# Best Bench Assistance For 3/5/1?



## Turbolag (Feb 26, 2019)

What does everyone think the best bench assistance work is to do after your main working sets? 

I was thinking about maybe adding in dumbbell bench. But I’m not sure. Just was wanting to get everyone’s opinion.


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## hulksmash (Feb 26, 2019)

Turbolag said:


> What does everyone think the best bench assistance work is to do after your main working sets?
> 
> I was thinking about maybe adding in dumbbell bench. But I’m not sure. Just was wanting to get everyone’s opinion.



I used/still use DB flat bench extension to help my bench go up.

If you can do db flat extensions with 100s for reps, you'll have a respectable bench


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## ToolSteel (Feb 26, 2019)

Completely depends on your weaknesses


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## DieYoungStrong (Feb 26, 2019)

Hulk, you do DB skull crushers with 100lb DB's?


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## Straight30weight (Feb 26, 2019)

DieYoungStrong said:


> Hulk, you do DB skull crushers with 100lb DB's?


Some would say he literally crushes his skull....


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## hulksmash (Feb 26, 2019)

DieYoungStrong said:


> Hulk, you do DB skull crushers with 100lb DB's?



Re-read it: If [a person] can do db flat extensions with 100s for reps [which takes enormous strength], you'll have a respectable bench [since the triceps are a big part of the equation].

I thought I wrote my point clear enough.

The weight I use is 50lb DBs for flat bench tricep extensions. If I hadn't skipped 2 arm days, I'm sure I could do 60s (especially since I'm moving to 140s for flat DB Bench press). My goal is 100lb DBs for reps.

The DB Flat Bench Extensions is my main tricep exercise, used to increase my bench press 1rm and make my triceps as big+strong as possible. I even do 1-3 rep range with them.


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## DieYoungStrong (Feb 26, 2019)

I know guys who bench over 500 and none of them do DB skullcrushers witn hundos. They like their elbows.


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## Gadawg (Feb 27, 2019)

DieYoungStrong said:


> I know guys who bench over 500 and none of them do DB skullcrushers witn hundos. They like their elbows.



Smash can grow new elbows when the time comes


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## hulksmash (Feb 27, 2019)

Gadawg said:


> Smash can grow new elbows when the time comes



Exactly. LOL

DYS, every goal I have is insane, superhuman tasks.

If I never reach them, I will still end up at incredible accomplishments.a


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## Gadawg (Feb 27, 2019)

hulksmash said:


> Exactly. LOL
> 
> DYS, every goal I have is insane, superhuman tasks.
> 
> If I never reach them, I will still end up at incredible accomplishments.a



While it's not exactly comparable, I knew a guy in college who would do seated dumbell curls with the 100s.  His work sets on straight bar curls were 225.  Big guy all around but his biceps dominated his body.  Looked like a synthol guy but obviously wasnt.  

If you get to those hundos hulk, the horseshoes are gonna be NUTS!


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## SFGiants (Feb 27, 2019)

Turbolag said:


> What does everyone think the best bench assistance work is to do after your main working sets?
> 
> I was thinking about maybe adding in dumbbell bench. But I’m not sure. Just was wanting to get everyone’s opinion.



You can warm up or cool down with them or for a day replace straight bar but I don't find it as an accessory 

Accessories attack sticking points of the bench, off the chest. middle or lockout.

Accessories are considered, lat, shoulder and tricep work.

You hit the sticking point with a compound movement then isolate after

Bench
Board Press
Rows
Skull Crushers
Shoulder Work

That is a typical upper body day example


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## SFGiants (Feb 27, 2019)

Off the chest or lower is lats
Middle is lats and shoulders
Lockout is Triceps


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## Turbolag (Feb 27, 2019)

SFGiants said:


> Off the chest or lower is lats
> Middle is lats and shoulders
> Lockout is Triceps



Thanks for this. Where do pecs come into play?


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## Turbolag (Feb 27, 2019)

SFGiants said:


> You can warm up or cool down with them or for a day replace straight bar but I don't find it as an accessory
> 
> Accessories attack sticking points of the bench, off the chest. middle or lockout.
> 
> ...



thanks for the reply. So how do you work on board presses without over taxing yourself?


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## Metalhead1 (Feb 27, 2019)

Turbolag said:


> thanks for the reply. So how do you work on board presses without over taxing yourself?



Just depends on the volume and intensity you use after regular benching. 

