend doing the timed
dumbbell presses on a stability ball. My times are as follows:

• 100 lbs for 2.5 minutes

• 60 lbs for 5 minutes
• 40 lbs for 14 minutes

44
Chapter X Sample Repetition Effort Workouts

Workout 5
I aimed to raise and lower the dumbbells slowly. Try changing grips through-
out the set or changing your arm position. In other words, place your elbows Push-ups should have a place in your training. If you elevate your feet higher
out to the sides at different angles. Rolling the dumbbells up and down causes than your head, the blood will pool into the upper body causing a serious
an incline/decline effect. pump. I’ve done over 100 reps without any weight, 58 reps with 100-lb plates
on my upper body, and up to six reps with a 330-lb man on my back. This
style works like an incline press. However, if you raise the bar when your
Workout 3: Kettlebells on the bar hands grasp the bar, it works like a decline, just opposite of what you’re think-
Hang kettlebells under the bar using jump stretch bands. Each set of kettle- ing. Use both close and wide grips. You can also raise the feet and place your
bells should hang from its own set of bands. This causes an oscillating chaotic hands on foam blocks or use gymnastic rings to make it more difficult.
pendulum effect and will build an amazing amount of muscle. All grip styles
work—wide, close, or medium, and you should perform lots of extensions, Note: The workouts above are substitutes for max effort workouts or second
upright rows, and curls. (extra) workouts. The choice is yours.

Workouts must be rotated often.

Workout 4: Illegal 6, 8, 10
Bill Seno, a former Best Chest winner and bench press record holder, taught
me illegal wide benching. He told me to bench using a wide grip and an out-
side the power ring grip for a max of six reps. When that stalled, he had me
go to eight reps. After that, he had me start over with the six reps again.
I mostly stuck to the six rep maxes. I raised my raw bench from 340 lbs to
515 lbs. Although my body weight went from 185 lbs to 205 lbs, this was an
eye opener because my bench went up 5 lbs in a meet. I was never a great
bencher, but Bill’s advice made it possible for me to make a 480-lb raw bench
at a light body weight of 220 lbs. I believe it helped me make the top ten in
2002 with a sixth place ranking in the 220-lb weight class at 54-years-old.

When doing illegal 6’s, 8’s, or 10’s, you must do extra triceps work and very
little front delt work. You probably noticed that I talked very little about front
delt work. I’ve noticed that the lifters who do front delt work have front delt
injuries on a regular basis.

Remember to work the triceps, lats, upper back, and the rear and side delts.
Also, throw in some hammer curls and some wide grip benching.

46 47
 Bench Press Technique

Chapter XI
Second Bench Style
BENCH PRESS A second bench style is to place the feet out in front and flat on the ground.

TECHNiquE You want to raise your head while lowering the bar to the top of your stom-
ach. Your elbows must stay under the bar. If you have difficulty touching,
raise your shoulders off of the bench along with your head. By doing this, the
bar will descend to the press position without the arms bending any further.

When the press signal is given, lower your head back down on the bench. This
engages the lats and upper back and also produces a very powerful start. The
bar travels in a relatively straight line.

Second bench style pros

Everything mentioned above.
There are so many styles to use while benching in a bench shirt.
Many people try to duplicate the style that the Japanese use, I estimate that about 50 percent of lifters use one method and 50 percent use
but the Japanese have a certain body structure.They have a long the other method. Try both with caution.
torso and short arms and are very flexible in the spine.They
also have an extreme arch in the lower back.
Second bench style cons

