Benching 405

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
21

Hey BigMG,

I hate to say it, but it sounds more like newbie gains to me. 385 is only 10 lbs over BW for you (according to your profile), so it seems like anything really would have worked at that point.

I’m curious what kind of gains your friends saw off the program. Can you include their weight, starting bench and ending bench? Thanks.

-MAtt

[quote]BigMG wrote:
Here’s a bench program that a couple of buddies and I tried out. Our gains were pretty significant.

From Monster Muscle forum, posted by: Ryan Kennelley.

“Start at 50% of your one rep raw max and you will do 8 sets of triples at this weight, and each week you will go up 5%, or the next week you would go 55% of your one rep max. Then when you get to 70% you will lower your sets to 6 sets of triples, then at 80% you will only do three sets of triples. The week you do 90% for 3 sets of triples, you will take off 95% week and rest for your 100% day, you may do 2 sets of three reps or only on set of 3 reps on your 100% day, either way you will have a new Raw max for sure. And you will still do speed work on your light day, and as assistance work you can do some board presses with close grip, and rack lockouts also.”

Before I started this routine my max was 385lbs, and after I was done my new max was 425lbs. Overall a 40lb increase is not too bad.

So go ahead and give it shot. If you have any questions feel free to ask away.

Good Luck!

[/quote]

22

Yeah, I can see your point. Even if I were to do some 5x5 program or even a 3x3, I would have seen some nice gains.

Well friend#1 weighs 330lbs and starting max was 340lbs, max after was 405lbs. Friend#2 weighs 220lbs and starting max was 230lbs, final max was 285lbs.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

[quote]Matgic wrote:
Hey BigMG,

I hate to say it, but it sounds more like newbie gains to me. 385 is only 10 lbs over BW for you (according to your profile), so it seems like anything really would have worked at that point.

I’m curious what kind of gains your friends saw off the program. Can you include their weight, starting bench and ending bench? Thanks.

-MAtt

BigMG wrote:
Here’s a bench program that a couple of buddies and I tried out. Our gains were pretty significant.

From Monster Muscle forum, posted by: Ryan Kennelley.

“Start at 50% of your one rep raw max and you will do 8 sets of triples at this weight, and each week you will go up 5%, or the next week you would go 55% of your one rep max. Then when you get to 70% you will lower your sets to 6 sets of triples, then at 80% you will only do three sets of triples. The week you do 90% for 3 sets of triples, you will take off 95% week and rest for your 100% day, you may do 2 sets of three reps or only on set of 3 reps on your 100% day, either way you will have a new Raw max for sure. And you will still do speed work on your light day, and as assistance work you can do some board presses with close grip, and rack lockouts also.”

Before I started this routine my max was 385lbs, and after I was done my new max was 425lbs. Overall a 40lb increase is not too bad.

So go ahead and give it shot. If you have any questions feel free to ask away.

Good Luck!

[/quote]

23

Here’s a simple bench routine(for your ME day) with surprising results-got this from a Poliquin article somewhere(maybe here?). Anyway,

1-6 System
Basically, if you do a 6RM within 4-10 minutes of doing a max single, you’ll be able to use a greater weight than if you hadn’t done the 6 reps. Conversely, if you do the max single 4-10 minutes before the 6RM, you will be able to use more weight on that lift as well.

So, assuming your max is 265 and 6RM is 220, we find this:
Set 1) single at 265
Set 2) 6 reps at 220
Set 3) single at 270
Set 4) 6 reps at 225
Set 5) single at 275
Set 6) 6 reps at 230
etc.

I have used(and am currently using) this system, and I’ll tell you, it’s amazing how well it works. The downside is, it takes a good bit of time to complete(4-10 minute rests between each set, I usually rest about 5 min. and have had good results). Doing 4 waves(2 sets per wave, 1 single, 1 six) using 4-5 minute rest intervals takes about 45 minutes or so.

This system was responsible for my 1RM going from about 265-270 to 320 in a few weeks time. I could probably have gone higher eventually, but my schedule changed, went on a trip, and didn’t have adequate lifting facilities.

If you try this(which I recommend), after 3 weeks of 1-6, back off a bit and do a few sets of doubles or even triples at a lighter weight before diving in for another 3 weeks. This system works through CNS facilitation, so you need to give it a little rest every so often.

