Revising my workout routine

I've posted here in the past and got some great responses, so here
goes again..


For the past year I've been training to meet the requirements for the
local police physical fitness tests. I need to be able to bench
slightly more than my body weight (1 rep max), do about 40 situps/min
(I'm almost there), do 35 pushups/min (I'm at +/-25 now), and run 1
1/2 miles in 1 min 10 sec or less.

I've been doing pretty much the same workout routine (with some
variation) the past year. Under my routine, my bench press went from
45 lbs last December to 120 lbs today. For the past month or so I
seem to have hit a plateau and am having difficulty increasing my
bench press any further. In one of my past posts I asked about my
plateau with running, and have since changed my routine to incorporate
more sprinting and less all-out runs.

In my routine I have been doing the following strength training
exercises 3x per week (Mon/Wed/Fri):

Bench Press (5 sets of 5) @ 120 lbs
Incline Bench (5 sets of 5) @ 95 lbs
Concentration Curls (5 sets of 5, ea. arm) on lat machine
Concentration Tricep Curls (5 sets of 5, ea. arm) on lat machine
Front lateral pulldowns (5 sets of 5) @ 100 lbs on lat machine
Rowing (5 sets of 5) @ 100 lbs on lat machine
Upright rowing (5 sets of 5) @ 70 lbs on lat machine

On Tuesdays/Thursdays I do situps, 3 sets of 100 reps, incline leg
raises (3 sets of 15), and then do about a half hour of on/off sprints
on a treadmill.

My biggest concern, aside from running, is the bench press. I am
trying to tweak my routine for the new year, and have read some
articles about different exercises to improve my bench press. I am
considering changing from bench press 3x a week to: Mon-close grip
bench, Wed-military press, and Fri-bench press. I would like to
increase my bench press by 1-2lbs/wk, if possible.

Any insight or tips in regards to my routine would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks,
Doug

<kb1jec@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:e9687139-8cba-42b1-8f7a-cde11be266c1@v4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> I've posted here in the past and got some great responses, so here
> goes again..
>
>
> For the past year I've been training to meet the requirements for the
> local police physical fitness tests. I need to be able to bench
> slightly more than my body weight (1 rep max), do about 40 situps/min
> (I'm almost there), do 35 pushups/min (I'm at +/-25 now), and run 1
> 1/2 miles in 1 min 10 sec or less.

Wow you must need to run pretty fast in your local police test -
You say you have to run 1/2 mile in 1 min 10 sec - so that would be around
half what the world record would be for that distance.
You would be able to do hot pursuit without a car!



>
> I've been doing pretty much the same workout routine (with some
> variation) the past year. Under my routine, my bench press went from
> 45 lbs last December to 120 lbs today. For the past month or so I
> seem to have hit a plateau and am having difficulty increasing my
> bench press any further. In one of my past posts I asked about my
> plateau with running, and have since changed my routine to incorporate
> more sprinting and less all-out runs.
>
> In my routine I have been doing the following strength training
> exercises 3x per week (Mon/Wed/Fri):
>
> Bench Press (5 sets of 5) @ 120 lbs
> Incline Bench (5 sets of 5) @ 95 lbs
> Concentration Curls (5 sets of 5, ea. arm) on lat machine
> Concentration Tricep Curls (5 sets of 5, ea. arm) on lat machine
> Front lateral pulldowns (5 sets of 5) @ 100 lbs on lat machine
> Rowing (5 sets of 5) @ 100 lbs on lat machine
> Upright rowing (5 sets of 5) @ 70 lbs on lat machine
>
> On Tuesdays/Thursdays I do situps, 3 sets of 100 reps, incline leg
> raises (3 sets of 15), and then do about a half hour of on/off sprints
> on a treadmill.
>
> My biggest concern, aside from running, is the bench press. I am
> trying to tweak my routine for the new year, and have read some
> articles about different exercises to improve my bench press. I am
> considering changing from bench press 3x a week to: Mon-close grip
> bench, Wed-military press, and Fri-bench press. I would like to
> increase my bench press by 1-2lbs/wk, if possible.
>
> Any insight or tips in regards to my routine would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Doug

> Wow you must need to run pretty fast in your local police test -
> You say you have to run 1/2 mile in 1 min 10 sec - so that would be around
> half what the world record would be for that distance.
> You would be able to do hot pursuit without a car!

