Testing Maxes After Bench Specialization Programs

Training Powerlifting
1

Hello fellow Benchers!

This week will be the final week of my Bench Specialization program, which is in total a 4 week program of Monday/Wednesday/Friday.

Friday will be the last training day, and I want to know how to go about testing my max and then beginning my new program, which was suggested by somebody on this forum :wink:

Should I wait until the next Monday/Tuesday to work up to my 1 REP MAX? Should I deload the entire week after that?

When can I start the next & new bench cycle of what I was suggested?

2

Iā€™ wait until Wednesday / Thursday. Good luck.

3

Thank you!

How about waiting until running the new cycle?

4

How intense has the cycle been? This will determine how long to wait to test then resume. IMO testing after only 4 weeks is too soon. Cycle should run AT LEAST 6, preferably 8-12 weeks before testing. If you insist on testing, I would do a non-maxing (IE no failing, just work to ~95-97%) test day on say monday, and resume on say wed or thurs. Donā€™t waste time testing strength when you should be building it.

5

Excellent point Arramzy, thank you very much for that suggestion; I felt the same, but I just was doing what it said to do hahah.

Anyways, here is what the bench program looks likeā€¦ [This rep/sets scheme is done for BENCH AND OVERHEAD PRESS]

Mon : 3x9 @ 70%
Wed: 3x8 @ 75%
Fri : 3x7 @ 80%

Mon: 4x7 @ 75%
Wed: 4x6 @ 80%
Fri: 4x5 @ 85%

Mon: 1x5@ 70%, 1x4@ 75% , 1x3 @ 80% , 1x2 @ 85%, 1x1 @ 90%
Wed: 1x5 @ 75%, 1x4 @ 80% , 1x3 @ 85% , 1x2 @ 90%, 1x1 @ 95%
Fri: 1x5 @ 80%, 1x4 @ 85% , 1x3 @ 90% , 1x2 @ 95%, 1x1 @ 100%

Mon: 1x5 @ 75%, 1x4 @ 80% , 1x3 @ 85% , 1x2 @ 90%, 1x1 @ 95%
Wed: 1x5 @ 80%, 1x4 @ 85% , 1x3 @ 90% , 1x2 @ 95%, 1x1 @ 100%
Fri: 1x5 @ 85% , 1x4 @ 90%, 1x3 @ 95% , 2 @ 100%

Thatā€™s the entire cycle. Iā€™m not sure how ā€œINTENSEā€ it is, all I know is that the whole damn thing felt easy to me except the 4x5 @ 85% day on week2 was hard, thatā€™s it.

Basically on Week4 Friday, you Double your previous Maximum on both Bench and Shoulder Press.

Most people state their max is up anywhere between 15-30 pounds at the end of the month, I just donā€™t know how to go about thisā€¦ I have never done anything like this, so it will be my first time using a specialization cycle.

Was planning on jumping on the basic bench program you guys suggested me beforeā€¦ 2 Bench days a weekā€¦ 1 including heavy close grip bench, 1 with lighter triceps/high reps for triceps.

Sheiko bench also looks really cool though :stuck_out_tongue: . I also donā€™t know if maybe I should just jump back to using 3x5 like I was before, 3x a week on RegParks 5x5ā€¦ Idk how effective that will be if my bench is now like 245~

Arramzy, are you suggesting I just do this cycle again 1-2 more times, adding like 10 pounds each time , then testing after 3 times in total?

6

I think this cycle is actually too intense to repeat over and overā€¦ If you are training core lifts (IE go away westside advocates), then going over 90% this much is bound to cause stalling/overtraining in anyone but very beginners. Now obvioulsy with a 245 max you are relatively new. And seeing how this was very easy, either you gained lots of strength or you used a conservative max. If it was indeed super easy, consider running it again with a small jump. This would be much harder Iā€™m sure and would really peak your recovery capabilities.

That being said, I am an advocator of the ā€˜sheikoā€™ programs for anyone. I have said it many times: there is no such thing as a ā€˜sheiko programā€™. he was a coach so as a friend of a friend said - no one trains sheiko anymore as Sheiko isnā€™t coaching anymore.

Again, that being said, sheiko programs are essentially a compilation of workouts out of prelipins tables and waved in volume/intensity. The bench I feel is pretty applicable to anyone, but especially the deadlift, requires major tuning to you personally and thus the programs you can find are useless.

If you want to setup a sheiko style training program, I would be happy to help. PM me. But, if you think this program would work again, run it. if you have training with good success with a diferrent program, no sense in switching until it runs out. them PM me and we will set something up.