Max bench
Okay. First, let me tell you that I’ve NEVER maxed out before on the bench press. Actually, I’ve never maxed on anything before. That said, I was relieved to have Kris around, for at least two reasons. One: He’s more experienced when it comes to things like this, and was able to give me sound advice on how to proceed. Two: spotting needed. 
After this workout though, something happened that I really wasn’t expecting. I was unable to sleep. That has never happened to me after a workout, but I guess this one was so different it kept me from getting any sleep (fried my CNS?). So, the next day I had to get on with having had only a two-hour nap (can’t call that a night’s sleep). I was dead-tired. Lucky for me it was my day off from work, but still… I had planned on doing all kinds of things, but none of it worked out.
Oh well. At least I now know how much I can lift, which by known standards is not that much.
(kgs /lbs x reps)
———
Here’s the workout:
Bench Press:
40 kgs / 88 lbs x 10
50 kgs / 110 lbs x 9
60 kgs /132 lbs x 3
70 kgs /154 lbs x 3
80 kgs / 176 lbs x 1
90 kgs / 198 lbs x 1
100 kgs / 220 lbs x 1
110 kgs / 242 lbs x 1
120 kgs / 264 lbs x F
115 kgs / 253 lbs x 1
120 kgs / 264 lbs x F
117,5 kgs / 258,5 lbs x F
In retrospect, I should have done this: gone from 110 kgs to 115, then to 117,5 and then 120. Maybe it would have worked, but at this point I had to concede that I could lift only 115 kgs.
I think, had I done what my 20/20 hindsight told me, I might have a max of 117,5 or 120.
Oh greed… My motto “When in doubt, choose the higher number” didn’t pan out this time. 
Here’s the clip, courtesy of Kris:
clip (2.9MB)
January 22nd, 2006 at 6:29 pm
i think youve put up a respectable amount mans - its not easy to go from moderate reps to heavy singles, especially never having maxed before.
youd get more out of your lift if you did the usual:
*feet on the floor
*arched slightly
*brought the bar lower on your chest
nice job.
January 22nd, 2006 at 7:27 pm
I agree fully. Let’s not forget that Måns is a bodybuilder more than a powerlifter. For as long as I have known him, he has benched with feet up and a flat back. He usually stops the bar a bit above the chest and drives it back up, but in order to do a proper max he arched a bit to get the chest up to touch. If he would do a bit heavier benching / max effort work, got some more explositivity off his chest and tweaked his style (definitively feet off that bench) he would have 130 kg raw in no time. He does have a maximum wide grip already though. Let’s see if he gets frustrated enough with his 115 kg bench to do something drastic about it…
Hats off though, doing 115 in that style is not shabby. I’d fall off the bench with the bar stuck to my throat.
January 23rd, 2006 at 1:38 pm
Not bad at all. I’m curious about the difficulty sleeping - it sounds like it’s just because your body’s not used to maxing out. No doubt you’ll be unusally sore in the morning
When’s the next max scheduled to take place?
January 23rd, 2006 at 6:37 pm
Actually, Scott, there was no soreness whatsoever. None at all. Weird, huh?
John, I tried benching with my feet on the ground way back when, and all I got was discomfort in my lower back (read: pain), not in the muscles so much as it felt like it was somehow twisting my spine. So that’s basically why I keep my feet up. Then again, maybe things have changed and I should try it again…
About being a bodybuilder… Well. I think I’d fall more into the category of “person training bodybuilding style”. But, and note nice tie-in with blog-title, what sets my style apart is the focus on size through strength. Strength gains are more important to me in the long run. With how things have turned out, I’ve grown some good muscle in the process, so I’m not complaining…