My bad! 11 min 10 seconds. I guess I dropped a 1.

<kb1jec@gmail.com> >
> Any insight or tips in regards to my routine would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Doug

"""I THINK""""
Change your routine every three months AND be-sure you only work
any-part every other day. 3 or 4 day routine.

Now remember my name so "when" you make copper you can cut me some slack!!

Burr
The "Nice" guy.

<kb1jec@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:cf2a0bdc-c6a6-4e3a-b27c-3da1164bef01@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>> Wow you must need to run pretty fast in your local police test -
>> You say you have to run 1/2 mile in 1 min 10 sec - so that would be
>> around
>> half what the world record would be for that distance.
>> You would be able to do hot pursuit without a car!
>
> My bad! 11 min 10 seconds. I guess I dropped a 1.

You are saying they want you to run a half mile in 11 min? -- the average
person should be able to run a half mile in 5 mins

<kb1jec@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:cf2a0bdc-c6a6-4e3a-b27c-3da1164bef01@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>> Wow you must need to run pretty fast in your local police test -
>> You say you have to run 1/2 mile in 1 min 10 sec - so that would be
>> around
>> half what the world record would be for that distance.
>> You would be able to do hot pursuit without a car!
>
> My bad! 11 min 10 seconds. I guess I dropped a 1.

my grandmother (who uses a walking stick) can walk a half mile in 11 mins

"David" <forgotwhy@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:4775ca44$0$12542$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
>
> <kb1jec@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:cf2a0bdc-c6a6-4e3a-b27c-3da1164bef01@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>>> Wow you must need to run pretty fast in your local police test -
>>> You say you have to run 1/2 mile in 1 min 10 sec - so that would be
>>> around
>>> half what the world record would be for that distance.
>>> You would be able to do hot pursuit without a car!
>>
>> My bad! 11 min 10 seconds. I guess I dropped a 1.
>
> my grandmother (who uses a walking stick) can walk a half mile in 11 mins
>

He's joining The KeyStone Cops

Burr

On Dec 28, 11:57 pm, "Burr" <pitzra...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> "David" <forgot...@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
>
> news:4775ca44$0$12542$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
>
>
>
> > <kb1...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:cf2a0bdc-c6a6-4e3a-b27c-3da1164bef01@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> >>> Wow you must need to run pretty fast in your local police test -
> >>> You say you have to run 1/2 mile in 1 min 10 sec - so that would be
> >>> around
> >>> half what the world record would be for that distance.
> >>> You would be able to do hot pursuit without a car!
>
> >> My bad! 11 min 10 seconds. I guess I dropped a 1.
>
> > my grandmother (who uses a walking stick) can walk a half mile in 11 mins
>
> He's joining The KeyStone Cops
>
> Burr

-one-and-one-half-, 1.5 miles in 11 minutes

"Burr" <> He's joining The KeyStone Cops
>
>
He will have to go to the Beverly Hills Cemetary. Maybe that is why it is
only 1/2 mile in 11 minutes. I bet none of the other cops can beat that
rolling out of the grave.

<kb1jec@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1fe34967-4721-41ad-a123-03f4424d1a24@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> On Dec 28, 11:57 pm, "Burr" <pitzra...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>> "David" <forgot...@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
>>
>> news:4775ca44$0$12542$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
>>
>>
>>
>> > <kb1...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> >news:cf2a0bdc-c6a6-4e3a-b27c-3da1164bef01@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>> >>> Wow you must need to run pretty fast in your local police test -
>> >>> You say you have to run 1/2 mile in 1 min 10 sec - so that would be
>> >>> around
>> >>> half what the world record would be for that distance.
>> >>> You would be able to do hot pursuit without a car!
>>
>> >> My bad! 11 min 10 seconds. I guess I dropped a 1.
>>
>> > my grandmother (who uses a walking stick) can walk a half mile in 11
>> > mins
>>
>> He's joining The KeyStone Cops
>>
>> Burr
>
> -one-and-one-half-, 1.5 miles in 11 minutes

now that makes sense!

