Training Goals for 2014?

happy new years to my weight lifting brethren.

Just wanted to find out what your goals and dreams are for 2014 from a training perspective. I'm currently 94kgs, so this year, I'm planning to get back below 90kg. Currently benching 310lbs, aiming for one big push up to 350lbs. The biceps have been 15" for a year now... getting 16"s this year!! Finally, I'd like to get my body fat % in to single digits (currently 11-13%).

Well, ive been doing a lot of fitness / boxing stuff the second half of the year, so ive lost a bit of strength and size.

I'd like to bulk up a little again and try to beat my Bench, Squat and Deadlift bests, whilst still keeping a good fitness level.

Ive been doing lots of Cross fit style workouts recently and other stuff like insanity style work outs (which ive always done through my training life - Insanity is just what old timers already know but remarketed...), again which im enjoying...although some of their stuff i dont rate and have thrown away.

So pick up the weight records...and bulk up again...15stone back up to 16 stone...but at the same time keep up the boxing and the fitness (keeping the body fat low).

I am scheduled to do about 5 different types of tough mudder events this year..so going to be challenging...

I have a five year goal "will be 40 then" one rep max on all the compound moves ,i know the numbers i want.
Then im pulling the plug on strength training and going lean and sexy   

Bench 120kg

Currently at 110KG at 72.5KG bodyweight aged 47 so not too shabby.

And get bodyfat percentage down - reckon I should weight about 67.5KG

And for my vertebrae to fuse together where my disk has gone so I can get back to proper Squatting and Deadlifting.

Went to the gym for the first time in a good while a week or so ago, and proceeded to go life and death with a 15kg bar doing skull crushers... Regressed so far, I may have to adjust my goals...

kingraf wrote:happy new years to my weight lifting brethren.

Just wanted to find out what your goals and dreams are for 2014 from a training perspective. I'm currently 94kgs, so this year, I'm planning to get back below 90kg. Currently benching 310lbs, aiming for one big push up to 350lbs. The biceps have been 15" for a year now... getting 16"s this year!! Finally, I'd like to get my body fat % in to single digits (currently 11-13%).

How can anybody with 15 inch biceps bench press 310 ???

I can't bench press 310...........and mine are 17 1/2 inches...

mainly because the bench involves the chest no? Andre Agassi is a tennis player with fourteens at his peak, and he bench 350lbs

The bench involves the triceps, shoulders and the chest....Yes ??

You need pretty big body parts to press that weight....My friend...

Naturally..

Agassi is talking s**te..........

I'd agree with your point in general powerlifting, but this is an isolated exercise. wide grip benches recruit very little triceps, shoulders probably a little more, but I'm not sure what the size of my arms, on the tape, has to do with my shoulders. Will Genia weighs 85kg, with 16s max, apparently and he's bench is 165kg. I could find more examples, but the gist of the post is - youre wrong, and there are plenty of people who bench above 300lbs without 17s.

Just looked it up - he actually benches 400lbs for reps, only two reps, but reps nonetheless. I imagine you're having a aneurysm figuring out how a 85kg man is benching 400 while you can't

kingraf wrote:Just looked it up - he actually benches 400lbs for reps, only two reps, but reps nonetheless. I imagine you're having a aneurysm figuring out how a 85kg man is benching 400 while you can't

I don't believe that for one second

You may not believe it.... But it doesnt change that its true. more to do with you than anything else. Look it up

kingraf wrote:You may not believe it.... But it doesnt change that its true. more to do with you than anything else. Look it up

For his bodyweight, 1 rep of 350 lbs would qualify him as an elite benchpresser. 2 reps of 400lbs, without steroids, when you're not even a specialist weightlifter is a bit of a stretch. But hey, maybe it did happen there are freaks out there.

Not having an aneurysm because I know it's complete bullsh*t............

We have Dorian Yates types in our gym that use 308 and manage 5/6...........at the most..

20 inch arm guys....

Lee Priest used to joke he was 222 pounds so I'll be 235 in the magazines guys.......

You're a sensible lad.......You don't believe everything you read......surely.

I can deadlift 400 for a few reps..........I can leg press 900 for reps..........

I can't benchpress 308 and neither can strongback who used to compete in competitions and contributes on here from time to time..

I'm not even natural........

Just baloney.......

You dont believe it, fair enough, but this is a pretty widely reported fact, and I struggle to understand why Australian Rugby Union choose to bump up their scrumhalf of all peoples stats, while deciding against doing the same to the flanks or props - you know the guys who could use such a reputation. I dont believe everything I read, but you cant give me a reasonable reason for why a national organisation decides to bump up the benchpress of the scrumhalf. Its like the secretary of defense lying about his vocal range.

I don't believe it because I've trained for nearly twenty years..........Got a very good physique to prove it...

6ft 15 stone...

I know how difficult it is............and I train hard....Heavy duty Arthur Jones/Mike Mentzer style...

All the best and no offence............But a slow negative to the chest and back up rep (perfect form) with piddly 15 inch arms is something I've never seen...........

I use 110 pound dumbbells for Incline press and get 8 on a good day...Perfect form.....Few in my gym can do that.....I can't clear 308 or maybe I can for one If I wanted to......

But maybe you are freak.......and good luck

400 x 2 Agassi.........Give me a break..........Complete Bollox.

