Question:
Bench Routine
I just got done with an 8 week pyramid on bench with good results, but Im a little burned out on it. So, I was thinking about going to a 5x5 deal, since that helped me a while back. However, do you think it would be better to do maybe
3x5
3x3
Would that be too many sets? I did it today and it felt fine, but just looking for suggestions. I figure the 3x5 would be good to continue building, and the 3x3 would be good to keep my muscles used to heavy weight. Any suggestions would be helpful.
why dont you try 2x5,3x3 I do this every week and just add a 2 1/2 each week. Your still gettin the sets of 5 and still handling some good weight
Say your max is 100lbs an example would be
70x5,70x5,75x3,80x3,80x3
I just got done with an 8 week pyramid on bench with good results, but Im a little burned out on it. So, I was thinking about going to a 5x5 deal, since that helped me a while back. However, do you think it would be better to do maybe
3x5
3x3
Would that be too many sets? I did it today and it felt fine, but just looking for suggestions. I figure the 3x5 would be good to continue building, and the 3x3 would be good to keep my muscles used to heavy weight. Any suggestions would be helpful. I might be weird on this but Im not a huge fan of going under 5 consistently for weeks and weeks and weeks....
Im always thinking of developing power not only absolute strength...but there is something to CNS development at singles doubles and triples Ill concede that/.
How bout a dynamic day where you do lighter weights for speed reps and dont really exhaust yourself and then a heavy day where you do 3X3 or 4X3 after a few WU sets.
Im not sure but this might be kinda similiar to what Westside does...you might also wanna move to an 8 day split if possible.
I just dont get the ultra low rep programs going one after the next...you do need some reps and some rep speed eventually imho.
I mean I got to a 400lb bench as a 21 yr old without ever really repping under 8's(I had no idea what I was doing at the time)....
So you can work up in weights.
I do bench press twice a week, mondays and thursdays, so I think that the lower reps dont affect me as much as long as I throw a couple sets of 5 in. Yesterday I did 5x205, 5x225, 5x235, 3x245, 3x265, 3x270. Ill probably just cut out the 205 set and work from there. Felt pretty good though.
one thing I always add to these threads. You dont HAVE to do bench press itself all year long. if you just finished a long bench press cycle or whatever, switch to floor press or something for a while.
If u pound the same movement over and over it can cause staleness etc and slower gains due to "pattern overload" etc. Nevermind the fact that the body just totally adapts to it.
My suggestion...if you are going to bench for months on end, then youll need to use a lot of variety in the sets/reps/weights that you use. That sort of the "Sheiko" approach where he doesnt use a lot of different exercises but he varies the sets/reps etc up and down and all around for variety.
Or, the other approach would be like a westside model where they switch exercises every week.
I sort of like a "midway" approach. Use an exercise for 4-6 weeks then switch off for a while. And during those 4-6 weeks vary the sets and reps and weight up and down etc. (dont just do "5's" every single time.)
--------------------------------------
I just got thru doing a nice routine where I did a "sequenced" approach for that first main exercise. I took 4 exercises and used them for 3 weeks each. In SEQUENCED ORDER of my estimated maxes on each one.
Like this
incline bench (3 weeks)
floor press (3 weeks)
flat bench (3 weeks)
decline bench (3 weeks)
the 3 weeks consisted of a max 5 week, max 3 week, then a 1 rep max week.
The first week I worked up to a "max 5", second week I worked to a max triple. Third week I maxed.
That would be the first exercise, then I did other chest exercises and delt exercises all along. Those would switch also. Like for delts I started with seated militaries for 5-6 weeks, then went to push presses for maybe 4-5 weeks. Then finished off with partial overhead presses from the power rack (so those main delt pressing moves were also sequenced from lightest to heaviest)
IMO it is an interesting way to arrange workouts over the course of several months. Plus its fun.
When I started the program my bench was super weak from me losing weight etc. Like 225x5 was hard a few weeks before I started, lol. But I gained strength quickly as the program progressed.
it came out something like this as far as maxes.
incline 265 (front delts are my major weakness...that shows in my militaries and inclines)
floor press 320 (I use 2 much leg drive on floor presses and they start from ABOVE my sticking point...so my floor press ended up 5 lbs stronger than flat)
flat 315 (missed 325 on chest)
declines, maxed today, 335, missed 345 on chest
Now, the interesting thing will be when I go back thru this sequence again. My theory is that my delts and triceps etc have gained strength on this routine. So now I should be able to cycle back thru and beat all those PRs as long as I keep pushing hard on getting stronger on all my assistance stuff.
Going back to inclines will be like a "deload" as compared to the declines. So the sequenced approach is like a built in from of periodization.
Another possibility would be for me to deload some right now, then train bench for 2-3 more weeks and try to max on it again since I should be at peak strength right now.
I havent decided what ill do yet though.
Holler at me if you are interesting in setting up such a program.
Yeah, I know what you mean. When I do sets of 5x5, I put more emphasis on weighted dips and dumbbell press. I hate not doing standard flat bench though hah. Hard for me to keep away. I think Ill just vary my reps and sets every couple of weeks.