T
he Japanese tuck their feet up under their glutes. As they lower the bar to
the chest with the maximum allowable grip, they push their heels down to
There are no cons with this style if it is allowed in your federation.
keep their butt on the bench but barely. This style certainly shortens the
distance to press to lockout. Foremost, this style is for bench specialists only.
It can be very hard on the lower back for a full powerlifter who must deadlift Without a Bench Shirt
after.
The Westside system for raw bench training has the lifter using three grips
while training or performing speed or max effort work. For close grip bench-
Benching ing, your index finder should just touch the smooth part of the power bar.
Some prefer to hold the head down on the bench while others raise the head For a medium close grip, the thumbs should extend and touch the smooth
as the bar is lowered to the chest. They watch the bar touch the chest. part of the bar. This grip is recommended for weight classes of 275 lbs and
up. For the third grip style, your index finger should be on the power ring.
One exception to the rule is extra wide grip benching, meaning that your
Arched back style pros index finger is about one inch outside the power ring.
The bar travels a shorter distance.
The triceps are the prime movers while benching. Always try to push the bar
straight up almost toward the feet. This style is the safest. It is perfect for ball
Arched back style cons players and throwers, from whom I learned this style. It provides the shortest
There’s no leg drive to speak of and less stabilization. The bar can travel left distance to press the bar and is very safe because there is little or no shoulder
to right or right to left unevenly, which can produce shoulder injuries. The bar rotation. This means that you don’t flare the elbows out like a bodybuilder.
will travel over the face when the elbows are turned out at lockout. This can This can cause soft tissue tears in the pectorals and rotator cuffs. We treat the
cause severe shoulder and pec injuries. The radical lower back arch can also bench press like a lift because that is what it is.
cause low back trauma.

49
Chapter XI

Chapter XII
Bench Shirt Tips
Many lifters can get 300 lbs out of a bench shirt. You can be just as smart as
RAW BENCH:
you are strong in today’s powerlifting meets.
THE WEB
Here are three major ways to maximize your bench shirt potential:

1. In a denim or poly shirt, the collar is where the most potential lies. By
pulling the collar down just one inch, you can add 50 or more pounds to your
bench. The further down you pull the collar, the stronger the shirt becomes
but the less manageable to touch the chest.

2. By pulling the material of the arm sleeve downward, you can strengthen
the arm sleeves to the point where 50 or more pounds can be pressed without
lowering the collar. This can be somewhat painful, but the benefits are great.
3. Place the arms in the shirt with your palms up. After the sleeves are pulled What does it take to bench 400, 500, or 600 lbs raw? There are
into place and secured over the shoulders, turn the hands over into proper many segments to accomplish this task. In European Olympic
position to bench. This method can give an additional 50 lbs to your bench.
lifting, a system known as the Web was introduced to determine
For example, I watched Fred Boldt bench 585 lbs. Then, he took his shirt off
and put it back on with the palms facing up. Without any other adjustments, what it takes in special exercises and volume to lift a predeter-
he benched 635 lbs. Proof enough? mined weight.

With the combination of two or all three of these methods, you can get a Here are three examples for
great carryover. If you want to be a top ten bencher in Powerlifting USA, you
a 400-lb, 500-lb, and 600-lb raw bench press.
must learn how to use a shirt properly. You have to be smarter than the bench
shirt. For those who cry when someone gets 300 lbs out of their shirts when
they’re only getting 50 lbs, I’m sorry my power friends. You’re just not as 400-lb Raw Bench
smart as they are.
Floor press, 385 lbs 490 lbs, future method with
2-board press, 440 lbs average bands hooked at 7 feet high
3-board press, 460 lbs 550 lbs, future method with strong
4-board press, 475 lbs bands hooked at 7 feet high
Close grip incline, 315 lbs
Seated press, 225 lbs Speed bench, 185 lbs with mini
bands Speed bench, 185 lbs with
100-lb dumbbells, 18 reps two sets of 5/8-inch chains
125-lb dumbbells, 10 reps

225 X 20 reps
275 X 15 reps
315 X 10 reps

Mike Wolf benching

50
Chapter XII

Chapter XIII
500-lb Raw Bench 600-lb Raw Bench
Floor press, 495 lbs max Floor press, 585 lbs
ELiMiNATiNg
2-board press, 550 lbs max
3-board press, 560 lbs max
2-board press, 625 lbs
3-board press, 675 lbs WEAkNESSES
4-board press, 600 lbs max 4-board press, 705 lbs
Close grip incline, 370 lbs max Close grip incline, 425 lbs
Seated press, 250 lbs max Seated press, 315 lbs

125-lb dumbbell press, 25 reps 155-lb dumbbell press, 20 reps

155-lb dumbbells, 14 reps 175-lb dumbbell press, 12 reps

225 X 30 reps 315 X 25 reps

315 X 15 reps 405 X 15 reps
405 X 5 reps 495 X 6 reps
A great bencher must have a strong set of triceps, forearms,
520 lbs, future method with average 570 lbs, future method with average upper back, and lats and have an impressive set of delt muscles.
bands hooked at 7 feet high 580 lbs, bands hooked at 7 feet high 650 lbs,
However, having all of those muscles doesn’t guarantee success.
future method with strong bands future method with strong bands
hooked at 7 feet high hooked at 7 feet high

