Interview Of Kenn Patterson, World Record Holder Of The Bench Press!!!

by: Igor N. Jolevich

from left to right: Shawn McDonald & Kenny Patterson

Igor: Mr. Patterson, can you give us some general information about yourself so that readers around the world can get a chance to know you better?

Kenn: I'm 26 years old.  I'm from Columbus, Ohio USA. I have been a
powerlifter for 12 years now.  I'm married and have a stepdaughter.  I work
as a warehouse manager for a large pet food company.

Igor: Can you tell us in what weight classes do you hold the World record in the bench press and their exact amount?

Kenn: I'm  the current world record holder in the bench press in both
the 242's and the 275's.  My record in the 275's is 728.5 lbs (331 kg!) set in November
of 1995, and my record in the 242's in 690 lbs (313.6 kg!) set in August of 1999.  I also
hold the junior world record in both weight classes, 728.5 in the 275's (I
was 22 when I did that ), and 600.75 in the 242's which I set in November of
1994.

Igor: Do you enter full meets?

Kenn: I do enter full meets, however, right now I am focusing my
attention on the bench press.  I'm trying to put the records as high as I
possibly can.  My best total in a full meet is 2039.  I have squatted 804,
benched 705, and deadlifted 585 in a three lift meet.  Not all in the same
meet though.

Igor: Since when are you the member of the Westside Barbell Club and how did you get to know Louie Simmons?

Kenn: I have been a member of Westside Barbell since I became a
powelifter which was in the spring of 1987.  That's when I met Louie and
started on my career as a powerlifter.  Lou has been not only a great
inspiration and a great trainer but a great friend as well.  He is the nicest
and most generous person I know.  I am privileged to have got to train at
such an elite club as Westside Barbell.

Igor: What mini-cycles do you currently use for the bench-press now?

Kenn: The mini-cycles I use for the bench are kind of made up as I
go.  I always use our speed workout on sundays which is done by a percentage
of your best meet lift.  On wednesdays I incorporate a lot of our special
exercises.  I usually do this for the last six weeks prior to a meet: 2 weeks
of board presses up to a heavy single, then 2 weeks of floor presses up to a
heavy single, then 2 weeks of band presses where the bands are hanging from
the top of a power rack to help support some of the weight.  I emphasize a
lot of triceps work during this period.  The last week before the meet I do
rack lockouts on the top pin (which about a 3 inch lockout) up to what I want
to bench in the meet.

Igor: What triceps exercises do you use and recommend?

Kenn: I recommend doing a lot of dumbbell tricep extensions and J.M.
presses both heavy but not on the same day.  The dumbbell extension should be
done for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps depending on how heavy you are going.  I have
used 120lbs for this exercise.  The JM's should be done for a heavy set of
3-5 working up after your speed sets or special exercise on your max effort
day.  I like to follow up the heavy triceps work with something like a regular
triceps pushdown or something of that nature.

Igor: How do often do you train lats and with what exercises?

Kenn: Just recently Lou has made me realize how important lat work is
and since I have started doing it more I have been breaking records all the
time.  I usually train my lats 2-3 times a week using a variety of exercises
ranging from pull downs with various bars, to one armed rows, supported rows,
etc.  Always trying to raise the volume of what I am doing.

Igor: Do you also use the ‘isolation’ approach when training deltoids (laterals, front raises), or do you think that it’s necessary to incorporate basic delt movements like over-head presses?

Kenn: I don't do a lot of delt work, however, the delt work I do is
heavy.  I like to do heavy overhead presses in the power rack just like a
rack lockout for the bench.  Setting the safety pins up to where the lockout
is anywhere from 3-6 inches above the head.  I do these for max singles.  I
also do some side lateral work and a lot of rear delt work.

Igor: Can you comment the importance of speed or acceleration in the powerlifting?

Kenn: I believe that the key to strength is speed.  I can't emphasize
enough that the speed day has to be just that "speed".  If you are doing your
speed sets and the bar is slow you should definitely decrease the weight to
increase the speed.  You should be able to do your three reps (1 set) in the
time it takes to do one max effort bench.  This is also true for the squat
except that doubles are used in the squat and not triples.

Igor: During all these years in lifting did you suffer from any injuries and what were they?

