Let’s say someone wanted to hit a 225lb bench for the first time ever and they’ve only been lifting a couple months.
How would you do it?
How often would you have them train this movement and accessories?
Specificity would be king for that goal. Lots and lots of benching. I’d have them bench and do variations of bench. Accessory movements are more of a long game. A few months of triceps work will not do nearly as much as more benching or bench variations like paused, spoto, maybe incline…
I think if “strong as possible on bench” was the goal, having a low volume (heavy), a medium volume (~5-8 reps per set), and a volume day (8-10 reps per set) would be close to ideal. I’d be looking to have them doing ~15-20 sets a week total. I’d push to have each training day progress in weight each week (so perhaps 5 lbs increase on each of the days per week).
I’d have them put everything else on the back burner to focus on bench and recovery. I’d also want them to eat in a surplus (helps a ton on bench).
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I’m not qualified to actually answer the question – so I defer to others – but I’ll share my thinking.
A couple months of experience suggests that percentage based programming is out. It also means overall work capacity is limited in terms of higher volume at higher intensities.
Pressing movements generally seem to respond well to higher frequency. Minimum of 3 days a week, with at least one rest day. 5 days on 2 days off, or 3 on 1 off.
I’d suggest working with the base “power to the people” program which is: a set of 5, followed by a backoff set of 90% of the first set. Weights increase 5# every session. When you can’t make all 5 reps of the top set, drop 30% and repeat again.
100x5, 90x5; 105x5, 95x5; 110x5, 100x5, etc… until, say, 160x4, 150x5. Then drop to 110x5 and work back up.
If/when the work capacity is there, add in some backoff sets of 5 with 80% of the original set. Increase or decrease based on recovery.
Volume stays constant, intensity waves up and down.
Or, if percentages are actually an option (actual percentages, or bar speed estimates): go in a more Sheiko-ish direction. Intensity stays in a range of 70-75%, and volume undulates per session. Keep sets around 3-5 reps, but the number of sets changes daily. Could just go high-low-medium, or just randomize it, but no repeats.
For boredom and technique training, work through variations of the ROM; bottom half, top half, full range, bottom + full, full + top. All reps should be as fast as possible.
With either approach, the ideal would be to manage overall volume and intensity so you don’t need to do something like “take a deload week”.
But, I mean, conceptually what @mnben87 said. I’d just keep the rep range lower and instead use more sets on the volume days (same overall number of reps).
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Ditto to @mnben87 - I’d feed them tons of pizza and sushi too; let’s get those joints so bloated and packed we may as well be wearing a shirt
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This is like the hardest time to try to help someone.
They’ve been lifting for a couple months and have probably seen some nice improvements to get started.
So now they’re Experts at training.
And in their expert opinion, the best way to bench 225 will be to load up 210 or 215 and do a bunch of sets of 0 to 1 reps.
If you can get them to do Anything except that, you’ll probably get decent results…
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Love it! 
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10-15 ius of growth every day.
1 gram of test
500 deca
300-500 tren
60 mgs tbol daily
Then I would bench 3 times a week. 2 heavy days to failure and one day to work more supporting muscles and work on reps / form.
I would have a day of excessive tricep work too.
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If you couldn’t get to a 225 lb bench in a few months with that protocol, I’d give you the rare advice to give up on lifting.
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I benched 225 the first time I ever lifted a weight at 13.
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That is impressive. First time benching I did what most guys do, max out. I think I was 14 or 15. I was able to do a bit over body weight. My memory might not be accurate, but IIRC, it was somewhere around 155-165 lbs. Within a month or so, I could do 205 lbs, but it was certainly not anything that would pass at a powerlifting meet. It was a movement that roughly resembled a bench press haha. My butt was probably 6" off the pad, and I remember really bouncing the bar off my chest (did that bouncing thing for a few years).
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I did 225 - 48 times at the Midsouth Combine when I was 16 years old lol. Won the combine in bench. I weighed around 230 at the time.
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Wow. What’s your bench PR?
When he does push ups.
Because he’s pushing the world down
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At the height of my strength, I was pressing over 500 for reps. I never maxed out for a single. I stayed in the 5-10+ rep ranges.
Mind you I was 330-335 lbs.
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Hello there,
You should gradually increase the weight or resistance you lift during your workouts. This forces your muscles to adapt and grow stronger. Everyone’s body responds differently to training, so it’s important to listen to your body and make adjustments as needed. Consult with a fitness professional or trainer to create a personalized strength training program that aligns with your goals and abilities.
I hope this will be helpful to you.
Eccentrics.
Virtually anything this person does will result in gains, since a person who has been lifting only a couple of months is still getting newbie gains. I think the fastest way to get to 225 is to stick to something basic, like Rippetoe’s 5X5. For a newbie, there is no need to make it complicated. The fastest progress will result from hard work and consistency on the basics.
For an experienced lifter hoping to set a bench press record, I’d agree, but I wonder if this might be counterproductive for a newbie. It may be better for him to work on being strong overall so that his whole body supports his pressing movements. Strong legs and back will help stabilize the whole system. If he can squat and DL 275 and he’s been benching consistently as well, a 225 bench should come pretty easily.