Hi, I need some serious help and advice from all the experts.
In the past, I've always done the bench press on the smith machine because I workout alone, but I've since then moved onto the free weight bench. The problem is that my 1rm on the smith machine bench was 315! I know if i put that on a free weight bench, that shit will crush me lol.
My workout program consists of a lot of Olympic Lifts and Squatting.
So my question is, how exactly should I structure my bench press workout program with all the Olympic Lifting, Squatting, and Dead lifting work? Should I be doing all three versions of the bench i.e. Decline, Incline, Flat, and also be working with dumb bells ?
I'm a generally strong dude, pretty sure I can put up at least 2 plates on a free weight bench, but not sure how to form a program around this. My ultimate goal is obviously 3-Plate Bench on the free weight bench.
What is a generic bench press workout look like for you guys?
Thanks in advance for your support!
I have a very easy program that got me to 315 bench , it added 40 pounds in 3 months, and is guaranteed at least 30 pounds in 3 months; I just happened to get 40.
It’s just Ed COAN’S training plan.
If you aren’t familiar, I can write it out for you
Copy+Pasting this from another thread that I wrote this in.I’m not sure how to design it with whatever you are doing,but this will work for sure if you follow it:
(Note: Maybe just use the Bench template, Press+Speed Bench template, and hit your triceps very hard on a separate day or on the day after Chest?)
4 main days:
Mon - SQUAT [Quad/Ham]
Tue - BENCH [Chest/Bi]
Thu - DLIFT [Back/Tri]
Sat - PRESS [Deltoids]
Day1) SQUAT
#1. Back Squat Periodized 2 sets
#2. Front Squat 2x8-10
#3. Stiff Deadlift 2x8-12
#4. Leg Press(paused) 2x8-12
#5. Leg Exten 2x8-12
#6. Leg Curl 2x8-12
Day2) BENCH
#1. Flat Bench Periodized 2 sets
#2. CG Bench(paused) Periodized 2 sets
#3. Incline Bench *Periodized 2 sets
#4. Incline DB Bench 2x8-10
#5. Flye Movement 2x8-12
#6. 4 Curl Movements 2x8-12 each
Day3) DEADLIFT
#1. Deadlift Periodized 2 sets
#2. BB Row 2x8-10
#3. Chins 2x8-10
#4. TBAR Row 2x8-12
#5. Lat Pulldown 2x8-12
#6. DB Rows 2x8-12
#7. 4 Tri Movements 2x8-12 each
Day4) PRESS
#1. Press Periodized 2 sets
#2. DE Bench Periodized 2x10
#3. DB PRESS 2x8-10
#4. Front Raise 2x8-12
#5. Side Raise 2x8-12
#6. Rear Raise 2x8-12
#7. Face Pull 2x8-12
PERIODIZATION SCHEME: USE THESE ON SQUAT/BENCH/DLIFT/PRESS
I will make an example for a 250 BENCH…
Week1 2x10x170
Week2 2x10x180
Week3 2x8x190
Week4 2x8x200
Week5 2x5x210
Week6 2x5x220
Week7 2x5x230
Week8 2x3x240
Week9 2x3x250 (Grats! You just tripled your previous max)
Week10 2x2x260
Week11 2x2x270
Week12 1x1x280 (You are doing +30 pound PR here!)
THE TEMPLATE IS SIMPLE. ADD +30 POUNDS to WEEK12 FROM YOUR CURRENT PERSONAL BEST; then SUBTRACT 10 POUNDS EACH WEEK TO GET THE NUMBERS AND FOLLOW THE SETXREP SCHEME I WROTE FOR YOU.
Note : For Close Grip Bench/Incline Bench; just use 88% and 80% respectively of what your flat bench is. This is just an estimate; just drop the weight from your flat bench for those 2 kinds of bench on bench day. You might be able to use 90% and 80% or something else, I just gave you rough estimated numbers.
Speed Bench day, just take 80% of what you benched on Week1, and add 2.5 pounds a week or so. It shouldn’t be super hard, it is a SPEED BENCH afterall; but it shouldn’t be very easy either.
[quote]fighterkhan wrote:
I’m a generally strong dude, pretty sure I can put up at least 2 plates on a free weight bench, but not sure how to form a program around this.
[/quote]
Ok step 1 is actually benching to see where you actually are. This “I think I can” stuff is great in theory but just doesn’t work in real life. Besides, you may find you press MORE than that so why write a program for unknowns.
yea this makes sense…i’m actually running a program where I’m gonna bench ~4 times a week…that almost every other day…i have it running along with o-lifts, front squats, and back squats, with a seperate day for deadlifts and leg press…i’ll most likely be throwing in supersets of pullups between the benching…if i feel that it’s not working my way, then ill switch up the program…will check back here after tomorrow, hopefully a good day of benching:)!!
There is no reason to bench 4x a week.