Wave Loading Training for Bench Press

[Ironwolf03]

The benefits of wave loading include:

• Progressive Overload: By gradually increasing or decreasing the weight lifted within a single workout session, wave loading provides a form of progressive overload that challenges the muscles and promotes strength gains over time.
• Muscle Stimulation: Altering the weight and repetition scheme with each set keeps the muscles guessing and prevents adaptation, leading to greater muscle stimulation and growth.
• Plateau Breaking: Wave loading can help break through strength plateaus by introducing variations in intensity and volume, forcing the muscles to adapt to new challenges.
• Efficiency: Since wave loading involves manipulating the weight and repetitions within a single workout session, it can be a time-efficient way to train multiple strength parameters, such as maximal strength, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance.

Wave loading is a versatile strength training method that can be customized to suit individual goals, preferences, and fitness levels. It is often used as part of periodized training programs to optimize strength and muscle development over time.

Here are four examples of wave loading for the bench press in a training program:

1. Ascending Wave Loading:

• Wave 1: 8 reps at 135 lbs, 6 reps at 155, 4 reps at 175
• Wave 2: 8 reps at 155 lbs, 6 reps at 175, 4 reps at 195
• Wave 3: 8 reps at 175 lbs, 6 reps at 195, 4 reps at 215

2. Descending Wave Loading:

• Wave 1: 4 reps at 185 lbs, 6 reps at 165, 8 reps at 145
• Wave 2: 4 reps at 165, 6 reps at 145, 8 reps at 125
• Wave 3: 4 reps at 145, 6 reps at 125, 8 reps at 100

3. Plateau Wave Loading: Improve speed and quality

• Set 1: 8 reps at 70% of 1-rep max (1RM), 6 reps at 75% of 1RM, 4 reps at 80% of 1RM, 2 reps at 85% of 1RM
• Set 2: 8 reps at 70% of 1RM, 6 reps at 75% of 1RM, 4 reps at 80% of 1RM, 2 reps at 85% of 1RM

4. Complex/Mixed Wave Loading (Combination of Ascending and Descending):

• Set 1: 5 reps at 155 lbs, 3 reps at 175, 1 reps at 165
• Set 2: 5 reps at 165, 3 reps at 185, 1 rep at 175
• Set 3: 5 reps at 175, 3 reps at 195, 1 rep at 185Top of Form

4-week example of a 1x/week Bench: Ascending Wave Loading

Week 1: Foundation Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 8 reps at 60% of 1-rep max (1RM), 6 reps at 65% of 1RM, 4 reps at 70% of 1RM, 2 reps at 75% of 1RM
    • Wave 2: 8 reps at 65% 1 RM, 6 reps at 70%, 4 reps at 75%, 2 reps at 80%

Week 2: Building Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 8 reps at 75% of 1RM, 6 reps at 80%, 4 reps at 85%, 2 reps at 90%
    • Wave 2: 8 reps at 77% of 1RM, 6 reps at 82%, 4 reps at 87%, 2 reps at 92%

Week 3: Strength Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 5 reps at 80% 1RM, 3 reps at 85%, 1 rep at 90%
    • Wave 2: 5 reps at 83% 1RM, 3 reps at 88%, 1 rep at 93%
    • Wave 3: 5 reps at 85% 1RM, 3 reps at 90%, 1 rep at 95%

Week 4: Peak Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 5 reps at 85% 1RM, 3 reps at 90%, 1 rep at 95%
    • Wave 2: 5 reps at 87% 1RM, 3 reps at 92%, 1 rep at 97%
    • Wave 3: 5 reps at 89% 1RM, 3 reps at 96%, 1 rep at 102%
      • Note: *Wave 3 is a PR attempt at either 5, 3, or 1 reps. You may not achieve all 3 but should PR on at least 1 rep scheme.

In this ascending wave loading scheme, the weight gradually increases across each set throughout the 4-week training block. This progression allows for a gradual increase in intensity, helping to stimulate strength gains and adaptation while minimizing the risk of overtraining or injury.

4 week training block for 1x/week Bench press: Descending wave load

Week 1: Foundation Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 2 reps at 80% of 1-rep max (1RM), 4 reps at 75%, 6 reps at 70%, 8 reps at 65%
    • Wave 2: 2 reps at 85% of 1RM, 4 reps at 80%, 6 reps at 75%, 8 reps at 70%

Week 2: Building Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 2 reps at 85% of 1RM, 4 reps at 80%, 6 reps at 75%, 8 reps at 70%
    • Wave 2: 2 reps at 90% of 1RM, 4 reps at 85%, 6 reps at 80%, 8 reps at 75%

Week 3: Strength Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 1 rep at 90% of 1RM, 3 reps at 85%, 5 reps at 80%
    • Wave 2: 1 rep at 93% of 1RM, 3 reps at 88%, 5 reps at 83%

Week 4: Peak Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 1 rep at 95% of 1RM, 3 reps at 90%, 5 reps at 85%
    • Wave 2: 1 rep at 98% of 1RM, 3 reps at 93%, 5 reps at 88%
    • Wave 3: 1 rep at 102% of 1RM, 3 reps at 96%, 5 reps at 90%
      • Note: *Goal is to PR on 1 or all of these reps’ schemes

In this descending wave loading scheme, the weight gradually decreases across each set throughout the 4-week training block. This progression allows for a gradual decrease in intensity while still challenging the muscles and stimulating adaptation.

