bench programming

[The Hamburgler]

Then use 5kg weekly increases instead?

 

[Bench Polkov]

How did you modify it?

Do you recommend taking 90% of your 1rm? What weekly weight increases do you put into the calculator?

Did you cut out military presses and pull ups while you did smolov, or just continue as per usual?

Interested in other peoples responses to these questions if they've done Smolov with success... I'm probably going to start it next week for my bench which is 120 paused currently.

If I put in 108kg (90% of 120) into Smolov Jr. Calculator with 2.5kg weekly increases my final week is 10 triples at 95kg which almost looks too easy.

Why are you doing Smolov specifically? It is a bit of a rough program.

And who told you to do 2.5kg increases? Its always been a 10kg then a 5kg increase for as long as I've known of the program.

 

[jj80]

I read Sticky earlier in this thread got good results from Smolov. His progress is pretty impressive.

I think I also read you say smolov is more intermediate and not an advanced program?

I wasn't sure what to use for increases 10kg seems very optimistic. I will try to find a SS where I can try 5kg / 10kg.

 

[Bench Polkov]

I read Sticky earlier in this thread got good results from Smolov. His progress is pretty impressive.

I think I also read you say smolov is more intermediate and not an advanced program?

I wasn't sure what to use for increases 10kg seems very optimistic. I will try to find a SS where I can try 5kg / 10kg.

It is an intermediate program but its also a specialisation program. I used to recommend it to everybody but I do that less now as some people go crazy with it and injure themselves.

 

[0ni]

Smolov Jr. got me great at doing sets of 3 but did sweet fuck all to my 1RM
Most guys with 6 years of training or less will get good results by just increasing their volume over time. This is a tried and tested method and pretty much every beginner/intermediate program has you do this.

Sheiko starts you off low volume and each cycle increases in volume.
Starting Strength > Texas Method > Starr 3x3 is a popular progression in programming with each increasing in volume more than the rest.
Staying on Starr, he said that eventually on 5x5 you need to add extra session in your week, to increase your training volume more than you could by adding more sets
Why does smolov work for most people? Because it's a massive increase in volume compared to what most people normally do
Block periodisation has you increase your training volume for 3-8 weeks followed by a drop in volume and increase in intensity for 3-8 weeks before starting the cycle again. This is how Westside programming works also and is what Mike T's RTS template looks like.

If you ever find yourself stuck, have a serious attempt at increasing your training volume and if when you've quadrupled your current training volume and you're still not getting gains, halve it and increase your average intensity of each rep. There is literally nothing else to do, you either need more volume at an average of 70% or more volume at an average of 90%.

I really like the Coan type linear progression and am currently using it for my squats. I "max out" then do a downset. I'll linearly increase my squat from session to session so my "max" will be 130 one day, 135 the next, then 140 and so on. I find I have bad days less often when I do this so it keeps my momentum strong. Start light then build momentum, pretty much what every strong guy ever says works lol. For some reason I ignored this for ages

Also it seems that lots of people use Smolov because they are too dumb or lazy to program their own shit. "hmm i've hit a stump, maybe I should do SMOLOV THE MAGICAL PROGRAM OF GAINS". I think that I wasn't strong enough for smolov jr on bench when I did it but when you have the entire internet telling you it's fucking magic it's hard not to try it

 

[wingman]

How did you modify it?

Do you recommend taking 90% of your 1rm? What weekly weight increases do you put into the calculator?

Did you cut out military presses and pull ups while you did smolov, or just continue as per usual?

Interested in other peoples responses to these questions if they've done Smolov with success... I'm probably going to start it next week for my bench which is 120 paused currently.

If I put in 108kg (90% of 120) into Smolov Jr. Calculator with 2.5kg weekly increases my final week is 10 triples at 95kg which almost looks too easy.

Ive been looking at this lately to so heres my insights...
1) not sure which one you're using but some of the spreadsheets out there already factor in 90% of max into the daily weights, so actually need to put real max as the input. The one you used might be like this too.
2) generally accepted is 5kg increment at end of first week then 2.5 or 5 for end of 2nd week depending on how you're going

 

[Bench Polkov]

Smolov Jr. got me great at doing sets of 3 but did sweet fuck all to my 1RM
Most guys with 6 years of training or less will get good results by just increasing their volume over time. This is a tried and tested method and pretty much every beginner/intermediate program has you do this.

