However, we know from practice that handling heavier loads by using overloading methods can be a psychological benefit to some lifters (i.e. After all, Josh is concerned with one thing and one thing only: results! ****Performed at 58% of his projected 1-rep max. If you really want, you may swap out close-grip bench for wide grip bench within the program but you must make sure to use at least one of the isolation movements to focus on triceps. Louie Simmons likes his athletes to perform their speed sets on a separate day of the week from their heavy bench press sets. 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. In terms of the technique, there are some differences that youll want to note. The Advanced Bench Press Program, 3 Days/Week. The SlingShot may be a beneficial training tool for the bench press for training through injuries, for deload phases and for learning the movement patterns associated with the bench press. In this comprehensive guide, I will show you how to use the Josh Bryant bench press program to break powerlifting world records! 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. ****Perform 3 sets of 1 ramping up to one top set with maximum weight. Because repetition schemes are varied, it can be easy to look at the weight you used on the previous week and get discouragedbut that misses the point entirely for accessory exercises. If you have over two years of bench press experience or bench press over 300lbs then the Original Slingshot is your pick. Variety is the key herechoose different exercises as often as possible to target your bench muscles that are lagging the most. Option #1: Bench press once every 7 days, one push workout per week. Its very important to understand that isometrics are extremely taxing on your central nervous system. It can effectively increase muscle strength and is suitable for any athlete who want to increase their power, pressing strength, speed and dips. *Complete 3-5 sets. Here is a training log detailing Vincents training from 2013. Medical Disclaimer, The 8 Best Pre Workouts for Beginners [Tested], The 5 Best Creatine Supplements for Bulking, Sling Shot Bench Press Program Spreadsheet 5 Week, Greg Nuckols 3x Intermediate Medium Volume Bench Press Program, 6 Week Power Bench Press Program Spreadsheet, Scott Warman 10 Week Bench Press Peaking Program, 12 Week Bench Press Peaking Program Spreadsheet, Candito 6 Week + Advanced Bench Press Hybrid Program, 6 Week Russian Bench Press Peaking Program (3 Day), Brad Gillingham 12 Week Bench Press Program, The 8 Best Paleo Protein Powders for 2023, The 6 Best Egg White Protein Powders in 2023, The 7 Best Multivitamins for Bodybuilding, 4 sets of 3 reps of sling shot bench press. Here are some general guidelines you may want to follow: In other words if you are at the start of your training cycle and are working up to a triple for your top set on the bench press then you would perform 6-8 sets of speed bench presses at around 70% of your 1-rep max. After the speed reps, James moves onto two key supplementary exercises: the reverse band bench press and v-bar dips. 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 this specific example, James performs reverse band bench presses and v-bar dips as his two supplemental exercises. SMASH F$%@ING WEIGHT! I will also show you sample training programs from some of the worlds strongest powerlifters including James Strickland, Chad Wesley Smith and Vincent Dizenzo. This is done by altering the bar paththe way you bring it down is not the same way you push it back up. Lie on a bench and place your lower back flat against the padding. We stand to empower those who seek to improve their life through fitness. First, you will feel like its harder to touch the bar to your chest. You can click right here to watch the training video for the week 10 heavy bench workout: This was James competition week! We stand to empower those who seek to improve their life through fitness. Mark Bell also makes wrist supports called Gangsta Wrist Wraps. Option #2: Bench press once every 7 days, two push workouts per week. This is definitely a viable approach but Josh prefers to perform the speed bench sets immediately after the top set of the day. For example here is Al Davis giving a perfect demonstration of an overcoming isometric contraction on the bench press. 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. After that, you could perform two more doubles at 95% and 100%. While a majority of programs are designed for all three lifts (squat and deadlift too), there are very few that cover the bench specifically. J Strength Cond Res 33(2): 327-336, 2019-This study examined the acute effects of the "Sl However, if you find that your shoulders and elbows get beat up throughout the year, then the Slingshot might be a good tool to implement to reduce some of the stresses at the level of the joint while benching. You can click right here to watch the training video for the week 6 heavy bench workout: You can click right here to watch the training video for the week 6 accessory workout: **Performed at 90% of his projected 1-rep max. This means that its easier to put on and use because youre not fighting as much tension as you bring the bar down. You definitely dont want your elbows flaring behind the bar. Plant your feet firmly under your hips - this helps to lift your chest and lock your shoulders into position. My guess for why this occurs is because the Slingshot will require you to tuck your elbows as you bring the bar to your chest. 