Freak? hardly. Hard work, a goal, and a plan thats is all I needed. I never said Agassi benched 400, I said Will Genia benched 400. Obviously a (rather poor) attempt to ridicule a fact Look it up - if you think the Australian rugby union lied, thats your right. If you think all his teammates are also in on this... again your choice...

I never said anything about a slow negative. I find focusing on negatives flare up my elbows, on Chest/triceps workouts, so I don't really do them - and unlike you I don't train for bodybuilding, I train for functional strength - and I feel going through a rep quickly does a more for my fast twitch fibres, which as a fast kid growing up, had precious little of.

Only just started getting into the weights 3 months ago (Have deployed to afghan for a 8 month tour so thought id try "OP MASSIVE) anyway never really done weights before, Boxed since the age of 15 (now 24) and it was always my aim to get to the lowest weight possible so never really participated in more then the odd weight session.. Anyway as I said started 3 months ago when I first arrived in this lovely place, bench pressing around about 50, Now up to 82.5kg and my main aim is to hit 3 figures by end of tour (June) which would be okay for my height and weight (5ft11 82Kg) started the tour massively overweight at 88kg massive considering I fought for years at 75kg, any advice on how to reach my goal, as I am a complete novice when it comes to weightliting?

http://www.sporttaco.com/rec.sport.tennis/The_myth_of_the_140kg_Andre_Agassi_bench_press_3955.html

Sorry Incontinetia - but if you don't believe my word that he could bench 350... then surely you understand why I don't put much value in a article which is an opinion piece, and doesn't seem to have any sources backing up his disbelief?

How can you give your word, did you witness it? Is there a video?

kingraf- I asked some experienced weightlifters on sugdenbarbell about Genia's lift and they seem to believe it, so perhaps it's true. If so he is the freakiest of the freaky!

No I didn't witness it - which is my point really - if you are hesitant to take my word, I'm not sure why I'm now expected to believe that he can't bench 140kg because of an article which seems to have as much base for truth as I do...

As for Genia - like I said ARU released the press statement a while back, and I can't understand why they would bump up the scrumhalf of all people's figures...

He's not calling you a liar from what I can gather....

More of a gullible type that believes everything he reads........

Like I said Lee Priest used to joke at weighing 222 at the time........by saying that will be 235 in the magazines....

300 sounds better than 200 and something........

Look whether you believe me or not, whatever - I was just pointing out that its pretty ridiculous to claim someones arm size is the indicator for how much they can bench

Speaking of believing everything you read, kind of cute how you call BS on peoples stats, when the patented mass calculator puts your max arm size at around 16-16.5 for 210... unless you're, you know... a freak. But then again - 17.5 sounds that much better than 16s, not so?

Got 16 inch was doing 100kg at 18, surely pros can do much more than that.

ShahenshahG wrote:Got 16 inch was doing 100kg at 18, surely pros can do much more than that.

Pros do the reps properly........Slow negative...Like I do......

Go into a gym and see If you see little squirts lifting 3 plates properly........80% of guys do it wrong....

That's why they have 15 inch arms.

ooh... I see you haven't yet explained why there's an inch difference between your claimed arm size, and the patents arm size for a 15 stone male. Creative license?

What are you talking about ???

I'm been training for 20 years Mate..........

I bench press properly...........Slow controlled negative which brings muscles like the triceps, shoulders into play....

Funnily enough slow controlled 308 rep presses require strong triceps.........Generally more than 15/16 inches..

There is a correlation between shifting progressively heavier weight and getting bigger you know..

I think you and Agassi are full of crap.....Or you aren't doing it properly.

Arching your back perhaps and not touching your chest.....

If I pressed that way I can do 400 for 8.  

I'll simplify it for you Truss - I think you're lying about your arm size (unless you're fat), and I have the patented to weight to Arm size calculator/graph to prove you're probably adding an inch... probably to feel better... possibly because you're a bodybuilder... and Bodybuilders generally can't bring themselves to give proper measurements.

Never arch my back on the bench, like I said i dont do negatives, as they flare up my Elbows - I try go through a rep as fast as possible because (while keeping my from) like I said - I train for fast-twitch fibres... Hypertrophy and strength aren't pre-requisites. One doesn't equal the other, and one can certainly occur without the other... I thought you'd know this...

Let's not argue........I'll concede you can bench 308 and Agassi can bench 400 x 2..

I bench 310, Agassi (allegedly) 350, Genia definitely 400... Can't see a way over it though - The stagnation is real...

Always wanted 18 inch arms......Not sure I'll get there now........Around the 50 mark chest wise which was always a benchmark for me.......

50 -18 like Frank Zane was the goal when I set out so I nearly made it..

Obviously don't look as good as the greatest bodybuilder of alltime.

Dunno Trussy - think ole the Serge's, Sergio Olivia and Serge Nubret have the wood on him. Would love to look like Nubret myself. We have very similar height and weights... Just don't understand how he can look so much better at them than me..

Depends on the package you like Mate......

Love the stripped look......Serge was a big unit.....Nubret was more my scene....

Liked Labrada too....

No criticism of Zane though... ridiculous lines he had, and still, to a large degree has

I had 18" arms when I was 18years old and besides a good back I had little else ,I looked ridiculous.
Now at 35 I have 17.5" arms I never train bicep and only do power training on the tris "close grip"etc but have a far better physique all round now lol.

My biggest hard gain was chest mass ,always had a tidy bench press but never grew much only when I took on the Vince gironda dumbbell press and dips I made more gains in six months than ever before,
Just shows never to old to learn.