Chest-Con The Vigneault Challenge Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Alpha Life Chest-Con The Vigneault Challenge by Christian Thibaudeau June 29, 2015April 5, 2021 Tags Blogs, Opinion, Strong Words The Workhorse Alex Vigneault is a CrossFit athlete I work with. This year he finished second behind Matt Fraser (who gave Rich Froning a run for his money at the CrossFit Games last year) at the East Regional earning his qualification for the CrossFit Games on only his second year competing. Alex is a workhorse who seems to not feel any lactic acid. He can pump out rep after rep like a machine. You can't kill this guy! So I challenged him to test just how much work he can do non-stop on a simple, non-technical movement that most everyone knows how to do: the bench press. Alex is all chest and lats. I swear that he gained about two bra sizes from this workout! Don't let the weight (or lack of weight) fool you. Very few people will be able to complete it regardless of how strong they are. The Challenge Yep, you read that right. The challenge consists of 500 reps with the empty bar on the bench press (a 45 pound bar for guys, a 35 pound bar for girls). Think that's excessive? All the reps have to be unbroken. This means you can't rack the barbell during the set. You are allowed to rest during the set, but only with the bar being held at arms length. You can't stop the bar on the chest at all during the challenge. Why Do It First to prove that you're tough and can handle the pain. Test your mettle. It'll also have an effect on muscle mass. Alex and Carol-Ann Reason-Thibeault (who also qualified for the Games) were sore in the chest and triceps for three days after the session. And while soreness isn't necessarily a sign that the workout was optimal, it indicated that the session had a significant impact on the muscles. This method will lead to the release of a lot of local growth factors and will have a positive effect on the tendons. It would even be helpful for people with mild nagging shoulder issues. 500 Unbroken Reps in 11 minutes How did Alex do? He got the 500 unbroken reps in exactly 11 minutes. Carol-Ann took just a few seconds more. While her bar was lighter, it was only 10 pounds less. The next question is, how will you do? Are you tough enough to take on the chest challenge? What kind of workhorse are you? Let me know on Facebook. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Alpha Life Tip Real Experts vs Self-Proclaimed Experts Looking for a training or diet coach? Here's how to pick a good one and spot the fakers. Opinion, Strong Words, Tips Jason Brown October 31 Alpha Life Fat Shame Yourself Are you fat? Maybe you should be shamed. But don't let some jerk do it to you. Do it yourself, then do something about it. Blogs, Opinion, Strong Words Chris Shugart June 8 Alpha Life Tip Lessons from Mike Mentzer He was a controversial figure, but he taught us all to think outside the box. Bodybuilding, Health & Longevity, Living Better, Tips Joel Seedman, PhD July 25 Alpha Life Strong Hearts and Big Fat Lies Most of what we know about heart health is a big fat, artery-clogging lie. Here's what's true and untrue about taking care of your ticker. Dietary Myth Busting, Health & Longevity, Living Better TC Luoma February 16