W
hat if one muscle group is weak? More importantly, how do you know
Speed bench, 225 lbs with mini Speed bench, 270 lbs with mini what muscle group is failing?
bands Speed bench, 225 lbs with bands Speed bench, 270 lbs with
three sets of 5/8-inch chains three sets of 5/8-inch chains
Here’s how:
If there is one segment of this Web that you can’t complete, that is exactly • When the bar shakes on the descent, that’s a sign that you have weak
the one to work on. Weaknesses are best raised with extensions, raises, and lat lats or you don’t know how to use them.
exercises. It’s very important to have adequate speed while doing the dynamic • If you’re weak at your chest, you have a weak upper back and lats.
method. If you have a Tendo unit, the bar should travel at 0.7–0.9 m/s. • If the bar fades over your face, your triceps need work.
• If you can’t lockout heavy benches, your upper back may be weak.
Hold max effort attempts at 90 • If your elbows flare out to the sides too quickly, you’re
percent and above for singles on all lacking strong lats.
three lifts. Repetitions over one are • If the bar moves to the left, right, or both, your lats are weak.
dangerous. Only beginners might • If the bar windmills on the eccentric or concentric phase,
make more attempts at over 90 your lats are weak.
percent because they can’t produce
muscle tension at the highest level.
If you feel unstable, tighten your glutes and legs. Keep your feet out in front
and push with your heels. I’ve seen the most unstable lifters lock their feet
underneath the bench and only have their toes in contact with the floor.

Raw bench web

52
 Contest Preparation

Chapter XIV
Our most successful groups wear their bench shirts three weeks from the
CONTEST meet. Our full meet lifters are more consistent. They use a shirt about once
a mouth during the year and wear a manageable shirt that can give them a

PREPARATiON 75–100-lb jump from their opener on the third attempt. This approach has
given us 29, 700-lb plus benchers; five men with 25 all-time world records;
and three women, including the impeccable Laura Phelps with a 465-lb bench
at 165 lbs.

With our multi-year training system, we only concern ourselves

with the last four weeks of training. We don’t stop doing special
exercises close to meet time when they’re responsible for 75
percent of our success. We continue to do speed work with
chains or bands up to seven days from the meet. We cut back
from nine sets of two reps to six sets of two reps one weekend
from the meet.The last week is the only time when we reduce
the extensions and lat, upper back, and delt work. We feel that
tapering the volume of our regular benching and special exer-
cises in the last ten days is adequate for a delayed transforma-
tion phase.

W
e can constantly perform a special exercise like a floor press or a board
press on our max effort day (Wednesday) with no regard to rest. So, a
slight tapering of volume seems to be all that is necessary for a meeat
cycle.

Max effort day falls on Wednesday, which is ten days from a meet. So, ten days
out is the last time that we handle a maximum load. The Soviet system cuts
out heavy squats ten days out from important contests. I treat the bench with
the same thought. The special arm, delt, and lat work remains the same as
normal.

55
 Rehabilitation and Pre-Habilitation

Chapter XV
stick. At first, I used a close grip for 25 reps. Then, I moved out an inch or
REHABiLiTATiON AND two and did a second set of 25 reps. I continued this procedure until I had
performed 100–150 reps. I then iced down my shoulder and took two, 325-

PRE-HABiLiTATiON mg aspirin.

