FREE TRAINING TEMPLATE: how to get a hercules-level benchpress

So basically, outside the world of powerlifting, nobody gives a crap about how much you squat. I don’t necessarily share that opinion, but let’s be honest: nobody ask how much you squat at a party. ‘How much ya bench?!’ is what it’s all about.

The problem for most guys however, women usually don’t care about the bench that much, is that they get stuck around 220lbs (100kg). Some of you might say: ‘I didn’t even get to that!’. That’s okay, for a long time I didn’t either and I bench about 450lbs (205kg) now at bodyweight of 220lbs at a height of 6’1 (184cm).

The method to the madness

I’ll start with naming the shit you have to stop doing to get a decent bench:
1. don’t max out every week, on singles or sets of five. STOP IT.
2. no more benching ‘elbows out’ and ‘flat back’. Create a(n) (slight) arch before unracking and drive your heels into the floor. Elbows should be moving down in about a 45 degree angle to the upper body.
3. stop using your spotter to set fake PR’s. If her/his hands need to be on the bar, it’s not ‘all you’.

what should you do:

1. bench multiple times every week (2-4 sessions per week)
2. try to start a trainingcycle with moderate volume and light to moderate weights (50-75% of your 1 rep max). This is where you build your form and speed. Duration: 2-4 weeks

For example:
Week 1 – 3 sessions: (sets x reps x percentage of 1RM)
Session 1: 3x6x60%
Session 2: 4x5x70%
Session 3: 8x3x50%

Week 2 – 3 sessions:
Session 1: 2x8x60%
Session 2: 5x5x70%
Session 3: 4x5x72%

Week 3 – 3 sessions:
Session 1: 3x5x65%
Session 2: 6x3x70%
Session 3: 8x3x50%

3. then you progress to higher volumes and still keep the weights light / moderately heavy. Duration: 3-4 weeks

Week 4 – 4 sessions: (sets x reps x percentage of 1RM)
Session 1: 3x6x60%
Session 2: 4x5x70%
Session 3: 8x3x50%
Session 4: 5x5x70%

Week 5 – 4 sessions:
Session 1: 3x7x60%
Session 2: 5x5x70%
Session 3: 5x5x72%
Session 4: 3x3x75%

Week 6 – 4 sessions:
Session 1: 3x5x65%
Session 2: 6x3x70%
Session 3: 8x3x50%
Session 4: 3x5x75%

4. Deload week 7:

light weights / low volume to recover for the next block
This week you do two bench sessions: 3x5x55%. Should be easier than a walk in the park.

5. After these two blocks, the intensity goes up. You increase the weight (70-85% 1RM), but you decrease total volume per week by dropping one session (if you do 3 to 4 per week) and/or by decreasing working sets.

Week 8 – 3 sessions:
Session 1: 5x3x75%
Session 2: 4x4x70%
Session 3: 3x3x80%

Week 9 – 3 sessions:
Session 1: 5x3x75%
Session 2: 4x4x70%
Session 3: 2x4x80%

Week 10 – 2 sessions:
Session 1: 5x5x75%
Session 2: 2x5x80%

6. Then we kick ass by doing 1 or 2 bench session every 7 days and going hard. Weight move into the 85+ range. I suggest something like this for another three week block:

Week 11- 2 sessions:
Session 1: 3x3x85%
Session 2: 6x3x72%

Week 12 – 2 sessions:
Session 1: 3x2x90%
Session 2: 6x3x70%

Week 13 – 1 session:
Session 1: 1x1x90%, 1x1x95%, 1x1x101-103%

7. Deload after this cycle: no benching for two weeks. I would say, first week you don’t do pressing AT ALL. The second week work with some isolateral exercises (for example: dumbbell presses) or machine presses.
8. Start New Cycle
9. Please don’t be a retard. Calculate your percentages with a weight you actually benched with good form. NOT WHAT YOU OR YOUR BFF THINK YOU BENCH!

Goodluck and have fun!

Stephan