bench programming

[solarbear]

did the following and got my bench from a measly 60kg to 80 in around 2 months, but now i seem stuck on 80 after deloading numerous times, eating more etc) i just want to give higher volume ago. my assistance was just DB bench and dips.

You should give the beginners program at the start of this forum section a try till you get the 140/100/180 lifts.

Smolnov is for intermediate to advanced guys. Till you have those lifts you are better on the program PTC put up.

 

[Brick]

years lifting.. 1 maybe? anything before that and I've just messed around.
BW:74kg (currently getting help from max brenner, so diet isn't the problem anymore from now on i would think)


currently doing just a cycle of smolov to see how it goes.
before that my last 12 weeks were
mon:upper
wed:lower
fri:upper
sat:lower

upper and lower has one lift that i progress for 5 x 5 on mondays, and 4 x 5, 1 x 3 on friday (each week increasing 2.5kg or so on the friday for the 1x 3 )

did the following and got my bench from a measly 60kg to 80 in around 2 months, but now i seem stuck on 80 after deloading numerous times, eating more etc) i just want to give higher volume ago. my assistance was just DB bench and dips.

Smolov is definitely an intermediate - advanced programme. @74kg you just need to focus on benching more, doing plenty of chins, dips, rows, cgbp's. At your bw 100kg bench should be easily achieveable.

Remember it's fixed progression with Smolov so the less you lift to begin with the higher a % of the lift you are jumping each time you put the weight up.

 

[0ni]

A beginner might find a program like smolov (or any program with fixed percentages) too easy

I'm just doing 3 weeks of intensity followed by 3 weeks of volume and alternating between the two, changing one thing each time. I've fucked it up a bunch but I've also learned some pretty neat things and I think it's a better approach than following a set program because if you do that, you learn nothing other than that particular program worked or did not work

 

[Brick]

A beginner might find a program like smolov (or any program with fixed percentages) too easy

With Smolov it's not fixed percentages it's fixed weight increases. The less your 1rm the higher the % of your lift your increasing each time.

 

[Alpha Moth]

what would a program look like with high volume compared to something with low volume?

 

[callan]

what would a program look like with high volume compared to something with low volume?

what iv recently been doing for my bench is doing multiple types of bench, various grips ect, for high amounts of sets...

normal bench
either 5x5, 5x6, 6x5 or 6x3 ect
adjusting the weight so that the rep range is hard.

closer grip
something like either 3x10, 3x8, 6x5, 5x6 or 5x5 ect.

well you can see where this is going, high amount of sets, lower rep ranges for normal bench, then on closer grip do something with a higher rep rage or you can stay with the high sets lowish reps but keep the weight heavy is you want you could also chuck in actual CGBP. on that you would add you assistance so dumbbells, dips, rows, tricep push downs/extensions ect.

so basically various grips on bench, high amount of sets, lots of assistance


the first night i tried something similar i went

normal bench
5x6

brought grip in one hand width
3x10

then this type of benching one of the guys told me to do where you pause twice on the way down and once on you chest b4 you press the weight
3x3

then i attempted to do dumbbells and other assistance but i was fucked lol so 11 sets






as opposed to a low volume bench program

bench 3x5

+ assistance
(doing this for 12 months got me nowhere with my bench as you can see lol)


should also mention that benching once a week doesnt cut it, benching 2 or 3 times a week will work much better

 

[0ni]

With Smolov it's not fixed percentages it's fixed weight increases. The less your 1rm the higher the % of your lift your increasing each time.

oh right I was thinking the smolov squat routine while you were referring to smolov jr

 

[Alpha Moth]

what iv recently been doing for my bench is doing multiple types of bench, various grips ect, for high amounts of sets...

normal bench
either 5x5, 5x6, 6x5 or 6x3 ect
adjusting the weight so that the rep range is hard.

closer grip
something like either 3x10, 3x8, 6x5, 5x6 or 5x5 ect.

well you can see where this is going, high amount of sets, lower rep ranges for normal bench, then on closer grip do something with a higher rep rage or you can stay with the high sets lowish reps but keep the weight heavy is you want you could also chuck in actual CGBP. on that you would add you assistance so dumbbells, dips, rows, tricep push downs/extensions ect.

so basically various grips on bench, high amount of sets, lots of assistance


the first night i tried something similar i went

normal bench
5x6

brought grip in one hand width
3x10

then this type of benching one of the guys told me to do where you pause twice on the way down and once on you chest b4 you press the weight
3x3

then i attempted to do dumbbells and other assistance but i was fucked lol so 11 sets






as opposed to a low volume bench program

bench 3x5

+ assistance
(doing this for 12 months got me nowhere with my bench as you can see lol)


should also mention that benching once a week doesnt cut it, benching 2 or 3 times a week will work much better

should I follow a decent program for it or just bench 2-3 times a week choosing my own weight sets/reps etc?

once a week heavy or twice? how do you set that out for yourself? and how do you progress it?