I normally don't do more than 3 sets of boards if i train bench first


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## SFGiants (Feb 27, 2019)

Turbolag said:


> Thanks for this. Where do pecs come into play?



They don't and is why big benchers have big backs, shoulders and tris with smaller pecs


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## November Ajax (Feb 27, 2019)

SFGiants said:


> They don't and is why big benchers have big backs, shoulders and tris with smaller pecs


You are saying that bench press doesn't involve your pecs?


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## Jin (Feb 28, 2019)

November Ajax said:


> You are saying that bench press doesn't involve your pecs?



Yes. That’s exactly what he meant. You do not use your pecs For benching. Actually pecs serve no function whatsoever. You don’t need them. I had mine removed.


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## hulksmash (Feb 28, 2019)

SFGiants said:


> Bench
> Board Press
> Rows
> Scull Crushers
> Shoulder Work



This 100%, I dont know why I didn't mention rows and shoulder presses.


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## November Ajax (Feb 28, 2019)

Jin said:


> Yes. That’s exactly what he meant. You do not use your pecs For benching. Actually pecs serve no function whatsoever. You don’t need them. I had mine removed.



I don't know who you are mocking, but I liked the last part so you get a thanks regardless.


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## SFGiants (Feb 28, 2019)

November Ajax said:


> I don't know who you are mocking, but I liked the last part so you get a thanks regardless.



I was among many World Class Powerlifters even some teammates were for a good decade and the only 2 jacked guys I know that is worth the shit in the sport are 2 people I personally know especially Dan Green but also Stan Effedering and it's because of their pre powerlifting training days with Stan a World Class Bodybulider.


Look at the majority of powerlifters and strongmen they do no have great pec'c like a bodybuilder at all.

Look at powerlifters that were great that went bodybuilder after many years of powerlifting they mostly all lack in the pecs.
I know guys that press from 600lbs to 900lbs with not so great pecs in the sense of aesthetics!

Pecs are for show they do not drive a bench you lats, shoulders, triceps and LEGS drive a bench.


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## SFGiants (Feb 28, 2019)

Most people don't know how to bench and are wobbly because they don't know how to set up, get tight, stay tight and drive a bench.

What is the 1st part of your body that move a bench upward?

A. Legs
B. Chest
C. Penis (Only FD can do this)
D. Lats
E. Shoulders
F. Triceps
G. Anus (Only POB:32 (16):can do this)


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## SFGiants (Feb 28, 2019)

What is the part of the body you use to bring a bar down with?

A. Legs
B. Chest
C. Penis (Only FD can do this)
D. Lats
E. Shoulders
F. Triceps
G. Anus (Only POB:32 (16):can do this)


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## Metalhead1 (Feb 28, 2019)

C and G for both!


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## November Ajax (Feb 28, 2019)

SFGiants said:


> I was among many World Class Powerlifters even some teammates were for a good decade and the only 2 jacked guys I know that is worth the shit in the sport are 2 people I personally know especially Dan Green but also Stan Effedering and it's because of their pre powerlifting training days with Stan a World Class Bodybulider.
> 
> 
> Look at the majority of powerlifters and strongmen they do no have great pec'c like a bodybuilder at all.
> ...


I'm not going to say that you didn't know people with big benches that didn't have great pecs, but that could be for other reasons. Genetics, type of training,  etc. Also consider that strength is not always equivalent to muscle size.
Truth is that lats and traps are not even considered stabilizers for bench (https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/BBBenchPress), this obviously doesn't mean you don't have to focus on tightening the muscles to create a more stable foundation to execute the movement. The lats and traps never change size either.
The pecs do change in size and probably have the highest EMG activation compared to any other muscle when benching.


SFGiants said:


> Most people don't know how to bench and are wobbly because they don't know how to set up, get tight, stay tight and drive a bench.
> 
> What is the 1st part of your body that move a bench upward?
> 
> ...


I want to say chest but I feel I'm gonna fail the test.


SFGiants said:


> What is the part of the body you use to bring a bar down with?
> 
> A. Legs
> B. Chest
> ...


Gravity, but it's not an option, or a muscle. Man I suck at this types of tests. 
Seriously though, I still have to say chest, and to a lesser degree delts and triceps. Lats and legs don't even participate in the movement.