Sheiko starts you off low volume and each cycle increases in volume.
Starting Strength > Texas Method > Starr 3x3 is a popular progression in programming with each increasing in volume more than the rest.
Staying on Starr, he said that eventually on 5x5 you need to add extra session in your week, to increase your training volume more than you could by adding more sets
Why does smolov work for most people? Because it's a massive increase in volume compared to what most people normally do
Block periodisation has you increase your training volume for 3-8 weeks followed by a drop in volume and increase in intensity for 3-8 weeks before starting the cycle again. This is how Westside programming works also and is what Mike T's RTS template looks like.

If you ever find yourself stuck, have a serious attempt at increasing your training volume and if when you've quadrupled your current training volume and you're still not getting gains, halve it and increase your average intensity of each rep. There is literally nothing else to do, you either need more volume at an average of 70% or more volume at an average of 90%.

I really like the Coan type linear progression and am currently using it for my squats. I "max out" then do a downset. I'll linearly increase my squat from session to session so my "max" will be 130 one day, 135 the next, then 140 and so on. I find I have bad days less often when I do this so it keeps my momentum strong. Start light then build momentum, pretty much what every strong guy ever says works lol. For some reason I ignored this for ages

Also it seems that lots of people use Smolov because they are too dumb or lazy to program their own shit. "hmm i've hit a stump, maybe I should do SMOLOV THE MAGICAL PROGRAM OF GAINS". I think that I wasn't strong enough for smolov jr on bench when I did it but when you have the entire internet telling you it's fucking magic it's hard not to try it

Lots to say on this... will get back to it when I get home.

 

[0ni]

Lots to say on this... will get back to it when I get home.

Just so people don't shit the bed over this, I'm not saying it's the only way just the way that works with the majority of people. There are training regimes that involve low volume AND intensity such as 5/3/1, the one drop method, HIT (which is fucking shit I don't even give a fuck) and so on that involve repping out one or two sets to near failure also work well with the majority of people but is often pretty hit and miss

 

[lkt004]

I have had great success with PPP twice before, and am currently at week 5 of a new cycle.

I like it because it's simple.

 

[wingman]

I have had great success with PPP twice before, and am currently at week 5 of a new cycle.

I like it because it's simple.

How much bench accessory/assistance do you do with it?

 

[lkt004]

Lots.

DB flat/incline bench twice and sometimes even 3 times a week, SMP and single db overhead press, dips etc.

Only been back training a few months, will start doing more complex assistance work as my bench gets back to 2010 levels.

 

[Bench Polkov]

Smolov Jr. got me great at doing sets of 3 but did sweet fuck all to my 1RM

Most guys with 6 years of training or less will get good results by just increasing their volume over time. This is a tried and tested method and pretty much every beginner/intermediate program has you do this.

Sheiko starts you off low volume and each cycle increases in volume.
Starting Strength > Texas Method > Starr 3x3 is a popular progression in programming with each increasing in volume more than the rest.
Staying on Starr, he said that eventually on 5x5 you need to add extra session in your week, to increase your training volume more than you could by adding more sets
Why does smolov work for most people? Because it's a massive increase in volume compared to what most people normally do
Block periodisation has you increase your training volume for 3-8 weeks followed by a drop in volume and increase in intensity for 3-8 weeks before starting the cycle again. This is how Westside programming works also and is what Mike T's RTS template looks like.

If you ever find yourself stuck, have a serious attempt at increasing your training volume and if when you've quadrupled your current training volume and you're still not getting gains, halve it and increase your average intensity of each rep. There is literally nothing else to do, you either need more volume at an average of 70% or more volume at an average of 90%.

I really like the Coan type linear progression and am currently using it for my squats. I "max out" then do a downset. I'll linearly increase my squat from session to session so my "max" will be 130 one day, 135 the next, then 140 and so on. I find I have bad days less often when I do this so it keeps my momentum strong. Start light then build momentum, pretty much what every strong guy ever says works lol. For some reason I ignored this for ages

Also it seems that lots of people use Smolov because they are too dumb or lazy to program their own shit. "hmm i've hit a stump, maybe I should do SMOLOV THE MAGICAL PROGRAM OF GAINS". I think that I wasn't strong enough for smolov jr on bench when I did it but when you have the entire internet telling you it's fucking magic it's hard not to try it

Actually I had less to say than I thought on re-reading but it still baffles me where you went wrong with Smolov. Triples build 1rms better than anything else in the world.