 

[callan]

should I follow a decent program for it or just bench 2-3 times a week choosing my own weight sets/reps etc?

once a week heavy or twice? how do you set that out for yourself? and how do you progress it?

a decent program is basically something that just covers all bases, like ptc beginners program... all it is is 3x8 3 times a week adding 2.5kg each time, its not rocket science haha

i dont see why you cant bench heavy twice a week, i am lol if you want you could alternate heavy and light days...

as for the programing itself its up to you, you can choose to do a program or as you said you can write one yourself, all you would have to do is sit down for half an hour, pick your lifts, pick a set/rep range for each and go from there, as for adding weight all you would need to do is pick a decent weight, and like in the beginners program add 2.5 each session (when you can) if you find that you cant add weight for a few weeks, change up the rep ranges, and work back up again and or swap around/alternate assistance.

 

[Brick]

oh right I was thinking the smolov squat routine while you were referring to smolov jr

They are both programmes with fixed weight increase they are not % based increases. Smolov the base cycle is 3 weeks of the same sets, reps based on 1 rm % with an inrease of 10kg in wk2 & 15kg in week 3. Set weight increases regardless of your original 1 RM

Smolov jr is a 3 week cycle each week is based on identical set/rep/% of original 1RM with an increase of 5kg in the first week and 10kg in the second week. Again the 5kg & 10kg is the fixed increase regardless of your original 1RM.

Because of this the more you are lifting to begin with the less these fixed increments represent as a % of your 1RM.

Here is an excellent link expliaing the full cycle for anyone interested, note the full version is a squat programme, the jr version is the one you would use for BP & DL.
Smolov Squat Cycle

 

[nazzysmith]

Alpha,

Whats your upper body workout look like?

Edit: Found your log...

 

[0ni]

They are both programmes with fixed weight increase they are not % based increases. Smolov the base cycle is 3 weeks of the same sets, reps based on 1 rm % with an inrease of 10kg in wk2 & 15kg in week 3. Set weight increases regardless of your original 1 RM

Smolov jr is a 3 week cycle each week is based on identical set/rep/% of original 1RM with an increase of 5kg in the first week and 10kg in the second week. Again the 5kg & 10kg is the fixed increase regardless of your original 1RM.

Because of this the more you are lifting to begin with the less these fixed increments represent as a % of your 1RM.

Here is an excellent link expliaing the full cycle for anyone interested, note the full version is a squat programme, the jr version is the one you would use for BP & DL.
Smolov Squat Cycle

oh I see now, I got confused with the intense mesocycle
god damn

 

[Brick]

oh I see now, I got confused with the intense mesocycle
god damn

Ah yeah the intense portion is all percentage based, forgot about that sorry. For what it's worth the intense phase was never a part of the original programme as written, it was something added in by western lifters later. Someone bought it up in a thread I started when I ran the squat cycle.

I got no gains from the intense phase but I think that was due to other issues. Lack of rest not enough food durring that portion of the programme, giving it my all to get through the base cycle. I just felt beat down and had to just grind through the last two weeks, if I ran it again it would be three week base cycle only.

 

[Alpha Moth]

Alpha,

Whats your upper body workout look like?

Edit: Found your log...

last few weeks ive just been doing smolov, finishes this week.

usually it was

bench
pull (chins)
push (dips or db press)
push or pull (usually a row)
bis or tris to finish

 

[moons]

I got no gains from the intense phase but I think that was due to other issues. Lack of rest not enough food durring that portion of the programme, giving it my all to get through the base cycle. I just felt beat down and had to just grind through the last two weeks, if I ran it again it would be three week base cycle only.

Interesting.

I'm starting week 3 of the base meso tomorrow, and it will probably be the first to provide a legitimate challenge in terms of load. I'm a little beat up simply from the volume, but I've never had a doubt about a set.

I did use 90% of my 1RM though, as a few sources I read recommended it. Did you run the base mesocycle of 100%?

 

[Brick]

Interesting.

I'm starting week 3 of the base meso tomorrow, and it will probably be the first to provide a legitimate challenge in terms of load. I'm a little beat up simply from the volume, but I've never had a doubt about a set.

I did use 90% of my 1RM though, as a few sources I read recommended it. Did you run the base mesocycle of 100%?

Dropped 5kg off my 1. It is strange the Russian programmes are just doable, like if your committed you can get through it without failing a set. I think it is a huge test of mental strength.

 

[0ni]

If you really want to torture yourself, do the Smolov base mesocycle with front squats
Monday and Tuesday's workouts will absolutely slaughter you

 

[nazzysmith]

Yikes.... Smolov sounds gnarly!!!

Will do one later this year on squats...

 

[Alpha Moth]

How do you guys feel about using this kind of system for benching?

The Hepburn press course.

Work out 3 times a week.

Take a weight, lets use 50kg and perform 3 reps, 5 sets.

Keep the same weight but add one more set each workout until you have done 10 sets with the 50kg.

This will take you 2 weeks or 6 workouts.
Now drop back to 5 sets, 3 reps, but add 2.5kg.

Continue the addage of 2.5kg every seventh workout.

This is the greatest pressing course known to weight lifters and body builders.

 

[0ni]

I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work
I'd start it light, add long pauses and short rest periods