Will Smith can bench 365 pounds!

[CCS]

I read an article about his training for the movie Mohammed Ali. It said he worked out 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 16 months. Not sure how much of the 6 hours was intense stuff. It included boxing training, but I'm not sure if it included learning Ali's mannerisms. Anyway, it said he started out benching 175 (same amount I can bench -- weird since he was bigger than me before) and in 16 months was benching 365 pounds. It also said his training included running in the snow at high altitudes. I don't know that was a regular thing or an isolated event they are playing up. He put on 40 pounds of muscle.

I heard the reason college athletes are not allowed to be paid is because if they have other jobs and school obligations, they don't have as much time to work out. Once they are paid to just work out, they can get much stronger, which is why professional athletes are so good.

This goes against other advice I read on body building sites, which says that 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes is the optimal workout time. It says if you go much longer than that, your intensity is not high enough, or you won't be able to recover.


What do you guys think? Are longer workouts the best way to build muscle?

 

[ace77]

I'm not a trainer, but I've had a few professionals, and basically what I've been told is to keep a weight training workout around 45-50 minutes. If it's taking you longer, you aren't training hard enough and/or your trying to put up more weight than you should be. Will's long workouts probably included a cardio workout after his weights, and then another weight training session focusing on alternate muscle groups.

A good way to keep yourself honest and on track is to time yourself and stop working out after 45-50 minutes whether you've completed your workout or not.

For example, I will usually do 8 exercises, at 4 sets each, with each set being anywhere between 8 and 12 (sometimes 16) reps. I expect to be able to complete this regimen in 50 mins, but it sometimes it takes me upwards of 75 mins. So I put myself on lockdown and leave the gym if I do not finish within 60 mins. This gets you motivated to work harder/smarter the next time in the gym.

Regarding Will Smith, I believe a ~350lb max is a reasonable goal for most young, healthy men. It may take over a year of training, and may require professional assistance and/or study, but it can be done. At the beginning of May 2006 I was lifting 4 sets on the bench @ 155, 165, 175, 185 @ 10 reps each with 1.5 mins rest. At the end of July I was up to 4 sets @ 205 @ 8 reps, and in some cases I'd do the final set @ 225 with 6 reps. And I'm almost 33. You, being younger and presumably healthy, should build muscle much faster than I did. Presuming you're focused and that you stick to it.

Ace

 

[trapsource]

Guys like will smith are trained by the very best trainers and their results will be superior. I would highly advise ( if you are serious ) to hire a professional trainer( one who trains bodybuilders, not those gym rats) The can show you the best way to get from A to B. Magazines will just confuse you, because every body is different. Im sure Will had a little extra gas as well, especially if he was training for a major picture.

 

[bubka]

i benched 300lbs my senior year in high school, i can attest that if you are serious about lifting, 45 minutes is all you need, have a set schedule, keep at it, its not a long time demanding requirement, you see lots of guys who spend an hour or so at the gym, but never get any bigger,

 

[CCS]

Bubka,
How many sets did you do on the same muscle groups in the same workout, and how long did you rest between sets, and how would alternating muscle groups throughout the workout change the rest time?

On my heavy days (low rep days) I try put 2-2.5 minutes between sets of the same muscle group, and work an opposing muscle group in the middle of the rest time. What do you think of that?

 

[bubka]

most items i would do 3 sets of ten, with increasing weight on each rep

bench i would do a pyramid reps: a warmup, then reps or 8, 6, 4, 2, 1(sometimes) with 10lbs increase on each rep

rest is really as much as you need though it should not be long, lift the correct weight with perfect form, its not about the weight, its about using the best form with the best weight

now i just do some upper body with lighter weights and high reps, lots of running, i could care less about bulk

working an opposing muscle group is insane, nobody who seriously lifts does that, you do one type per day

day 1, chest and triceps (all pushing moves out) day 2, back and bicpts (all pulling) day 3, shoulder (pushing mostly up, tri again) day 4 off, repeat

you would never do say "arms" in a single day, biceps and triceps

 

[CCS]

My bench press strength has gone up 5 pounds every 4 days for the last 3 workouts. I'm now benching 155 pounds 8 reps, and weight 150 pounds, and I work the rest of my body too.

The 4 day cycle is pretty good. I do a 70% that much on the middle day, and don't go to failure; just 10 reps when I could do 15 or more. Then on the other days I lift 30%, only 10 reps. It's called active recovery, and is doing wonders for me.

A year ago I did this same workout, but did 6 sets to complete failure, and on the middle day I did a lighter weight but still to failure. I got no where in 2 months. Now I just do 3-5 sets, and only go to complete failure on 2 of them. Just shows that the total burn out is not always the best workout. And I'm not tired after my workouts, so I can do other stuff.

 

[Aplunk1]

CCS,
have you tried supplementing 2-3 grams of L-Arginine with your meals?

I noticed better workouts in 1-2 weeks.

 

[Felk]

CCS,
have you tried supplementing 2-3 grams of L-Arginine with your meals?

I noticed better workouts in 1-2 weeks.

I heard it just let you pump a bit longer before you get tired, but this effect went away pretty quickly after a while.

Either way, im interested in Arginine, especially with Bryan's explanation of how to use it for different purposes.

 

[CCS]

i benched 300lbs my senior year in high school, i can attest that if you are serious about lifting, 45 minutes is all you need, have a set schedule, keep at it, its not a long time demanding requirement, you see lots of guys who spend an hour or so at the gym, but never get any bigger,

Is genetics a big reason they don't get bigger, or is it the way the exercise or recover? I know a guy who works out 4 hours a day doing 12+ sets of every muscle group and then running and hitting a punching bag. The only time he gains 10 pounds is when he gets on creatine. He loses it again when he gets off the creatine. Been that way for the last 5 years.