Kenn: I have suffered only one injury that I would say was serious.
I had a minor pec tear a few years ago.  I feel that the reason for my
longevity is the training that is incorporated at Westside Barbell.  We
aren't handling 90+ percent all the time like a lot of lifters.  I am very
fortunate to have not have a serious injury.

Igor: What kind of bench shirt do you currently use?

Kenn: I currently use an Inzer triple denim, which is 2 layers of
denim with a layer of poly between them.  It has taken me and Inzer 3 years
to design a custom pattern to fit me but now that we have it I see big
numbers in the future.

Igor: How often do recommend testing the max in the bench press and how many different max effort exercises are enough through-out the cycle?

Kenn: I don't recommend testing the max effort in the bench in the
gym if you have the opportunity to go to a meet.  If you have to do it in the
gym I would say no more frequent than 8 weeks.  I think you should use  as
many different special exercises in a mini cycle as you can, you will always
develop your favorites and end up going back to them closest to  a meet.  The
more variety you have the more exciting the training is.  It's hard to get
burned out when you have multiples things to choose from.

Igor: What is your approach concerning the actual volume of training?

Kenn: The volume of training is something that you will find has to
constantly be pushed  up.  What it takes to bench 500 isn't going to get you
to 600.  You always have to try to increase your work capacity which should
increase your strength, which should allow you to increase your volumes
because you will be stronger.

Igor: If a lifter is not progressing – which approach would you advise to try first: increase or decrease of volume?

Kenn: If a lifter is not progressing you first need to find out why.
This is probably one of the hardest things to do.  It helps to have great
training partners like we have at Westside.  Once you identify your weak
areas you need to attack them, or if you find an area you think could be
overtrained you then back that area off a bit.  The only way to find out if
any of your troubleshooting worked is to get into another meet.  It takes
years to be able to identity where these areas are unless you have people
around you that aren't afraid to criticize you.

Igor: Exercises like wide-grips, floor presses, board presses, inclines, dumbbell presses are a part of the WBC methodology. I know that rack lockouts aren’t currently used. Aren’t they beneficial?

Kenn: Actually the lockouts are used, just not as much as they used
to be.  I feel they are a very beneficial exercise especially for people that
are novice lifters because they allow you to handle heavier weights than you
normally could and puts a tremendous about of emphasis on the triceps.

Igor: Do high rep dumbbell presses have an effect on a 1 RM and what is their purpose?

Kenn: I feel that dumbbell work is something that makes you much
stronger but I don't recommend putting a lot of emphasis on it.  I would use
dumbbell work as something in a mini cycle just like a board press.  I suggest
doing a 3 set max.  Use a certain dumbbell for 3 sets for a many reps as
possible each set.  This is another record that you can always come back to
and break.

Igor: I would also like to use this rare opportunity and ask you a question that interests me personally: I have been using steep inclines w/chains and after that 2 week mini-cycle my strength has decreased in the next mini-cycle exercise – floor press. Could the reason be that the inclines activate the pecs to a lesser degree than other above mentioned exercises?

Kenn: That could be it.  It could also be that the muscles that you
use in the floor press have been somewhat neglected in the steep incline mini
cycle.  Don't worry much about this especially if you have just came back to
them after a long lay off from them.

Igor: What amount of progression in the bench press (per year)  do you accept as being decent for an advanced lifter?

 Kenn: When you say advanced lifter I am going to say a 500+ bencher.
I feel that if you are competing 3 times a year or so that you should be able
to break your record each time.  However, we know that this doesn't always
happen because if that was the case someone would have benched 900 by now.
I look at it as if 1 pound is a good increase.  When you start getting to the
top of your game  you should be happy with any progress that you are getting.
 The reason people tend not to make progress is because they aren't
progressing with their training.  This is something that has to be improved
on a daily basis.  Just read Lou's articles in PL USA, we are always
experimenting with new training ideas that sometimes lead to really good
increases and sometimes they don't.  You just don't hear about the ones that
don't very much.

important note:

First and above all I would like to personally thank Mr. Kenn Patterson for this very interesting and educational interview. I'm sure it will be beneficial to the readers...

I would also like to bring to your attention the following information:

Kenn Patterson will be available  for  your  further questions  on power.den . The online chat will be on September 9th at 10:00pm east. The link to this page is down below! See you there on 9th September!

 Power Den Gym (Online Chat)

home page

1