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

[Guest guest]

Rob,

I am not sure how wide it is. You can email Jeff Aguirre (Jeffaguirre3aol.com).

He can tell you, since he make it.

Kenny Croxdale

Orange, CA

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Joe DeMarco, Original West Side Barbell--Bench Width

For Bench Press

To: Supertraining

Date: Friday, August 1, 2008, 9:37 AM

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.

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