I followed this procedure al-

most every day. If I became
too sore, I missed a day. I
always started with the band
work first. I found that as I
continued crossing my arm
in front and behind my body,
I gained an increased range
of motion and felt better. At
this point, I started passing
In this chapter, I’ll discuss my experience in rehabilitation and, small plates (2.5 lbs, then 5
most importantly, pre-habilitation. lbs, and the 10 lbs) under
the broomstick by placing a
Disclaimer mini band through the plates
and attaching the band to the
Broomstick with kettlebells and mini bands attached

I
broomstick.
’m not a doctor, nor am I a physical therapist. I’m not advising anyone to
follow my advice or that of anyone at Westside Barbell. I’ll only discuss the
This caused a vibration in the broomstick that transferred into the stabilizers
upper body injuries that I, along with George Halbert and Tony Ramos, have
and is referred to as the oscillating chaotic pendulum effect. I kept adding
experienced while training at Westside.
weight, making it not only heavier but more difficult. I worked up to 140 lbs
in this manner and then switched to a power bar with kettle bells hanging
After having shoulder replacement surgery, I benched 300 lbs in two months
from it. With this bar, I continued adding weight as well as kettlebells hanging
of training. Then, I had a second operation to scope the other shoulder and
off of the stick with mini bands. This made it possible for me to bench 300
repair a torn bicep tendon.
lbs in a T-shirt.
Here’s how I proceeded…
I went back to the Cleveland clinic for the second operation. This time I was
having my left shoulder scoped. While I was in surgery, my doctor, Dr. Mini-
Two days after surgery, I started using just ice. Then, I rotated ice and heat.
aci, discovered that I had torn the left bicep tendon so he repaired that as
My shoulder never really hurt, but my upper and lower arm swelled tremen-
well. After both surgeries, I left the hospital within three hours of recovery.
dously, causing great pain. The ice and heat reduced the swelling and pain
This time I drove myself three hours back home to Columbus. I didn’t want
considerably. On the third day, I started 200 mg of Voltaren. I took this every
to risk a staff infection.
day for one week. This reduced the pain and swelling almost completely.
Seven days after surgery, I started to pull therapy bands across the front of my
For some reason, the nerve blocker didn’t work, and I was in severe pain.
body, stretching the side and rear delts. I did high reps of about 50–75 for two
However, I had little swelling. I took 500-mg Tylenol PM gel tabs, and two
sets twice a day.
days later, I was back to the band work across the front and back of my body.
Reaching behind the body is most important for stretching the superspinatis.
In the same rehabilitation workout, I used a band behind my back and tried to
put my right hand in my left pocket. I used the same number of reps (50–75)
for two sets. The last exercise that I did was the bench press using a broom-

57
Chapter XV Rehabilitation and Pre-Habilitation

At this time, I started to place a squat bar on my back. It was painful to pull Rotating Ball on Wall
my elbows forward, but it had to be done to regain my total range of motion.
I started adding other rehabilitation exercises to the program such as traction Hold a ball against a wall and ro-
with jump stretch bands. I purchased a chin dip machine, which allowed me tate in small circles to the left and
to do assisted dips and chins. Hanging from a bar is very important, but it’s then to the right. Slowly make the
almost impossible with full body weight. However, it can be done with as- circles larger and slowly move up
sistance by using a chin dip machine or by standing on a band attached to the the wall. This works the rotators.
top of a power rack. Also, pull therapy bands apart for
external rotation.

The ball on the wall movement

Band Pulls and

Lat Rope Pulls
You can also use a lat machine
with a rope attachment or a sled
and a second star attachment.
This will rehabilitate the entire
Chin and dip shoulder and upper back.

Lean over and hang on to

a kettlebell for traction and
internally and externally rotate.
This is a great exercise for pre-
habilitation.
Band pulls and lat rope pulls

Bottoms Up with Kettlebells

Internal and external rotation

Hold the kettlebells by the handles while lying on a bench or on a stability
ball. Place the bell portion upward, which will cause an unstable condition
for the stabilizers. Perform high reps for all rehabilitation or pre-habilitation
work. You should perform no fewer than 20 reps and as high as 70 reps.

58 59
Chapter XV Rehabilitation and Pre-Habilitation

Remember, these are experiences at Westside. We don’t advise anyone to fol-

low the methods that have worked for us. That is up to you. Special thanks go
to Tony Ramos for the kettlebell benching.

His idea was to attach the kettlebells to a regular bar with bands to give them
movement. Louie added the idea of using a broomstick or PVC pipe to add
more movement and work all directions.

