Weight That World Riders Usually Bench Press?

[funtrials]

I'm starting a weight-lifting program, and even though I'll never be a Dougie Lampkin I'm just wondering how much a typical world/national level trials (or enduro/motocross) rider can "bench press". The one where you lie on your back and push the barbell up at a right angle to your body, with both arms.

Also, how much can YOU bench press? I'm a bit embarassed at my own bench press figure, so let's just say that it has plenty of room FOR IMPROVEMENT (that's, uh, a good thing, right?)

Some athlete by the name of "Tiger Woods" can reportedly bench 300 lbs. Tiger is what, some sort of massive sumo wrestler or something? Probably some massive NFL lineman or "Strong-man competition" winner! One report says "Tiger's personal trainer estimated Tiger Woods' bench press (1 REP MAX) to be around the 300 pound mark." Wait....hold on a second...he's a freaking GOLFER...so I should be able to bench at LEAST, what, 300-400 pounds, right!? Ok, I'm off to the gym to try to bench 400 pounds!

Top trials riders don't particularly LOOK real "strong", but are they? Maybe they just don't have large "body-builder" type muscles, so they don't APPEAR "strong", but I assume that they are quite strong, if they do regular training? Or do they focus on ENDURANCE, and forget about massive 1 rep strengh?

[hrcmonty]

You need to start thinking out of the Bench Press box!, You don't need to have power Mass to trials ride, There is no point, It will one make you heavier which is no good for a top trials rider, and two, you will get tired far too quick as a power lifter.

Top lads will have extremly good CV and train to an endurance programme, which is higher reps lower weights. To train the body to do lots for a long time. Weight training with heavy weights is no good, for this sport anyway.

Best form of training is to simply get out on the bike, That builds up all the muscles you need and use, along with building your CV.

[billycraig]

Bench Pressing will isolate pec major/minor and anterior deltoid (chest and front of the shoulder) which are exactly the muscles a trials rider doesn't want to train excessively as it will give you excessive kyphosis of the spine (hunchback). Unless your sport needs you to lay on your back lifting a heavy weight (wrestling maybe) its no use to you. The only use it may have for trials is if you get stuck under the bike. I used to continually question why Derby County trained their players to bench press but then footballers spend half their life on their backs.

Sports people and the general population need to integrate muscles so they work together (functionally) in a way that mimics their sport or activity of daily living (walking etc), if you want to work the chest a standing chest push on a cable machine would work far better, as you'll have to balance which requires a whole kinetic chain of muscles to work.

In terms of weight, don't get tricked into going to heavy as you'll loose technique and flexibility but also don't get fooled by the high reps/low weight theory (which is right if you need that type of training but people, even gym staff rarely understand how to program it). Remember trials is very physical and intense at times so I'd suggest going for 10-12 reps with a tempo (rate at which you do 1 rep) of 3-0-3 meaning 10 reps would take a minute. For this set of 10 reps the weight should be heavy enough that you could lift it 11 times only (the 10th should be your last decent one). If you can do anymore your not overloading yourself (i.e. your not having an effect)

Heavy weights are good but its important to understand what heavy weight is, many people simply add weight cos they think they can do better and are blissfully unaware that they're lifting quicker and so have less time under-tension (TUT).

Riding is always a good way to get fitter/better on a bike, but, lifting weight in a controlled environment is a safe (if you know what your doing) way to overload yourself and improve. A lot of my clients are builders who lift heavy weights all day. They always complain that they lift enough, but in my clinic I take them heavier to ensure that the demands of work are not their 1RM hence the reason they never blow a disc like their work mates.

[michaelmoore]

I'd suggest you ignore the "one to two times body weight" bench press numbers. There are people who can do that (and more) but I suspect they are often serious atheletes.

Your genes will determine the upper end of the strength you can attain. Some people build muscle quickly and others top out early. The important thing is to keep records of what you do and try to see some gradual improvement over time in YOUR numbers.

Testosterone appears to help to build strength (wow, it is actually good for something). If you are a young male you'll probably get strong quicker than if you are a doddering greybeard like me.

