View Full Version : Favorite bench program?
Hey, I just thought I'd see if anyone has any bench-specific programming that's worked well for them...I'm trying to get my pressing power up right now in prep for my first meet, and have a program I've put together that's a bit of a Frankenstein mash-up of other people's ideas. The program itself is 6 weeks long, and I recently repeated it back to back, laid off it for a month, and am in the midst of repeating for another 12 week cycle. The first time through I was coming off some shoulder issues and could hardly press 275 for a triple, and was hitting 295x5 at week 11.
The "odd" weeks are all about volume accumulation, whereas "even" weeks are adding weight. I found an article a while back by mike Kroc about doing 5x5 reverse pyramids, and decided to tweak that concept a bit - so week 1, you get warmed up with whatever you like, then start hitting triples. Your final set should be a 3 rep max...but make sure it's a weight you can actually, legit hit for three. Overestimating or rounding up or whatever will fuck you up later.
That's cause week 3 is a 4x4 reverse pyramid, with the first set being the same weight you hit for a triple 2 weeks before. Each successive set, drop the weight around 5%, and the last set do amrap. Week 5 is the same, but now you're doing the full 5x5, again starting at the same weight.
On even weeks, workouts are based on wave loading, which I straight stole from this josh Bryant article: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/smash-your-bench-press-max-with-wave-loading.html
When doing these workouts, I do two of the wave sets, and use my 3 rep max from week 1 as the second triple in week 2. Afterwards, you perform this same workout every other week, adding 5 lbs across the board for all reps. Now that I've typed half a book, here's what it looked like when I did this previous:
1. Work up to 3rm(275)
2. 265x3, 275x2, 285x1, 275x3, 285x2, 295x1
3. 275x4, 265x4, 255x4, 245xamrap
4. 270x3, 280x2, 290x1, 280x3, 290x2, 300x1
5. 275x5, 265x5, 255x5, 245x5, 235xamrap
6. 275x3, 285x2, 295x1, 285x3, 295x2, 305x1
7. Work up to 3rm(295)
8. 285x3, 295x2, 305x1, 295x3, 305x2, 315x1
9. 295x4, 285x4, 275x4, 265xamrap
10. 290x3, 300x2, 310x1, 300x3, 310x2, 320x1
11. 295x5, 285x5, 275x5, 265x5, 255x5, 245xamrap
12. 295x3, 305x2, 315x1, 305x3, 315x2, 325x1
In those 12 weeks, I was able to make constant progress, and didn't fail a single programmed rep. Now I'm not saying this is the end-all-be-all of bench routines, and I'm not claiming to have done anything more than steal concepts of successful lifters and tweak their application, but I do feel that this is a solid method for making gains, and am really curious to see if others would be successful in following it.
BigChrisF
02-05-16, 2:14 am
The best bench program I ever did for my raw bench was running smolov concurrently with smolov for my squat. I will say that since I worked the two in the same session with squat first for around 3 hours, I picked a weight I could triple for my starting bench "max". I think that really saved me from killing myself. For squat it was a weight that I knew I could do that was challenging, but was likely 30 or so pounds below my true max.
Second to that was some kind of 3 week wave of reverse band bench that I came up with.
Jeppeehh
02-05-16, 5:39 am
My bench is still not good enough compared to my squat & deadlift but like a year ago I also ran smolov, jr (3 weeks). Combined bench and squats and unfortunately couldn't do more than half of it for squats until my knee said "**** you!".
But I remember it made my bench nothing but good. May have had slight achy elbow/-s but other than that I definitely believe the frequency did it's job. I am thinking of running another cycle later on. Maybe it will put me closer to the three plate bench which is 15kg away.
BigBadWolfe
02-05-16, 7:11 pm
I run a modified westside, I don't always do speed but add more of a volume type day or a bodybuilding day on my speed day
Nmowery
02-06-16, 12:25 am
I don't ever do speed days, but I have been pressing 3x/week, which I think has also helped tremendously
Sunday is my main bench day, as explained above
Wednesday, I hit overhead press of some sort then a few sets of dumbbell press for 8-10 reps. I feel that doing these with a good pause and stretch at the bottom is helping explosion of the bottom of the lift, and hitting them after fatiguing triceps with overheads wrecks my pecs real quick.
Friday, I hit a few sets each of wide grip and close grip bench, and usually like getting these for around 12 reps.
What was your bench before having shoulder issues?
Not a whole lot...hit 325 a couple times and felt I could have pressed more, but had worked my way up to 8 reps at 275. Then I started getting serious about squatting, but I'm not very flexible and found out pretty quick that my rotator cuffs weren't down with all that. It took about 2 months of steering clear of benching with a barbell before it felt much better...I was still pressing with machines and light Dumbbells, but wasn't able to maintain strength as well I would have liked.
BigChrisF
02-10-16, 10:23 pm
If your shoulders aren't flexible enough to hold a squat bar, you need to focus on fixing that before you really hurt yourself.
Hey, I just thought I'd see if anyone has any bench-specific programming that's worked well for them...I'm trying to get my pressing power up right now in prep for my first meet, and have a program I've put together that's a bit of a Frankenstein mash-up of other people's ideas. The program itself is 6 weeks long, and I recently repeated it back to back, laid off it for a month, and am in the midst of repeating for another 12 week cycle. The first time through I was coming off some shoulder issues and could hardly press 275 for a triple, and was hitting 295x5 at week 11.
