What's the best program to increase bench for a natural, advanced lifter?

[deerdiary]

My max is 325 and I want to take it further to 405 within a year. 100% natty.

I've tried 5/3/1, Smolov Jr. before with great results (especially Smolov Jr). But the frequency of Smolov Jr wrecked my elbows. Anyway, what's the best program I can do right now that will help me get that 405 bench?

I want to be able to do arms and legs bodybuilding style without it affecting my bench press routine.

[francoisinagym]

Just do more heavy single .

[JohnnyRingo350]

My max is 325 and I want to take it further to 405 within a year. 100% natty.

I've tried 5/3/1, Smolov Jr. before with great results (especially Smolov Jr). But the frequency of Smolov Jr wrecked my elbows. Anyway, what's the best program I can do right now that will help me get that 405 bench?

I want to be able to do arms and legs bodybuilding style without it affecting my bench press routine.

6'2" 205. I see one major problem right there.

Just do more heavy single .

You should right an E book.

[Daemonium]

Came in to recommend smolov jr.. lol

[csday924]

An advanced lifter would not need to ask this question

[Link815]

Food and periodization. 80 pounds is going to be hard to do in a year without gaining a decent amount of weight. I put 80 pounds on my bench in a year from 305 to 385, but I think I gained 10 or 15 pounds that year too.

[bobbydigitaloa]

An advanced lifter would not need to ask this question

Sup Casey? ^what he said.

[SilverSpork]

Having an 'arm day' building style........will definitely affect your bench routine.

[NattyAmerica]

Smolov Jr but twice or three times a week.

Example

W1D1: 6x6, W1D4: 7x5

W2D1: 8x4, W2D4: 10x3

and repeat the same way you normally would adding 10lbs.

[jedipopey]

Brandon Lilly just came out with the Cube Predator.. You could give that a shot.

[untranslatedZA]

An advanced lifter would not need to ask this question

This. Are you gaining with 5/3/1 ??? If yes ... dont change... if no .... get a coach 1ce a week.

EDIT : Have you tried using a slingshot ? Titan or Mark Bell variety

[untranslatedZA]

Smolov Jr but twice or three times a week.

Example

W1D1: 6x6, W1D4: 7x5

W2D1: 8x4, W2D4: 10x3

and repeat the same way you normally would adding 10lbs.

Thats not smolov JR, its basically just way to little volume to produce the same results over the same period of time. If we are arbitrarily making numbers that equal X volume why not 9x3.5

[308smk]

High frequency, 3-4 times per week
Focus on building the arms, chest, shoulders, upper back for hypertrophy.
Nail down technique as best as possible/maximise tightness and leg drive
We have found using overload work such as paused triples with a Slingshot to be beneficial.
Gain weight
A competition spec bench helps a lot as well

[Lukerus]

Sheiko + a lot of rows and DB work for pecs and shoulders

[CurltonBench]

first off smolov jr is not a training program, but a peaking program should not be doneconsecutively with at least 4-5 months in between. you are an intermediate lifter and so should follow intermediate programming, the texas method is the **** since its highly flexible which is the most important aspect of intermediate programming. get practical programming or justin lasceks ebook. the hepburn method and 3/5/1 for powerlifting from beyond 5/3/1 are also great alternatives. sound to be you are bench focused so start your week/workout with bench no matter what when you are the freshest potentially make this your intensity/pr day.

inb4 sheiko,

**** sheiko

regards dolan


edit: about arm training, i personally bench 3x a week, light, volume, intensity. i work my triceps after benching and my secondary pressing movement on volume&intensity day this way when these days come around ill be recovered from the tricep fatigue. but you should realize that you are training arms for bodybuilding so keep it to 10-15 reps, food and volume will make your arms grow, not grinding reps to failure on extentions big mistake tons of lifters make imho not to mention the injury sensitivity of heavy ass single joint movements.so without doing retarded stuff like a 4 rep grinder on curls or skullcrushers,this will seriously hamper your bench progression. focus on strict form and the standard bodybuilding guidelines. for curls do whatever the fuk you wanna do, if your mobility is up to standard they should not mess up your powerlifting goals just dont do them before your "back day" assuming you have one.

[ecchastang]

What are you currently doing? How has your progress been? I ran 5/3/1 from Sept to June and took my bench from 315 grinder to a not too difficult 350, and only added about 3lbs of bodyweight. But my accessory work changed nearly every week. Things I did frequently though were close grip bench, weighted dips, decline bench and incline bench.

[zmcdole]

Just about any program will work as long as you attack your weaknesses. However, if you're an advanced lifter and you're benching 325 now and want to bench 405 in a years time of work, you're delusional. I'd say it may be possible if you gained 20-25lbs in that year's time, but I still think it's going to be nearly impossible if you are an advanced lifter. Also, based on your sig, you're a pretty hardcore miscer so you're probably very concerned with aesthetics which means you won't be gaining the weight you'd need to put on to get to 405.