Pre-habilitation
I feel that many shoulder injuries are misdiagnosed. Sometimes, lifters think
they have a rotator problem when the pain is referred pain from the cervical
or neck, causing shoulder discomfort. The upper back or thoracic area can
also cause pain in the shoulder or arms. These conditions can also result in
Louie doing the same exercise with Indian clubs weak grip power. Many times, this disk problem can be felt in one side and
then mysteriously move to the other. This happened to me. I felt a pop in my
George Halbert Exercise neck that didn’t hurt but alarmed me to some extent. A week or two passed,
and I started to have pain. It was mild at first but then got very painful. It
George Halbert has performed dozens of exercises for shoulder health, but lasted for 6–7 months. A week or ten days would go by and the pain would
one old, reliable exercise in particular worked for me. return but in my shoulder.
George lays face down, uphill, on a mild incline bench so that he has some This pattern lasted for over ten years until one day my left shoulder almost
momentum. He swings light kettlebells or dumbbells as far above his head as completely froze while I was squatting. As strange as it was, my right shoulder
possible. Then, he lowers them under control straight down and swings them again froze, resulting in a new shoulder socket replacement. Over the years,
toward his waist. He performs high reps in each workout for two or three I had nerve blocks three times and my MRI showed disc problems that had
sets. Like me, George has fully recovered from surgery. been overlooked. The doctors were looking at my shoulder, not the areas that
were causing the pain. It took not just one but several MRIs to diagnose my
Kettlebell benching is a problems.
mainstay at Westside. High
reps up to 25 and several sets I told the doctors that having my spine adjusted helped me but wasn’t a cure.
are performed for rehabilita- This statement meant nothing to them. My doctor sent me to another doctor
tion and pre-habilitation. who wasn’t a surgeon. He thought I had a circulation problem. So I took the
We perform 5–10 reps with problem in my own hands. I had a spinal conversion. The answer was decom-
heavy weights for strength. pression.
After having a shoulder
socket replaced, I did 235 lbs Common door traction did nothing for me. My newest reverse hyper tilts 15
for 10 reps with a fiber glass degrees upward or downward. When suspended with my head down while
bar and 300 lbs on a power swinging my legs under the table, my neck and upper back are immediately
bar. George has done 430 lbs tractioned. I was diagnosed with a disc touching my spinal cord in the neck
using a power bar. Try it for and upper back. I was in constant pain until the reverse hyper tractioned my
strength and for rehabilitation complete spine.
or pre-habilitation.
Tony Ramos’ kettlebell idea
The other movement that worked for me was to bench press with foam

60 61
Chapter XV Rehabilitation and Pre-Habilitation

roller pads under my back. I placed one across my lower back sideways and a
second roller pad along the spine between the shoulder using the therapy bar
plus kettlebells. When I benched, the pads created a contour, which caused
an excessive arch and caused the compression to subside. These two methods
helped me correct my spinal condition, which corrected my acute shoulder
pain as well. When it’s your pain and no one can find a cure, you have to take
matters into your own hands.

See below for a picture of roller pads.

Hitting a speed bag is excellent work for

shoulder mobility and healthy stabilizers.

Louie benches on top of the rollers. This is the position that the rollers should be in.

Indian Clubs
Indian clubs are very old implements and were used by famous wrestlers like
the great Gama. Time has proven them to be great for complete shoulder
rehabilitation. There are several routines that you can do to help with almost
any rotator problem, and they’re also good for conditioning the upper body.
These clubs, along with foam rollers up to six inches, will keep your delts in
great shape and your spine healthy. A healthy spine promotes flexible ham-
strings, and no one wants a hamstring cramp while benching because that
clock is ticking down.

The REBOK Core devise is good for

both rehabilitation and pre-habilitation.

62 63
 Special Training Notes

Chapter XVI
Phil Harrington’s tester was the floor press with 200 lbs of chains. His
SPECiAL TRAiNiNg builders are high rep dumbbell presses. Fred Boldt did 34 reps with 100-lb
dumbbells. Phil’s best bench press was 625 lbs. Is this a coincidence? I think

NOTES not. There are many more examples, but it’s up to you to tie the two together.
When you find how to become strong and how to determine what makes you
strong, you’re on your way to breaking many gym records.

Westside Bench Favorites

1.Jason Fry’s raw favorite is the foam press.
His best is the same as his contest best.

