iSatori BioGro Going to get that 4 plate bench!

[thebigzakbowski]

A little background on me for people who don't know me. I love bench press, love it, favorite lift. It is the king of the gym, the only lift to have it's own day in the minds of everyone. When you tell anyone that you lift, the first question they ask is "how much ya bench?"So that all being said I'm clearly obsessed with getting that number huge. While I know I will never be satisfied with any bench the goal I am shooting for is 405. Ask me any questions you might have and I'll answer em. Thank you very much for following my log.

[thebigzakbowski]

Day one was yesterday. I bench twice a week and I wanted to start off Bio Gro on a bench day.
Flat bench 3 sets of 6 at 315
Flat bench 3 sets of 3 at 330
Close grip (hands at start of knurling) bench press 3 sets of 8 reps at 225
wide grip bench press (pointer finger on ring) bench press 3 sets of 6 reps at 225
tricep pressdowns. drop set 65x15 50 x15 40 x15 only rest between weight changes is to change the pin. This was done three times total.

[thebigzakbowski]

Day two. today 6/16 Biceps and back.
Incline DB bicep curls. 4 sets of 8 with 30s
EZ Barbell curls 4 sets of 15 with 80lbs
Concentration curls 4 sets of 20 with 20lb db
Wide grip pulldowns 2 sets of 15 at 95lbs 1 set of 15 at 110
DB Shurgs 4 sets of 20 with 50s
low rows 4 sets of 20 max stack

[JaymzJ]

Keep it up bigzabroski, mirin bench boss

[thebigzakbowski]

Keep it up bigzabroski, mirin bench boss

Thanks for swinging by bro. Rest day today.

[polishedball]

Another tip, not sure if you noticed, but in my latest video, before I unrack the weight I pull down on the bar as hard as possible engaging the opposite muscles that will be used. I don't allow my body to rise. It is just another trick that seems to be worth a few pounds on the bench. Let me know if that didn't make sense.

Also do you overhead press?

[thebigzakbowski]

Another tip, not sure if you noticed, but in my latest video, before I unrack the weight I pull down on the bar as hard as possible engaging the opposite muscles that will be used. I don't allow my body to rise. It is just another trick that seems to be worth a few pounds on the bench. Let me know if that didn't make sense.

Also do you overhead press?

Thanks bro! I am going to rewatch that video and see if I can get that figured out and give it a try. Yes on shoulder day I OHP. I usually clean and press the bar since I don't have a rack for OHP. but that will be the plan for later this week.

[vapedup247]

Following!!!

[thebigzakbowski]

Following!!!

awesome thanks bro!
Hit the bench yesterday I will update in a bit. Legs today!

[thebigzakbowski]

yesterdays workout:
All bench.
45x10
135x8
225x5
275x3
315x5
315x4
390x3 with my slingshot
340x4

[polishedball]

Thanks bro! I am going to rewatch that video and see if I can get that figured out and give it a try. Yes on shoulder day I OHP. I usually clean and press the bar since I don't have a rack for OHP. but that will be the plan for later this week.

Thats great I do it strict but have a cage at gym, be sure to hit all three tri's on there day. One overhead movement as well, i like behind the head seated DB extensions using both hands and single DB. I really think that is what got me to my goal injured some.

Looking forward to seeing you get there.

[thebigzakbowski]

Thats great I do it strict but have a cage at gym, be sure to hit all three tri's on there day. One overhead movement as well, i like behind the head seated DB extensions using both hands and single DB. I really think that is what got me to my goal injured some.

Looking forward to seeing you get there.

yeah I love that motion, seated French press with a single DB. I need heavier DBs soon for that, the 50 is pretty easy for reps

[ExtremeOne74]

Great start and good numbers. BioGro should aid in growth and recovery. Initial thoughts on it? How much and when are you using? Also, I'm a big believer in compound lifts driving up numbers in other compound lifts. For example, increasing squat and dead numbers will increase bench. Please don't shoot me but I have not flat bb benched in over 10 years. From a bodybuilding standpoint I believe it's overrated. I do love moving some serious weight on flat dbs though

[thebigzakbowski]

Three scoops in the am (as I am over 200lbs) and then 3 scoops prior to lifting (like a PWO) oh yeah gotta build up the squat and DL (not that I enjoy either lift but they are the veggies you've gotta eat to get to the dessert that is bench press). Although DL lately has been killing my hands, I swear it feels like the callouses are going to just tear off. Bro yesterday the 315 felt easy as pie and usually about there I feel soreness in my delts that just wasn't there, so it is working magic.