"Burr" <pitzradio@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:9tkdj.22487$pq.22014@newsfe24.lga...
>
> "David" <forgotwhy@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:4775ca44$0$12542$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
>>
>> <kb1jec@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:cf2a0bdc-c6a6-4e3a-b27c-3da1164bef01@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>>>> Wow you must need to run pretty fast in your local police test -
>>>> You say you have to run 1/2 mile in 1 min 10 sec - so that would be
>>>> around
>>>> half what the world record would be for that distance.
>>>> You would be able to do hot pursuit without a car!
>>>
>>> My bad! 11 min 10 seconds. I guess I dropped a 1.
>>
>> my grandmother (who uses a walking stick) can walk a half mile in 11 mins
>>
>
> He's joining The KeyStone Cops

of course why didn't I think if that - but it seems he has it right now

>
> Burr
>

Brisk walking is a good habbit and I reduced my weight by 5 kgs within
a month

http://onlinecares.com -- Excellent Webhosting JSP Cpanel Tomcat
http://sambahosting.com -- Reliable cpanel reseller hosting

On Dec 29, 12:29 pm, "David" <forgot...@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> "Burr" <pitzra...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
>
> news:9tkdj.22487$pq.22014@newsfe24.lga...
>
>
>
>
>
> > "David" <forgot...@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> >news:4775ca44$0$12542$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com. au...
>
> >> <kb1...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >>news:cf2a0bdc-c6a6-4e3a-b27c-3da1164bef01@e4g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> >>>> Wow you must need to run pretty fast in your local police test -
> >>>> You say you have to run 1/2 mile in 1 min 10 sec - so that would be
> >>>> around
> >>>> half what the world record would be for that distance.
> >>>> You would be able to do hot pursuit without a car!
>
> >>> My bad! 11 min 10 seconds. I guess I dropped a 1.
>
> >> my grandmother (who uses a walking stick) can walk a half mile in 11 mins
>
> > He's joining The KeyStone Cops
>
> of course why didn't I think if that - but it seems he has it right now
>
>
>
> > Burr

On Dec 28, 10:27 pm, kb1...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>
> <SNIP>
>
>
>
> Any insight or tips in regards to my routine would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Doug

I think you're getting caught up in unnecessary details there. Ye
olde flat bench press is just a push-up, only you can increase the
weight on it. I really have a hard time believing that you are only
able to bench press 120-lbs. after a whole year of training. Assuming
you're not under or overtraining -- that you're not just working out
two hours a week or twenty hours a week -- I can only imagine that you
have some other condition which you haven't specified...GEN Petraeus
is how old? Yet he can knock out 81 push-ups in 90 seconds (after
running over five miles at under six minutes a mile!)...don't take
this the wrong way, but I don't think it's your routine that's at
fault. Most any routine will do, especially after a year!

There's something else going on...have you seen a doctor? I'm
serious. Something else is going on. You're only at 120-lbs. on the
bench press but are having difficulty running 1.5 miles in 11
minutes?? It just doesn't add up: at least if you were good on the
one (endurance, or running) but not on the other (strength, the bench
press) it would be more understandable.

Remember that the passing mark for any exam is made up of *minimum*
standards, which means the absolute minimum they exact a corpse with
half volt of impulse in it to achieve! I really think you might want
to get some kind of a total physical check-up, maybe you have very low
testosterone or something, I dunno -- but I can almost guarantee it's
not your routine; most any routine will do, especially after a whole
year!

<kb1jec@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:e9687139-8cba-42b1-8f7a-cde11be266c1@v4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> I've posted here in the past and got some great responses, so here
> goes again..
>
>
> For the past year I've been training to meet the requirements for the
> local police physical fitness tests. I need to be able to bench
> slightly more than my body weight (1 rep max), do about 40 situps/min
> (I'm almost there), do 35 pushups/min (I'm at +/-25 now), and run 1
> 1/2 miles in 1 min 10 sec or less.
>
> I've been doing pretty much the same workout routine (with some
> variation) the past year. Under my routine, my bench press went from
> 45 lbs last December to 120 lbs today. For the past month or so I
> seem to have hit a plateau and am having difficulty increasing my
> bench press any further. In one of my past posts I asked about my
> plateau with running, and have since changed my routine to incorporate
> more sprinting and less all-out runs.
>
> In my routine I have been doing the following strength training
> exercises 3x per week (Mon/Wed/Fri):
>
> Bench Press (5 sets of 5) @ 120 lbs
> Incline Bench (5 sets of 5) @ 95 lbs
> Concentration Curls (5 sets of 5, ea. arm) on lat machine
> Concentration Tricep Curls (5 sets of 5, ea. arm) on lat machine
> Front lateral pulldowns (5 sets of 5) @ 100 lbs on lat machine
> Rowing (5 sets of 5) @ 100 lbs on lat machine
> Upright rowing (5 sets of 5) @ 70 lbs on lat machine
>
> On Tuesdays/Thursdays I do situps, 3 sets of 100 reps, incline leg
> raises (3 sets of 15), and then do about a half hour of on/off sprints
> on a treadmill.
>
> My biggest concern, aside from running, is the bench press. I am
> trying to tweak my routine for the new year, and have read some
> articles about different exercises to improve my bench press. I am
> considering changing from bench press 3x a week to: Mon-close grip
> bench, Wed-military press, and Fri-bench press. I would like to
> increase my bench press by 1-2lbs/wk, if possible.
>
> Any insight or tips in regards to my routine would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Doug

