Lack of Physical Activity Global Contributor to Early Death

[Blond Beast]

I say a solid 5"10.5, hes not small he just kinda thick so its makes em look shorter but when you see him stand next to other people aint no one really towering over him either beside Maddox and people like that. Big Boy is 6' and Haack is about 2 inches shorter

Dissect lol you crazy, I think honestly it's just the right accessory work and a better mind muscle connection beside the genetic aspect. It just imo that haack can engage the right muscle at the right time in teh right sequence in the chain alot better than most can. Its kinda like when you bench and try to leg drive it's hard to learn and perfect but when you get into your groove that leg drive throws your bench press up by 50lbs or so easy. This reminds me a video I have seen of Mike O;Hearn benching 4 plates and needs no lift off he just unracks it himself now that impressive as fuc.k but reason he can do that is because he has been doing these weird ass exercises that mimic unracking since he was a teen so he is just stronger in a different way/different range than others that allow him to do something that others cant and its nothing more than the right accessory work.

I have never seen that preacher guy or at least I don't think so.

Look up James Henderson bench press. The videos are older. He’s a super positive guy. His Wikipedia says he’s done 711lbs raw. He’s had huge lifts drug tested also. The one thing I can appreciate is ive heard him tell everyone to get back and keep their hands away from the bar.
Bench press has never been a good lift for me. I’ve made strides when I’ve really tried to work on it at times. But it kind of has to be my main focus if I really want it to go up. I’ve always been a bodybuilder more than anything else. I’ve always liked trying for balanced proportions and noticing what to bring up and what might even need to come down. But nothings more impressive than strength athletes. I’ve followed strongman since I was a teenager. I wish I learned or was taught how to leg drive, back arch, tighten my scapulas for a better bench. I’ve watched videos, mendelson, Jennifer Thompson is great. I just find it so foreign to me. Just excuses I guess. I have a decent vertical standing from two feet or running and jumping off one foot. I could never figure how to do a running then jump off both feet vert though. It just felt impossible so I didn’t bother, not that I played basket ball either. I’ve been telling myself all my life thatd I’d learn to moonwalk too lol. I just need to make these things serious goals. Embrace the discomfort.

[Blond Beast]

My brother picked up an extra wide flat bench. I think it’s the same one the chinese team uses. It took almost a year to finally show up. But we both really like it. The extra shoulder support helps. I feel there’s less of that teeter totter effect of balancing the weight once you un-rack the bar. Benches were narrow, thin, and hard as hell when I first started training. Even if the benefits are just mental/placebo that’s still something.

[TheBoxGod]

Look up James Henderson bench press. The videos are older. He’s a super positive guy. His Wikipedia says he’s done 711lbs raw. He’s had huge lifts drug tested also. The one thing I can appreciate is ive heard him tell everyone to get back and keep their hands away from the bar.
Bench press has never been a good lift for me. I’ve made strides when I’ve really tried to work on it at times. But it kind of has to be my main focus if I really want it to go up. I’ve always been a bodybuilder more than anything else. I’ve always liked trying for balanced proportions and noticing what to bring up and what might even need to come down. But nothings more impressive than strength athletes. I’ve followed strongman since I was a teenager. I wish I learned or was taught how to leg drive, back arch, tighten my scapulas for a better bench. I’ve watched videos, mendelson, Jennifer Thompson is great. I just find it so foreign to me. Just excuses I guess. I have a decent vertical standing from two feet or running and jumping off one foot. I could never figure how to do a running then jump off both feet vert though. It just felt impossible so I didn’t bother, not that I played basket ball either. I’ve been telling myself all my life thatd I’d learn to moonwalk too lol. I just need to make these things serious goals. Embrace the discomfort.

My brother picked up an extra wide flat bench. I think it’s the same one the chinese team uses. It took almost a year to finally show up. But we both really like it. The extra shoulder support helps. I feel there’s less of that teeter totter effect of balancing the weight once you un-rack the bar. Benches were narrow, thin, and hard as hell when I first started training. Even if the benefits are just mental/placebo that’s still something.

Ill look em up. 711 is no joke.

