By the end of this week, I plan to test out my one rep max on bench. I am realizing to some extent, I am stagnating. My trusty close grip benches and old routine is starting to fail me. I am looking to change things up a little and see where that gets me. I am thinking of adding some floor presses in lieu of my close grip benches, and adding some shoulder press in my routine. I am wondering how I should go about this though. I am rather new to powerlifting. I know a little bit but I think I have a ways to go before I can become the fine tuned warrior I have the potential to be.
OLD ROUTINE:
(Near peak):
Bench Press:
405 (3-5 reps)
365 (5-7 reps)
325 (8-10 reps)
285 (10 reps)-----if I hit all the upper numbers I do not do this set
Close grip:
365 (4-8 reps)
365 (4-8 reps)
***higher weight for 3-8 reps
skull crushers:
160 x as many as I can do
160 x as many as I can do
lesser weight x as many as I can do
cable tricep extensions:
120 x 8
120 x 8
90 x as many as I can do
problems: stagnation; I went for doing 405 for 5 (good week) to only being able to do two. and for close grip 365 is a triple instead of a quad. The first rep is no problem, but all the others after kill the shit out of me., or just seem to grind and stall. For now, I've lowered the weight and follow this regimen:
CURRENT:
Bench:
345 x 8
345 x 8
345 x 8
----when I am able to to do all three sets of 8 reps I up it by 20lbs and repeat the cycle i.e
[365 x 8]
[365 x 8]
[365 x 8] and continue until I am at least able to do 385 for two sets of 7-8 reps. At that point, I up the weight to 405 and try to grind out 3-5 reps, and go to the next phase in my training routine.
Floor Press:
315 x 5
315 x 5
315 x 5
behind the head cable Tricep extensions:
150 x 8
150 x 8
110 x 6
face pulls:
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
NEW ROUTINE/ NEW IDEAS:
after a week of active recovery:
DAY 1
Bench Press:
345 x 8
345 x 8
345 x 8
--- here again, I will move up 20 lbs each time I hit all sets for eight reps.---
Floor Press:
315 x 5-7
315 x 5-7
315 x 5-7
--- if I am able to hit 315 for 7, I will try 325, and 345 and try for 5-7 reps. if I don't make 5 here is what I will do:
say I hit 325 for 3:
next week:
[325 x 3-7]
[325 x 3-7] or, if too hard: [275 x 8 or so]
[275 x as many times as possible]
Skull crushers: 3 sets of eight reps
face pulls
DAY TWO (done 3-5 days after day 1)
Rotator cuff work
Shoulder Press: (new territory so I have yet to acquire weight numbers)
75% ORM x 8
75% ORM x 8
65%-70% ORM x 10
---If I hit these numbers I will up the weight by 20 lbs and try to get a cadence of sets of 8, 8 and 10 but will most likely fall in between 4-5 reps and 5-7 initially.
Close Grip Bench: or Incline close grip Bench
Two sets of 5-7 reps.
tricep movement:
three sets of 6-8
Face pulls
This is what I'm thinking for a routine. I would appreciate any feedback, and or advice from anyone. After I have hashed out a routine. I would like to start to think about "cycling lifts" (I think that's the proper name) wherein while two lifts are are worked at lower numbers while one lift is worked heavy. For instance, say month 1, I cycle into a heavy bench, month two I cycle into heavy Overhead press while deloading on bench, and on month three I focus on heavy floor press while deloading on overhead press and working up to a heavy bench press for the next month.