Just so people don't shit the bed over this, I'm not saying it's the only way just the way that works with the majority of people. There are training regimes that involve low volume AND intensity such as 5/3/1, the one drop method, HIT (which is fucking shit I don't even give a fuck) and so on that involve repping out one or two sets to near failure also work well with the majority of people but is often pretty hit and miss

I'm not sure how you're grouping 5/3/1 and HIT together as 5/3/1 is still high volume with its assistance and it is purposely programmed to build to high intensity over time.

 

[0ni]

Actually I had less to say than I thought on re-reading but it still baffles me where you went wrong with Smolov. Triples build 1rms better than anything else in the world.




I'm not sure how you're grouping 5/3/1 and HIT together as 5/3/1 is still high volume with its assistance and it is purposely programmed to build to high intensity over time.

Yeah I was doing about 10x3x70kg touch and go by the end of it but still could only hit 75kg touch and go by the end of it.
You're right about 5/3/1 looking back, you start off with a high volume and it builds up over the year to higher intensities

 

[jj80]

Actually I had less to say than I thought on re-reading but it still baffles me where you went wrong with Smolov. Triples build 1rms better than anything else in the world.

Yeah I was doing about 10x3x70kg touch and go by the end of it but still could only hit 75kg touch and go by the end of it.
You're right about 5/3/1 looking back, you start off with a high volume and it builds up over the year to higher intensities

What do you guys reckon are some good books on programming?

I keep seeing that one by Frederick Delavier

 

[Bench Polkov]

What do you guys reckon are some good books on programming?

I keep seeing that one by Frederick Delavier

The only ones I've ever read were 5/3/1, a bunch on Westside by Tate and Wendler and the RTS Manual. However I believe I've learnt the bulk of what I know from more extensive research and trial and error. I read everything I could by respected trainers and tried to find a middle ground for my training.

 

[0ni]

Practical programming by rip gives you an idea but the examples of training assume youre an aids patient in terms of recovery
Block periodisation by vlad issurin has everything
Its pretty simple as a strength athlete though, youre not trying to balance your strength with anything else like a sport or whatever so you dont need anything sdvanced. Its as simple as racking up stress and then finding out the best way for you to peak which is individual anyway. As long as you do good exercises you will succeed. Just look at mike mentzer lol, car crash routine, shitty diet, lots of cocaine but lots of effort and belief in his training

 

[Bazza20]

Seriously as far as programming strength training for the bulk of us the simpler the better. Get into to much complicated shit and you end up just spinning your wheels for years on end.

Keep it simple. Progressive overload, add weight to the bar when you hit a wall drop the weight back and ramp back up again. This sort of basic stuff could do most of us for our whole training lives and has produced some of the strongest people on the planet.

 

[jj80]

Seriously as far as programming strength training for the bulk of us the simpler the better. Get into to much complicated shit and you end up just spinning your wheels for years on end.

Keep it simple. Progressive overload, add weight to the bar when you hit a wall drop the weight back and ramp back up again. This sort of basic stuff could do most of us for our whole training lives and has produced some of the strongest people on the planet.

You get stuck on a 5rm or 1rm and just drop it back and start training 10rms?

Admittedly this is exactly what worked for me before. I used to do reps of 3 week in week out as a beginner (yeah I know, not ideal) but got stuck on 100kg bench. Started working on 5s which I hated (high reps ) and immediately saw results. Reached 120kg in a few months.

I might skip the Smolov then and just do another periodisation/Coan type scheme with a longer starting period on high reps. My shoulders will probably thank me.

 

[0ni]

You get stuck on a 5rm or 1rm and just drop it back and start training 10rms?

Admittedly this is exactly what worked for me before. I used to do reps of 3 week in week out as a beginner (yeah I know, not ideal) but got stuck on 100kg bench. Started working on 5s which I hated (high reps ) and immediately saw results. Reached 120kg in a few months.

I might skip the Smolov then and just do another periodisation/Coan type scheme with a longer starting period on high reps. My shoulders will probably thank me.

I think you would like paul carters strong 15 cycle

 

[dez]

I've found Smolov Jr to work pretty well (not recommended if you have any or are prone to elbow/shoulder injuries though), everyone I know who has done it has gotten a PR out of it (for either the squat or the bench press). I can expect a max of 15-20kg above what I hit for 10x3 in the last week. However I think if you stop training with such high volume afterwards you end up losing some of the strength you gained, so its better to use something that can be programmed over a longer period of time.

I still have yet to fully figure out such programming for myself on the bench but I'm getting there. I think a good way to go about it after a training 'cycle' is to assess the gains you got out of it, and if they weren't good, think about how you can improve on what you did (diet, training volume etc) instead of jumping into a completely different program.