Yeah, me personally I do a hybrid of both, powerlifting and bodybuilding. The leg drive is important imo, next is the retraction of your scapulas and getting on your lats, and last is the arch. The arch doesn't have to be dramatic like alot of these nerds do it, most do the dramatic arch to cheat the rep cause it shortens the distance between your chest and the top of the motion. A slight arch just to put your back and chest in the right angle is all that is needed. Take a look at Mike Rashid for this he has some great videos on it and he has probably imo the bench videos on benching.

Me personally I get in and out of strong man phase, I watch the games etc but I don't really follow them dudes. I seen Big Boy out lift Brain Shaw so theirs stronger dudes out there imo now was big bog on peak cycle and brain shaw was off cycle etc etc who knows but the world strongest man got out lifted by some youtuber lifter lol it happens.

Yeah them wide benches imo are best and most should be using them unless your are actually trying to compete than stick to what you have to use in comp, but if you arent competing than makes no sense not to. Also if you have trouble with your bench try some floor presses they help you drill your form because imo its alot easier to click imo.

[Blond Beast]

Ill look em up. 711 is no joke.

Yeah, me personally I do a hybrid of both, powerlifting and bodybuilding. The leg drive is important imo, next is the retraction of your scapulas and getting on your lats, and last is the arch. The arch doesn't have to be dramatic like alot of these nerds do it, most do the dramatic arch to cheat the rep cause it shortens the distance between your chest and the top of the motion. A slight arch just to put your back and chest in the right angle is all that is needed. Take a look at Mike Rashid for this he has some great videos on it and he has probably imo the bench videos on benching.

Me personally I get in and out of strong man phase, I watch the games etc but I don't really follow them dudes. I seen Big Boy out lift Brain Shaw so theirs stronger dudes out there imo now was big bog on peak cycle and brain shaw was off cycle etc etc who knows but the world strongest man got out lifted by some youtuber lifter lol it happens.

Yeah them wide benches imo are best and most should be using them unless your are actually trying to compete than stick to what you have to use in comp, but if you arent competing than makes no sense not to. Also if you have trouble with your bench try some floor presses they help you drill your form because imo its alot easier to click imo.

Thanks bro. The small changes ive made ( I didn’t bench press for a period of over ten years ) is tucking in my feet, and being on my toes. I bring the bar down closer to the bottom of my chest now, basically my *******. I think this gives me a tiny bit of natural arch. But yeah some of the extreme arches and wide grip that only have the bar travel only a couple inches is a real turn off. But that being said I’d like to be able to learn my best version. I’m never going to be able to bend like that and I’m not going to ever change my grip width, not now. I just wish I understood leg drive and the scapula situation. I wish I could just hear the perfect maxims that click with me. I was teaching my nephew how to tie his shoes the other day. Bunny rabbit and all that. I need that type of kid gloves. My twin brother is a much better bencher but he prioritized it over the years. He’s helped me make the improvements I’ve done to my style but we’re still nowhere near our technique potential. When I first started it was flat feet way out that could come off the ground and the bar would be brought closer to the upper half of my chest. I’ll never be as strong or as big as I was when I was younger. But I believe I make the most of my experience. But that being said it’s a bit shameful that I never learned the powerlifting bench technique, but also at the same time very intriguing that there’s still lots to learn.
I’ll look up Mike Rashid. My trainer partner as a teen was 5’5 and all chest and shoulders. I was all legs and arms. He could bench like crazy. He could do over double his bodyweight back then and was natty. I just want to compete against myself, and make my brother proud.

[TheBoxGod]