I read Bob Paris talking about how flat bench didnt hit chest the way that he needed it to, so I don't blame you for not hitting it every workout, but going 10 plus years without it.....something is very wrong with you bro....hit the bench soon. It is the king of lifts, that is why people talk about bench marks

[thebigzakbowski]

Yesterday was leg day (this is said with the enthusiasm of kid talking about taking a test in school)
I go with a high rep low weight scheme for legs
start with leg ext to pre fatigue legs
3x15 at 35
moving on to squats
3x15 at 275
ok now the legs are burning, followed up with deep goblet squats (thanks for the idea Kimm)
3x15 with 50

moving on to back and biceps today! Thanks for following along

[ExtremeOne74]

Lol. Good stuff in here. Being a bodybuilder I gave up bench because for me personally it was a high risk/low reward exercise. But I love incline bb and moving heavy dbs. I've gone as heavy as the 140s for sets of 8.

BioGro mixes great doesn't it!

[ExtremeOne74]

Yesterday was leg day (this is said with the enthusiasm of kid talking about taking a test in school)
I go with a high rep low weight scheme for legs
start with leg ext to pre fatigue legs
3x15 at 35
moving on to squats
3x15 at 275
ok now the legs are burning, followed up with deep goblet squats (thanks for the idea Kimm)
3x15 with 50

moving on to back and biceps today! Thanks for following along

You and I are opposites. I LOVE leg workouts. Squats, presses, hacks, walking lunges, reverse hacks, drop sets, supersets, giant sets, etc. As long as it's absolutely grueling. Same for my back. I love pain.

[1armlifts]

Subbed!

Awesome start Zak! Some pretty stout numbers!

[ExtremeOne74]

Subbed!

Awesome start Zak! Some pretty stout numbers!

Agree.

[dougefresh93]

in to support the big man!

[thebigzakbowski]

Thanks all. Posting from my phone is a pain but ill both more throughly in a bit. Thanks again for the following. Tues was arms and back. Tried a challenge for biceps 10 sets of 20 reps with 20lb dbs. Next time ill ramp it up to 30s but the idea is to pre exhaust the biceps so you better isolate the lats which i hit with some pulldowns. Tank top is sitting differently on my back so got a good pump. Rest on wed so shoulders are ready to bench

[Clarko]

Rest on wed so shoulders are ready to bench

Yeah I would do alot of shoulder and rotator cuff work with all of the benching you do! You're a bench press machine! In to see what you think about bio-gro.

[thebigzakbowski]

Video to come but chickened out on 390 today.
45x20
135x10
225x5
315x5
390 half rep
345 x3
225x20
Tricep pressdowns
Dropset
65x15 50x15 40x15 three times

Thanks to everyone who is following.
This stuff is awesome feeling stronger already

[thebigzakbowski]

here is the video I promised. Got too much into my head and chickened out a few inches above chest. man the press back up was so easy got pretty mad at myself for not just going for it

[Clarko]

I would probably chicken out too, that's scary! I would have a spotter, or atleast someone around if I attempted a 1rm at that weight.

[thebigzakbowski]

I would probably chicken out too, that's scary! I would have a spotter, or atleast someone around if I attempted a 1rm at that weight.

yeah that is the hard thing about living in a small town when the gym closes on an owner's whim. gotta find the neighbor and bring him around to lift. maybe saturday someone will be around to spot

[ExtremeOne74]

Thanks all. Posting from my phone is a pain but ill both more throughly in a bit. Thanks again for the following. Tues was arms and back. Tried a challenge for biceps 10 sets of 20 reps with 20lb dbs. Next time ill ramp it up to 30s but the idea is to pre exhaust the biceps so you better isolate the lats which i hit with some pulldowns. Tank top is sitting differently on my back so got a good pump. Rest on wed so shoulders are ready to bench

Interesting approach. Keep us posted. I've always done the opposite. Pre-exhaust the lats since the biceps are the weakest link in the equation. This helps me prevent the biceps from becoming overcome with fatigue before my back.

[thebigzakbowski]

Interesting approach. Keep us posted. I've always done the opposite. Pre-exhaust the lats since the biceps are the weakest link in the equation. This helps me prevent the biceps from becoming overcome with fatigue before my back.

I try to think of my arms as hooks and the back is the actual machine doing the work. if I don't do biceps before back I don't feel it in my lats. my arms tend to do all the work. I find I concentrate better on form this way. I could be wrong, but everyday I am learning more.

[thebigzakbowski]

yesterday was shoulder day. Started off with
DB shrugs with 50s 20 reps 3 sets
clean to ohp (so one clean to get it to clavicles and then presses picture Lou in pumping iron)135x10x3
barbell shrugs (I hate these because my stomach tends to get in the way of a good rep, but losing fat every day) 135x20x2
bend over lat raises 20lbs 15x3

bout a year ago I dropped an incline bar behind the bench on re racking and my left shoulder sometime feels sore or tweeked but shoulder is feeling good. I should do back and bis again but the call of the bench maybe too much to over come today....

[1armlifts]

I try to think of my arms as hooks and the back is the actual machine doing the work. if I don't do biceps before back I don't feel it in my lats. my arms tend to do all the work. I find I concentrate better on form this way. I could be wrong, but everyday I am learning more.

Good focus IMO. When i train someone new I try to get them focusing on pulling the elbow down or back, so many people trying to bicep row just like they bounce bench. Slow controlled movements picture that muscle working!!