I did 275x2, but i think my spotter helped me a bit at my sticking point. for the past month I haven’t had a spotter that hasn’t touched the bar too early
255lb+50lb chain (265lb that never touches the ground and 15-25 added to that at the top) for one. I never realized chains would make the weight so hard to stabilize.
As far as the spotter thing goes, just ask them not help unless the bar stops going up for a few seconds or if the bar starts going down and tell them to ignore the amount of strain and effort your putting into it. A ‘safe-word’ (something you say when you have to bail) is useful too.
If you go around the same time you can usually find a usual to spot you. And find people around your strength or stronger or if you can’t do that, bench in the power rack and set the pins to where it’s impossible to choke yourself out but you still touch your chest.
Biggest thing to build my bench was not going to failure every workout, cycling rep ranges and only hitting near maxes maybe every 8-10 sessions.
5’6 150lbs
Current bench 225
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
Biggest thing to build my bench was not going to failure every workout, cycling rep ranges and only hitting near maxes maybe every 8-10 sessions.[/quote]
Whatcha benching these days, a_b?
I tried the ‘leave one in the tank’ idea a while back and couldn’t make any gains with it. I was working in the 5-8 range, though. Maybe I should try it in the 1-5 range instead? Maybe even just triples, doubles and singles, seeing as I’m shooting for limit strength. I’m still experimenting with ideas to see what works best for me.
I hit 315 with chains last wednesday
Had 242 at the bottom and yeah felt fine, with 286 as my max in january, gonna try the 315 tomorrow if I’m feeling good. If not then it will be sometime in march.
GOt 315 today!!! 
Was so in the zone when benching today, hitting a 315 bench has always been one of my goals for a long time and felt amazing to do it!
I was going lone wolf today so next time I’l get a mate to come with and put a vid up!
[quote]Diluted56 wrote:
GOt 315 today!!!
Was so in the zone when benching today, hitting a 315 bench has always been one of my goals for a long time and felt amazing to do it!
I was going lone wolf today so next time I’l get a mate to come with and put a vid up![/quote]
Nice. Now you get to work on getting 405
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
Biggest thing to build my bench was not going to failure every workout, cycling rep ranges and only hitting near maxes maybe every 8-10 sessions.[/quote]
Whatcha benching these days, a_b?
I tried the ‘leave one in the tank’ idea a while back and couldn’t make any gains with it. I was working in the 5-8 range, though. Maybe I should try it in the 1-5 range instead? Maybe even just triples, doubles and singles, seeing as I’m shooting for limit strength. I’m still experimenting with ideas to see what works best for me.
[/quote]
On the 25th I benched 320 x 8, currently dieting and weigh 218. I’ve pressed 405 before, and I am probably stronger now, but I won’t be maxing until I am in gain mode again.
Yeah I was lifting in the 2-4 rep range previously for the most part.
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
Biggest thing to build my bench was not going to failure every workout, cycling rep ranges and only hitting near maxes maybe every 8-10 sessions.[/quote]
Whatcha benching these days, a_b?
I tried the ‘leave one in the tank’ idea a while back and couldn’t make any gains with it. I was working in the 5-8 range, though. Maybe I should try it in the 1-5 range instead? Maybe even just triples, doubles and singles, seeing as I’m shooting for limit strength. I’m still experimenting with ideas to see what works best for me.
[/quote]
On the 25th I benched 320 x 8, currently dieting and weigh 218. I’ve pressed 405 before, and I am probably stronger now, but I won’t be maxing until I am in gain mode again.
Yeah I was lifting in the 2-4 rep range previously for the most part.
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
Biggest thing to build my bench was not going to failure every workout, cycling rep ranges and only hitting near maxes maybe every 8-10 sessions.[/quote]
Whatcha benching these days, a_b?
I tried the ‘leave one in the tank’ idea a while back and couldn’t make any gains with it. I was working in the 5-8 range, though. Maybe I should try it in the 1-5 range instead? Maybe even just triples, doubles and singles, seeing as I’m shooting for limit strength. I’m still experimenting with ideas to see what works best for me.
[/quote]
On the 25th I benched 320 x 8, currently dieting and weigh 218. I’ve pressed 405 before, and I am probably stronger now, but I won’t be maxing until I am in gain mode again.
Yeah I was lifting in the 2-4 rep range previously for the most part.[/quote]
Damn strong, dude. Thanks for the pointers. One last question and I’ll quit bugging you. How many sets were you doing on average (I’m assuming you ramped)?
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
Biggest thing to build my bench was not going to failure every workout, cycling rep ranges and only hitting near maxes maybe every 8-10 sessions.[/quote]
Whatcha benching these days, a_b?
I tried the ‘leave one in the tank’ idea a while back and couldn’t make any gains with it. I was working in the 5-8 range, though. Maybe I should try it in the 1-5 range instead? Maybe even just triples, doubles and singles, seeing as I’m shooting for limit strength. I’m still experimenting with ideas to see what works best for me.
[/quote]
On the 25th I benched 320 x 8, currently dieting and weigh 218. I’ve pressed 405 before, and I am probably stronger now, but I won’t be maxing until I am in gain mode again.
Yeah I was lifting in the 2-4 rep range previously for the most part.[/quote]
Damn strong, dude. Thanks for the pointers. One last question and I’ll quit bugging you. How many sets were you doing on average (I’m assuming you ramped)?[/quote]
Yes I would ramp.