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. Who knew? In terms of powerlifting, the hardest part of a heavy bench press for most people isn't the lockout, it's the middle part of the range of motion, and the slingshot helps you push through that part through initial momentum. You are more than likely flaring your elbows which takes the load off of your strong chest and back muscles and puts it all on the shoulder joint. Live to 100 With these Blue Zone Lifestyle Changes, Steve Howey talks 'True Lies' and His Fitness Evolution, Angela Gargano Is Helping Women Pullup to Higher Levels, For Manning Sumner, Accountability Leads to Consistency, Heart Surgery Helped Derek Drake Find His SuperMotoCross Beat. The Bench Press is one of the three main lifts when it comes to powerlifting and general strength training. The sling shot is an elastic piece of material that helps you bench-press more easily. Download Deadlift Program Personally, I like to use the Slingshot when Im increasing my bench fress frequency. This page is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The training percentages increase during each of these three week blocks before dropping back down during the deload week. 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. The first 8 weeks workouts: Paused bench 2-3 top sets 3-6 reps heavier each week. 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. It will be a solid overloading tool in your bench press training. 26 Powerlifting and Powerbuilding Programs | FREE Downloads | Written by Jon Chambers | Updated on 13 October 2022. (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. Research has shown that overcoming isometrics primarily increases your strength at the exact joint angles that you are training. 10 BEST BENCH PRESS ACCESSORIES TO INCREASE STRENGTH AND TECHNIQUE. Vincent very narrowly missed a raw 600 pound bench press in the 275 pound weight class. The Sling Shot, created by Mark Bell, is a complete game changer. Slingshot bench press Bench Accessory 2 Push press Incline bench press Seated barbell press Standing overhead barbell press You will also find some slots for isolation accessory exercises in most of the workouts. All rights reserved. Youve probably wondered, What program is best for increasing the bench press? This one! This could be a workout like 5 X 5 @ 70%. 2020 Mark Bell Slingshots. In other words whether you get your best results with a high, low, or moderate training frequency is primarily dictated by your parents. In this video EPIC's head coach Brandon explains . They rank 27th nationally in forcing turnovers, 22nd in offensive rebounding and 58th in 3-point frequency. Here is Julius Maddox performing his record-breaking 782 pound bench press. And to do that, you should start with the following: Regularly bench press in the 4-to-6 rep range (about 85% of your one-rep max). 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. Taking a quick video of your lift is the quickest and easiest way to address this. Take the Bar Through a "J' Path. As you can see James is still getting in plenty of quality work for all of the supporting upper body muscles. In reality compensatory acceleration training is just another name for the dynamic effort method as featured in the, For example here is Al Davis giving a perfect demonstration of an, ottom position bench press overcoming isometric (competition grip), 2 sets of 1 rep (6-second hold), 2 minutes rest, Lockout position bench press overcoming isometric (competition grip), 2 sets of 1 re (6-second hold), 2 minutes rest. Use this chart to make conversions from percentages to RPE as needed (on your bad days use percentages and on your good days use RPE): The last piece is probably the most critical, so it was saved for last. You can click right here to watch the training video for the week 4 accessory workout: **Performed at 85% of his projected 1-rep max, ***Performed at 73% of his projected 1-rep max. 