This is a sample Tuesday morning upper-body lifting workout from Athletes' Performance Institute's Combine training program that helped offensive lineman Jake Long — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 Draft — perform 37 reps with 225 pounds on the bench press at February's NFL Combine. Lifting sessions are followed by a one-hour "movement" workout, which entails Combine-specific agility drills, speed work and/or position-specific practice. Tuesday morning is typically a heavy training session.
Exercise Sets Reps Warm-Up (light weight, no rest between sets) Dumbbell Upright Row 1 6 Dumbbell Snatch 1 6 Dumbbell Squat + Press 1 6 Dumbbell Row 1 6 Dumbbell Curl to Press 1 6 Lateral Raise 1 6 Working Sets (roughly one minute of rest between sets) Isometric Push-Up¹ 2 10 seconds Bench Press 2 3, 6—10² — superset with — One-Arm Dumbbell Row 2 8 Isometric Push-Up¹ 2 10 seconds Power Rack Bench Press 4 1 from pins (no eccentric load)³ — superset with — Neutral-Grip Pull-Up 04 4 or Lat PulldownPerformed on a Power Plate, an apparatus with a vibrating surface, as a means of stimulating the nervous system in preparation for the upcoming sets of bench presses. (Other tools can be used to mimic a Power Plate, such as a BOSU or other unstable surface.) The midpoint and top positions of a push-up are each held for 10 seconds, with 10 seconds of rest between each hold. Do two sets of each.
² Each of the two sets consists of a "cluster" as follows: three reps, then 6—10 singles (one rep) with 12—17 seconds of rest after the first three reps and between all singles. Very heavy weight is used (about a five-rep max). If on the first set of clusters all 10 singles are achieved, increase weight for second set.
³ Each rep begins with the bar resting on pins about 1 inch above the chest. This removes the eccentric portion of the rep, which eliminates elastic recoil. Very heavy weight is used.
SNAPSHOT — JAKE LONG
Position: Offensive tackle
College: Michigan
Height: 6'7"
Weight: before Combine training, 320 pounds; after, 315 pounds
Bodyfat: before Combine training, 16.7%; after, 12.6%
Bench press reps with 225 pounds: before Combine training, 31; after, 37
Drafted: 1st round, 1st pick overall, Miami Dolphins
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