Looking for a new bench press routine/program

[Hazzard]

So yeah, just as the title implies, I'm looking for a new bench routine to try. Throughout this powerlifting season I've mainly done a percentage and rep based periodised program and then an altered variation on Westside, with speed and board work on one day and full ROM on the other, focusing on paused work and reps. Paused work doesn't really matter at the moment, so I just want to work on touch and go reps for now.

I bench twice a week - Tuesday and Saturday and am looking for something that I can incorporate in these two days. Another spanner in the works is that I want to start shirted benching, but conversely to that I want to lose some weight because I am a fat mofo and trying to cut down wont really help when fitting into a shirt. Eventually I'm going to do one shirted day and one raw day a week, but for now I'm looking for something that's entirely unequipped focus.

So any ideas? Any advice and whatnot is extremely appreciated, thank you in advance guys.

[piatraelfa]

Try for 3 weeks Smolov JR.
OF course, not a lot of people are able to bench press 4 times per week, but from my experience, you can gain max up with 15 more ... in just 3 weeks.

PS: only raw;
PPS: it will be very tough to keep this training, especially if you are on a diet.

[Hazzard]

Hah, I'm actually going to start running the Smolov squat cycle starting next week, done it before and I'm excited! I could actually bench thrice a week - Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and squat Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Teeeempting....

Thanks for the recommendation mate, I'll look into it.

[BendtheBar]

Hazz...fill us in a bit about your bench press the last couple years. I want to learn a bit more about how you are progressing before I make any suggestions.

[Hazzard]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Hazz...fill us in a bit about your bench press the last couple years. I want to learn a bit more about how you are progressing before I make any suggestions.

Hmmm, hard to know what to say really. Like I said, since I started powerlifting I did a routine based on this (can't remember all the percentages off the top of my head):

5x5 - 80% 1RM
6x4 - 85%
8X3
6X2
Singles

And cycled that a number of times between competitions. I then did what I've been doing since having joined here with an approximate Westside Template.

Prior to that is where its slightly tricky to remember. I think I was benching twice a week, much as I am now, and just seemed to cycle through programs randomly and floated around 100kg for ages. Finally, around the start of Summer 2011 I kept a strict gradual progression of only increasing the weight when I nailed the reps I wanted, which was around 4-6. Got to around a 135kg single using this, then started powerlifting at uni.

Hope that helps mate.

[Shadowschmadow]

My best bench was when I was benching 3-4x a week. This was before I knew how to train properly; hence the volume. Regardless, it produced amazing results. All I can really say from experience is, if you're going to bench with that kind of volume be sure you're hitting your pulling as hard or harder.

[Fazc]

Yeah, I'd like to know a bit more too. Although I'll probably be looking at singles and back offs arranged somehow with assistance work.

[Fazc]

Past 120kg my Bench gains have always been a bit if a grind. Whatever I did past that I did while doing multiple singles combined with some rep work. So if this where for me I'd do multiple singles on one day with perhaps some board presses to finish off to get used to handling a heavy weight. On the other day perhaps some triples on the bench with close grips or inclines to back off for fives or sixes.

[Fazc]

Also cutting weight may royally screw with your bench power. Do it very slowly or not at all.

[Hazzard]

Interesting Faz. The problem I personally have with that is that I'm not disciplined enough to do something so fluid without trying crazy heavy weights every time, which would just kill my CNS and ability to progress. I'm much better with a rigid, set program, which I appreciate can be difficult when, as you work with heavier and heavier weights, the program requires that you be more flexible with what you lift on a particular day.

However, I do like the look of the Smolov Jr routine and it seems like you're supposed to bench four times a week. I'd probably bring that down to three times and do it over four weeks. Something that short and intense seems like fun, although hardly something that'll be long term.