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! The sling shot is an elastic piece of material that helps you bench-press more easily. While it is considered obvious now, at the time the thought of altering weights in a strategic manner had never been formulated. The Slingshot is an effective tool for overloading the bench press. For example Josh only included isometrics for James Strickland in his last 3 weeks leading up to his meet in the sample training cycle provided at the end of the article. Speed Bench 4-6 sets 3-4 reps heavier each week. Also notice that the elbows are tucked to the side of the body and not flared to avoid any shoulder discomfort. ***Performed at 61% of his projected 1-rep max. Revolutionized by Romanias olympic champion Tudor Bompa, in simplest terms, periodization is the act of increasing the weight used each session in a controlled and planned manner. Tighten your core and then pinch your shoulder blades together. James is capable of pressing the 200 pound dumbbells for reps but only used the 100s to 130s during this training cycle. Here is what a typical 12-week peaking cycle might look like: As you can see the weights get heavier and heavier as you get closer to competition. Dugdale, JH, Hunter, AM, Di Virgilio, TG, Macgregor, LJ, and Hamilton, DL. 54. I compared the Gangsta Wrist Wraps with the SBD Wrist Wraps. The premise is simple: on days you feel good, it allows you to go harder and milk that extra progress. You also have a second upper body accessory day later in the week. Lets look at the percentages of a sample 12-week peaking program. 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. Correct form comes down to one word: tightness. To fix this, really focus on getting into a tighter position where your scapula are pulled back and down. Most women would also consider using this slingshot because it would provide adequate tension for any bench press under 300lbs. Once youre finished, do an additional 2-3 sets of 5 using more weight with the Slingshot. If he can move you by pushing against you, youre too loose. Between that and 315 lb or 142 kg should go with the original. Vincent missed his 600 pound bench press attempt in this training cycle. 2022 Mark Bell Sling Shot. Armed with in-depth knowledge and proper form, you are now ready to begin. I use the Slingshot 2-3 times per year in training cycles where Im trying to overload the movement. I highly recommend you watch this with the volume turned up to get a better idea of how hard Al is pressing: Josh uses overcoming isometrics in a very specific way in his workouts. In a study by Dugdale et al. Get the Physiqz Bench Press Pyramid Program with included calculators delivered to your email immediately! After the top set Josh normally likes his clients to move onto speed sets for the bench press, 1-2 supplementary bench press exercises, and then 2-4 bench press assistance exercises. Click here for the Full Boar sizing guide and current pricing on Rogue Fitness. Here, Bell outlines his go-to routine (including warmup) to help increase strength. Here was James near miss with 702.5 pounds: Keep at it James Strickland that 700 pound bench press is as good as yours! Conclusion | The Josh Bryant Bench Press Program! By the end of week 7 your weights are really starting to climb up. Lets kick things off with an examination of the exact training cycle James Strickland used from December 2018 February 2019. Lie down on the bench and grab the bar with an underhand grip. Thank you for signing up. If theyre not, you risk hurting your shoulder joint, which you need for all pressing and pulling motions. Click on picture to buy from Amazon. 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. Rest your feet flat on the ground or you can use the foot rest at the end of the bench if your feet don't reach. Therefore, in order to recruit these larger motor units, you must lift near your one-rep max. At age 62, "Big Bill" shares his wisdom to dominate one of the ultimate strength marks. . Please note that all of these workouts were taken directly from, Exercise G1: Standing rope cable pushdown, 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest. This was because participants were able to drive the bar faster through their natural sticking points. While positioning is critical, you cant stop thereyou actually have to lift it. The first "real" bench press program that I followed was the 55 approach. It goes without saying that I was excited to see what Vincent could accomplish when he teamed up with the best bench press coach in the world, Josh Bryant. It enables you to overload the bench press, like knee straps do in the squat for example. James Strickland is a big proponent of this system. 7. Another great exercise similiar to the Slingshot is the Reverse Band Bench Press. Secondly, it provides a better biomechanical position. If you feel discomfort or sharp pain in your shoulder, its because you arent tucking enough. A mini band also works. This is an apt program if you are preparing for some competition. Chad attempted 530 in his meet but tweaked his pec in the process and decided to call it a day for the bench press. The bench press is a surefire way to add meat to your pecs as long as your mechanics are sound. These supra-maximal reps are great for training your nervous system to maximally recruit the high-threshold motor units. It takes some practice to perfect, but just having this concrete idea of what it should look and feel like is a huge first step. Here is what Chad Wesley Smiths heavy accessory days typically looked