Here is a 4 week training block on 1x/week Bench press: Plateau Wave Loading

Week 1: Foundation Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 6 reps at 70% of 1-rep max (1RM), 4 reps at 75% of 1RM, 2 reps at 80% of 1RM
    • Wave 2: 4 reps at 75% of 1RM, 2 reps at 80% of 1RM, 6 reps at 70% of 1RM

Week 2: Building Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 6 reps at 75% of 1RM, 4 reps at 80% of 1RM, 2 reps at 85% of 1RM
    • Wave 2: 4 reps at 80% of 1RM, 2 reps at 85% of 1RM, 6 reps at 75% of 1RM

Week 3: Strength Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 6 reps at 80% of 1RM, 4 reps at 85% of 1RM, 2 reps at 90% of 1RM
    • Wave 2: 4 reps at 85% of 1RM, 2 reps at 90% of 1RM, 6 reps at 80% of 1RM

Week 4: Peak Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets
    • Wave 1: 6 reps at 85% of 1RM, 4 reps at 90% of 1RM, 2 reps at 95% of 1RM
    • Wave 2: 4 reps at 90% of 1RM, 2 reps at 95% of 1RM, 6 reps at 85% of 1RM

In this plateau wave loading method, the weight remains relatively constant across each set throughout the 4-week training block. This allows for a consistent level of intensity while still providing variation in repetitions and volume.

4 week training block 1x/wk Bench: Mixed Wave Loading

Week 1: Foundation Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between waves
    • Wave 1: 8 reps at 70% of 1-rep max (1RM), 6 reps at 75% of 1RM, 4 reps at 80% of 1RM, 2 reps at 85% of 1RM
    • Wave 2: 6 reps at 75% of 1RM, 4 reps at 80% of 1RM, 2 reps at 85% of 1RM

Week 2: Building Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between waves
    • Wave 1: 6 reps at 75% of 1RM, 4 reps at 80% of 1RM, 2 reps at 85% of 1RM
    • Wave 2: 6 reps at 80% of 1RM, 4 reps at 85% of 1RM, 2 reps at 90% of 1RM, 6 reps at 75% of 1RM

Week 3: Strength Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between waves
    • Wave 1: 4 reps at 80% of 1RM, 2 reps at 85% of 1RM, 6 reps at 85% of 1RM
    • Wave 2: 4 reps at 90% of 1RM, 2 reps at 95% of 1RM, 6 reps at 80% of 1RM, 4 reps at 85% of 1RM

Week 4: Peak Phase

• Day 1:
  • Bench Press: Rest 2-5 minutes between waves
    • Wave 1: 2 reps at 85% of 1RM, 6 reps at 90% of 1RM, 4 reps at 95% of 1RM
    • Wave2 : 2 reps at 80% of 1RM, 6 reps at 85% of 1RM, 4 reps at 90% of 1RM, 2 reps at 95% of 1RM

In this mixed wave loading rep scheme, the repetitions and intensity levels vary across each set throughout the 4-week training block. This variation helps stimulate different aspects of strength and muscle development while providing a balanced approach to bench press training. Top of Form

This example provides a structured progression through different intensity levels over a 4-week period, incorporating wave loading principles to challenge the muscles and stimulate strength gains. Further, it demonstrates how wave loading can be applied to the bench press by adjusting the weight and repetitions across multiple sets within a single workout session. Depending on the desired training effect (e.g., strength, hypertrophy), one can manipulate the intensity and volume accordingly using ascending, descending, plateau, or complex wave loading schemes.

[pettersson]

This looks solid. Where did you get this from?

[Twolf03]

I wrote it

[ChickenLittle]

She is an absolute badass!

[pettersson]

Indeed! I’m sorry @Twolf03, if I seemed condescending. I honestly thought this routine was badass - and so are you, appearantly!

I seriously intend to try this routine out! But why not apply this strategy on the squat and deadlift also?

[Ironwolf03]

Wave loading?

Totally should. It works wonderfully. I was just providing a insanely thorough example using bench press, but can absolutely work for other lifts for strength and hypertrophy effects.

It’s great! Happy to answer any other questions you have.

Happy training!