From: an151922@anon.penet.fi (Chuck Grissom) Date: Fri, 23 Dec 1994 18:36:21 UTC Subject: Ed Coan periodization REPOST I'll try this one again, too: Here's another excerpt from Powerlifting USA, June 1994, pp. 26-27. Here writer Marty Gallagher reviews Ed Coan's "The Bench Press Video." You'll notice that the writing style isn't nearly as polished as in the 'glitz' mags like M&F (fancy writing sometimes hides poor arguments, IMHO.) Also, he says a few things I disagree with, such as "Cycling, by definition, is...", but all in all I think there's some interesting info here. Also, I don't see anything here that would apply only to the 'genetically gifted' (and maybe drug-enhanced) lifters. Anyway, here it is, with useless comments by me added in []'s: "...The point is: most writers deal in abstract thinking, reflected knowledge, not direct knowledge. Most depend on reading, studying, researching to develop their concepts. Most have never squatted 600, much less a 1000. This is not to say that their viewpoints or theories are worthless. On the contrary, truth is truth and no one has the market cornered when it comes to the truth. And a great powerlifter is not necessarily a great trainer. There is an old football adage: a great player does not necessarily make a great coach. On the other hand, let's not ignore the training and philosophy that has produced the great champions in favor of the clever writers who dazzle us with catchy phrases and reflected knowledge. Training the Bench: Ed's approach to upper body strength looks like this: Wednesday: bench press, after warmup, 2 work sets. Narrow grip, no warmup, 2 work sets (60 pounds less). Incline, no warmup, 2 work sets (50 pounds less). Points to ponder: In so far as poundage: if Coan performs 2x5 with 500 in the conventional bench press, he would then perform 2x5x440 with 440 in the narrow grip bench press and finish with 2x5x410 in the 45 degree incline bench pres. He feels that his competition style benches serve as sufficient warmup for his narrow grips which in turn allow him to incline without any warmup. All told, Coan performs a total of 6 work sets. Not very many when you think about it. [ HITers may now cheer. CG ] Thursday: Press-behind-the-neck, after warmup, 2 work sets. Front lateral raise, after warmup, 2 work sets 10-12 reps. Side lateral raise, 2 sets 10-12 reps. Bent over lateral raise, 2 sets 10-12 reps. Points to ponder: Coan is a big believer in heavy, specific shoulder training. So much that he trains them on a separate day from his bench... Saturday: Light bench, no warmup, 2 sets 8-10 reps. Light dumbbell flyes, no warmup, 2 sets 8-10 reps. Tricep pushdowns, 3 sets 8-10 reps, Dips 1 set 8-10 reps, Preacher curls 2 sets 10-12 reps. Points to ponder: This is a lightweight, muscle flushing, chest workout. Ed does a couple of quick sets with a weight about 60 percent of his max (340x10) with his feet on a bench. A few sets of light flyes and he is ready for triceps.... [ HITers and others who consider light workouts useless may now grumble. CG ] Ed cycles on all his exercises. Cycling, by definition, is concentrating on different repetition ranges at different times over the course of the training cycle... Here are his cycling repetition guidelines: Week 1-2 - 10 rep sets, Week 3-4 - 8 rep sets, Week 5-8 - 5 rep sets, Week 9-10 - 3 rep sets, Week 11-12 - 2 rep sets, Week 13 - 1 rep set, Week 14 - 1 rep set. Remember those two work sets Ed does on all his major exercises? This is the weekly rep strategy for those work sets. This is called cycling and is designed to peak strength. Each week he adds 15 pounds to the previous week's work set weight. 15 pounds represents a paltry 2.5 percent of his max bench. Small jumps, done consistently and spread over a long 14 week cycle, adds up to big increases. Small weight jumps coax strength and power gains from the body. Week after week, the body is acclimated to slightly heavier loads. Exercise technique is simultaneously refined. Everything is done to develop momentum. This is a classic and timeless strength strategy. Compared to the army of arm- chair muscle gurus, Coan's conservation and impeccable pedigree stands out like a bright moon on a pitch black night. While not as trendy-sexy as newer models, this is the most effective system of strength building ever devised. Period. [ HITers may now cry foul. CG ] Ed Coan designs a cycle for you: We asked Coan to apply his cycle logic to a hypothetical 270 pound bencher who wanted to break the 300 pound barrier: "We can do it, but it'll take a thirteen week commitment from the lifter." Here's the breakdown: Week 1, 190x2x10 Week 2, 190x2x10 Week 3, 200x2x8 Week 4, 210x2x8 Week 5, 220x2x5 Week 6, 230x2x5 Week 7, 240x2x5 Week 8, 250x2x3 Week 9, 260x2x3 Week 10, 270x2x2 Week 11, 280x2x2 Week 12, 300x1 More fun and games on the way! ========================================================= Chuck Grissom grissom@furry.niehs.nih.gov grissom@niehs.nih.gov 72227.2715@compuserve.