Today’s bench routine: 275x1, 235x6, 280x1, 240x6,–275 and 280 felt a little light, so I jumped up 10 instead of 5–290x1, 245x6, 295x1. Not bad for one workout. Next week I will start at either 285 or 290 and bounce up again.

24

[quote]BigMG wrote:
Here’s a bench program that a couple of buddies and I tried out. Our gains were pretty significant.

From Monster Muscle forum, posted by: Ryan Kennelley.

“Start at 50% of your one rep raw max and you will do 8 sets of triples at this weight, and each week you will go up 5%, or the next week you would go 55% of your one rep max. Then when you get to 70% you will lower your sets to 6 sets of triples, then at 80% you will only do three sets of triples. The week you do 90% for 3 sets of triples, you will take off 95% week and rest for your 100% day, you may do 2 sets of three reps or only on set of 3 reps on your 100% day, either way you will have a new Raw max for sure. And you will still do speed work on your light day, and as assistance work you can do some board presses with close grip, and rack lockouts also.”

Before I started this routine my max was 385lbs, and after I was done my new max was 425lbs. Overall a 40lb increase is not too bad.

So go ahead and give it shot. If you have any questions feel free to ask away.

Good Luck!

[/quote]

Thank you for posting this I belive im doing that program right now

25

[quote]boatguy wrote:
Here’s a simple bench routine(for your ME day) with surprising results-got this from a Poliquin article somewhere(maybe here?). Anyway,

1-6 System
Basically, if you do a 6RM within 4-10 minutes of doing a max single, you’ll be able to use a greater weight than if you hadn’t done the 6 reps. Conversely, if you do the max single 4-10 minutes before the 6RM, you will be able to use more weight on that lift as well.

So, assuming your max is 265 and 6RM is 220, we find this:
Set 1) single at 265
Set 2) 6 reps at 220
Set 3) single at 270
Set 4) 6 reps at 225
Set 5) single at 275
Set 6) 6 reps at 230
etc.

I have used(and am currently using) this system, and I’ll tell you, it’s amazing how well it works. The downside is, it takes a good bit of time to complete(4-10 minute rests between each set, I usually rest about 5 min. and have had good results). Doing 4 waves(2 sets per wave, 1 single, 1 six) using 4-5 minute rest intervals takes about 45 minutes or so.

This system was responsible for my 1RM going from about 265-270 to 320 in a few weeks time. I could probably have gone higher eventually, but my schedule changed, went on a trip, and didn’t have adequate lifting facilities.

If you try this(which I recommend), after 3 weeks of 1-6, back off a bit and do a few sets of doubles or even triples at a lighter weight before diving in for another 3 weeks. This system works through CNS facilitation, so you need to give it a little rest every so often.

Today’s bench routine: 275x1, 235x6, 280x1, 240x6,–275 and 280 felt a little light, so I jumped up 10 instead of 5–290x1, 245x6, 295x1. Not bad for one workout. Next week I will start at either 285 or 290 and bounce up again.[/quote]

This looks like a good work out possibly I could use this with incline bench next time? I definitely will try it on my next regular bench workout. So far I have still been increasing my poundages on military press and incline too I am now doing 175lbs for military press for reps and my incline is 275lbs.,

wondering if their are any more shoulder work outs I should include for shoulders. I’ve got one more week of prioritizing my shoulders and then I will focus on regular bench and my triceps for a few weeks. I usually make the biggest gains in strength for bench when I focus on my weaklink my shoulders does this happen with any one else?

26

[quote]I’mCharming wrote:
wondering if their are any more shoulder work outs I should include for shoulders. I’ve got one more week of prioritizing my shoulders and then I will focus on regular bench and my triceps for a few weeks. I usually make the biggest gains in strength for bench when I focus on my weaklink my shoulders does this happen with any one else?[/quote]

Every 12-16weeks or so I spend 2-4weeks doing some actual military-type moves. I too seem to notice a benefit from more direct or specialized delt movements. However, I still prefer to spend the majority of my bench training efforts on actual bench variations and tricep movements.

27

You definitely want to include some rotator work. Face pulls, reverse pec deck, YTWL, internal/external rotation. You should be able to find some good ideas for that on this site.