Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Hello,
I have my first department PT test on Oct 27 and need to bench press 96% of my body weight. I weigh 197, so I need to bench 190lbs. I went to the gym tonight and could max 120. Is it possible to get to 190 in one month? If it is, could anyone help me form a workout plan to reach this?
Thanks!
DPMO

pushups, weighted pushups, elevated pushups....dumbell flyes for a couple of weeks then retry the max...oh and make sure you've eaten enough protein & carbs to actually let the muscle build and keep energy

How is three hard boiled eggs with no yolks for breakfast? Thats a good source of protein right?

3 egg whites is about 18g of protein which is not enough. You'll need at least 1.5g of protein/lb of bodyweight. 60lb increase in bench press is a lot in one month though.

If you aren't on a chest work out routine and you went in and benched you probably aren't reaching your potential. I am not being mean here, but if you are only benching 120lb and you weigh almost 200lb I am going to assume you aren't working out much or at least not your chest.

Pushups are great excersize, I will add that moving your hands closer and farther apart will also build a bigger range of muscles in your chest and triceps.

If you have access to a bench I would suggest pyramiding your reps. Start low, higher reps, increase weight with lower reps until you reach a weight where you can only do one rep. I find this help me out a lot with building strength faster. I also use negative reps when I hit a wall.

If you start a routine quickly you jump fast. I don't know if you will be able to jump 70lbs, but it is worth a try. The worst thing that will happen to you is that you will be stronger.

3 egg whites is about 18g of protein which is not enough. You'll need at least 1.5g of protein/lb of bodyweight. 60lb increase in bench press is a lot in one month though.

qft...but still, try...worst case you wait longer and retake the physical exam

To gain serious muscle, you should eat your weight in protein. ie: If you weigh 195, you need 195 grams of protein daily. This is no small task! The hard part about this is not getting fat. I use GNC Whey protein. It is about 45 bucks for 6 lbs. You will go through at least one of these a month. Also, eat smaller portions throughout your day, like 6-7. This should be easy by spreading out all those protein shakes a day. Remember, you are what you eat.

As far as putting on strength, I had the most success with 3 set of 6 reps, the most weight you can possible do for that long. However, I now do 3 sets of 10 reps with less weight. This way I get stronger yet retain more flexibility and muscle endurance.

Going to need to kick up the protein, I would advise against working you arms and chest every day, you may hurt your strength. Every other day, with a shake before and after. 70lbs in a month is going to be hard.

Free weights or smith press? Benching 190lbs on free weights in a month from 120lbs is going to be tough..

Find someone that is a good bencher and learn some technique. A really good bench technique can add a good amount of weight without having to add any strength. Then you need to start working out with a bench program. Just a little tidbit that many folks don't know or realize, your triceps are actually more important for a big bench then your chest. That means you need to work them and work them hard. You have little time so you need to be benching at least two times a week if not three. Usually you would never train that much due to over training, but you will not over train in such a short amount of time. Just make sure you take a day off in between workouts and 48-72 every two weeks to give your muscles time to recover. You actually have a chance of doing this because you have never lifted before. When a person starts lifting for the first time, the gains are usually very fast and incredible in the beginning. So do it correctly, get that protein in your body and you can do it. Make sure you are taking a post workout protein shake too. That one is the most important one you will take all day long.

Find someone that is a good bencher and learn some technique. A really good bench technique can add a good amount of weight without having to add any strength. Then you need to start working out with a bench program. Just a little tidbit that many folks don't know or realize, your triceps are actually more important for a big bench then your chest. That means you need to work them and work them hard. You have little time so you need to be benching at least two times a week if not three. Usually you would never train that much due to over training, but you will not over train in such a short amount of time. Just make sure you take a day off in between workouts and 48-72 every two weeks to give your muscles time to recover. You actually have a chance of doing this because you have never lifted before. When a person starts lifting for the first time, the gains are usually very fast and incredible in the beginning. So do it correctly, get that protein in your body and you can do it. Make sure you are taking a post workout protein shake too. That one is the most important one you will take all day long.

Beat me to it!

The bench is lots of technique that unless your shown by someone who knows what they are doing, you won't get the most out of your effort.
I wish that I could show you, but the whole geography thingy is an issue.

A note about proteins. Whey is great for when you wake up and after a workout but ideally throughout the rest of the day, especially before I go to bed, I use a micellar cassein protein. It's absorbed much slower which is ideal.

Also DON'T use the smith machine for ANYTHING!

The hard part about this is not getting fat. I use GNC Whey protein. It is about 45 bucks for 6 lbs..

:eek:

If you want to know about working out got to a power lifting or body building forum...
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=benchpress

I know some people who swear by this:
http://www.geocities.com/~slopitch/mm2k/

Can't lose with Bill Starr:
http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

I am asumming you have never benched before which means you will make massive gains though 70 may be a bit too lofty. Having said that technique alone will bump your bench dramtically.

Not for nothing to be a DT instrutor at my academy you need to bench 1.37 your weight which would be 270lbs for you... Oh, and you need to run a 9:45 on the 1.5 mile...

Hurm! Ok.
I'm 271pounds for 6'2'', 9.2 bodyfat

My stats,
Bench Press 470pounds for 3 reps
Squat 520pounds for 3 reps
Deadlift 640pounds for 3 reps
One dumbell press of 175 pounds for 3 reps
Wall Barbell Curl 'No-Cheat' 180pounds for 3 reps
Dips, i add 145pounds to myself for 5 reps
Chinups, i add 80pounds to myself for 4 reps

I also, participated in a strongman competition two years ago, finished 4!
I lifted the Louis-cyr dumbell 174pounds

Do ANY Powerlifting Training Plan, with the basic power movement.
One week 5x8, to 5x6 to 5x5, to 5x3, to 3x3, to 3x1
Always the max weight.




I use a 3 weeks based workout plan, with a muscle/day switch each 3 month's
1 Week off after 12weeks of training. I add a lot of olympic lift movement.
I do a Kettlebell/Clubbell training, 1 time per month 1hr30
Weight train 3 times per week + cardio 3 times, abs 3 times too
12sets big muscle, 9sets small one during Endurance and General conditionning phase,
10sets big, 6sets small during Powerlift phase

Week 1
Chest-biceps, PowerTraining, 5-1reps depend of my feeling
Back-Triceps, General conditionning, 8-12reps
Legs-Shoulders, Endurance, 15-20reps

Week 2
Chest-biceps, General Conditionning 8-12reps
Back-Triceps, Endurance 15-20reps
Legs-Shoulders, PowerTraining, 5-1reps

Week 3
Chest-biceps, Endurance, 15-20reps
Back-Triceps, PowerTraining, 5-1reps
Legs-Shoulders, General Conditionning, 8-12reps

Really good result.

Your a big sumbitch....lol

I am 6' 2" and about 310 pounds but I won't say what my bf% is:eek:

I am about to get back in the weight room so I hope to replace some of the soft stuff with some of the hard stuff. Never did strongman but I used to compete in the Scottish Highland games.

Also DON'T use the smith machine for ANYTHING!

What's wrong with the Smith Machine? I use it in addition to free weight bench.

What's wrong with the Smith Machine? I use it in addition to free weight bench.

A smith machine should be used sparingly and cautiously. Especially when lifting heavy. The thing with them is that they prohibit your bodies natural range of motion restricting it to a straight up and down motion and if not careful can be damaging to the joints used during the particular exercise.

Any Machine and mechanical movement is not good for joints.
Think about A good old bench press,... A good old Squat...