Thanks bro. The small changes ive made ( I didn’t bench press for a period of over ten years ) is tucking in my feet, and being on my toes. I bring the bar down closer to the bottom of my chest now, basically my *******. I think this gives me a tiny bit of natural arch. But yeah some of the extreme arches and wide grip that only have the bar travel only a couple inches is a real turn off. But that being said I’d like to be able to learn my best version. I’m never going to be able to bend like that and I’m not going to ever change my grip width, not now. I just wish I understood leg drive and the scapula situation. I wish I could just hear the perfect maxims that click with me. I was teaching my nephew how to tie his shoes the other day. Bunny rabbit and all that. I need that type of kid gloves. My twin brother is a much better bencher but he prioritized it over the years. He’s helped me make the improvements I’ve done to my style but we’re still nowhere near our technique potential. When I first started it was flat feet way out that could come off the ground and the bar would be brought closer to the upper half of my chest. I’ll never be as strong or as big as I was when I was younger. But I believe I make the most of my experience. But that being said it’s a bit shameful that I never learned the powerlifting bench technique, but also at the same time very intriguing that there’s still lots to learn.
I’ll look up Mike Rashid. My trainer partner as a teen was 5’5 and all chest and shoulders. I was all legs and arms. He could bench like crazy. He could do over double his bodyweight back then and was natty. I just want to compete against myself, and make my brother proud.

yeah man when you get that leg drive chain drilled down its a game changer for sure. The best I can explain is that you aren't pushing/driving straight up towards the sky with your legs, you are pushing trying to drive yourself up the bench (for instance just get on the bench tuck your legs under and with your legs only push yourself up the bench till your head comes off the bench, now thats the drive you are trying to accomplish), however since you got your scapula retracted, with a slight arch in the back that has you nailed to the bench and we are under the load of the weights so when you push and try to drive yourself off the bench that drive energy gets transferred into your bench press to get the bar off you.

you are pushing this way <--------------------

Also the bar path (the path the bar takes when you press the bar up) starts off as an angle its does not start going straight up. Coming off the chest your bar path will look like this backslash \ this is how the leg drive is utilized, if you are pressing straight up then you are not really utilizing the leg drive correctly.

1. tuck your legs in (try placing your foot on some plates if need be)
2. retract your shoulders (pull your shoulders back and pretend you trying to pinch a penny inbetween your scapula)
3. get up on your lats and arch a bit (think big open chest high in the sky)
4. drive with your legs trying to push yourself up the bench (keep everything tight i.e ass, thigh, core, forearm, biceps, like you're a spring under tension and when you ready to attack, DRIVE! )
5. off that leg drive, press the bar in that backslash bar path \ (the leg drive should pretty much compel you to adopt the \ bar path)

Just synchronize all that into one big motion and that's leg drive.

lol, seems more complicated than it is, just practice and consistency like everything else.

[Blond Beast]

yeah man when you get that leg drive chain drilled down its a game changer for sure. The best I can explain is that you aren't pushing/driving straight up towards the sky with your legs, you are pushing trying to drive yourself up the bench (for instance just get on the bench tuck your legs under and with your legs only push yourself up the bench till your head comes off the bench, now thats the drive you are trying to accomplish), however since you got your scapula retracted, with a slight arch in the back that has you nailed to the bench and we are under the load of the weights so when you push and try to drive yourself off the bench that drive energy gets transferred into your bench press to get the bar off you.

you are pushing this way <--------------------

Also the bar path (the path the bar takes when you press the bar up) starts off as an angle its does not start going straight up. Coming off the chest your bar path will look like this backslash \ this is how the leg drive is utilized, if you are pressing straight up then you are not really utilizing the leg drive correctly.

1. tuck your legs in (try placing your foot on some plates if need be)
2. retract your shoulders (pull your shoulders back and pretend you trying to pinch a penny inbetween your scapula)
3. get up on your lats and arch a bit (think big open chest high in the sky)
4. drive with your legs trying to push yourself up the bench (keep everything tight i.e ass, thigh, core, forearm, biceps, like you're a spring under tension and when you ready to attack, DRIVE! )
5. off that leg drive, press the bar in that backslash bar path \ (the leg drive should pretty much compel you to adopt the \ bar path)

Just synchronize all that into one big motion and that's leg drive.

lol, seems more complicated than it is, just practice and consistency like everything else.

Thanks man, I really do appreciate it. Sometimes all you need is to hear it described in a way that makes a light go on. I liked how you said leg drive up the bench but your squeezed shoulders pressing down against the bench make a stopping point so the force has to go somewhere and that’s through the part of you that is actually moving, your pressing motion. I’m going to work on all of this, even if there’s no weight on the bar at times. Reps build familiarity.