2. His shirt favorite is the future method on 2-boards.

It’s just as important to know what makes you strong as it is to
3. Greg Panora’s favorite is the floor press with chains
know how strong you are. George Halbert always broke his or just bar weight.
meet bench record when he increased his floor press by adding
200 lbs of chains. Louie Simmons knew when his meet bench 4. Luke Edward’s raw favorite is the same as Greg’s floor press
was up when either his very steep incline or his J. M. presses with chains or real weight.
(named after J.M. Blakely) were up.
5. Mike Wolf likes to do board presses raw from a 2-board

J
.M. Blakely was a great bencher at Westside. Louie thought that his triceps or a 5-board using wide and close grips.
were fairly strong until the day he spotted Blakely on J.M. presses. Blakely
worked up to 545 lbs for three reps. His best bench was 675 lbs. Louie cal- 6. George Halbert likes the future method with a cambered bar on
culated that Blakely’s J.M. press was 80 percent of his contest best. Louie had boards where the bar is one inch below the chest raw.
made a contest best of 570 lbs at the same time and had worked up to 370 lbs He also likes the floor press for five sets using 5/8-inch chains.
for a 3RM. He calculated that his ratio was 64 percent of his best. Louie pushed
it up to 405 lbs for three reps and later made an official 600-lb bench press at a 7. Tony Bologona loves the foam press raw, using a close grip and
body weight of 253 lbs. He was over 50-years-old, and no one else had benched a competition grip. Like Jason Fry, his best foam press is equal
550 lbs at that time (this was in 1997). The J.M. presses had made it possible to his contest best.
for Louie to bench that amount of weight. He went on to bench 575 lbs at
54-years-old in the 220-lb weight class. He was sixth that year in Powerlifting 8. Dave Hoff likes the 5-board presses raw. Dave also does a lot
USA, making him probably the oldest to be a top ten bencher. of dumbbell presses and triceps extensions.

Many at Westside use the 24-inch by 28-inch foam blocks when pressing 9. Laura Phelps does a lot of shirt work with mini, monster mini,
heavier weights. Tony Bolognone made 780 lbs off the foam and, shortly and light bands. She also uses the future method with boards
after, benched 780 lbs after squatting 1050 lbs and totaling 2540 lbs at a body and a close grip.
weight of 308 lbs. Jason Fry, a superb bencher with a 683-lb bench at 181 lbs
in 2007, made 700 lbs at a body weight of 194 lbs. Again, the foam blocks are 10. Amy Weisberger prefers either an extra wide or a very close
just another great example of a movement that can be used to calculate your grip for six rep maxes as well as incline and decline dumbbell
contest bench. It doesn’t matter if you’re a full powerlifter or a bench special- presses. The Bradford press has helped Amy’s shoulder
ist. It’s up to you to know what your tester is. But what about the builders? developments.

65
Chapter XVI Special Training Notes

Delt Special Exercises Lat Special Exercises

All of these lifters switch their max effort exercises each week, but they always Front plate raises
return to what works best before contest time. Front barbell raises Lat pull-down with many handles
Front dumbbell raises Dumbbell rows
Westside Exercise Index Front band raises Barbell rows
Upright rows T-bar rows
Speed Work Exercises Max Effort Exercises Face down raises Chest supported rows
Use chains Floor presses Side delt raises with bands or dumb- Lat work with sled
Use bands Power rack bells Low pulley rows
Use kettlebells plus weight Close grip Delt work on machine Chin-ups
Use the power rack Very wide grip Inverted raises with dumbbells
Use floor presses Kettlebell benches Lay on side delt raises
Use foam blocks Future method
Use dumbbells Incline Arms biceps
Use chains plus bands Decline Hammer curls
Use the future method Seated presses Regular curls
Use mild incline Foam presses Barbell curls
Use mild decline Reverse barbell curls
Band curls
There are many combinations to choose from for your max effort exercise in- Preacher curls
cluding chains, bands, kettlebells, band and chains, and chains and kettlebells.
Use your imagination and switch max effort exercises each week.