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 7 Nov 90 10:31:50 PST From: (Michael Sullivan) Subject: Benching > I always have my feet flat on the floor when I do bench presses, > but at the gym I see many others lift their legs off the bench, > bending them at the knee so that the calves are parallel to the bench. > What are the advantages of this position? Does it really matter? I don't know what the alleged advantages of having one's feet off the floor would be but I should think that one big disadvantage is lack of balance. Without your feet as a backup, I should think that during a heavy lift, where your arms and the bar are wobbly, the chance of tipping over are greatly increased. Michael Sullivan uunet!elroy!cit-vax!mickey!sullivan Walt Disney Feature Animation sullivan@mickey.uucp Glendale, CA +1 818 544 2683 ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Leg position for bench press (weights, #105) Date: Wed, 7 Nov 90 14:25:11 EDT +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Subject: Leg position for bench press | | I always have my feet flat on the floor when I do bench presses, | but at the gym I see many others lift their legs off the bench, | bending them at the knee so that the calves are parallel to the bench. | What are the advantages of this position? Does it really matter? +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Warning: non-expert opinions follows... I think that leg position (for the most part) does not matter UNLESS you have a tendency to use your legs and lift your behind and/or lower back off the bench when pressing. Raising the legs as you describe should keep that from happening. I see a few people lift their legs while benching at the gym where I work out, but most people do not. Of those who don't lift their legs, I've noticed that there are one or two who lift their behinds (and cheat? if so, how is it cheating?) when benching. +--------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Also, I haven't been doing squats, due to the lack of a training | partner. If I start, do I need a lifting belt? If I do need | one, does anyone have recommendations for the width of the belt, | brands, prices, etc. +-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here I can only speak for myself. I've been doing squats without a belt, but I'm not using very heavy weights either. Make sure someone who knows can verify that you've got good form when squatting. I'd guess that most back injuries from squatting are due to poor form rather than the lack of a belt (although I could be wrong). On the other hand, I am planning to get a belt for myself before I start using heavier weights for squats. Warning: non-expert opinions above... so if I'm wrong, someone please set me straight. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %% Stephen (Steve) M. Brooks %% brooks@ge-dab.ge.com %% %% GE Simulation & Control Systems %% ...!uunet!ge-dab.ge.com!brooks %% %% P.O. Box 2825, Rm. 1370 %% ...!uunet!sunny.dab.ge.com!brooks %% %% Daytona Beach, FL 32115-2825 %% voice: (904) 239-4855 %% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ------------------------------ From: (Mike Palmer) Date: Wed, 7 Nov 1990 15:25:25 EST Subject: Re: Leg position for bench press > I always have my feet flat on the floor when I do bench presses, > but at the gym I see many others lift their legs off the bench, > bending them at the knee so that the calves are parallel to the bench. > What are the advantages of this position? Does it really matter? when you have your feet on the floor, it is very easy to "cheat" by arching your back. this can cause back problems. with your legs raised as you describe, it is much harder to arch your back. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Nov 1990 13:41:02 PST From: Andy Golding Subject: Re: bench press Tom Griffin writes: >I always have my feet flat on the floor when I do bench presses, >but at the gym I see many others lift their legs off the bench, >bending them at the knee so that the calves are parallel to the bench. >What are the advantages of this position? Does it really matter? You can injure your back by doing a bench press if, while straining with a weight, you push up with your legs and butt. This arches the lower back and puts a lot of stress on it. The reason for holding your feet up is to keep the lower back flat against the bench. Andy ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Nov 90 15:28:45 EST Subject: Re:Leg position for bench press One thing at least as important as foot postion is keeping your back flat on the bench. NO ARCHING the back. Arching will put you out of postion and keep your from concentrating and isolating your chest. As for squats, if you have a gym with a squat rack a spotter is not as important, also you can go for reps instead of weight or as some of the heavy lifters at my gym do is squats in from of neck instead of behind. Cross arms with hands on biceps and bar goes between hands and in front of deltoids. This helps to make an easier escape (ie dropping the weights) than dropping them off the back. Bill weights, Number 107 Friday, November 9th 1990 Today's Topics: Re: weights #150 Re: Leg position for bench press Front squats Belts and squats ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: (scott rezendes) Subject: Re: weights #150 Date: Thu, 8 Nov 90 8:46:23 EST > From: Tom Griffin > Subject: Leg position for bench press > > I always have my feet flat on the floor when I do bench presses, > but at the gym I see many others lift their legs off the bench, [stuff deleted] By lifting your legs off the floor, this forces you to keep your back flat on the bench. MY personal feeling is that you should be deciplined enough to keep your back down anyway. However, in bench press contests I've seen (most reps @ 70% of body weight) they force you to keep your feet off the floor to take your legs out of play. > Also, I haven't been doing squats, due to the lack of a training > partner. If I start, do I need a lifting belt? If I do need > one, does anyone have recommendations for the width of the belt, > brands, prices, etc. > Tom Griffin I highly recommend using a belt. If your just starting squats then it is even more important because your form may not be perfect yet. As for belts, I've tried the belts with the velcro strap and found them excellent. The advantage is that you can tighten it to exactly the way you like it. From: aleck@krypton.ecn.purdue.edu (Aleck Alexopoulos) Newsgroups: misc.fitness Subject: Re: CHEST: Benching vs. Pec Flies Date: 27 Sep 90 01:54:55 GMT SR040217@ysub.ysu.edu writes: >>As long as you are extending your arms you are using your triceps. As >>long as you are rotating your upper arms along the axis of your >>shoulders you are using your deltoids. As long as you are using your >>triceps and deltoids you are not isolating your pectorals as well as >>flys, which eliminate the triceps and significantly reduce the >>deltoids. >> >>-Mark >Hey mark, GREAT point!!! BUT I think you'd be hard pressed to find a fre >weight excersise that DIDn't work something else!!! I was simply stating >something that I try to do, and have seen others try to do that seems to >isolate the chest alittle more than other methods. >Whenattempting this I do feel much more stress on my upper chest. >But please let me know if you find a way to use free weights without usi >muscles other than those that are attempting to be isolated. The point of the bench press is that it is a power exercise and not an isolation exercise. With the bench press you get people pressing over 500lbs. Try to do flyes with 250lb dumbells! The main benefit from bench pressing is when (and if!) you can get your body to adapt to pressing heavy weights. I have seen a number of people with huge chests and they only do bench presses and some incline press. The problem with bench pressing is that it just doesnt work for everyone. Since so many muscle groups, joints and ligaments are working together if you have a weak point you wont be able to go heavy. The weak point may be improved somewhat but it may be genetically weak, in such a case there's not much you can do. I've found that the most common complaint is about ligament and joint pains after a heavy bench pressing session. That can be a real problem since it keeps you from training other groups. From: crg@nando.net (Chuck Grissom) Subject: Repost: Ed