240 lb Quaded Monster Mini's Cambered Bar Bench Press (at 220 lbs)

[BRETZERR]

@29theviking

...because they are Faron...325 lbs was my max at this time...but some how I managed to get 360 lbs...then 375 lbs...it was weird. Who knew...I should have just kept adding weight.

[bibearfan]

You should do a posing video - great body.

[NinjaLinebacker]

why exactly do you work your ass off to become a beast and then let it drop a little bit just to build it back it through another cycle? I know professional athletes have cycles but they dont go from 400 to 365 you know? just curious

[BRETZERR]

@NinjaLinebacker

Sure they do...365 lbs is still close to 90% of a 410 lb 1-rep max. Most athletes cycle their weights up and down because you can't lift heavy all the time without some kind of deload. Especially if you are a natural lifter. Every once in awhile your CNS and your joints/tendons need a little rest. My goal is that each time I go through a strength phase, if I can add 10 lbs to my PR...I am happy. That's exactly what I did this time through...400 to 410 with my regular grip

[BRETZERR]

@djh9595

If you look back at my older vid's on this channel you will see other vids from when I set goals in the squat (500 lb Box Squat), deadlift (615 lb), BTN Push Presses (320 lbs), Snatch (100 kg), etc, etc...

[lauratbird]

So, what have you been up to? It can't be nothing over these last few weeks...

[BRETZERR]

@lauratbird

Just training light for a month or two to give my body a rest from the heavy benching. Also, I was tied up with my kids sports and setting up a new club soccer team for my oldest, etc, etc...so time has been tough to come by for weights. I will get back there soon though...nice to see you are breaking through PR's left, right, and center though...keep it up!

[djsm028]

Great lifting brotha!

[BRETZERR]

@djsm028

Thanks bro - much appreciated.

[ncrowls22]

with a suicide grip

[NinjaLinebacker]

during this past month have you been lifting at all? it seems as though youve gotten much more explosive since you hit 400...

[BRETZERR]

@NinjaLinebacker

I was doing a lot more speed/dynamic effort work with just straight weight (i.e. no chains or bands) and I think that helped my reversal strength (i.e. pop out of the bottom) and my overall speed with the heavier weights. 400 lbs felt much easier this time around...so hopefully on the next bench cycle that trend continues.

[BRETZERR]

@NinjaLinebacker

Oh, and hey, congrat's on hitting the 300 lb mark! That's awesome...very few people get there; so be proud. Now on to 3 plates! (315 lbs)

[NinjaLinebacker]

@BRETZERR thank you very much. I did hit 315 in May before I came back for school and like an idiot i took the summer off so I just started from scratch last week when I came back up to school. Tryna get as much strength as I can before walk ons on Monday :/

[fedorgspsilvamma]

thats a crazy ass looking bar at 42 sec never seen that before intersting

[BRETZERR]

@fedorgspsilvamma

Yeah, it's called a cambered bar and helps build power out of the bottom of the rep. It provides for a greater range of motion, which makes the movement a little more difficult.

[NcHalfrican]

Why don't you wrap your thumbs around the bar?

[BRETZERR]

@NcHalfrican

Just preference...doesn't matter either way.

[strongboiyessir]

Do you think incline benching helps out regular bench??

[fedorgspsilvamma]

@strongboiyessir i'd say so i recently started doing incline and decline bench to try to switch it up

[BRETZERR]

@strongboiyessir

I think having a strong incline definitely helps out your regular bench press...how much though I am not too sure. I just like to try and stay well-rounded with my overall strength. Lots of powerlifters neglect their incline too...so whether or not just hitting shoulder presses is enough, or whether inclines should be a regular part of your flat bench routine is debatable I guess. But it is always good to have variety and inclines is just one more tool in the tool belt.

[dt76028]

glad to see you still after it. how much you think you can bench paused?

[BRETZERR]

@dt76028

I have done 405 lbs for a long pause with a close-grip...but who knows now. My focus on the last bench cycle was to increase my regular grip bench press because before this last cycle, 400 lbs was the most I did with that grip touch-and-go. So, I was happy to increase that max up to 410 lbs. I was also happy to move my incline max PR up to 370 lbs (from 365 lbs). I am cool with small, incremental increases overall...maybe next time around I will max out my close-grip again...

[MetalDrummer09]

@djh9595 Squats!