3019: Lessons Learned From a Bench Press Beast by Ross Enamait of RossTraining on Building Strength

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[00:00:58] This is Optimal Health Daily. Lessons Learned from a Bench Press Beast by Ross Ennemite of RossTraining.com. And I'm Dr. Neil Malek, reading you some of the most popular health and fitness blogs out there. Alright, let's get to today's post as we optimize your life. Lessons Learned from a Bench Press Beast by Ross Ennemite of RossTraining.com.

[00:01:27] Between grade school, college, and grad school, I've spent a considerable amount of time in a classroom. In the years since, I've continued to read everything I can get my hands on. I genuinely enjoy learning. There is more to learning than reading a book, however. In my 20 plus years of training, I have learned more in the gym than anywhere else. Plenty of knowledge can be acquired under the bar, inside the ring, or wherever else your training takes you.

[00:01:54] Thus, while some may frown upon bro science, I enjoy listening to seasoned athletes or trainers when they share their experience. The Bench Press Beast that you're going to hear about is a prime example. Bench Press Beast There's a video out there of a 154-pound recreational lifter who bench presses over 400 pounds. If there was an example of strength without size, this man certainly fits the bill.

[00:02:20] Videos like these typically travel around the web and leave nothing but a long list of ignorant comments behind. If you've ever spent any time on YouTube, you can surely relate. It usually doesn't take many comments to begin losing hope in the human race. Fortunately, some of the ignorance posted to this video has been offset by the wisdom shared by the actual lifter. He's left a few gold nuggets within the 800-plus comments that exist at this time. I will highlight some of the wisdom he has shared. Point number one.

[00:02:51] Patience and consistency You've likely heard me ramble about the importance of patience and consistency. As I've stressed before, significant results require a significant investment in time. There are no shortcuts. It's nice to see that this Bench Press Beast shares similar beliefs. Contrary to what some might have initially thought, he was not an above-average lifter when he started. In his words, quote,

[00:03:16] First time I ever laid on a bench, I got a very wobbly 85 pounds at 120 body weight or so. Couple of years later, I weighed about 125 to 130 and got 120 pounds from what I remember. So I was average starting out. End quote. He continues by mentioning that he has been lifting consistently for 17 years. He is not a product of drugs, but rather hard work over many years. Quote,

[00:03:45] If there's one thing I can credit to where I'm at today, it's my consistency over 17 years. If you can find a way to train over a long period of time, you will see the same strength gains if that is your focus. End quote. Tip number two. Life outside the gym. Another misconception that's common when witnessing an impressive display is that the individual must dedicate every waking hour to the task. It's nice to see this individual prove otherwise.

[00:04:13] He isn't in the gym 24 hours a day. Using his words, quote, Unfortunately, I don't have any crazy gym secrets to share. I'm in and out of there in 60 to 70 minutes, three days a week. I go right after work and hurry home to have dinner with my kids and wife. End quote. The take-home lesson here should be straightforward. In short, it is possible to develop considerable strength while living a normal life outside of the gym. This man works full-time to provide for his family,

[00:04:42] yet still makes time to train. Tip number three. Programming. Anyone who benches so much weight must follow a complex program, right? Wrong. Once again, this man demonstrates the potential of a simple, yet consistent lifting strategy. Quote, A lot of people ask what program I use. Up until about a year ago, I did not know there were workout programs to help you gain strength. For someone with a decent bench, I've got to be the most ignorant person out there. End quote.

[00:05:13] Tip number four. Strength without size. Many weight class athletes, like wrestlers, wish to gain strength without size. These athletes want to maximize their strength without gaining weight. Even an extra pound can force them to compete in a heavier weight class. Fortunately, this bench press master offers two valuable gems to such athletes. First, he obviously demonstrates the strength potential of a smaller athlete. Most athletes have plenty of room to improve at a given weight.

[00:05:43] Second, he also shares his preferred rep range for strength. He states the following. Quote, In a nutshell, he summarizes the ideal approach for strength development with minimal weight gain. Think heavy weights, low reps, and minimal volume.

[00:06:11] Follow such an approach while paying close attention to your food and drink intake, and you'll maximize your strength potential at a given weight class. And tip number five. Mindset. Lastly, this season, Lifter shares what could be the most important tip of all. He highlights the significance of the mind when lifting. In his words, Quote, The only thing that goes through my mind is lifting the weight. That confidence plays such an instrumental part in actually being able to lift the weight.

[00:06:41] End quote. So many lifters defeat themselves before they've even gripped the bar. When dealing with near maximal loads, there is no room for doubt. As soon as you believe that you can't, you'll almost always be right. You need to attack the bar with the mentality that you are in control. Never worry about what anyone else thinks you can do. Many of the best athletes in the world don't pay attention to opinions or realistic expectations. As Will Smith once said,

[00:07:08] Being realistic is the most common path to mediocrity. He may just be an actor, but I couldn't think of a better quote for high-level athletes. See it, believe it, and achieve it. Summary. It would be easy for you to just watch the video and marvel at his impressiveness, but it is much more useful to listen to what this man has to say. It's easy to watch, but it takes a conscious effort to listen, learn, and apply. Never pass up on the opportunity to learn from someone

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[00:09:34] so-and-so is taller than me, so they should be able to lift more weight. Or, so-and-so is shorter, so they don't have to travel as much of a distance when they lift the weight. The bottom line is always this, with consistency and effort, you will be able to lift more than you ever thought you could. And this is a perfect example of that. So, no excuses about being shorter or taller. Just do the work. And it goes without saying that, when you're lifting heavy, I don't recommend this for beginners.

[00:10:02] I always recommend this for folks that have been doing this for a while. Be sure that you're paying attention to your form. Make sure your form is perfect so that you don't get injured. Trust me, I've been there where I let my form slip a little bit, and I was out for two weeks because I did something to my back, or did something to my shoulder or elbow. And I would definitely have a spotter there. As Ross mentioned, yes, your mindset is super important, but sometimes our muscles don't quite cooperate. And so we may think that we can lift a weight,

[00:10:31] but all of a sudden we realize we can't. And we don't want that weight, especially if you're doing something like bench pressing, to fall flat on your chest. So if you can, find a spotter, ask one of the trainers at the gym to be sure to watch you so that this doesn't happen. But yeah, if you want to gain strength, you've just got to lift heavy and be consistent with it. All right, that'll do it from me for today. I'll be back tomorrow with our usual Friday Q&A. I thank you in advance for sending me your questions.

[00:11:00] So stay tuned for that, where your optimal life awaits.