Coan bench cycle Date: Sat, 29 Apr 1995 11:13:53 -0400 By request, here's a repost of an excerpt from an article in Powerlifting USA reviewing Ed Coan's Bench Press Video. The writer describes Ed's periodized training scheme and gives a detailed example. If you want to try the bench cycle for yourself, just scale the prescribed weights according to your current max. The lifter in the example has a 1 rep max of 270 pounds, and wants to improve to 300. "...The point is: most writers deal in abstract thinking, reflected knowledge, not direct knowledge. Most depend on reading, studying, researching to develop their concepts. Most have never squatted 600, much less a 1000. This is not to say that their viewpoints or theories are worthless. On the contrary, truth is truth and no one has the market cornered when it comes to the truth. And a great powerlifter is not necessarily a great trainer. There is an old football adage: a great player does not necessarily make a great coach. On the other hand, let's not ignore the training and philosophy that has produced the great champions in favor of the clever writers who dazzle us with catchy phrases and reflected knowledge. Training the Bench: Ed's approach to upper body strength looks like this: Wednesday: bench press, after warmup, 2 work sets. Narrow grip, no warmup, 2 work sets (60 pounds less). Incline, no warmup, 2 work sets (50 pounds less). Points to ponder: In so far as poundage: if Coan performs 2x5 with 500 in the conventional bench press, he would then perform 2x5x440 with 440 in the narrow grip bench press and finish with 2x5x410 in the 45 degree incline bench pres. He feels that his competition style benches serve as sufficient warmup for his narrow grips which in turn allow him to incline without any warmup. All told, Coan performs a total of 6 work sets. Not very many when you think about it. Thursday: Press-behind-the-neck, after warmup, 2 work sets. Front lateral raise, after warmup, 2 work sets 10-12 reps. Side lateral raise, 2 sets 10-12 reps. Bent over lateral raise, 2 sets 10-12 reps. Points to ponder: Coan is a big believer in heavy, specific shoulder training. So much that he trains them on a separate day from his bench... Saturday: Light bench, no warmup, 2 sets 8-10 reps. Light dumbbell flyes, no warmup, 2 sets 8-10 reps. Tricep pushdowns, 3 sets 8-10 reps, Dips 1 set 8-10 reps, Preacher curls 2 sets 10-12 reps. Points to ponder: This is a lightweight, muscle flushing, chest workout. Ed does a couple of quick sets with a weight about 60 percent of his max (340x10) with his feet on a bench. A few sets of light flyes and he is ready for triceps.... Ed cycles on all his exercises. Cycling, by definition [well, not quite. CRG], is concentrating on different repetition ranges at different times over the course of the training cycle... Here are his cycling repetition guidelines: Week 1-2 - 10 rep sets, Week 3-4 - 8 rep sets, Week 5-8 - 5 rep sets, Week 9-10 - 3 rep sets, Week 11-12 - 2 rep sets, Week 13 - 1 rep set, Week 14 - 1 rep set. Remember those two work sets Ed does on all his major exercises? This is the weekly rep strategy for those work sets. This is called cycling and is designed to peak strength. Each week he adds 15 pounds to the previous week's work set weight. 15 pounds represents a paltry 2.5 percent of his max bench. Small jumps, done consistently and spread over a long 14 week cycle, adds up to big increases. Small weight jumps coax strength and power gains from the body. Week after week, the body is acclimated to slightly heavier loads. Exercise technique is simultaneously refined. Everything is done to develop momentum. This is a classic and timeless strength strategy. Compared to the army of arm- chair muscle gurus, Coan's conservation and impeccable pedigree stands out like a bright moon on a pitch black night. While not as trendy-sexy as newer models, this is the most effective system of strength building ever devised. Period." "Ed Coan designs a cycle for you: We asked Coan to apply his cycle logic to a hypothetical 270 pound bencher who wanted to break the 300 pound barrier: "We can do it, but it'll take a thirteen week commitment from the lifter." Here's the breakdown:" Week 1, 190x2x10 Week 2, 190x2x10 Week 3, 200x2x8 Week 4, 210x2x8 Week 5, 220x2x5 Week 6, 230x2x5 Week 7, 240x2x5 Week 8, 250x2x3 Week 9, 260x2x3 Week 10, 270x2x2 Week 11, 280x2x2 Week 12, 300x1 Chuck Grissom || || crg@nando.net || || From: Ian@ianlynch.demon.co.uk (Ian Lynch) Subject: Breaking the Bench Barrier Date: 9 Jun 1995 19:51:30 +0100 Jack Pestaner wrote: > Now, I am doing 5 sets of 2 reps at 275 twice a week, and try to do 300 > once a week. Try benching three times a week. Start your training with BP so not to tire yourself. Warm up 10 x 140 2 sets then do 1x200 and 1x230 Now do 5 x 250 rest 5 minutes 5 x 250 rest 5 minutes 5 x 250 rest 5 minutes 5 x 250 rest 5 minutes If you can't get 5 do as many as you can per set up to 5. When successful repeat with 252.5, 255, 257.5 etc. Do this for 4 weeks, rest fo a week and test your max. Do a light week then repeat starting from 5 lbs below your best for 4 sets of 5 from the last session. After testing your max go onto 3 reps same principle for two cycles. After this rest from bench press for a month and start again. After each bench session hit your triceps with pulley work or weighted dips but always after the bench work out. You need to be as fresh as possible for the heaviest sets so that strength rather than fatigue is the limiting factor. If fatigue is the problem you will develop the blood suppply to the muscle rather than strength in the muscle fibre hence the longish rests between sets. I used this routine to bench press 330 lbs at 147lb body weight and I am 5' 8 I also managed 352 at 165lbs but an injury playing rugby prevented further progress. All these were with a pause and refereed in powerlifting meetings. Never take drugs but eat a good all round balanced diet with plenty of protein. Personally I do not believe in food supplements. A good healthy diet is good enough and there is little real scientific evidence that vitamins etc make any real difference (food supplement sellers will tell you different but they have a vested interest). Of course if you believe something will work the psychological effect could be important. E mail me and let me know how you get on -- Ian Lynch former European Bench Press Record holder (Drug Free) From: bullard@physics.nps.navy.mil (bullard) Subject: Re: Benching Revelation... Date: 17 Jul 1995 18:54:53 GMT >Could you describe this in a bit more detail? >SOunds interesting. The technique the pamphlet describes is as such: Competition arch: Get your hips and shoulders as close as possible while keeping your butt and shoulders flat on the bench. This gives a slight arch to your back, but not the dangerous "ass off the bench" kind. This helps facilitate proper bar path on the concentric part of the rep (up and back). Keep the lats flexed. This is kind of funny at first, and it took several light sets (empty bar) to get this down. You keep the lats flexed for support, and use them to initiate the concentric portion of the rep. Use a 26" grip, and on the eccentric part of the rep, keep the upper arms close to the body, and not perpendicular like is usually practiced. When the bar touches your sternum (just below the nipple line) your upper arms (upper portion of the bi's & tris) should be snug against the body and sort of "resting" against the lats. Pause for 2 seconds at the bottom of each rep. That way, the concentric phase of the rep will rely only on your own strength, and not the initial momentum of the bar or a "bounce" off of the chest. When you bring the bar up, start by pushing off with the lats. The next day, I could feel the tightness in my lats. They weren't sore, but I knew they existed. My chest was in PAIN! >What's Brawn supposed to do?? Brawn is a book by Stuart McRobert that is supposed to be expressly for the "hardgainer" - that is, the genetically typical, drug-free bodybuilder. Judging from the "Big Bench" pamphlet he wrote, it advocates basic, heavy strength movements (bench, squat, deadlift, etc.) as the basis for your bodybuilding training, while forgetting the isolation stuff until you are advanced. ("Advanced" being described as being able to bench 300+, squat 400+, and deadlift 500+) This seems to make sense to me. When I first got into weight training, I used only the basic heavy moves, and was surprised at what 3 months of training did. Then I started to incorporate all the "little" moves in my training, and when I finally realized what I was doing a year and a half later, I was no better off than when I started. So I figure it's time to "get back to basics". About a year ago, I was well on my way to the "advanced" level described above, but I'm sure my max's have fallen off. It's time to get back to building some brute f**king strength... Bill.