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Mike Bridges Bench Press Workout

Mike Bridges has won the world powerlifting championships 7 times and has broken 54 records for his lifts. His bench-press at the Master’s IPF World Bench Press competition set a World Record of 512 lbs. Since then Mike has gone onto lift 527 lbs in bench-press.

Mike is one of those rare genetically gifted athletes that can compete anytime they want and still out-perform any normal person. Mike knew his gift well when he broke his first International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) world record at the age of only 16 with a 367 lb. bench-press which he did competing in the 148 lb. division.

A year later Mike won his very first National title when he broke his previous world record in bench press. Mike continued to win many different national and world competitions before he decided to quit in 1984. 20 years later Mike decided to return to powerlifting and attended his first meet at the Master Nationals held in Baton Rouge and Mike won the meet breaking several IPF World Records.

When Mike was asked about his training that he did when he decided to make a return to powerlifting when he was 50 years old. He said that he only trains three times a week because he does not take steroids and needs the recuperation in order to get stronger.

His workout that he does for bench-press includes squats and deadlifts which he says are vitally important if you want to keep up your core strength in order to lift any heavy weight. Without the core strength developed by squats and deadlifting his bench-press would never be able to break world records.

Here is the three day split routine that he uses:

Monday: squat, bench-press with max weight
Squat 8,5,5,3,2,1,1,1 max
Partial squat 1x1
Bench-press 8,5,5,3,2,1,1,1 max

Wednesday: Squat, bench-press light with max weight for deadlift
Squat 8,5,5,3,1,1 about 50-60% of max
Deadlift 8,5,3,3,2,1,1,1max
Pull-downs 4x8-10
Rows 4x8-10
Bench-press 8,5,5,3,1,1 ^

Friday: Squat, bench-press moderate weights
Squat 8,5,,5,3,2,1,1,1 80% of max
Bench-press same
Close-grip Bench-press 4x8-10
Pushdowns 4x8-10

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