1 switched between 3 days. I benched every fourth day.
Day 1 was 9 sets of speed reps…triples around 50% of my 1 RM
Day 2 was deload day…work up to a triple of 80% of my 1 RM
Day 3 was ME day…warm up, 1 working set, either a double, or triple, at a set weight above 92%…sometimes I’d hit failure, sometimes not, but I PRed for months every workout.
Currently doing more bodybuilding style training at the moment as I lose weight…Started at 235 on January 21st, and like I said I am 218 now, but I think a big thing to continue to PR when you are working with higher rep ranges is to vary them weekly.
Now I do
Week 1 8-12 reps going to failure or 1 before.
Week 2 5-8 reps, same thing
Week 3 2-5 reps, same thing
Week 4, light week 15+
Week 5, week 1 repeated with 5 more pounds and the weight is good enough as long as you fall within the rep ranges, if you can’t hit the weight in the rep range lighten the load until you can. 1 working set after ramping up for warm-ups.
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
Biggest thing to build my bench was not going to failure every workout, cycling rep ranges and only hitting near maxes maybe every 8-10 sessions.[/quote]
Whatcha benching these days, a_b?
I tried the ‘leave one in the tank’ idea a while back and couldn’t make any gains with it. I was working in the 5-8 range, though. Maybe I should try it in the 1-5 range instead? Maybe even just triples, doubles and singles, seeing as I’m shooting for limit strength. I’m still experimenting with ideas to see what works best for me.
[/quote]
On the 25th I benched 320 x 8, currently dieting and weigh 218. I’ve pressed 405 before, and I am probably stronger now, but I won’t be maxing until I am in gain mode again.
Yeah I was lifting in the 2-4 rep range previously for the most part.[/quote]
Damn strong, dude. Thanks for the pointers. One last question and I’ll quit bugging you. How many sets were you doing on average (I’m assuming you ramped)?[/quote]
Yes I would ramp.
1 switched between 3 days. I benched every fourth day.
Day 1 was 9 sets of speed reps…triples around 50% of my 1 RM
Day 2 was deload day…work up to a triple of 80% of my 1 RM
Day 3 was ME day…warm up, 1 working set, either a double, or triple, at a set weight above 92%…sometimes I’d hit failure, sometimes not, but I PRed for months every workout.
Currently doing more bodybuilding style training at the moment as I lose weight…Started at 235 on January 21st, and like I said I am 218 now, but I think a big thing to continue to PR when you are working with higher rep ranges is to vary them weekly.
Now I do
Week 1 8-12 reps going to failure or 1 before.
Week 2 5-8 reps, same thing
Week 3 2-5 reps, same thing
Week 4, light week 15+
Week 5, week 1 repeated with 5 more pounds and the weight is good enough as long as you fall within the rep ranges, if you can’t hit the weight in the rep range lighten the load until you can. 1 working set after ramping up for warm-ups.[/quote]
Did you switch exercises for your ME or was it always flat bench?
Always flat bench, followed by 2 work sets of CGBP, no warm-ups (warm-up are pointless since you are warm from benching), then 2 work set of inclines, and 2 work sets of dips. That was ME day.
Deload and speed day. I would just do bench, no other lifts and I would pair them with other muscles so I’d hit back, than speed bench or deload bench than train arms.
Put up 270 for a double this week. Nice PR, but that second rep was the ultimate grinder. I KNOW I couldn’t have gotten even one more pound.
a_b, if you had a choice between the speed work and the deload every other week, which do you think would be better? Alternate them maybe (ME, speed, ME, deload)?
I’m pretty much limited to training five days a week after work, so the bench-every-four-days program would be a major pain in the ass.
I hit 285, no wraps with a belt @ 185-190. It came up very explosively. I’m gunning for 300 next workout this time with wraps, belt, and smelling salts.
A few months ago I hit 275 @ 195-200lb.
I’m not sure whether to call that significant progress or not. Will know next week for sure.
late to the party here, but I’ll throw in my hat.
185-190lbs, just shy of 6’1. I’ve been lifting for almost a year now (after several years off) and am 23.
My current max is unknown, but I’ve managed to rep 245 at the end of a set befor, so I’m guessing close to 260. Not too shabby considering ~8 months ago 200 might not have been doable, or at least was incredibly close to my max.
[quote]austin_bicep wrote:
Now I do
Week 1 8-12 reps going to failure or 1 before.
Week 2 5-8 reps, same thing
Week 3 2-5 reps, same thing
Week 4, light week 15+
Week 5, week 1 repeated with 5 more pounds and the weight is good enough as long as you fall within the rep ranges, if you can’t hit the weight in the rep range lighten the load until you can. 1 working set after ramping up for warm-ups.[/quote]
That looks a lot like 5/3/1 
300lbs with ease last week. but when i tried upping it to 305lbs this week, couldn’t do it. fuck. only got it about 4 inches above my chest.
Nice PR today of 275x2 after a week of rest. Felt like I could have pushed for three, but decided to leave a little in the tank. PR’d both of my other chest lifts, too.
I’m going to see how well linear progression on doubles works for me. Recently watched Swedish Power again, and Magnus says he’s almost always used doubles for strength training. If it turns out to be too much to recover from, I’ll start doing doubles every other week, and alternate speed work and deload in between.