On bench? I hope not! But probably yes. I'm actually about to sack off HST (it's ended up being far too disjointed) and go back to my normal routine so I may or may not test my maxes soon.
Shorter people tend to have mechanical advantages, yes.
There is no set way of increasing strength, but if I was training you solely for strength then you would be doing something like this...
For deadlift:
Take 70% of your max and do it for 3 sets of 5 reps. Do all the reps explosively. Increase the weight by 5kg per week (1 deadlifting session per week) until you get to 80%. Then continue by doing 3 sets of 3 reps, and then 3x2 at 90%. Keep going after this until you get to your old max, and then in your next session test for a new 1 rep max.
This is a very simple progression, and at your current max should take 8 weeks.
Accessory work: pullups, DB row/bent over row (STRICT form - no movement in legs or change in back angle). All done with 3 sets of 5.
Squat:
Similar approach, but start at 60% with 5 reps so you're stopping at 90% with 2 reps, again, doing ALL the reps explosively. The next session work up in single reps to your old max and then see how high you can go.
The key issue with squats is going to be with form, hence starting with lower weights. Any advice would completely depend on how you currently lift, but there has been some good discussion in this thread recently (you will need to go back several pages). Adjust your increment so you spend at least two weeks at each rep range. For example, you might reduce it from 5kg to 2.5kg.
Accessory work: stiff leg deadlift, front squat and cable pull throughs (search on youtube).
Again, you will have zero progress and possible hurt yourself if you compromise your form. If I was actually training you, you wouldn't be going over ~80kg until you'd nailed the form. Don't assume you've got it yet,
especially because an instructor said you do
The whole aiming for a PB today went out the window!
)
