When it comes to the big lifts, technique is technique. But on top of mastering the form, everyone looks for progression – and there comes a time when even the best of us run into a stymie, and our strength (and size) doesn’t increase at the same linear rate that it did when we were 21 years old. With this in mind, it’s time for us to start thinking outside the box and adding some science to our program design. A few minor shifts to our major lifts can go a long way.
Bench Press
The Bench press is considered “king” of upper body lifting movements. Even though its functionality is questioned, it still takes its place at the top of the list for lifters everywhere as a measurement of strength and an indicator of where you’re at. When you reach a stymie in such a practiced lift, it can get frustrating—but sometimes the solution for a lift to get stronger is to make its workload bigger
Double Your Workload with 1.5 Rep Training
The 1.5 rep method allows the chest to do twice as much work as the triceps do in the bench press movement. This is key for those of us who may reach a “sticking point” in the bottom end of the movement especially. When the lockout isn’t as big of an issue as the starting strength off the chest, 1.5’s can come in handy. To do them, lower the bar to your chest under control, and then explode off the chest only to the midway point. Freeze there at the midpoint for a 1 second count, and then slowly lower the bar again to the chest. Finally, explode off the chest once more, this time to a full lockout.
Remember, each 1.5 rep actually counts as one rep, so do sets of 6-8 reps. You’ll be sure to get the pump of your life from this minor shift.
Pin Press for Lockout Strength
In both the flat and incline bench press, the ending strength can turn into a major factor, too. “Locking out” cand turn into a major ordeal, especially when weight gets heavy. Typcially many will say it just involves more direct work for the triceps. This may be true, but it may cause one to forget that improving the bench press means, above all, to practice the bench press! Having said this, employing the pin press is a smart variation of the bench press mechanics that zeroes in on the ending phase of the lift. There are 2 benefits:
- The bar has to be pressed from a dead stop
- The triceps get to work with PLENTY of load, under safe conditions.
How To Pin Press for Lockout Strength
- Set up your bench in a squat cage, and place the safety pins at the midway point of your bench press rep.
- Place a loaded bar on the pins, and position yourself in bench press form under the bar. Get tight, breathe in, and aggressively drive the bar off the pins to full lockout.
- Lower the weight under control and let the bar settle back on the pins. Don’t bounce the weight.
- Repeat for sets of 4 to 6 reps.
Remember, you’ll likely be able to move higher than normal amounts of weight, since you won’t be doing complete ROM reps. Take advantage of this!
Challenge your Max with Cluster Sets
You may have found that your 5 rep max (or 3 rep max, or single rep max) has been the same for quite some time. An easy way to push this is to use cluster sets. Essentially, you’ll end up performing more repetitions with the same heavy loads, simply by taking mini “breaks” partially through the sets. In your bench press, put your 5 rep max on the bar, and (with a spotter) perform four repetitions. Rack the weight, and rest for 15 seconds. Set up again, and immediately take the weight back off the rack and perform as many more reps as possible – you’ll likely get 2 more. Since you let your ATP – your instant source of energy and power – partially restore itself in your muscles through the short rest, you were able to get an extra “push” you wouldn’t have had originally. The result? You’ve just done 6 reps with your 5 rep max.
Squats
There are many philosophies and schools of thought as to what makes a correct looking squat. Ask someone with an Olympic lifting background and he’ll tell you it means a vertical torso, with the hips dropping low and the knees tracking forward; Ask a guy with a powerlifting background and he’ll say a lower bar position, wide stance, and taking a seat “back” is the way to go. Without adding to the discrepancy, let’s focus on the position that everyone will agree on as a good quality squat:
- The heels should remain firmly planted on the ground at all times
- The hips should drop below parallel to the floor
- The chest should stay up as best possible
- With this in mind, we can move forward.
- Blast your Quads with VMO Squats
VMO squats follow a similar scheme to the 1.5 rep method used earlier. To do them, lower to the bottom of the squat, and simply come up to the halfway point. Freeze there for a 1 second count, then lower yourself to the bottom again. Finally, power your way up to the top. That’s one rep. Many lifters have depth issues squatting due to a lack of knee strength of stability. The most important muscle on the thigh to help the knees stay strong and stable is the Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO). This is the “teardrop” muscle on the inside part of the quads. Because of the “double pump” you’re doing with each rep, the quads (especially the VMO) get attacked relentlessly. This doubles as an awesome way to improve your bottom depth in the movement. Like the bench press, focus on sets of 6-8 reps. https://www.instagram.com/coachleeboyce/reel/CHyVnTNnckc/
Bottom – Up Squats: Improve your Starting Strength
In the squat cage, set up the safety pins about 6 inches higher than your bottom depth in a typical squat. Place the bar on the pins and load it to your desired weight. Position yourself under the bar (you’ll be squatting to do so) and get your back tight. Drive the bar up off the pins to a full lockout. Lower the weight slowly and settle the bar back down to the pins. The rep begins and finishes at the bottom, on those pins.
The bottom – up squat helps deal with starting strength, and this serves as a key exercise to help a lifter “get out of the hole” in a heavy squat. Conventional training methods will often allow the lifter use their stretch reflex and really sling their way out of the bottom of the squat. By spending more time at full depth – and adding a dead stop – the muscles have no choice but to work as hard as they can to make the movement a success. There’s no room for cheating.
Deadlifts
Pulling exercises like deadlifts can often reach a plateau because of a weakness in grip strength, or because of other dysfunctions – namely, muscles not firing when it’s their cue. It could mean things get a little trickier when it comes to tackling these issues… or it could mean we need to be more ruthless.
Deficit Deadlifts: Increase your Pulling Distance
Work equals force times distance. So if we increase the distance the bar has to travel in a deadlift, the more work our muscles have to do for every rep, and every set. The easiest way to go about this in a deadlift is through deficit deadlifts.
Take a step (or a 6 inch box) and set up for your deadlift while standing on it. Because your feet are elevated, but the bar is still on the floor, you end up pulling from a much deeper starting position. Remember to keep the eyes focused on the floor a few feet in front of you. If you’re a taller lifter, it would be a good idea to use a sumo (wide) stance, with the hands in the middle. This will make it easier for you to keep your back straight from such a low position. Focus on sets of 8 to 10 reps.
Lift Big with Rack Pulls
Rack pulls are an easy way to get the body accustomed to moving more weight from partial ranges of motion. Set up the safety pins in a squat cage at about knee level, and, after warming up, put 90 percent of your max effort deadlift on it. Set up the way you would if you were pulling the bar from the floor, and complete a partial rep from the pins. Repeat for sets of 3 to 5 reps. Once that gets easy, on a new workout, lower the pins one notch and do the same thing. Then do it again. You get the idea. Soon you’ll be pulling bigger weight from the floor!
Big Lifts, Little Shifts
It’s amazing how far you can go with a little science. It’s not always about moving big numbers around. Sometimes the trick is to lift smarter. Employing these methods serve as a way to more effectively exhaust your muscles and shock them into growth – and that’s the name of the game. In the long haul, we’re all going for impressive looking physiques that are strong and useful. Put these lifting mods to the test and enjoy the results.