FWIW I've been doing pretty good at carrying out my exercise program for the last 5-6 months. I'm 56, 6' and 190lbf and probably fall into the mesomorph body style - not skinny, not (too) round. Three times a week I jog 4 miles (about 12 minutes/mile average) and do some modest weights here at home. Right now I'm benching 90 lbf x 10 reps. When I started that was 60x10. I use dumbells as I don't have anyone to spot me and I'm averse to being crushed by an out of control long bar. 45lbf each is the max weight on these dumbells so I'll probably just keep adding reps from here on with the bench presses.

hth,

Michael

[funtrials]

Michael, 50% increase in 5-6 months (60 -> 90) isn't bad, actually. I've heard that often 30-100% increases in strength are obtainable in the first 6 months+, or so.

Billy, yes, I'll ignore my "1 rep maximum" mostly, and focus on my 11 rep maximum. Yes, riding is definitely #1. TUT is a good concept, I'll definitely keep that in mind.

Ok, I just wrote on my PDA to do more of the following "10-12 reps with a tempo (rate at which you do 1 rep) of 3-0-3 meaning 10 reps would take a minute." But why do most people not do this, are they after SIZE of muscles instead of the ENDURANCE that we trials riders need? They seem to do a quite fast tempo, such as almost as fast as they can move the weight w/out basically "throwing" it on the up-stroke, and w/out losing control on the down-stroke?

Yes, Michael, I'll look for personal improvement....and not worry what Lion Woods (or whatever his name is ) and his 1 rep max. bench press numbers.

[billycraig]

" But why do most people not do this, are they after SIZE of muscles instead of the ENDURANCE that we trials riders need? They seem to do a quite fast tempo, such as almost as fast as they can move the weight w/out basically "throwing" it on the up-stroke, and w/out losing control on the down-stroke?

Pretty simple really, for most of the people its the only way they can complete the exercise. In most peoples eyes increased weight = results. Back when I worked in gyms I routinely took on clients and had to educate them and bring them back to where they actually should be. Lots a clients (mainly men) didn't like training alongside me because they struggled to lift much weight and would rather do it wrong and lift more. One guy used to pay me

[funtrials]

Good info, as always, Billy. Hope you recover quickly.

[funtrials]

You wrote: "if we want weight loss then we could cut out rest period between sets down (maybe 30 seconds only), however if your looking to increase strength then you'd need to use a different time-scale."

What about doing a circuit, ie picking 3 different body-part exercises (legs, shoulders, abs, for example), and doing them in a circuit (legs for 11 reps then head right to the shoulder exercise then right into the abs exercise) and only resting between each of the exercises as long as it takes to catch your breath? Weight loss AND, since the legs exercise for example, has a long-enough rest between leg muscle-use, strength gains??

[billycraig]

You wrote: "if we want weight loss then we could cut out rest period between sets down (maybe 30 seconds only), however if your looking to increase strength then you'd need to use a different time-scale."

What about doing a circuit, ie picking 3 different body-part exercises (legs, shoulders, abs, for example), and doing them in a circuit (legs for 11 reps then head right to the shoulder exercise then right into the abs exercise) and only resting between each of the exercises as long as it takes to catch your breath? Weight loss AND, since the legs exercise for example, has a long-enough rest between leg muscle-use, strength gains??

Fantastic training method particularly for things like the Scott and the SSDT, I use a similar but even more a more harse method, or I will do when I can walk (42 days till Scott D Day and I'm not walking which wasn't in my training plan at all). Doing this your not really building real strength as despite the legs getting a break your body will still be forced into the wrong energy system for that, so its weight loss all the way I'm afraid, as long as diets good. I've wrote about it somewhere before but have no idea where or what it was under, basically your body has various energy systems with which it can produce the energy required for various activity. The various systems take different times to recover hence the reasons for different rest periods in a training plan. Its always funny seeing a gym member that wants size and strength but cuts their rest period short or someone wanting fat loss chatting for minutes between sets.

What you are doing is working on lactic acid tolerance. When we exercise at a level where more oxygen is being used than can be replenished, lactic acid is formed. As this builds up, it gradually forces the body to slow - it is the body's way of telling you that you can

[jools]

Hi Billy - Slightly off topic I apologize, but do you have any tips for reducing chronic arm pump?

I have tried all the usual things - drinking lots of water, stretching, not doing any isolated bicep exercizes, using deep heat etc. I've also experimented with handlebar and lever set up, different grips/compounds.

Its something i've suffered from for years and gets very frustrating!!

Any info or tips would be greatly appreciated!

