Re: Joe DeMarco, Original West Side Barbell--Bench Width For Bench Press

August 1, 2008

The width of benches even in training is annoying at times. At times even I

wish for a " wider " bench for my shoulders to brace, and I'm not that " big " at

5'9 " and 225 lbs. Smaller lifters have the advantage overall on this from the

competition benches I've seen, their one limiter being leg length/use of the

plates beneath the feet due to bench heights. But I would overall hesitate to

use a bench that had an adjustable bench height due to the obvious potential for

a slip of the bench during the move, much more a dangerous thing than someone

using foot stabilizing plates underfoot!

There can also be an issue with a too wide bench, smaller athletes may find foot

positioning a challenge as the wider bench would possibly force them out beyond

desireable leg positioning and arguably such a bench would be a bit longer to

accommodate taller lifters, making it a challenge to hand off and spot the

smaller weight classes.

One event where I was the handoff person for bench had me handing 250 lbs off to

a 123 lb male so far down the bench I had to actually support and " float " it to

him, as he also was holding an arch. Due to the length of the bench, he had to

use the end of it in order to achieve proper foot positioning on either side of

the table and then use 2 foot plates. With a less experienced hand off or

athlete, you might get some problems there in a max lift or even just getting

sufficient positioning for the athlete competing, not to mention prevent injury

to athlete or spotter. (he was also well beyond where the newer spotting arm

attachments would have hit by the way).

Where I now compete, we offer a special set up for the Special Olympians who

come to us from wheel chairs for the bench press. It is far wider than the

competition bench, straps firmly to it, and has straps for bracing the lower

body of the athlete. So far that's the only accommodation on bench width I've

seen, no meet I've been to yet has swapped out the bench for a wider bench to

accommodate shw guys in particular...it's usually considered part of the

" everybody gets the same equipment " standard.

I did once get a good bench failed due to the narrow bench and what looked like

an uneven lockout. My handler realized after the fact I was fully extended,

just " tilted " to 1 side during the lift due to the narrow bench.

The more we try to accommodate the superheavy guys on bench size, the more we

will fail to accommodate the majority of powerlifters and fitness lifters, who

are not struggling generally with bench sizing. I consider the bench width

issue like other things one has to live with, like long arms for the tall and

other things you must learn to deal with as an athlete.

The Phantom

aka Schaefer, CMT, CSCS, competing powerlifter

Denver, Colorado, USA

-------------- Original message --------------

From: KennyCrox@...

Joe DeMarco is one of the original West Side Barbell Club members.DeMarco along

with Bill " Peanuts " West and Frenn were the pioneers of the box squat.

I visited with DeMarco at a club where he trains in San Pedro, CA. DeMarco had

some interesting thoughts on the width of the bench press, as well as other

training methods.

DeMarco makes an interesting case for increasing the width on the bench press.

As per DeMarco, doing so would provide more support for the shoulders as well as

increasing the bench press records.

DeMarco also stated that a heavyweight such as Kennelly bench pressing on

the current bench is equivalent to a lighter lifter benching on a 2 X 4 board.

While a bit of an exaggeration, it makes a point.

DeMarco said the original West Side Barbell Club often trained on a wider bench.

Jeff Aguirre, one of the lifters DeMarco trains, make just such device. It a

wide padded board that is placed on regular bench press for training.

This method is very similar to the floor bench press method advoated by .

However,greater poundage can be utilized with DeMarco's method because one is

able to generate more leg drive.

In visiting with DeMarco, I also got a class in box squatting. The original West

Side Box Squat is a bit different from 's version.

The original West Side Box Squat involves sitting and then rocking back on the

box. One then, rocks forward. As one rocks forward, one liff their heels in the

air. Then the lifter drives their heals into the floor as they begins to ascend.

Driving one's heals into the floor really generates some force in coming off the

box.

DeMarco had some other innovative and thought pondering movements.

Kenny Croxdale

Orange, CA

August 1, 2008