Flat Bench Press (201p): Friday, I repped out with 185 for 5 reps; the fifth one was slow, but it never dropped and it moved steadily to lockout (208 predicted max). If I could get to 7 good reps at this weight, it's like knocking on the door of 225 lbs. So what to do without changing my program drastically, adding more sets, and overtraining?
225 overload for 10 second hold (Thanks to Rick Hussey and John Yeo for this one, let's see if it works), 45x6, 65x5, 80x5, 95x5, 110x5, 125x5, 145x5x4 (Felt easy and my form was good, no loss in speed in the later sets). On my inclined pushups, I will start doing these using an 18 inch platform vice 10". If I don't want to raise the bench weights, might as well increase the special work. After week 7 deload, we'll see where I'm at.
6 comments:
Very good work, Alberto... to insure continued progress, maybe you should up the intensity of your benching though. I noticed you used the add 50 program for other lifts before... why not use it (or something similar) for the bench press?
Just for reference, I wouldn't try the add 50 program for benching myself because I don't agree with doing negatives.
I'll send you a program I found on TheWeighTrainer culled from an old magazine from the 1970s... it has also been on AmericanPowerliftEvolution in a slightly different form...
Alberto, would a bit of pre-exhaustion count as adding extra sets? Warming up with a bit of cg benching (for example) might be a good way to up the intensity a bit without drastically changing the program.
I increased the 1RM for week 4, and that's it. I looked at my January analysis of my bench and now, I'm doing a lot more work in the bench without tiring. Right now my heavy work is in the close grip bench, and that is really improving my bench numbers and really improving my form. As for the real heavy stuff, my next cycle will be it - - - 80-90% 1RM, my two heavy movements will be the CGB and dip, with flat benches as a speed movement twice in an 8 day split. See the entry called ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS . . . . this will be plenty. As my last cycle conditioned me for this one, this one is conditioning me for the heavier one.
My reason for not using the Add 50 for the bench, however tempting, was because my speed in the bench was never stellar, and this program kills your speed. I might do it after my next cycle, when I will be training the flat bench press as a heavy movement.
Scott, I might just take that under advisement, but I would use pushups as the pre-ex.
good workout, its good to see how your conditioning has come up since january to take the extra bench work your doing these days...
i have to admit im looking forward to your 80%-90% cycle, should be fun.
Me, too . . . I want more wheels.
lol
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