Larry “Wheels” Williams is not any stranger to the energy sports activities sphere. A bodybuilder, powerlifter, strongman, and fashionable YouTuber (roughly 2.25 million subscribers), Wheels is likely one of the extra recognizable names in a group of elite athletes. On April 3, 2022, Wheels made waves along with his energy when he achieved a one-rep, 661-pound paused bench press in coaching.
Per Open Powerlifting, Wheels’ mark eclipses his best-ever conventional bench press in a powerlifting competitors by 16 kilos. He’s additionally pressed 675 kilos, uncooked, in coaching. And this raise was additionally uncooked, whereas Wheels wore elbow and wrist wraps for his paused bench press. Given the bench press variation that some would possibly think about more difficult, it’s a formidable energy displaying.
Take a look at Wheels’ staggering raise beneath, courtesy of his Instagram page:
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Advantages of the Paused Bench Press
The first distinction between the paused bench press and the standard variation is time.
A powerlifter will take a brief pause throughout a paused bench after reducing a loaded barbell to their chest. It’s only after the break that they raise the burden again up. In distinction to the usual bench press, which is touch-and-go — the lifter doesn’t pause the rep on the backside.
One cause powerlifters elect to typically prepare with a paused bench is to strengthen the underside part of their normal bench press. And aggressive powerlifters are required to implement a pause. Throughout a sanctioned occasion, the lifter has the twin expectation of performing the total vary of movement of the bench press, and ensuring the barbell is completely immobile in a brief pause on the backside earlier than locking out the rep. Something much less, and an officiant could not acknowledge the rep.
The paused bench press can act as a useful simulation of a meet’s stipulations.
So far as energy challenges, the paused bench press can create energy progress by eliminating one essential element.
In a touch-and-go bench press, a powerlifter has the advantage of having their energy and the pure stretch reflex — the momentum they generate whereas reducing their barbell helps with the raise. By pausing on the backside, the powerlifter takes the stretch reflex out of the equation, and depends completely on their energy to complete the rep.
If a powerlifter can make the most of the paused bench press nicely, it’ll possible be to their profit. Analysis reveals that whereas the pause will increase the prospect for failure, it additionally will increase potential energy positive aspects and endurance over time — particularly with improved quantity. (1)
By coaching with a paused bench press, somebody like Wheels may put together for a contest and improve his quantity concurrently.
Versatile Energy
It’s been over two years since Wheels final competed in a proper powerlifting occasion. This newest paused bench press appears to reiterate that he doesn’t want meets to showcase his energy. A comparatively latest 430.1-kilogram squat (950 kilos) carried out with chains, and an 11-rep set of a 337.9-kilogram deadlift (745 kilos) present Wheels has unimaginable, adaptable energy — no matter whether or not he reveals it in a contest.
References:
- Korak, J.A., Paquette, M.R., Brooks, J., Fuller, D.Ok., Coons, J.M. (2017). Impact of rest-pause vs. conventional bench press coaching on muscle energy, electromyography, and lifting quantity in randomized trial protocols. European Journal of Utilized Physiology; 2017 Jun; 117, p. 1891–1896
Featured picture: @larrywheels on Instagram