The "odd" weeks are all about volume accumulation, whereas "even" weeks are adding weight. I found an article a while back by mike Kroc about doing 5x5 reverse pyramids, and decided to tweak that concept a bit - so week 1, you get warmed up with whatever you like, then start hitting triples. Your final set should be a 3 rep max...but make sure it's a weight you can actually, legit hit for three. Overestimating or rounding up or whatever will fuck you up later.
That's cause week 3 is a 4x4 reverse pyramid, with the first set being the same weight you hit for a triple 2 weeks before. Each successive set, drop the weight around 5%, and the last set do amrap. Week 5 is the same, but now you're doing the full 5x5, again starting at the same weight.
On even weeks, workouts are based on wave loading, which I straight stole from this josh Bryant article: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/smash-your-bench-press-max-with-wave-loading.html
When doing these workouts, I do two of the wave sets, and use my 3 rep max from week 1 as the second triple in week 2. Afterwards, you perform this same workout every other week, adding 5 lbs across the board for all reps. Now that I've typed half a book, here's what it looked like when I did this previous:
1. Work up to 3rm(275)
2. 265x3, 275x2, 285x1, 275x3, 285x2, 295x1
3. 275x4, 265x4, 255x4, 245xamrap
4. 270x3, 280x2, 290x1, 280x3, 290x2, 300x1
5. 275x5, 265x5, 255x5, 245x5, 235xamrap
6. 275x3, 285x2, 295x1, 285x3, 295x2, 305x1
7. Work up to 3rm(295)
8. 285x3, 295x2, 305x1, 295x3, 305x2, 315x1
9. 295x4, 285x4, 275x4, 265xamrap
10. 290x3, 300x2, 310x1, 300x3, 310x2, 320x1
11. 295x5, 285x5, 275x5, 265x5, 255x5, 245xamrap
12. 295x3, 305x2, 315x1, 305x3, 315x2, 325x1
In those 12 weeks, I was able to make constant progress, and didn't fail a single programmed rep. Now I'm not saying this is the end-all-be-all of bench routines, and I'm not claiming to have done anything more than steal concepts of successful lifters and tweak their application, but I do feel that this is a solid method for making gains, and am really curious to see if others would be successful in following it.
Haven't done a bench specific program since the Shawn Phillips bench routine I got out of Muscle Media lol. Since then I've only run comprehensive programs like 5/3/1 and Juggernaut if I didn't have a coach doing my programming.
Obviously this worked for you aside from the shoulder issues, it looks like you made good gains on it.
If your shoulders aren't flexible enough to hold a squat bar, you need to focus on fixing that before you really hurt yourself.
I've been working on shoulder mobility, and doing safety bar and front squats for the time being
What's weird is that I have no pain or discomfort while squatting, but any pressing I do for days later just kills me
Cellardweller
02-12-16, 6:10 am
I stopped doing incline bench and all my shoulder pain went away.
Not a whole lot...hit 325 a couple times and felt I could have pressed more, but had worked my way up to 8 reps at 275. Then I started getting serious about squatting, but I'm not very flexible and found out pretty quick that my rotator cuffs weren't down with all that. It took about 2 months of steering clear of benching with a barbell before it felt much better...I was still pressing with machines and light Dumbbells, but wasn't able to maintain strength as well I would have liked.
The reason I was asking was it makes a huge difference if a program gets you back to where you were vs taking you to a new level. Wasn't trying to knock the program at all, but I would have more faith in it if it got you to 375 or so, instead of bringing you back to an old PR post injury, you know?
And I hope it does!
I think there was a thread a while back about shoulders and squatting. Some decent pointers in there too. Pinkie under the bar, thumb over the top, different bar placements or bar types, etc.
Aggression
02-13-16, 3:33 pm
I never ran a bench-specific program. But I've had my best meet benches when running a conjugate training system leading into it. For me, its just a major confidence booster when you're working with heavier weights on a weekly basis, heavy singles with chains/bands, etc., to prepare for the meet.
www.BenchProgram.com worked very well for me. If your feeling good. Turn a few of the Singles into doubles or even Triples if you can. Just reduce the work load after if you do. If not it's easy to over do it. I went from 315 to 330 quick.
www.BenchProgram.com worked very well for me. If your feeling good. Turn a few of the Singles into doubles or even Triples if you can. Just reduce the work load after if you do. If not it's easy to over do it. I went from 315 to 330 quick.
That does look like pretty solid...I might actually try running that same program for my sorry ass squat to see if I can bring it up
Also, fwiw I just finished a 6 week cycle of this program and re-started this week, and my 3rm went from 285 to 315. That means next week I need to work up to 335 for my heaviest single, which would be a 10 lb pr.
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
Mizzarler
02-18-16, 9:41 am
I press every 4th or 5th day (this keeps my joints healthy and fully recovered)
one is close grip+ arms other is incline+chest/delts working up to 3 working sets
most of the time it's between 4-7 reps
2-3 reps every now and then on last set to feel heavier weight and take a step up
10-12 reps on the last set every now and then to get more volume
simple but not easy
I think a lot of ppl overthink when it comes to lifting weights
add reps and/or weight every workout and rest enough so you can do that