compliment to the bigger exercises; but make sure that once
you’ve done all you feel you can on the primary work, fill in the
gaps with smaller exercises that give more focused attention to
muscles that may be lagging.
Female lifters can generally
do much more volume at
relatively heavier weights than
male lifters. It wouldn’t be
uncommon for a female lifter
to be able to perform 90%x5
reps in the bench press or
multiple sets of 85%x5, while
a male lifter may set a five
rep max at 85%. Because of
this, females need to push the
amount of work they’re doing
during a strength phase, both
the volume will be higher as
well as the relative intensity.
Since most females will only
need a very short peaking block
for the bench press; spending
30-50% of your training energy
in Strength Training is a good
strategy.
If you’re preparing for a
Powerlifting meet or just
looking to test your strength and
33
TRAINING THE BENCH
push your biggest weights, Peaking Training is the next phase
you’ll go through. Peaking Training is the heaviest and most
specific aspect of training for max strength. During Peaking
you’ll train in these ranges:
92.5%+ of your 1rm
1-3 reps per set
6-10 sets per week
Bench 2-3x per week in the above volume/intensity ranges
would be good for most during peaking, along with the potential
addition of a day that resembles a lighter Strength Training day
to ensure that weekly volume stays high and you retain muscle
through peaking into the meet.
One great piece of advice I can give to any female lifters looking
to improve their bench press is to invest in a set of fractional
plates. If the smallest weights you have are 2.5 pounds or
1.25kg, you’ll be extremely limiting yourself in the increments
of improvement you can make. Being able to make incremental
jumps in weight will help bench press strength improve while
keeping frustration at bay.
If you are a woman looking for a better bench, put your attention
towards building muscle, along with mastering your technique.
Know that progress may be slow but with your diligence and
perseverance, improvements will come.
34
FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE
TRAINING
THE DEADLIFT
EQUIPMENT
BELT:
Just like in the squat, a good belt
is a worthwhile investment. I wear the
same belt for the deadlift as I do for the
squat.
SHOES:
Thin soled, flat shoes are
optimal for the deadlift. I wear
wrestling shoes since they grip the floor
really well and provide a bit of ankle
support as well.
SOCKS:
Knee high socks are mandatory
for competition but I usually wear them
during training to help protect my shins,
plus they look cute.
TECHNIQUE
1.
Your deadlift stance should be the same
width that you would do a vertical jump from,
right under your hips with your toes straight
ahead or slightly turned out. The bar should
be aligned over your midfoot, where the knot
in your shoelaces is, is a good rule of thumb.