I'd get someone to teach you how to bench press. I'm a lousy bench
presser, don't practice the movement at all, and can still bench my
bodyweight without any specific training. You didn't mention your
bodyweight, BTW.

Just looking at your training, if you need a 1RM effort in the bench,
consider cycling back and forth between your 5 x 5 for a few weeks and
something heavier, e.g., 8 sets of 3 reps each. The shorter sets will
get you better prepared for a heavy single, and you might even try
working up to a heavy single once every month or two just to see where
you are. You might even want to cycle a higher rep variation as well,
e.g., 3 weeks of 3 sets of 8, 1 week backoff, 3 weeks of 5 x 5, 1 week
backoff, 3 weeks of 8 sets of 3, a few days off, test your max, another
few days off, then start all over again.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

"Steve Freides" <steve@fridayscomputer.com> schreef:

> I'd get someone to teach you how to bench press.
Did you call me?

Here goes;

Grap the bar, evenly, thumbs just outside shoulder width.

Lower bar to chest, just above the nipples.

Press it back up.

Thats it.

--
Pete

"Uncle Bob" <unclebobrules@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:4778be91$0$22809$dbd45001@news.wanadoo.nl...
> "Steve Freides" <steve@fridayscomputer.com> schreef:
>
>> I'd get someone to teach you how to bench press.
> Did you call me?
>
> Here goes;
>
> Grap the bar, evenly, thumbs just outside shoulder width.
>
> Lower bar to chest, just above the nipples.
>
> Press it back up.
>
> Thats it.
>
> --
> Pete
>

PLEASE, don't "grip" the bar, just let it lay in your hand!!!!

Burr
Happy New Year
from Tomorrow

"Burr" <pitzradio@earthlink.net> schreef:

>> Lower bar to chest, just above the nipples.
>>
>> Press it back up.
>>
>> Thats it.

> PLEASE, don't "grip" the bar, just let it lay in your hand!!!!

You mean a "thumbless" grip?

Well, that works for me. I wouldnt let a beginner do it, though...

--
Pete

"Uncle Bob" <unclebobrules@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:4778e404$0$38172$dbd4b001@news.wanadoo.nl...
> "Burr" <pitzradio@earthlink.net> schreef:
>
>>> Lower bar to chest, just above the nipples.
>>>
>>> Press it back up.
>>>
>>> Thats it.
>
>> PLEASE, don't "grip" the bar, just let it lay in your hand!!!!
>
> You mean a "thumbless" grip?
>
> Well, that works for me. I wouldnt let a beginner do it, though...
>
> --
> Pete
>
>
>
>

NO, it lays a cross your hand in the palm with the thumb on the out side,
just don't close your hand "much".

Burr

"Burr" <pitzradio@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:H35ej.11737$3b7.737@newsfe23.lga...
>
> "Uncle Bob" <unclebobrules@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4778be91$0$22809$dbd45001@news.wanadoo.nl...
>> "Steve Freides" <steve@fridayscomputer.com> schreef:
>>
>>> I'd get someone to teach you how to bench press.
>> Did you call me?
>>
>> Here goes;
>>
>> Grap the bar, evenly, thumbs just outside shoulder width.
>>
>> Lower bar to chest, just above the nipples.
>>
>> Press it back up.
>>
>> Thats it.
>>
>> --
>> Pete
>>
>
> PLEASE, don't "grip" the bar, just let it lay in your hand!!!!

Why not grip the bar? I was taught to try to pull the bar apart.