like: And here is what Julius Maddoxs typical heavy accessory day looked like: As you can see the bench press accessory days can be organized in a wide variety of ways. To use the slingshot in your bench press training, I would not jump into the heavier weights to start. Here is what the 3 week block of triples might look like: Of course week 4 would be a deload week. All rights reserved. Incline Dumbbell Press 4 10 2 min. The bench program was the very first advanced single lift program that Candito designed after feeling he had hit a wall. Dead Bench Press: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked. In the elite lifter, we see that the bar is being pushed back while also pressing up. The slingshot does take a couple of sessions to get the motor pattern down. Workout-4: Dynamic Effort Bench Press Training. 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. 26 Powerlifting and Powerbuilding Programs | FREE Downloads, Shoulder and Elbow Pain While Bench Pressing, Raise your chest and think about touching the ceiling with your sternum, Pull the bar out of the rack, dont press it outif so you will lose all of the tightness from the previous four steps, Pause with the bar at lockout to get tension in your upper back and traps as the bar compresses you into the bench, Ensure wrists, forearms, and elbows are all in alignment, Break with your elbows to get the bar movingif you are retracting your shoulders as you start the lift, youre not tight enough, Tuck your elbows so that they arent flaredflaring your elbows is a one-way ticket to a torn rotor cuff, As the bar reaches your chest, squeeze your upper back, Touch the bar to the same spot every timeif youre standing with your arms at your side, it will be wear your elbows relax or slightly higher. version of yourself. The training volume increases in waves, and the peak % of 1RM climbs throughout the program, ending in a short peaking phase and a max attempt in week nine. Buy on Amazon: 3: Bench Press Slingshot Band Push 8.25. For example here is what a training cycle might look like: In my experience this is a highly underrated training frequency. The accessory movements are still important but nowhere near as important as the exercises performed earlier in the workout. While the lower body responds tremendously well to higher volume, lower frequency training, the bench does not. Inno Supps Complete Gut Health Stack: Doctor Approved 3-Step Process for UFC and Project Rock Team Up For BSR 3 Shoe Collaboration. 855 Riverside Pkwy Suite 10,West Sacramento,CA 95605. Message and data rates may apply. Sling Shot Mark Bell Reactive 9.60. The Slingshot is primarily used to handle heavier loads for the same or more repetitions compared with the raw bench press. My personal experience with it atm is the following: I am on SS atm (since I am getting back into lifting after a 2 month break, where I also did not squat for 1 year (had no squat rack + also a 4 month break). Program the slingshot bench press similarly to the normal bench press, so singles up to higher reps for volume (8-12). A: As many reps as possible10 RPE but not failure. Touch and Go Bench Press: Should You Pause or Not? Jump to the Routine 3 Days 11 Yes Edgar Artiga Day by day we toil among our fellow iron warriors, heaving weights thousands of times over the course of our training journey. You have one heavy bench press day early in the week where you do all of your heavy bench pressing as described above. feeling the weight in your hands before attempting it raw). Our products are created to Some of you reading this may need to deload every 2nd-3rd week while others will do their best deloading every 5-6 weeks. 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. Point blank, its nonsense. 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. We stand to empower those who seek to improve their life through fitness. For the most part, the differentiating feature between each of these Slingshots is how much tension youll get while benching. Last 3 weeks: Paused bench 2-3 top sets 1-3 reps heavier each week. After 7 weeks of hard training your bench press strength should have increased at least a little bit so this shouldnt be too much of a problem. Here is a bench press workout that James Strickland used on his quest to become the lightest man to ever bench press 700 pounds. Click here for the Original Slingshot sizing guide and current pricing on Amazon. These percentages are based off your estimated 1-rep max at the start of the training cycle. Performed at 69% of his projected 1-rep max, Performed at 78% of his projected 1-rep max, There is a reason the strongest bench presser in the world, Exercise A1: Bench press (competition grip), 1 x 3**, 4 minutes rest, Exercise B1: Speed bench press (competition grip), 5 x 3***, 2 minutes rest, Exercise C1: Reverse band bench press (competition grip), 1 x 5, 2 minutes rest, Exercise D1: V-bar dips (forward leaning torso), 2 x 6, 2 minutes rest, Exercise E1: Lat pulldown (wide / overhand grip), 