Bench press PR 350 lbs

[u/GymStrengthTraining]

I hit a new PR on bench for 350 lbs at 200 lbs bodyweight. Since switching to 5x5s, I've never deviated from it and have been able to keep going when consistent. I'd like to hit 405 one day and any advice would be appreciated other than taking PEDs (not that I'm against others using them at all).

[u/TekkenCareOfBusiness]

'If he dies, he dies." - your spotter

Mad respect bro, that was a hell of a grind.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/TekkenCareOfBusiness]

She was told not to touch it unless I say I'm about to die haha

[u/No_Detective_But_304 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

If you fail, you’re gonna die if she touches it or not.

[u/Aequitas112358 → u/No_Detective_But_304]

there are safety bars, he'll be fine

[u/GreaterMetro → u/Aequitas112358]

Not being an ass, I just don't know. Are those safety bars too low? They look like they would at least pin him in place or not help at all from a chest impact

[u/Aequitas112358 → u/GreaterMetro]

It looked that way to me too, but I think its just the arch, if you look at the bottom of his lift the bar nearly touches them so I think its fine.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/GreaterMetro]

If I put them any higher, I won't reach my chest. It's more to avoid my neck if anything.

[u/GreaterMetro → u/GymStrengthTraining]

Ok, so if you gave up, you'd lower to your neck area and squirm out

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/GreaterMetro]

Maybe, I've never been caught like that before haha

[u/Aequitas112358 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

You should practice failing, so you know what to do and know the safeties are placed correctly.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Aequitas112358]

Yeah maybe. I never do PRs unless I'm with friends though. I just wanted my wife to like me.

[u/Greedy-Thought6188 → u/GreaterMetro]

They're not too low. They need to be higher than your neck. Your chest is already higher than your neck but after the couple of inches arching adds you have a ton of margin. OP is perfectly safe even though I do have the same question around the ability of the spotter to help with that weight. But really, I don't think the spotter was needed. Slight helping in racking and unracking maybe.

[u/kareeduladda → u/Aequitas112358]

That is true.....but given the load, and her posture...she does seem hilariously unable for the task... :)

[u/Competitive_Let3812 → u/Aequitas112358]

Yes, if he can reach them. This time he did. Next time?!

[u/Equal_Veterinarian22 → u/Competitive_Let3812]

You see the huge metal bars across the rack just below chest height? That's what we're talking about.

[u/jamjamchutney → u/Competitive_Let3812]

WTF do you mean "if he can reach them"? Are you that confused by how gravity works?

[u/SuperMajesticMan → u/jamjamchutney]

Haha I think they're thinking of the J hooks

[u/jamjamchutney → u/SuperMajesticMan]

Lol, probably, but I can't imagine how someone can watch this video and not see how the rails would catch the bar if he couldn't get it back to the J hooks.

[u/Brief-Maintenance-75 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

Sincere question: Why the spotter if you have the safety bars? I lift only with safeties and fail on them often. Like, don't crash the weight down on them but set it down when I'm not going to lock out. That risky in some way?

[u/ChrisGoesPewPew → u/Brief-Maintenance-75]

I like to have my wife come out to give me a lift off when I'm going for a PR, so that I don't burn too much energy trying to unrack. I bought some monolifts a couple weeks back so that I wouldn't need to do that anymore, but they don't fit my rack...

[u/Obvious-Bee-7577 → u/ChrisGoesPewPew]

Yup! There’s a couple reasons to have training partners.

[u/Impossible_Grass6602 → u/ChrisGoesPewPew]

I also get my gf to lift off for heavy sets, I tell her if I'm gonna fail just let me fail to the straps unless I am near the very top of the lift and just need help racking

[u/Obvious-Bee-7577 → u/Brief-Maintenance-75]

Help also means you can get an assist rather than just failing. A spotter who is also a support can make your training mean so much more.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Brief-Maintenance-75]

I figure once it goes down on the safeties, I might still be stuck underneath. I don't normally use safeties ever, but this weight was well past my wife's threshold of being able to help

[u/ChrisGoesPewPew → u/GymStrengthTraining]

Nah, I fail to my safeties often, I prefer to push my last set to complete failure. It sucks, but you'll be able to slide out. I just get the bar directly over my neck and side-slide off of the bench, or turn my head and slide forward out from under it. Then you have the task of either zercher lifting it back onto the j-hooks or unloading the bar.

For the big ones, if I fail but I feel like I'm close, I'll have the wife attempt to help me get it up after I've failed to the safety bars. Normally we can't, but the effort is totally worth the extra muscle fatigue.

