10/15/07 ME Bench Press

3 Board Press 205x5, 255x3, 305x2, 340x1, 385x3, 405x3, 425x2x3
Supersetted
D-Handle Chain Extensions +20lbs 4x6
Seated Rows 195x4x6

Lifted alone tonight and had a quick one (like 35 minutes), but got some good volume in. Wasnt feeling it too much, me thinks the 11 Sams Octoberfest and poor sleeping had something to do with that. But hey, the Patriots won, so all is well in the world of powerlifting. Back to the workout...

3 Boards Felt alright, my set up was shaky, but apparently good enough to get by. You see, in the colder months my basement gets pretty cold, which then make the bench and rubber flooring a little on the slick side. So when I perfrom any sort of reps with heavy weight, I tend to slide up the bench, which flattens out my already piss poor arch. Such is life.

I figure if I can get strong under these conditions, then I should be fine in the real world. Plus it makes me feel like Conan the Barbarian when he is stuck outside on the Wheel of Pain in the winter, or even in 300 when that poor sucker is buck naked in the mountains, freezin the oblongs off and has to kill the wolf for food and clothing...yeah, that is gay, but I bet 99% of you reading this get that imagery.

Okay Q&A Time Folks,

Kenneth from LA (not Los Angeles) asks:

"How do I get Strong?"

Powerlifting Etc answers:

Alright, at first I thought this was a joke. I figured my buddy Rick was playing a joke on me, but I checked out the IP and originating location and it turned out to be legit, so here goes.

I remember when I first started lifting all those years ago I thought the secret to getting big & strong was to be found in muscle & fitness or flex magazine, then I though it was in some bottles at GNC, then I finally discovered the secret after finding conjugated periodization, referred by my friend Rick as the "Switcheroo Method".

The secret wasnt necessarily the method iteslf, but the approach I applied to the method. I found that the simple formula listed below, with minor tweaks and modifications along the way are what will increase your strength and muscle.

1. Eat
2. Lift Heavy Shit
3. Eat
4. Rest
5. Lift Lighter Shit w/Force Usually reserved for Heavy Shit.
6. Eat
7. Rest
8. Lather, Rinse & Repeat over the next couple of years....

and after time incorporate 9. Evaluate progress, keep what works, discard that which does not.

Simple really, but patience is required, hell if I can do it anybody can do it as I am not the most patient man walking this world. In case you were wondering, the "Switcheroo Method" is really just the Westside take on conjugate periodization, try it sometime for a month or two and I bet you'll love it.

Thats it from my neck of the powerlifting universe, thanks for the questions, I am truly overwhelmed by the number of questions I have received thus far, keep them coming...

Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!