Vincent,

My question concerns the lower back during the bench press. I bench with a big arch and my feet are tucked beneath me. On Wednesday, I did my heavy benching (10 singles), and I arched really hard on every set and used my feet to cram my back as tightly as I could. On Thursday, my lower back was really sore and I could feel that it was not muscular pain. Today (Friday) I did heavy squats, light bench, and medium sumo deadlifts. My back felt okay during everything except for the bench—I had to wear a belt for every set. I also did some reverse hypers to get the area moving. But now, after training, the pain is slightly worse.

Do you have any suggestions for how to treat my back or set up better for the bench? I'm 5-foot-7, weigh 187 pounds, and my numbers are: 350-pound squat, 275-pound bench, and 460-pound sumo deadlift.

- Jonathan

Jonathan,

I know that when I first started learning proper form, my back ached like a b!*#h. When I teach at seminars and clinics, people complain of the same thing. Think about it: you really have to contort your body to get in a good bench set-up.

Couple of things, though. First, your body will get used to it over time. Second, foam roll your back. I like to do it before I train (and sometimes after) and definitely the following day.

Rollin' with the homies,

Vincent Dizenzo

Monday, January 7, 2013

Bench

2x5/135
5/245
1/335
1/445, 3-board
Put on Metal Jack Bench Shirt
1/535, 3-board
1/625, 3-board
1/725, 2-board
1/825, 2-board
1/875, 2-board
1/820, 1-board

The 875 pounds was a 20-pound PR for me, which is huge after all of the tendonitis/elbow issues I dealt with in the past year. Bench Press extraordinaire Paul Key has been a big ol' blessing for us since he has been coming out and coaching our shirted form. The new set-up is going great. I am very thankful to him... even if he is a Seminole. But I must not lose focus. Two-boards don't guarantee bench PRs, and I still have two more months of work to go.

- Clint Smith

Monday, January 7, 2013 - week 8 bench

I'm still feeling beat-up and tight from the weeks prior, but I got loose enough and starting warming up.

Rolling - quads super tight

Stretching - same

Bench

(Like meet day warm-up)
335x1, chest
445x1, 3-board
Jack shirt
535x1 - 3-board
625x1 - 3-board
715x1 - 2-board
825x1 - 2-board
875x1 - 2-board (video)
905x1 - 1-board (supposed to be 2-board) video

RB CG 3-board:

675x3
755x3
835x3

SMOKED...

The last two sets of board presses were PRs. While I'm happy with that, I felt strange on the 905 and was wondering why it was taking so long to touch the 2-board. Once I saw the video, I realized why—it was a 1-board. Although I'm happy that I moved the weight, the lockout wasn't as solid and crisp as it should have been, and I'm not satisfied with it. I was rushing everything tonight, and the ONLY set that was dead-on was the 875, which I was happy with. Now that my set-up is different, I get in a hurry to touch and sometimes get into a rush. While this is much better than taking forever to touch (like I used to), I need to work toward something in the middle. PATIENCE!

Paul kept reminding us that we need to take our time and not rush. It sounds so simple, but with the lighter weights, it's easy to get into a rush and not set-up 100%. This will be my focus, along with touching, for my last three benches. I have three sessions in the shirt left, and I have to make the most of it.

Speaking of Paul Key, he has been a TREMENDOUS help with our bench progress, and I cant thank the guy enough for the time he has taken to come out, pick our lifts apart, and help us get better. Everyone should have a coach to some degree to keep them in line. I highly suggest you get in touch with someone to help guide you. Thankfully, I've had people like Paul, Rob L., Frankl, Josh B., Steve Goggins, and others to help me with my training and to stay on me and keep me plugging away.

- Brian Carroll