445 lbs x 2 Solo Bench - Smith Machine

[mghecea]

[kmc06005]

Nice job OP! It looks like your good for a lot more.

What is that black thing on your arms?

[Mitch666]

"powerlifting" in the video intro.


Benches on a smith machine..... ok

[zmcdole]

If you're serious, never post a smith machine lift in here again.

[ink81]

Never seen someone use a Slingshot on a smith machine....first time for everything.

What zmcdole said.

[Jason2459]

Strong first post

?

[kmc06005]

If you're serious, never post a smith machine lift in here again.

Never seen someone use a Slingshot on a smith machine....first time for everything.

What zmcdole said.

Negged...

[baize82]

Damn OP, I think if you cut down some of the warm up reps at 280, you'd be good for maybe another rep or two at 445. Solid benching tho brah

Don't let the haters in here get to ya

[aclockworkoi]

Man only problem I see is the boots aren't regulation. Everything else is legit.

EDIT: Wow your smith bar must be heavier than normal! 415lbs with 4pps!

[mghecea]

Nice job OP! It looks like your good for a lot more.

What is that black thing on your arms?

Hi...That black thing on my arms is the Mark Bell slingshot...It helps stabilize my arms and also takes the pain out of my elbows, since I don't do this once...I do it all night long, for sets of eight or more! Thanks for asking...Tonight was not my best night doing this...I'm shooting for 500 lbs by the end of next month! Cheers, Mario

[mghecea]

"powerlifting" in the video intro.


Benches on a smith machine..... ok

Well, why not? It is a great tool and I don't have great friends! Works for me! Thanks for your comment! Cheers, Mario

[mghecea]

If you're serious, never post a smith machine lift in here again.

Really? I'm actually thinking of making another vid doing the same thing on a Smith Maschine lifting 500 lbs...Would love to see your own lift videos with your buddies helping you push it all the way up! Many thanks for your supportive comment...Cheers, Mario

[mghecea]

Damn OP, I think if you cut down some of the warm up reps at 280, you'd be good for maybe another rep or two at 445. Solid benching tho brah

Don't let the haters in here get to ya

I might agree with you on that one! lol Thanks for he constructive criticism by the way! I love good ones! I understand, but I'm using a different method of reaching my goals through built up of endurance to do more...So you are right from the standpoint of muscle exhaustion, but that is also a useful technique to push higher weight through muscle confusion...Which is another exhaustive technique that I sometimes use...Keep up the good work while benchpressing! Mario

[Jason2459]

If you're serious, never post a smith machine lift in here again.

he told you....bro spottn mcdole... oh lawd.

[mghecea]

Never seen someone use a Slingshot on a smith machine....first time for everything.

What zmcdole said.

Hi,

Excellent point! You are absolutely right...I can do those just as easily without the slingshot...This was not meant as a recordsetting video! I'm shooting for 900 lbs in a few years! But it is actually just a workout video of what I do 3 times a week solo benching! This will not be my best bench nor my last...It is barely a routine video of what I've been doing for about six months...The slingshot helps stabilize my arms and also removes any cumbersome joint pain, especially in my elbows and rotator cuffs...After about 8 reps at 400 lbs you will want one too! So forgive me if that is disappointing to some, but by all means try this yourselves and visit the Mark Bell site...This is the best way to train heavy for heavy benching...People that bend the rules, most of the times bend themselves and end up out of the game...This is a no go training for me! I left the bravado behind with the younger, more inexperienced years! Cheers, Mario

[mghecea]

Man only problem I see is the boots aren't regulation. Everything else is legit.

EDIT: Wow your smith bar must be heavier than normal! 415lbs with 4pps!

Awesome comment! I agree! But I love combat boots at the gym! So much more stable than my snickers! Cheers, Mario

[mghecea]

Damn OP, I think if you cut down some of the warm up reps at 280, you'd be good for maybe another rep or two at 445. Solid benching tho brah

Don't let the haters in here get to ya

Ha...Ha...I won't! Happy Powerlifting! Cheers, Mario

[aclockworkoi]

Does your gym have a power rack?

[mghecea]

he told you....bro spottn mcdole... oh lawd.

Lol...The man must have good spotting buddies! I envy that this day and age where all you meet are mostly competitive haters! But...Necessity is the mother of Invention...

[Jason2459]

Lol...The man must have good spotting buddies! I envy that this day and age where all you meet are mostly competitive haters! But...Necessity is the mother of Invention...

Oh man, you wouldn't believe the bro spots he gets.

[kmc06005]

Mario,

I found a video of a guy doing a 500lb bench press with one of those Mark Bell Sling Shots. Do you think he is implementing it correctly in his training? Should he be using it on all of his sets?


The 500 is at about 20 seconds. Thanks for your response!