[ham2]

You wrote: "if we want weight loss then we could cut out rest period between sets down (maybe 30 seconds only), however if your looking to increase strength then you'd need to use a different time-scale."

What about doing a circuit, ie picking 3 different body-part exercises (legs, shoulders, abs, for example), and doing them in a circuit (legs for 11 reps then head right to the shoulder exercise then right into the abs exercise) and only resting between each of the exercises as long as it takes to catch your breath? Weight loss AND, since the legs exercise for example, has a long-enough rest between leg muscle-use, strength gains??

Hey Funtrials...Nevermind catching your breath ......your circuit sounds great but if you wanna throw in some superior conditioning into the mix just do exactly what you're doing but with a 99p gumshield in place...you won't believe the difference until you try it. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON A POWERBREATHER?BREATHING TRAINER !!

[billycraig]

Hi Billy - Slightly off topic I apologize, but do you have any tips for reducing chronic arm pump?

I have tried all the usual things - drinking lots of water, stretching, not doing any isolated bicep exercizes, using deep heat etc. I've also experimented with handlebar and lever set up, different grips/compounds.

Its something i've suffered from for years and gets very frustrating!!

Any info or tips would be greatly appreciated!

I'll do my best, to help my athletes (and myself) I cover all bases, cramping or locking of the muscle is likely to be caused by poor temp change, oxygenation, dehydration or low electrolytes in particular potassium, sodium and calcium. I've mentioned before about oxygen playing its part in energy production so lactic acid build up is worth thinking about.

In order for a muscle to work an action potential must occur, an action potential needs adequate sodium, potassium and calcium, a lot of my heart patients (low sodium dieters) suffer bad cramping. So ensuring your getting adequate electrolytes is critical. Its no use trying to just do it on the day you ride as its a little late.

I'd suggest, massage to improve blood flow, build up lactic tolerance, focus on controlled breathing (I bet you hold your breath when its tough), good quality water (evian) with a pinch of celtic sea salt (There is no real creditable scientific evidence to support the widely held claim by the sports nutrition industry that intake of specially composed and intensely marketed electrolyte drinks has any advantage over intake of sea salt and water to counter these electrolyte disturbances and muscle cramps, remember who pays for a study gets the results they desire). Eat potassium containing foods such as bananas.

I'd also look at posture and see how your good your muscle balance (or imbalance), poor posture makes muscles over work so its no wonder they fatigue.

Hope that helps

[jools]

Thanks or your reply - some interesting points to go on there.

I have researched it for a very long time now and there are so many conflicting arguements. Diet and Cardiovascular fitness are obvious ones but also strength and some Doctors argue its all mental. Depending on your mind state you tense up and hold the bars tighter than you should. Makes sense really. But I get it just messing about or practicing aswell...

Your suggestion of sodium, potasium and calcium intake is interesting. Will take your advice on board and takle it from a different angle.

Thanks!

[billycraig]

Thanks or your reply - some interesting points to go on there.

I have researched it for a very long time now and there are so many conflicting arguements. Diet and Cardiovascular fitness are obvious ones but also strength and some Doctors argue its all mental. Depending on your mind state you tense up and hold the bars tighter than you should. Makes sense really. But I get it just messing about or practicing aswell...

Your suggestion of sodium, potasium and calcium intake is interesting. Will take your advice on board and takle it from a different angle.

Thanks!

I do various tests on clients aimed at testing levels as people love to see facts. Never ceases to amaze me that people need proof before drinking water :-)

I suggest evian because its mineral level is good 309 mg/l dry residue, its pH is 7.2 which is about right and the overall balance is good between calcium, magnesium, potassium etc.

To work out your required amount take your weight in KG x 0.033 which gives you the amount in litres per day. This is just a normal day though so more is needed for sport/heat etc. Split it well throughout the day as well.

Its also worth bearing in mind that sugar leaches calcium from the body as well so a diet high in carbs isn't too beneficial. Milk isn't the great calcium source its sold as either as pasturization leaves it unusable, green veg is a far better source. (Disclaimer: In my opinion based upon my clinical research)

Edited September 12, 2009 by billycraig

[funtrials]

or I will do when I can walk (42 days till Scott D Day and I'm not walking which wasn't in my training plan at all).

Hey, you're on a motorized vehicle, no need to WALK. You don't hear Lewis Hamilton, Jeff Gordon (NASCAR), Michael Schumacher etc. complaining if they can't walk the day of an event.