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise F1: DB floor flys (neutral grip), 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise A1: Machine rear delt pec dec, 3 x 15, 60 seconds rest, Exercise B1: DB poliquin raise 3 x 15, 60 seconds rest, Exercise C1: DB bench press, 3 x 15**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise D1: Lying DB pullover, 3 x 15, 60 seconds rest, Exercise E1: DB rolling extension, 3 x 15, 60 seconds rest, Exercise F1: Seated cable rope face pull, 3 x 15, 60 seconds rest, Exercise C1: Reverse band bench press (shoulder-width grip), 3 x 2****, 4 minutes rest, Exercise B1: Speed bench press (competition grip), 5 x 3***, 4 minutes rest, Exercise A1: Bench press (competition grip), 3 x 3**, 4 minutes rest, Exercise B1: V-bar dips (forward leaning torso), 2 x 6***, 2 minutes rest, Exercise C1: Lat pulldown (wide / overhand grip), 3 x 10***, 60 seconds rest, Exercise D1: DB floor flys (neutral grip), 3 x 10***, 60 seconds rest, Exercise E1: Standing rope cable pushdown, 3 x 10***, 60 seconds rest, Exercise A1: Machine rear delt pec dec, 3 x 15**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise B1: DB poliquin raise 3 x 15**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise D1: Lying DB pullover, 3 x 15**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise E1: DB rolling extension, 3 x 15**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise F1: Seated cable rope face pull, 3 x 15**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise D1: V-bar dips (forward leaning torso), 2 x 5, 2 minutes rest, Exercise E1: Prone seal row, 3 x 6, 60 seconds rest, Exercise H1: Standing rope cable pushdown, 2 x 12, 60 seconds rest, Exercise B1: Lat raise machine 3 x 13, 60 seconds rest, Exercise C1: DB bench 3 x 15**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise F1: 30 degree prone Y-T-L raises, 3 x 15, 60 seconds rest, Exercise A1: Bench press (competition grip), 1 x 2**, 4 minutes rest, Exercise C1: Rack lockout, 3 x 1****, 4 minutes rest, Exercise E1: Seal row, 3 sets of 5 reps, 60 seconds rest, Exercise C1: V-bar dips (forward leaning torso), 2 x 5, 2 minutes rest, Exercise D1: Prone seal row, 3 x 5, 60 seconds rest, Exercise E1: DB floor flys (neutral grip), 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise F1: Standing rope cable pushdown, 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise B1: V-bar dips (forward leaning torso), 2 x 12***, 2 minutes rest, Exercise C1: Lat pulldown (wide / overhand grip), 4 x 10-12***, 60 seconds rest, Exercise D1: DB floor flys (neutral grip), 2 x 10***, 60 seconds rest, Exercise B1: Lat raise machine 3 x 13**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise F1: 30 degree prone Y-T-L raises, 3 x 15**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise A1: Bench press (competition grip), 2 x 1**, 4 minutes rest, Exercise B2: Speed bench press (competition grip), 2 x 2***, 4 minutes rest, Exercise D1: DB floor flys (neutral grip), 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise E1: Seated cable row (v-handle), 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise F1: Cable overhead rope extensions, 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise A1: DB front raise, 3 x 10, no rest, Exercise A2: DB side raise, 3 x 10, no rest, Exercise A3: DB bent-over rear delt raise, 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise B1: Machine rear delt pec dec, 3 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise C1: Seated cable row (v-handle), 2 x 12, 0 seconds rest, Exercise D1: Seated HS overhead press, 2 x 10**, 60 seconds rest, Exercise E1: Prone seal row, 2 x 5, 60 seconds rest, Exercise F1: Cobra lat pulldown, 2 x 10, 60 seconds rest, Exercise G1: Rope cable hammer curl, 2 x 12, 60 seconds rest, Exercise H1: Bilateral preacher curl machine (supinated grip), 2 x 15, 60 seconds rest, Exercise A1: Bench press (competition grip), 1 x 1**, 4 minutes rest, Exercise B1: Bottom position bench press overcoming isometric (competition grip), 2 x 1 (6-second hold), 2 minutes rest, Exercise C1: Lockout position bench press overcoming isometric (competition grip), 2 x 1 (6-second hold), 2 minutes rest. Weve come a long way in training strength since the 60s. As you can see, the descent path is very much the same for all three. For example, if you lift 225 for 5 reps, your max is roughly 263 pounds: (225*5)/30 + 225. The researchers compared the biomechanics of people using the Slingshot versus raw bench press. Therefore, the Slingshot might be an effective external cue to tuck the elbows, which would allow lifters to practice the correct motor pattern. But if you are afraid of getting hurt then you are in the wrong sport! Josh Bryant is one of the worlds most successful powerlifting coaches. By the fourth week the lifter has already completed 48 total reps with the Sling Shot at very manageable weights. I will explain why and when you should use the Slingshot, the types of Slingshots, and how to implement it into your training.