And, of course, I meant to have someone give in-person bench press
instruction.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

"Steve Freides"

>>
>> PLEASE, don't "grip" the bar, just let it lay in your hand!!!!
>
> Why not grip the bar? I was taught to try to pull the bar apart.
>
> And, of course, I meant to have someone give in-person bench press
> instruction.
>
> -S-
> http://www.kbnj.com
>
>

Why waste your energy griping the bar, it's not going anyplace!

How slow can you go and how hard do you blow?? (keep it clean)

Burr

In article <gq7ej.9454$E01.2377@newsfe22.lga>,
"Burr" <pitzradio@earthlink.net> wrote:

> "Steve Freides"
>
> >>
> >> PLEASE, don't "grip" the bar, just let it lay in your hand!!!!
> >
> > Why not grip the bar? I was taught to try to pull the bar apart.
> >
> > And, of course, I meant to have someone give in-person bench press
> > instruction.
> >
> > -S-
> > http://www.kbnj.com
> >
> >
>
> Why waste your energy griping the bar, it's not going anyplace!
>
> How slow can you go and how hard do you blow?? (keep it clean)
>
> Burr
>
>

In competition bench press technique you 'spread' the bar in an attempt
to keep the lat, traps and rhomboids activated. This helps to keep the
scapula stabilized and may give you a little extra strength off the
chest.

--
Keith

"Hobbes" <khobman800@yahoo.com>
>> >
>>
>> Why waste your energy griping the bar, it's not going anyplace!
>>
>> How slow can you go and how hard do you blow?? (keep it clean)
>>
>> Burr
>>
>>
>
> In competition bench press technique you 'spread' the bar in an attempt
> to keep the lat, traps and rhomboids activated. This helps to keep the
> scapula stabilized and may give you a little extra strength off the
> chest.
>
> --
> Keith

If I'm wrong then OK, that's just the way I've always done it and I think I
learned it from "The Gold's Book" but I'm not sure.

AND I never lifted in competition.

What do you mean by "Spread" the bar?

Burr

In article <tz7ej.9455$E01.1528@newsfe22.lga>,
"Burr" <pitzradio@earthlink.net> wrote:

> "Hobbes" <khobman800@yahoo.com>
> >> >
> >>
> >> Why waste your energy griping the bar, it's not going anyplace!
> >>
> >> How slow can you go and how hard do you blow?? (keep it clean)
> >>
> >> Burr
> >>
> >>
> >
> > In competition bench press technique you 'spread' the bar in an attempt
> > to keep the lat, traps and rhomboids activated. This helps to keep the
> > scapula stabilized and may give you a little extra strength off the
> > chest.
> >
> > --
> > Keith
>
> If I'm wrong then OK, that's just the way I've always done it and I think I
> learned it from "The Gold's Book" but I'm not sure.
>
> AND I never lifted in competition.
>
> What do you mean by "Spread" the bar?
>
> Burr
>
>

Well, first off competition technique for powerlifting and bench
pressing to build the chest/shoulders/triceps are two different animals.
The Golds Book is about bodybuilding. So neither is 'wrong' - two
different purposes is all.

"Spreading' the bar is what Steve was talking about. You try and pull
the bar apart, like there is an elastic sleeve in the centre. It is
purely for lifting more weight and probably would just be used in
singles. So you really aren't concerned about the wasted energy.

--
Keith

"Hobbes" <khobman800@yahoo.com>
>>
>
> Well, first off competition technique for powerlifting and bench
> pressing to build the chest/shoulders/triceps are two different animals.
> The Golds Book is about bodybuilding. So neither is 'wrong' - two
> different purposes is all.
>
> "Spreading' the bar is what Steve was talking about. You try and pull
> the bar apart, like there is an elastic sleeve in the centre. It is
> purely for lifting more weight and probably would just be used in
> singles. So you really aren't concerned about the wasted energy.
>
> --
> Keith


Thank You,

Good Night.

Burr

"Hobbes" <khobman800@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:khobman800-C6811C.09291431122007@sn-ip.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net...

>
> "Spreading' the bar is what Steve was talking about. You try and pull
> the bar apart, like there is an elastic sleeve in the centre. It is
> purely for lifting more weight and probably would just be used in
> singles. So you really aren't concerned about the wasted energy.
>
> --
> Keith

I recently reviewed the Olympic Weightlifting DVD (companion to the book)
that you recommended a while back. That technique was explained as applied
to the snatch. That's a good DVD, I intend to watch it more often. I might
even bring it with me to watch right before I do the lifts.