Starting Strength. Bench twice a week and press once.

[Kje29]

Hi Im starting my 2nd week of starting strength monday and was wondering if i could do bench twice every week and do press once on wednesday. Im more concerned about my bench going up then my press. Thanks for any info

[AdvanceForward]

Do the routine as designed or don't do it at all.

[y0lked]

Do the routine as designed or don't do it at all.

Greened bro! Do the program or find another one. Dont alter it. Rippetoe designed it based on recovery speeds and the CNS.

btw u do bench 2x per week every other week. more is not always better in BodyBuilding

[sbowesuk]

Like the others are saying, don't mess with the program. It's finely balanced for optimal progression and recovery. Change one little thing and that balance goes right out the window, along with your bench press progression.

[JeromeWeinberg]

Do babylover's modified SS if you want to bench more, tbh.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=135564721

[IzzyT]

Good advice has already been given.

Alternatively, you could go move to the every-other-day format; it has Rip's seal of approval. This way, you bench 7x/4 weeks. You only have one week every month where you don't bench twice, but, at the same time, you maintain the press ratio as well.

[Kje29]

Good advice has already been given.

Alternatively, you could go move to the every-other-day format; it has Rip's seal of approval. This way, you bench 7x/4 weeks. You only have one week every month where you don't bench twice, but, at the same time, you maintain the press ratio as well.

Thanks for the info! This sounds like something i would like to do. What would the workout look like?

[IzzyT]

Thanks for the info! This sounds like something i would like to do. What would the workout look like?

Your workout days will be: Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday, repeat.

You still alternate Day A with Day B.

Mine look specifically like this:
Day A:
Squats: 3x5, sets across
Bench: 3x5, sets across
Deadlift: 1x5
Chinups: 3x5 (I like to chin on bench day because I have found/have read that heavy chins affect my bench negatively if done on press day)

Day B:
Squats: 3x5
Press: 3x5
P.Clean: 5x3
Pullups: 3x5

Some people may not like that volume of chinups/pullups. So, alternatively, you could chin on mondays/tuesdays and do pullups on fridays/saturdays. If you go this route, do bodyweight chins on the mondays/tuesday that you are pressing and do heavy chins when you bench. Same thing with pullups. Alternate them. Pullups don't fatigue my biceps as much so I usually do just fine with heavy pullups before bench. As such, I'd do heavy pullups on fridays/saturdays where you press, and body weight pullups on days where you bench.

[Kje29]

Thanks alot for the info ! My
Only question is when would you switch it so you start with workout B for the week instead of A.

Would it be this ?

Mon-A
Wed-B
Fri-A
Sun-B
Tue-A
Thur-B
Sat-A

Mon-B
Wed-A
Fri-B
Sun-A
Tue-B
Thur-A
Sat-B

[Phoenix3]

Hi Im starting my 2nd week of starting strength monday and was wondering if i could do bench twice every week and do press once on wednesday. Im more concerned about my bench going up then my press. Thanks for any info

If you want your bench to go up: squat and deadlift.

At your age, you want to take advantage of all the hormones your body can produce--and heavy compound movements dramatically increase testosterone and growth hormone levels.

Also, diet/hydration are PARAMOUNT.

[IzzyT]

Thanks alot for the info ! My
Only question is when would you switch it so you start with workout B for the week instead of A.

Would it be this ?

Mon-A
Wed-B
Fri-A
Sun-B
Tue-A
Thur-B
Sat-A

Mon-B
Wed-A
Fri-B
Sun-A
Tue-B
Thur-A
Sat-B

Both work. In the end, you end up doing each workout the same amount of times. The first two weeks will start out with workout A or B then the next two will start out with the opposite. It stays balanced.