I just got done with an 8 week pyramid on bench with good results, but Im a little burned out on it. So, I was thinking about going to a 5x5 deal, since that helped me a while back. However, do you think it would be better to do maybe
3x5
3x3
Would that be too many sets? I did it today and it felt fine, but just looking for suggestions. I figure the 3x5 would be good to continue building, and the 3x3 would be good to keep my muscles used to heavy weight. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Answer:
why dont you try 2x5,3x3 I do this every week and just add a 2 1/2 each week. Your still gettin the sets of 5 and still handling some good weight
Answer:
Say your max is 100lbs an example would be
70x5,70x5,75x3,80x3,80x3
Answer:
I just got done with an 8 week pyramid on bench with good results, but Im a little burned out on it. So, I was thinking about going to a 5x5 deal, since that helped me a while back. However, do you think it would be better to do maybe
3x5
3x3
Would that be too many sets? I did it today and it felt fine, but just looking for suggestions. I figure the 3x5 would be good to continue building, and the 3x3 would be good to keep my muscles used to heavy weight. Any suggestions would be helpful. I might be weird on this but Im not a huge fan of going under 5 consistently for weeks and weeks and weeks....
Im always thinking of developing power not only absolute strength...but there is something to CNS development at singles doubles and triples Ill concede that/.
How bout a dynamic day where you do lighter weights for speed reps and dont really exhaust yourself and then a heavy day where you do 3X3 or 4X3 after a few WU sets.
Im not sure but this might be kinda similiar to what Westside does...you might also wanna move to an 8 day split if possible.
I just dont get the ultra low rep programs going one after the next...you do need some reps and some rep speed eventually imho.
I mean I got to a 400lb bench as a 21 yr old without ever really repping under 8's(I had no idea what I was doing at the time)....
So you can work up in weights.
Answer:
I do bench press twice a week, mondays and thursdays, so I think that the lower reps dont affect me as much as long as I throw a couple sets of 5 in. Yesterday I did 5x205, 5x225, 5x235, 3x245, 3x265, 3x270. Ill probably just cut out the 205 set and work from there. Felt pretty good though.
Answer:
one thing I always add to these threads. You dont HAVE to do bench press itself all year long. if you just finished a long bench press cycle or whatever, switch to floor press or something for a while.
If u pound the same movement over and over it can cause staleness etc and slower gains due to "pattern overload" etc. Nevermind the fact that the body just totally adapts to it.
My suggestion...if you are going to bench for months on end, then youll need to use a lot of variety in the sets/reps/weights that you use. That sort of the "Sheiko" approach where he doesnt use a lot of different exercises but he varies the sets/reps etc up and down and all around for variety.
Or, the other approach would be like a westside model where they switch exercises every week.
I sort of like a "midway" approach. Use an exercise for 4-6 weeks then switch off for a while. And during those 4-6 weeks vary the sets and reps and weight up and down etc. (dont just do "5's" every single time.)
--------------------------------------
I just got thru doing a nice routine where I did a "sequenced" approach for that first main exercise. I took 4 exercises and used them for 3 weeks each. In SEQUENCED ORDER of my estimated maxes on each one.
Like this
incline bench (3 weeks)
floor press (3 weeks)
flat bench (3 weeks)
decline bench (3 weeks)
the 3 weeks consisted of a max 5 week, max 3 week, then a 1 rep max week.
The first week I worked up to a "max 5", second week I worked to a max triple. Third week I maxed.
That would be the first exercise, then I did other chest exercises and delt exercises all along. Those would switch also. Like for delts I started with seated militaries for 5-6 weeks, then went to push presses for maybe 4-5 weeks. Then finished off with partial overhead presses from the power rack (so those main delt pressing moves were also sequenced from lightest to heaviest)
IMO it is an interesting way to arrange workouts over the course of several months. Plus its fun.
When I started the program my bench was super weak from me losing weight etc. Like 225x5 was hard a few weeks before I started, lol. But I gained strength quickly as the program progressed.
it came out something like this as far as maxes.
incline 265 (front delts are my major weakness...that shows in my militaries and inclines)
floor press 320 (I use 2 much leg drive on floor presses and they start from ABOVE my sticking point...so my floor press ended up 5 lbs stronger than flat)
flat 315 (missed 325 on chest)
declines, maxed today, 335, missed 345 on chest
Now, the interesting thing will be when I go back thru this sequence again. My theory is that my delts and triceps etc have gained strength on this routine. So now I should be able to cycle back thru and beat all those PRs as long as I keep pushing hard on getting stronger on all my assistance stuff.
Going back to inclines will be like a "deload" as compared to the declines. So the sequenced approach is like a built in from of periodization.
Another possibility would be for me to deload some right now, then train bench for 2-3 more weeks and try to max on it again since I should be at peak strength right now.
I havent decided what ill do yet though.
Holler at me if you are interesting in setting up such a program.
Answer:
Yeah, I know what you mean. When I do sets of 5x5, I put more emphasis on weighted dips and dumbbell press. I hate not doing standard flat bench though hah. Hard for me to keep away. I think Ill just vary my reps and sets every couple of weeks.