Repetition Method Exercises Triceps Special Exercises

Dumbbell floor presses Dumbbell roll back extensions
Dumbbell flat Dumbbell elbows out extensions
Dumbbell decline Dumbbell with bands behind exten-
Dumbbell seated sions
Barbell flat Dumbbell incline extensions
Barbell inclines Dumbbell decline extensions
Barbell declines Dumbbell on floor extensions
Barbell floor presses
Standing presses Barbell floor extensions
Push presses Barbell to nose
Behind head presses Barbell to chin
Behind push presses Barbell to forehead
JM presses Barbell to throat
Arch bar presses Barbell behind head extension
Football bar presses
Push-ups with feet on gourd or Push-downs with different handles
elevated Sled work or triceps work
Chains, bands, and kettlebells of
varying weights and resistances

66 67
 Westside Bench Press Statistics

Chapter XVII
700-lb Club
WESTSiD BENCH PRESS
WESTSiDE Rank Name Lift Weight Class

STATiSTiCS 1 Wenning, Matt 785 308

2 Hoff, David 780 275
3 Panora, Greg 775 275
4 Holdsworth, J.L. 775 308
5 Halbert. George 766 241
6 Welch. Drex 765 308
7 Keyes, Paul 55 308
8 Martinez, John 750 308
9 Fletcher,Travis 750 SHW*
10 Smith, Matt 749 SHW*
11 Stafford, John 738 275
Top Ten Benches 12 Fusner, Rob 735 308
13 Brown, Mike 735 308
Rank Name Total Weight Class BW Coefficient 14 Patterson, Kenny 728 275
15 Fry, Jason 725 181
1 Halbert, George 766 198 198 449.8 16 Gutridge, Josh 725 SHW*
2 Fry, Jason 725 181 181 448.9 17 Vickory, Scott 720 275
3 Panora, Greg 770 242 242 428.65 18 Argabright, Kevin 720 SHW*
4 Wolfe, Mike 859 SHW* 342 418.6 19 Harold,Tim 715 SHW*
5 Fry, Jason 700 198 194 415.45 20 Blakely, J.M. 710 308
6 Hoff, Dave 780 275 256 413.55 21 Bayles, Joe 705 242
7 Bolognone,Tony 830 SHW* 322 412.4 22 Obradovic, Jerry 705 275
8 Halbert, George 766 242 241 411.88 23 Mann, Roger 705 275
9 Halbert, George 733 220 215 410.3 24 Bell,Travis 700 275
10 Panora, Greg 775 275 262 409.1 25 Meyers, Jeremiah 700 275
26 Edwards, Luke 700 275
27 Winters, Nick 700 SHW*
800-lb Club
Rank Name Lift Weight Class *SHW = single heavy weight

1 Wolfe, Mike 860 SHW*

2 Bolognone,Tony 830 SHW*

69
Chapter XVII Westside Bench Press Statistics

650-lb Club 600-lb Club

Rank Name Lift Weight Class Rank Name Lift Weight Class

1 Senter, Marlon 675 220 1 Kelly, Brian 640 220

2 Cole, Zack 675 275 2 Ramsey, Will 639 308
3 Wendler, Jim 675 275 3 Burrows, Mark 635 275
4 Ruggiera, Mike 675 348 3 Vogelpohl, Chuck 635 275
5 Lenigar, Matt 665 308 4 Boggia, Bart 635 308
6 Hudak, Zack 661 275 5 Bell,Travis 630 220
7 Mann, Roger 660 242 6 Edwards, Luke 630 242
8 Richie, Jimmy 660 275 7 Harrington, Phil 605 198
9 Boldt, Fred 655 181 8 Beversdorf, Dave 625 275
10 Conkley, James 650 275 9 Brock,Todd 620 275
10 Hoff, Aaron 610 275
11 Adams, Jeff 605 220
12 Swanger, Adam 605 242
13 Nutter, Shawn 605 242
14 Johnson, Nate 605 275
15 Ramsey, Will 605 308
16 Tate, Dave 605 308
17 Henry, Andre 605 SHW*
18 Seth 600 220
19 Swauger, Adam 600 220
20 Kelly, Brian 600 220
21 Shortland, Chad 600 242
22 Simmons, Louie 600 275
23 Beach,Tony 600 275
24 Henderson, H. 600 275
25 Forby,Tim 600 308

*SHW = single heavy weight

70 71
 The Benchers

Chapter XVIII

THE BENCHER S

Tony Ramos benches 570 lbs.

Amy Weisberger

73
Fred Boldt hits 640 lbs at a body weight of 181 lbs.