Hi, Brian, As to your question about max effort and speed day. I followed that routine that is popularized by the WS gym years ago,and I lost 30lbs off my bench. I was on it  for about 4 months,worked my butt off, with nothing to show for it. I feel this routine would better serve an elite lifter or someone much younger. Which doesn't apply to me, I feel that the high volume and frequency routine, was too much for me. Complete burnout. I now train in a abbreviate fashion, that I have been following for years. I always look foward toward my next training session. The back arch issue might not be an issue at all. I think some people just have a more pronouned arch in their lower back, Me included. I really don't or never have done any flexibility exercises to increase my back arch. I read that if you have tight posterior muscles of the legs, It could decrease the arch in your lower back. you might want stretch your hammies. Take heart, I know alot of flat back benchers that can move alot of weight. For carry over exercises that improve your bench,just bench. I tried everyone in the book from weighted dips, close grip, lying extensions, flyes,etc. made major improvements on all of them, but it didn't translate into a bigger bench. At least it didn't for me. I just worked on my benching technique and used alot of pauses in my training, That worked. Well I hope I answered all your questions, If not, shoot me email on this site. Best of luck to you. Train hard.   Ron Villani

Could you explain in more detail the abbreviate training you speak of in your previous post for the bench. I will be competing tommorrow in a meet after finishing a Sheiko cycle and I will be looking for something new as far as routine to toy with afterwards.
As fars as the Westside training I found the same thing, all my carry over lifts were getting stronger but no results coming on the bench ,after 6 months of training. However I did see great results in the squat and deadlift using Westside. Anyways I look forward to hearing more about your training routine to see if I can get some answers on the bench.
I feel its all about getting advice from others and using or modifying it to work in your own training as everyone is slightly different.

Brian, Please go to powerlifting training forum and I'll gladly give you some of my training advice.  Ron Villani

Brian, I think alot of powerlifters get caught up in thinking that doing alot of accessory exercises to improve a certain lift can actually be doing just the opposite. What I mean, Is why pound away set after set of one to three accessory exercises, tapping into your recovery system, when you really want to do is just increase your bench press. I say save all your effort and recoverablity for the competiton lift, which is the bench press. Practice your bench for one to three hard sets of threes and fives. Use a 1 second pause on all your reps and learn to explode the bar off your chest. If you think you need an accessory exercise to help a weak spot in your bench, pick one and do it for one to two hard sets. Use me for an example. When I trained for the July meet. I only trained the bench one day per week for two sets. One set of 3,rested 5 minutes, and then did a set of 5. Close grip bench for one set of 5. Then a few sets fot my lats, worked my calves hard for one set, Called it a day! Thats what I call abbreviated training. When I'm done training for the day, I'm tired, but not exhausted, but I know I can recover,and I'm looking forward to my next bench day. When picking your training weights for the bench what I do is find a goal rep weight. I know through years of training that if I can bench a weight for a three rep max, I could do at least 30-35 lbs more for a single rep. Yours might be a different rep max. For the July meet I started 12 weeks out from the meet, with 300lbs for 3 and 275 for 5. Two weeks out from the meet I did a 320 for 3 and 300 for 5. Each week I added a bit of weight, at first I added 5lbs to each working set, then as the weeks progressed and the weights became heavier I added just a pound. As you can see I like to use an reverse pyramid program. After you do the first set heavier set and then do the 25lbs lighter set, The weight just flies off your chest. Remember to warm up to that first set. Well, I hoped I help you in your powerlifting training for your next meet. If you need any additional help, feel free to shoot me a email to this thread. Train hard!    Ron Villani

that is real good advise. I am currently doing something similar. I can't bench x2 a week anymore. One does me good, I revover and feel strong and lees joint issues.

I like to either do triples or singles. The singles are not "all out"....here is what I did yesterday:
Bar 2x10 Pinky on ring
Barx10 Index on ring
135x10 Pinky on ring For triceps
225x5   "                                    "
315x1 index on ring
365x1 "                   "
was going for 385 but decided to stop there....then
275x13 illegal wides
225x15 Pinky on ring for triceps
Dumbell rows 3x15

done