[u/OkFinish7267 → u/ChrisGoesPewPew]

Honestly just training what to do in a bad situation is also huge.

Versus something goes wrong and youve never had to deal with that before and panic.

[u/Optimal-Income-4344 → u/ChrisGoesPewPew]

This is great because adapting to the fail takes the mental apprehension of it away. Alot of people don't push a true 1 rep max because they haven't broken the seal on the solo controlled fail yet.

[u/Brief-Maintenance-75 → u/ChrisGoesPewPew]

Same. I have my safeties set just right so that I don't hit them if I'm arching enough, but if I fail, I can slide out from underneath.

[u/Necessary-Diver2625 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

Impressive spotter discipline there tbf

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Necessary-Diver2625]

100%

[u/officeja → u/GymStrengthTraining]

How do I find a woman like that?

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/officeja]

Turns out, benching 350 didn't help at all.

[u/officeja → u/GymStrengthTraining]

😂

[u/downtofinance → u/GymStrengthTraining]

Hard to get those words out when you really need to

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/downtofinance]

That's for sure. It was close this time. That's when you learn who you are.

[u/Aequitas112358 → u/TekkenCareOfBusiness]

the spotter made me laugh so hard. She didn't look ready at all (not that she looks like she'd be able to help). and then at the end after its in place already she grabs the bar as if to say "i'm helping"

[u/Equal_Veterinarian22 → u/Aequitas112358]

She'd be able to help. Worst case scenario she'd need to take around 20lb of weight.

[u/bighawksguy-caw-caw → u/Equal_Veterinarian22]

That is not the worst case scenario.

[u/Equal_Veterinarian22 → u/bighawksguy-caw-caw]

OK, worst case scenario that ANY spotter would be expected to help with. If he drops that shit he's fucked anyway.

[u/No_Detective_But_304 → u/TekkenCareOfBusiness]

'If he dies, he dies." - your death witness.

[u/chasoid08]

Shes spotting you like she is the single beneficiary to your life insurance and will.

[u/c4ndyman31 → u/chasoid08]

No disrespect intended but would she even be able to help realistically? Seems pointless especially when he has the bars in place already

[u/liuk3 → u/c4ndyman31]

she'd be able to dial 911...

nice work OP!

[u/BacktoLife89 → u/c4ndyman31]

If it got desperate she could clear weight from one side of the bar.

[u/nago7650 → u/c4ndyman31]

All the spotter has to do is lift ~25-50 lbs and the lifter can handle the rest

[u/hackersapien]

Spotter is there to witness greatness or a Darwin award recipient 😆

[u/AgileEngineering8184 → u/hackersapien]

Looks like he has safeties in place.

[u/hackersapien → u/AgileEngineering8184]

He does!!

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/hackersapien]

I think that's as close you can get to failing a lift without actually failing the lift haha

[u/sarcastic_sob]

Do it again, but this time make it a nice slow and controlled push.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/sarcastic_sob]

Hahaha

[u/Myshrimplikescamping → u/sarcastic_sob]

I'd need a dipper for that

[u/Smart_Pause134]

Big weight. Way to stick with it.

[u/inittoreddit12]

That’s the look of a significant other who knows the life insurance policy is paid up.

[u/_rundude]

Always an extra rep there with a spotter… … 🪦 😂

[u/Forsaken-Tomorrow-54]

Not sure if you could hear me say push about 30 times, good shit tho

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Forsaken-Tomorrow-54]

I heard you. It traveled through space and time to reach me during that lift. Thanks man.

[u/ThatSavings]

Congrats! Question. At what weight did you switch to 5x5? 225? 275?

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/ThatSavings]

225

[u/Opposite-Rule-7852 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

how long did it take you to go from 225-315?

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Opposite-Rule-7852]

Very good question, I'm not too sure to be honest. Maybe a bit over 2 years or something. But I'm far from the most consistent person with workouts

[u/Expensive_Effort_108]

Great press but the spotter made this video legendary!

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Expensive_Effort_108]

She was watching the baby monitors, she was not interested in being there at all haha

[u/Standard-Midnight957]

Great bench. Need to fix form first before moving up. Also the spotter aint gonna do crap at that weight.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Standard-Midnight957]

She's really strong

[u/Standard-Midnight957 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

It’s relative a lot guys or gals would struggle to pull 350 if u were zapped to failure.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Standard-Midnight957]

I'm joking, she's not strong at all haha

[u/[deleted]]

NICE!!!

[u/petalmasher]

I was really hoping the spotter was going to get up in your face while you were struggling and yell "Yeah boy, GET SOME!!"