[mghecea]

Mario,

I found a video of a guy doing a 500lb bench press with one of those Mark Bell Sling Shots. Do you think he is implementing it correctly in his training? Should he be using it on all of his sets?


The 500 is at about 20 seconds. Thanks for your response!

That is exactly right...How he goes about it...He is also using the wrong SLINGSHOT type for that high a level of bench weight...He should be using a level 4 which is also called the Maddog...That slingshot is the black colored one which I use in the video at the top. The level 4 indicates it is the most durable and most likely the appropriate one to keep a lifter from incurring any serious injuries with that higher weight! With that said, however, I could see where an experienced lifter whom wants to go to competition level, will not require the support and strength of a level 4 slingshot...This is why he is using the level 2 slingshot (red colored). Here is a vid that explains it well...If you do decide to buy a slingshot, you will be very thankful you did and your benches will go up almost auto-magically! The reason, I posted in a reply above, is the level of repetition you can do with the weight! You will not have the good clear mindset to do this on your own without that support stabilizing your arms to good positition each time! The thing to understand about this belt is that it does not help you push the weight! It helps you support the weight better and does not incur instability while doing so...This helps your mind think that it can do more, so you push yourself to higher reps...I find that it is incorrect to believe that if you take the belt off you will do less...It is absolutely wrong! What feels different to me, is that the belt keeps your arms in proper position without lateral destabilization and loss of control that most powerlifters suffer from when pushing the weight back up! One can still suffer instability in their joints and wrists! This is why I recommend good quality wraps like SCHEICK wraps or Mark Bell's SLINGSHOT Wraps...For heavy weight I recommend using wrapped wrists rather than gloves...I also believe in massive repetition with the highest weight you feel comfortable and then going to benchpress or incline and adding another 100 lbs overload...That overshoot factor keeps the muscle confused so that when moving to 100 lbs lighter weight, it becomes comfortable base weight to move! So now you know my trick for moving up...Fast! But it takes tons of work...A good SLINGSHOT Maddog 3xx...And lots of patience for pain! Happy lifting! Mario

[mghecea]

Oh man, you wouldn't believe the bro spots he gets.

LOL...You're funny! Needed the smile today! Have a good one...m

[mghecea]

Does your gym have a power rack?

Could you please explain what you mean? I'm probably one of the few that uses Smith Machine this way! The reason is because I love benching and I have no spotters...I know no one that would even come near me to touch this much weight! All the solo powerlifters at the gym that have seen my method are now using this machine this way, albeit, probably without as much weight! I myself have learned the ease of use of a Smith Machine (although somewhat cumbersome at times) from watching a large size guy pushing about 400 + at Gold's Gym! At the time I could only do about 315 + and tried it on the Smith and I almost puked it was that hard and the rolling of the wrists was just dangerous in my mind! So for the people above saying this that and the other and naying it...Let me tell you...Rolling your wrist with 400 lbs + on, is no joke! Try it before you give your opinion thinking it is some walk in the park! But for the soloist, I would rather take on a SMITH Machine any day over a bench with no spotter! If you cannot hoist 400 lbs back up over that catch post, all that bulk and bar will end up straight on one's neck or skull! And I can show you a few vids to prove it!



And here is another one...Crappy spotters! (((( I have seen this so many times at the gyms with the so called 'experienced trainers'...



I'll stick with the SMITH! Thanks...So much safer!!!

[PanzeR-]

awesome benching. I will switch to smith machine touch n go bench with my titan am next cycle to confuse m muscles...... they will be so confused....

[ffguitarist14]

[SPFjudge]

Really? I'm actually thinking of making another vid doing the same thing on a Smith Maschine lifting 500 lbs...Would love to see your own lift videos with your buddies helping you push it all the way up! Many thanks for your supportive comment...Cheers, Mario

The great one has spoken. Let the Haters be your motivators Mario, you have a big future in this sport we all love.

[jamesovercome]

I'm more impressed with a 225 bench on free weights than a 445lb bench in a smith machine.

[mghecea]

awesome benching. I will switch to smith machine touch n go bench with my titan am next cycle to confuse m muscles...... they will be so confused....

Awesome...I'm considering a Titan suit myself...I actually found my first Slingshot, since I only used one so far, that it is a bit tight! So I'm looking forward to buying another one a 3XX and keeping this one as a backup! I'll probably start getting a Titan suit when I get into 500+ lbs. I would love to see some vids of what you accomplish most of all just how you get the suit on, i.e. using the suit with heavy weight and first impressions...Bench On! Mario

[mghecea]

I'm more impressed with a 225 bench on free weights than a 445lb bench in a smith machine.

I'm sorry you have no idea what you are talking about...I am actually in my profile image pushing almost 500 lbs up on an incline...So I find your post quite ignorant and un-knowledgeable/childish...Without an image you're toast! Mario