I was looking some weights training advice from who ever is willing to take a minute

[Julian]

I'm walking around atm at 170 but cut down I'd be a 145lb fighter

I'll probably be starting deadlifts again, and some olympic stuff but my main focus is arm strength and I need to get my bench up to aleast my body weight

to date since I started training again I've been doin the 100 pressup challenge, 20 Pull up challenge for strength and alot of cardio

but my main aim is to put on alot more strength and explosive power using weights but I need to keep my weight down so I could easily cut to 145

Im planning on using deadlifts, bench, clean and jerk, snatch, up right rows

does any of you know strength standards with these weights? I know if you can bench your own body weight that its fine so I'd like to get there but I dont know with the rest but it'd be good to have a target to aim for

Thanks

[Chris Fong]

I think your on the right track. For strength and explosiveness, focus on the big compound lifts. Squats, Deadlifts, and the Olympic Lifts should be your main lifts.

For the Olympic Lifts, make sure you are doing them correctly. Too many people in the gyms think the clean is an explosive reverse forearm curl.

Is your rack parallel to the ground w/ elbows up? Are you using a hook grip? Do you understand the difference between the first pull and the second pull?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, you're doing it wrong. Here's the video I used to learn how to powerclean:

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XODk4NTUwOTI=.html

As for the Bench Press, I used to struggle to make progress until I found a video series that helped me clean up my form. Using this bench press form, I've added 35 pounds to my bench press in the last 4 months. Here's the first video in the series:



Lastly, for squatting, it doesn't count unless you go below parallel. Here's the video that I used to learn how to low bar squat. I went from 3 x 5 with 95lbs to 3 x 5 with 225lbs in 6 months using this technique:

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XODk4NTE2NzY=.html

[rock d]

too bad that guy in the video is wearing a black shirt, it's hard to actually see anything. Mark Rippetoe though is pretty bad ass. I recommend his easy to understand book Starting Strength. for basic barbell training.

[Travis Reichert]

What's your bodyfat %? That is a big cut or are you trying to lose weight to get closer to 145? You will definately lose strength when you lose that amount of weight or cut that amount of weight (whatever one it is you are doing). Olympic lifts will get your stronger along with lots of bodyweight exercises (tons of reps) pull-ups are best in my opinion. Bench press is overrated squats are essential they release stored testosterone from your legs therefore your entire body benefits.

[Xsimon]

I've been out of the gym for roughly 5-6 months now because school is killing(get in there maybe 1 time every 10 days to try and prevent as much atrophy as possible until my schedule opens up more.. hasn't worked -.-) but

Don't forget squats(and like fong said quarter squats don't count for shit) :P When you can squat 2xbw deadlift 2xbw bench 1-1.5xbw you'll know you're on the right track so those are good initial goals.. bench doesn't cross over as well to grappling as other upper body exercises but I still bench(because I like it.. and its always been my weakest lift proportionally) you may later decide to cut it(which most will say is the smarter decision). If you're just starting then like rock d said starting strength is a good way to go progress is slower but you will consistently gain for quite a while.. then you can move on to something like 5/3/1, conjugate method, maybe defrancos stuff(whatever floats your boat) etc.. and customize as you see fit. I personally use sheiko.. but wait until later in your training life cycle because if you have beginner gains to be burning through.. then the simplest "program" is the best.

If you've never done any of the Olympic lifts or are unsure of your form find a coach or someone at your gym that knows what they're doing or you're going to blow out your shoulder and or back. I'm not aware of any "standards" as far as those go... but the higher the better :P.. http://danjohn.net/2009/12/the-big-21-program/ I do a cycle every couple months when I'm working out. Its brutal though so you've been warned. If you're new then wait a good long while like above then move to something like this.

Also I second what Travis said... unless you're a beginner then you are most likely going to lose strength while trying to bring your weight down. If you're a beginner then its likely you'll still gain strength.. Best bet when trying to lose weight is to move to more hypertrophy stuff so you don't take a mental hit watching your strength levels drop.

I should also mention that in greco circles its popular to lift your body weight for reps more so then maximal strength so maybe thats something for you to consider.. ie instead of trying to bench 250... bench 170 for 23 reps etc.. not a practice I abide by but its there.. and makes sense.

Oh and I wouldn't do up right rows unless you want to destroy your shoulders.. jumping off a 5 story building might be the best thing for hamstring activation but you wouldn't do it would you?

Thats all that pops into my head atm hope at least something in there is useful.. seems like more fluff than anything.

[Julian]

Brilliant information guys I really appreciate you all taking the time, its exactly what I was looking for!

@fongholio I'll have a good look at those vids tonight cheers and I did olympic lifts about a year and a half ago, I had a good instructional video and studied books on it so I'm good with the safety side of things, my techniques good I was mad about it for about for 3 or 4 months but I never go any heavier than my body weight anyway

@Rock d I'll check that book thanks

@Travis I'm not 100% sure what my body fat is, I really let myself go around christmas lol but I'd be round 10/15% prob closer to 15%, when I cut before as in worked out and dieted I hit 162Lbs and I could have lost more fat, if I worked my diet and didnt drink and eat so much shit I'd probably be walking around at 155 maybe a bit less so a cut to 145 would be easy enough

@Pourya (squat 2xbw deadlift 2xbw bench 1-1.5xbw) <<< Thats exactly the type of stuff I was after for targets, and def gona include the greco stuff! its what I've been looking for brilliant!!!! never heard that upright rows wrecked your shoulders! holy shit why? I used to do them flat out

a good video I seen was the body weight challenge with Frankie Edgar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8BwaZKx0ZA