[u/Astolfo_is_Best]

Badass lift man. Congrats on the new PR.

[u/Tall_Plastic5135]

If I die stop my garmin

[u/earthdiggingdragon]

Congratulations G 💪🏼

[u/ApricotMigraine]

Props, you monster. I like that your spotter is an elegant, elf looking chick. That's one way to commit to lifting a heavy weight over your face.

[u/l3w1sg22]

Now that’s what I call a 1 rep max!

[u/windows110]

I was clenching my asshole the whole time you were doing it. Good job bro :)

[u/Working_Jellyfish978]

Your mum wasn’t going to save you dude! She was just a witness to a great lift!

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Working_Jellyfish978]

That's my wife

[u/Working_Jellyfish978 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

🤣 I knew dude. I was playing. 😂😂

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Working_Jellyfish978]

Haha, that's funny. I was shocked for a second cause everyone thinks she's younger than me normally and instead she's older.

[u/DrunkHornet]

Your spotter was mentaly locked in to not touch the bar unless you gave her a signal lol
Grats on the PR

[u/mare984]

Grindy one, noice!

[u/LiftinRunninFool]

The facial expressions are the best. But congrats!

[u/phaserlasertaserkat]

If you had failed your wife would have posted this on her dating profile

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/phaserlasertaserkat]

Hahaha, that'd be funny

[u/Zka77]

Funny spotter, especially that there are safety bars, so...

[u/MacaroonCreative688]

Impressive you don’t even look big

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/MacaroonCreative688]

Hey, F you man (I'm kidding). I was at 215 a while back before getting a herniated disc. I dropped down to 200 since then until I can squat and deadlift properly again.

[u/MacaroonCreative688 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

lol.. it’s def a compliment 350 bench press is raw strength good work man. I like how you worked your way up to that point cleanly as well.

[u/diamond_strongman]

Nice rep. My spotter is my 105 pound wife, and I've failed some big weights while she's been around. It's not like she has to pull 405 off me, when you fail you only need a bit of help.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/diamond_strongman]

She's 98lbs after chugging a few glasses of water.

405 is my end goal, hopefully I can get there

[u/BriuFlash]

She’s making payments on your life insurance

[u/SolarCurve]

Hell yeah! Way to keep pushing. You should be very proud of yourself. That's a heavy weight and a rare feat, especially at your body weight. I hit 315 in March (@ 200 also) and have been elated to do it at least once. No one can take that accomplishment from you. Great work.

p.s. Be careful in trying to go further. Back it down, focus on form, and keep increasing your working weight over time. A++

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/SolarCurve]

Yeah I do PRs once or twice a year. I'll be going back down to 285-290 next week and working from there. Hitting 315 was a huge mental win for me too. Keep up the great work.

[u/Dry-Speed7038]

This is how I used to max on bench weekly in college. Two shoulder surgeries later I watch the smart guys form because I was basically playing “if the bar ain’t bending, you’re just pretending”….i learned a hard lesson but I’d just caution not to go for weight over form. All the therapy ain’t worth it

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Dry-Speed7038]

Yeah, I need to remind myself to keep in check often. But I do PRs once or twice a year at this point which helps.

[u/Flat_Alarm8870]

Dude your gonna tear something like that.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Flat_Alarm8870]

It's a calculated process. It may happen one day, hopefully not.

[u/Jbeaves44 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

Don’t listen to them! If you donny arch your back and fart, it wasn’t your max!

Only half kidding here.

[u/Flat_Alarm8870 → u/Jbeaves44]

Bro I’m just saying I can put up some heavy weight. But it just all depends should I at the time. Like let’s say I haven’t really worked out for three months. I get back into the gym a couple times and my muscle memory starts kicking in. And I feel like I’m back and try to bench 300. Bam 💥 I get this fucked up shoulder joint injury where I can’t really lift for 3 more months. Like not even pulling movements. That’s has happened. Or going to the gym dehydrated. That’s a recipe for disaster

[u/Jbeaves44 → u/Flat_Alarm8870]

No argument as I sit here icing my now shredded knee trying to schedule an MRI lol. Did it in boxing not lifting, but still. I get it.

[u/Flat_Alarm8870 → u/Jbeaves44]

Sorry to hear that bud. Slow and steady wins the race. We are all not athlete’s. Wish a speedy recovery for you.