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## Jin (Feb 28, 2019)

November Ajax said:


> I'm not going to say that you didn't know people with big benches that didn't have great pecs, but that could be for other reasons. Genetics, type of training,  etc. Also consider that strength is not always equivalent to muscle size.
> Truth is that lats and traps are not even considered stabilizers for bench (https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/BBBenchPress), this obviously doesn't mean you don't have to focus on tightening the muscles to create a more stable foundation to execute the movement. The lats and traps never change size either.
> The pecs do change in size and probably have the highest EMG activation compared to any other muscle when benching.
> 
> ...



How about you learn instead of trying to teach guys that have decades more experience than you? You’ve barely started training. 

You should be embarrassed by your post. It shows your ignorance.


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## SFGiants (Feb 28, 2019)

Jin said:


> How about you learn instead of trying to teach guys that have decades more experience than you? You’ve barely started training.
> 
> You should be embarrassed by your post. It shows your ignorance.



Thank you brother

I almost lost my shit lol but hey what do I know lol.

Powerlifting was a religion for me our teams personal gym (featured on ESPN) was my church.

I just read some plain utter stupidity.

The answer for both is

1. Legs ( Leg Drive )
2. Lats ( The biggest and main stabilizer and spring affect )

We keep the back tight as it can possibly be with our traps dug deep into the bench ( we have special benches like the Forza ) keeping our elbows tucked bending the bar not with hands per say but by squeezing our lats tight all the way down 

Improper set up during leg drive is what causes the ass to come up.

I competed for many years training very hardcore 4 days a week on a schedule with my team even on holidays like Christmas, we didn't mess around we got shit done.

I had over 6 grand in equipment in that gym I had my own monolift. I wasn't even an owner of the gym!

I wanna slap this douche bag very hard lol.


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## SFGiants (Feb 28, 2019)

Turbolag said:


> thanks for the reply. So how do you work on board presses without over taxing yourself?



You gotta watch the volume to be honest, we were a West Side type of gym

2 ME Days (Max Effort)
2 DE Days (Dynamic Effort AKA Speed Work)

Do your low reps on main ME movement then each accessorize should go higher in reps 

You also can do board presses for you main movement your ME work

Example

ME bench low rep maximum effort
1st accessories set of 5's or 6's
2nd accessories set of 8's
3rd accessories set of 12's
anything else 15 reps or higher

So lets say this was my ME Upper Day and my plan

Floor Press with chains  3x3 ( 3 reps 3 set, 3 reps is 90% of your max bench of a specific movement. Got a 350 floor press 3 reps is at around 315 )
Board Press off a 3 board 6x3
Barbell Rows 8x3
Cable Pulldowns for tris 12x3
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 15x3

This don't include warm up and cool down


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## SFGiants (Feb 28, 2019)

Honestly I don't know one bodybuilder that gives 1 shit about the flat bench!

They are more about seated, incline, decline and most of all cross-cables, dumbbell work and pec deck stuff.

I was always told since the 90's by jacked bodybuilders the flat bench is the least effective movement for chest development.

I'm not saying the chest don't get stimulated by the bench press I am saying it DON'T move the bar in any direction and is by far not the most used muscle, your glutes are used more then the damn chest if you really know how to press weight.


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## November Ajax (Feb 28, 2019)

Jin said:


> How about you learn instead of trying to teach guys that have decades more experience than you? You’ve barely started training.
> 
> You should be embarrassed by your post. It shows your ignorance.


I still don't know who you are mocking. The whole topic is too ridiculous.





SFGiants said:


> Thank you brother
> 
> I almost lost my shit lol but hey what do I know lol.
> 
> ...


Show me one real person with real qualifications (other than "I know 3 really cool powerlifters and my gym is expensive") that verifies what you are saying.





SFGiants said:


> Honestly I don't know one bodybuilder that gives 1 shit about the flat bench!
> 
> They are more about seated, incline, decline and most of all cross-cables, dumbbell work and pec deck stuff.
> 
> ...


Let's do an experiment. Load the bar with 300lbs, and push really hard with your glutes without involving your chest. Then send me the hospital bill.


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## Gadawg (Feb 28, 2019)

Ummmmm.  How much is your max bench Mr. Ajax?


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## Jin (Feb 28, 2019)

You are an idiot. Picking a fight right off the bat with Zilla and now with SFG. 

Neg repped.

Your fitness level and knowledge level are a ****ing joke yet we treat YOU with respect while you mouth off to people who have been at this since before you were even born.

Arrogance and ignorance is a really shitty combo but you pull it off.


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## Jin (Feb 28, 2019)

Google “bench press + leg drive” if you don’t think you bench with your glutes.


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