What the hell was this guy at my gym doing?

[mindstar]

So yesterday was weirdo night at my gym. I think the short bus parked outside and shuffled everyone in.


There was one weirdo that I couldn't figure out though. He had set up a bench in the squat rack and it looked like he was doing BP. He was a large framed guy who looked like he might have been an O lineman when he was in his prime (he looked in his 50's), but was now just big and fat.

When I got in there he had 6 plates a side on the BP. That's more than Ive ever seen anyone do, so I was grabbing quick glances to see what he would do. Well, he got under it, lifted it about 1/8" off of the rack and then set it back down. He then got up, and put more weight on and did it again. And then Again. He ended up with over 8 plates a side for these 1/8" singles.

WTF? I've never seen this before. Obviously he's no bodybuilder, but wtf could he possibly be doing?

[FitnessBrat]

I've done those presses before - they're for triceps.

[The_Grinder]

It sounds like he was working on locking out the last part of his bench.

[SonofBone]

Could be tendon & ligament strengthening...Bodybuilding.com - David Robson - Tendon & Ligament Training For Greater Gains!

[Chadd77]

I Have seen guys do this before that train for power. Never tried it. Never really had a need to train that way.

[mindstar]

i'm not sure he was doing them right then...as there was really no negative portion of the rep and the weight barely made it away from contacting the rack; ie, he couldn't have moved the weight out over his chest even if he wanted to because there was so little clearance. If you didn't hear the weights jangle, you'd never know they moved at all...

And they weren't lockouts as he basically started loked out. My GF is a powerlifter and she had never seen anything like this either.

The bbing.com article at least incorporates movement of 4-5 inches.

[The_Grinder]

I have read in an article before that if you put a weight on the rack that is way more than your max and simply lift it off the rack a little bit, it supposedly helps increase your max over time.

[THE BOUNCER]

its power lifting techniques. common practice in power lifting. nothing weird about it.

[Mr incredible]

yap tendon strength training

[Stonecold54]

not sure what it will do for tendon strength as there is no stretch and contraction of the muscle. only thing I could think of would be holds, but doing it with free weights is pointless because there is no tension at lock out.

[THE BOUNCER]

Originally Posted by Stonecold54

not sure what it will do for tendon strength as there is no stretch and contraction of the muscle. only thing I could think of would be holds, but doing it with free weights is pointless because there is no tension at lock out.

well there is definitely a point to it bro. we have some top level power lifters at our gym and they do this all the time.

[Stonecold54]

Originally Posted by THE BOUNCER

well there is definitely a point to it bro. we have some top level power lifters at our gym and they do this all the time.

the fact that elite athletes do or don't do something means nothing. I have seen both ends of the spectrum, novices train perfectly from correct learning and elites train like idiots because someone is always in their ear with the "latest secret movement". most elite athletes have no idea how to train and listen to crap and succeed in spite of their genetics (I have posted this a million times and I know we have probably already had this discussion B ).

[THE BOUNCER]

Originally Posted by Stonecold54

the fact that elite athletes do or don't do something means nothing. I have seen both ends of the spectrum, novices train perfectly from correct learning and elites train like idiots because someone is always in their ear with the "latest secret movement". most elite athletes have no idea how to train and listen to crap and succeed in spite of their genetics (I have posted this a million times and I know we have probably already had this discussion B ).

trust me, these guys work with the best. not going to argue about it because i dont know much about powerlifting. these guys and their coaches do though.

[buell1965]

dam u guys are good o thought for sure u guys would blast ...the think TANK here is well rounded i must say.

[Mr incredible]

Originally Posted by buell1965

dam u guys are good o thought for sure u guys would blast ...the think TANK here is well rounded i must say.

yah I've trained them well

[fog_hat1981]

Originally Posted by THE BOUNCER

its power lifting techniques. common practice in power lifting. nothing weird about it.

There are some monsters who have achieved quite a high level of accomplishment in the powerlifting world that I see doing this at my gym as well...