 

[joseph49853]

Most people place sheer volume lifted over form or technique. It was only when exercising with proper form did I shatter personal bests, and get much bigger. By using proper technique you build a solid base from which to work. I will never sacrifice even an ounce of form or technique. Otherwise, why even bother?

Even something simple like squats most people do incorrectly. And it only takes an hour or two to teach proper form that lasts a lifetime.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... Cast&hair loss=en

 

[LookingGood!]

I use L-Glutamine after a work out to recover. I have less delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

Anyone try ZMA at night? It's suppose to enhance the body's natural GH.

 

[LookingGood!]

I read an article about his training for the movie Mohammed Ali. It said he worked out 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 16 months. Not sure how much of the 6 hours was intense stuff. It included boxing training, but I'm not sure if it included learning Ali's mannerisms. Anyway, it said he started out benching 175 (same amount I can bench -- weird since he was bigger than me before) and in 16 months was benching 365 pounds. It also said his training included running in the snow at high altitudes. I don't know that was a regular thing or an isolated event they are playing up. He put on 40 pounds of muscle.

I heard the reason college athletes are not allowed to be paid is because if they have other jobs and school obligations, they don't have as much time to work out. Once they are paid to just work out, they can get much stronger, which is why professional athletes are so good.

This goes against other advice I read on body building sites, which says that 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes is the optimal workout time. It says if you go much longer than that, your intensity is not high enough, or you won't be able to recover.


What do you guys think? Are longer workouts the best way to build muscle?

Maybe so but I would put much stock into what they report. I attended class with Tiger Wood's strength coach back in 2001 and when they reported in the papers that he could BP close to 350 I laughed. His trainer said he barely did 275 for 2 reps. (He uses mostly 65-80 lb dumbells.

 

[CCS]

Are weight lifters supposed to do as many reps as they can do in perfect form, or are they supposed to lift until failure? I heard that even if you shrug a bit to get a weight up, you are still building muscle. It is not correct to say you are able to lift that much weight, but still is good for exercise. Others say you have to do perfect form.

Also, I heard that high reps of light weights can cause over use injuries. Interesting since some people say heavy weights in the 4-5 rep range can cause injuries too. What are some good rules for push ups? If I do 3 sets of 70 pushups, will I get an overuse injury? Should I just put some weight on my back and only do 30 reps?

 

[CCS]

I found a sports medicine page that answered the overuse question. It said over use injuries occur gradually when your body is torn down faster than it builds up. They happen when people try to get stronger too fast. To avoid them, listen to your body, and don't increase intensity or duration by more than 10% per week. So as far a light weights go, don't just pick up some light weights and see if you can do a 1000 reps. You need some kind of baseline that you know your body can handle, and then you can build up 10% per week from there.

As for the weights, my father says he builds strength just fine with perfect form and not going to complete failure. He says he does not get stronger and risks injuries when he trys going to failure. I'm sure it is good to shrug a bit to get a weight up, as long as you are not totally clinching your teeth and tilting the bar trying to get it up, but are just shrugging here and there and keeping it even. Leave it up to sets 2-4 to get the last muscle fibers, and do some isolated exercises at the end to get the stronger muscle groups of the compound movement.

 

[LookingGood!]

Are weight lifters supposed to do as many reps as they can do in perfect form, or are they supposed to lift until failure? I heard that even if you shrug a bit to get a weight up, you are still building muscle. It is not correct to say you are able to lift that much weight, but still is good for exercise. Others say you have to do perfect form.

Also, I heard that high reps of light weights can cause over use injuries. Interesting since some people say heavy weights in the 4-5 rep range can cause injuries too. What are some good rules for push ups? If I do 3 sets of 70 pushups, will I get an overuse injury? Should I just put some weight on my back and only do 30 reps?

The first part is yes you are partially correct. You can cheat alittle in your form b/c there is alot of carryover into the muscle. Failure on the last set. When you develop bad habits and increase the weight too quickly that is when you are regressing and possibly doing harm to the musculotendinous junction.
The second paragraph...sometimes. The most important advise I can give you is that variation of training is the best way to challenge the muscle. Also Listen to your body also. You can cause injury in the low power range of less than 5 reps and in the muscle building range of 8-12 and cretainly at the high rep range but you dont need to do 3 sets of 70 reps. 3 sets of 25 will give you the same result. If anything you may build muscle endurance with high reps and a more aesthetic look (ripped) but only for a short time b/c you will fatigue your tends quickly with continued use.


Hope that helps.

LG
PT, CSCS, CEAS, C.PEd, ACSM (certified)

 

[LookingGood!]

I found a sports medicine page that answered the overuse question. It said over use injuries occur gradually when your body is torn down faster than it builds up. They happen when people try to get stronger too fast. To avoid them, listen to your body, and don't increase intensity or duration by more than 10% per week. So as far a light weights go, don't just pick up some light weights and see if you can do a 1000 reps. You need some kind of baseline that you know your body can handle, and then you can build up 10% per week from there.

This happens frequestly with steriod use. I had a case a few months ago with a torn pectoral from steroid use. Last week I had a bicep ruptured case come in.....all young guys under 25 from steroid use.

 

[LookingGood!]

Most people place sheer volume lifted over form or technique. It was only when exercising with proper form did I shatter personal bests, and get much bigger. By using proper technique you build a solid base from which to work. I will never sacrifice even an ounce of form or technique. Otherwise, why even bother?

Even something simple like squats most people do incorrectly. And it only takes an hour or two to teach proper form that lasts a lifetime.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... Cast&hair loss=en

Yeah those people keep me in business!!!!