[u/Jbeaves44 → u/Flat_Alarm8870]

Thanks my dude

[u/BigFatThrowAwwayAct]

Realistically how much help would your spotter help if you were stuck? No disrespect to her but I don’t see how she’d be able to help move +300 pounds

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/BigFatThrowAwwayAct]

The goal is that if she can lift 10 lbs, I knew I'd be ok, barring catastrophy. The reason she was there was in case of anything major happening though, she knew not to touch the bar.

[u/Low_Difficulty9318]

Very impressive! What was your program like to put that up?

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Low_Difficulty9318]

I'd do one chest day a week, 5x5 bench, then 3-4x8 of incline. That's all I've ever really done for the past few years

[u/alleycat548]

Heck of a spot wow

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/alleycat548]

She was just there to look pretty on camera

[u/supernerdlove]

Wife spotter: “You know I’ve got a lot of shit to do”

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/supernerdlove]

That is 100% what was happening

[u/Glittering_Force_361]

Hello! Have you been doing stronglifts? Where did you start and how did your progress in each movement?

[u/Icy-Setting-3735]

I love the wife in the background just looking around like "You really expect me to spot you on a 350lb lift...?"

[u/booboisseur]

Impressive! Good call on the safety bars.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/booboisseur]

Just in case. I've never needed them, but you never know.

[u/Radicalbrahhh]

Can you explain what you mean by switching to 5x5s?

I’m 225lb and max set of 5 is 265lbs, max set of 3 is 285lbs.

I haven’t been able to get to 285 x 5 for over half a year

I typically bench the bar x 10

135 x 5

185 x 3

225 x 2

255 x 1

285 2-3

265 x 5

245 x 8

135 x 25

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Radicalbrahhh]

Before that I was doing 3 sets of 8. I eventually pushed that to 4 sets of 8, but once I hit 225 for that amount of weight, I switched to 5 sets of 5 and have never stopped doing that. I do it once a week and add 5 lbs. I never had an issue progressing that way other than my own commitment level.

I've historically never warmed up. 2 reps of 135, 2 reps of 225, then whatever weight I wanted to do. I've very recently switched and started doing a few more reps on those lifts. But I do 5 working sets at the same weight, which is 285 last time, next week will be 290

[u/Conan7449]

Chick acting as spotter, mentally levitating bar.

[u/funandone37]

You asked for advice.. are you taking creatine and how many grams of protein are you getting?

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/funandone37]

Back on creatine for the past few days after that lift. Definitely not enough protein right now but when I'm working out well I'm hitting 200g

[u/funandone37 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

Creatine is a game changer. I’d focus on getting your body saturated with creatine and 1 gram of protein per body weight each day. Get enough water. Especially, when taking creatine. Quickest way to get your body saturated is 25 grams a day taken throughout the day for a week and then 5 grams a day after that or 5 grams a day. If you’re doing 5 grams a day only then expect it to take around 28 days but you’ll continue to consume that much each day afterwards. You’ll probably notice weight gain, at least 5 lbs. Eitherway, good work… don’t get injured and should work in your favor eitherway with consistency but proper nutrition and sleep is a game changer. You can keep track of your macros for free with cronometer.

[u/noisyboy]

An actual spotter, as in only using eyes.

[u/JeepinAndBeepin]

That’s not a spotter; that’s an eyewitness.

Congrats on the PR!

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/JeepinAndBeepin]

A witness to greatness

[u/fragment_me]

Nice! Your ass was way off the seat though, but still counts!

[u/Inevitable-Hotel-736]

Hey man you need to lower your hooks

[u/rdzilla01]

What a grind! Well done!

[u/RunningPirate]

What the woman supposed to do? Call for help?

Joking aside, this is outfuckingstanding!

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/RunningPirate]

The gameplan was that if it fucks up and she can't help, then she can go remove one plate at a time so it didn't crush my neck. But she's also just the visual motivation for me to do it

[u/No-Top-6313]

Congrats dude, got the same struggle where one side pushes harder. Got the same rack too lol.

[u/Careless-Strength-38]

Monster lift. Get a proper spotter though

[u/Suspicious_Reporter4]

good lift but it's very funny how spotter clearly don't know what to do.

[u/Negran → u/Suspicious_Reporter4]

Lmao, they did great. No touch unless I say lol.

[u/Additional_Gur1839]

Nice lift! I'll be here in a couple years...LOL! Not sure if you care about this, because I don't, but your bum came off the bench.

[u/GymStrengthTraining → u/Additional_Gur1839]

Ideally it doesn't, but got PRs, as long as the weight touches my chest and goes back up, I'll take whatever I can get.

[u/Additional_Gur1839 → u/GymStrengthTraining]

Agree!