Introduction: The Do’s & Don’ts Of This Cyle

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).

Don’ts

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’.

Do’s

  1. 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.
  2. Calculate your percentages with a weight you actually benched with good form. NOT WHAT YOU OR YOUR BFF THINK YOU BENCH! Don’t be a retard.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Every bench day you do 5-8 sets of pull exercises, for example: cable rows, close grip pulldowns, lat pulldowns, wide grip rows, bent over rows, dumbbell rows, facepull, reverse cablecross, band pullaparts, bent over lateral raises, chest supported rows.

Don’t do any extra triceps & shoulder work during week 1-6. Believe me, they will have plenty of work with al those sets of benching. Don’t be stubborn, you will get injured. If you still think you know better: why does your bench still suck?

NOW LET’s GET IT ON!