[deerdiary]

first off smolov jr is not a training program, but a peaking program should not be doneconsecutively with at least 4-5 months in between. you are an intermediate lifter and so should follow intermediate programming, the texas method is the **** since its highly flexible which is the most important aspect of intermediate programming. get practical programming or justin lasceks ebook. the hepburn method and 3/5/1 for powerlifting from beyond 5/3/1 are also great alternatives. sound to be you are bench focused so start your week/workout with bench no matter what when you are the freshest potentially make this your intensity/pr day.

inb4 sheiko,

**** sheiko

regards dolan


edit: about arm training, i personally bench 3x a week, light, volume, intensity. i work my triceps after benching and my secondary pressing movement on volume&intensity day this way when these days come around ill be recovered from the tricep fatigue. but you should realize that you are training arms for bodybuilding so keep it to 10-15 reps, food and volume will make your arms grow, not grinding reps to failure on extentions big mistake tons of lifters make imho not to mention the injury sensitivity of heavy ass single joint movements.so without doing retarded stuff like a 4 rep grinder on curls or skullcrushers,this will seriously hamper your bench progression. focus on strict form and the standard bodybuilding guidelines. for curls do whatever the fuk you wanna do, if your mobility is up to standard they should not mess up your powerlifting goals just dont do them before your "back day" assuming you have one.

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLi...Standards.html

According to this, I'm almost at "Elite" level. Definitely advanced. An "advanced" lifter at my weight is around a 300 pound bench. I exceed that amount by 25 pounds. I think that would qualify as advanced.

Brb 325 pause bench @ 205 is "intermediate." LOL. OK, Jeff.

[deerdiary]

What are you currently doing? How has your progress been? I ran 5/3/1 from Sept to June and took my bench from 315 grinder to a not too difficult 350, and only added about 3lbs of bodyweight. But my accessory work changed nearly every week. Things I did frequently though were close grip bench, weighted dips, decline bench and incline bench.

Right now I'm doing my own program that has been working...but slowly.

I hit heavy triples once/week along with high volume isolation work afterwards (on Sunday). Then on Wednesday, I do high volume flat work + incline isolation mixed in + I do heavy dumbell floor presses (try to hit 5 reps on it).

4 times per week, I hit triceps with 10 sets x 10 reps. Different exercise every time. It sounds tough, but I use lighter weight, so it doesn't impact my pressing movements at all, really (as I've been progressing). I do this after Chest on Sunday, Wednesday, after legs on Thursdays and Fridays.

Has been working thus far. I get hypertrophy work done + strength work done with good results.

[CooCooCaChoo]

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLi...Standards.html

According to this, I'm almost at "Elite" level. Definitely advanced. An "advanced" lifter at my weight is around a 300 pound bench. I exceed that amount by 25 pounds. I think that would qualify as advanced.

Brb 325 pause bench @ 205 is "intermediate." LOL. OK, Jeff.

USPA standards 390 is elite at 198. 410 is elite at 220. You fit neither of those.

359 and 377 for master. Not that either.

320 and 331 for class one. That is not advanced.

Inb4 my bench is weak and have no opinion that matters.

[deerdiary]

USPA standards 390 is elite at 198. 410 is elite at 220. You fit neither of those.

Like I said, I'm advanced, not elite.

I'll be "elite" pretty soon. Count on it.

[isaku900]

Like I said, I'm advanced, not elite.

I'll be "elite" pretty soon. Count on it.

...you're not advanced though. EXRX and strstd.com are NOT relevant to powerlifting.

you're a class I bencher which is pretty squarely intermediate.

[deerdiary]

...you're not advanced though. EXRX and strstd.com are NOT relevant to powerlifting.

you're a class I bencher which is pretty squarely intermediate.

Ok, I'm just asking for some input/advice. I can be a beginner if it matters.

[isaku900]

Ok, I'm just asking for some input/advice. I can be a beginner if it matters.

and you've been given plenty.

[kmc06005]

Like I said, I'm advanced, not elite.

I'll be "elite" pretty soon. Count on it.

Dude... you're not advanced. It's okay, in fact that's good because you should still be able to make better progress. That exrx crap is garbage. You cannot assign a specific poundage to a level of advancement. According to that chart my bench is above elite...

How is that possible if I've only been lifting for strength for the past 13-14 months? How is it possible if I'm only now just starting to figure out what I'm doing? (And for my weight, my bench is not even impressive compared to actual elite powerlifters)

Basic-Intermediate-Advanced-Elite is not weight on the bar, it's the intersection of knowledge and hours in the gym.

[TrettinR]

Ok, I'm just asking for some input/advice. I can be a beginner if it matters.

Post a vid of you benching with a heavy weight (90% +). There are likely improvements that can be made in your technique that people here can notice and help out with.

[arn710]

If you're using a program and its working, I wouldn't change it

It took me ~3 years to go from 3 plates to 4 at basically the same body weight

[JohnnyRingo350]

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLi...Standards.html

According to this, I'm almost at "Elite" level. Definitely advanced. An "advanced" lifter at my weight is around a 300 pound bench. I exceed that amount by 25 pounds. I think that would qualify as advanced.

Brb 325 pause bench @ 205 is "intermediate." LOL. OK, Jeff.

[deerdiary]

Post a vid of you benching with a heavy weight (90% +). There are likely improvements that can be made in your technique that people here can notice and help out with.

I will.

One problem I always have is that I somehow find myself not tight enough after the first rep or so. Somehow, my glutes always end up untightened and I consciously notice it. Also have a problem with my left scapula mobility, where my left shoulder is slightly elevated than my right one.

If you're using a program and its working, I wouldn't change it

It took me ~3 years to go from 3 plates to 4 at basically the same body weight

Sweet Jesus.

Yea, I'm planning to stick to this until I stop making gains. Thanks man, you are always helpful.

[mdonnelly80]

Right now I'm doing my own program that has been working...but slowly.

I hit heavy triples once/week along with high volume isolation work afterwards (on Sunday). Then on Wednesday, I do high volume flat work + incline isolation mixed in + I do heavy dumbell floor presses (try to hit 5 reps on it).

4 times per week, I hit triceps with 10 sets x 10 reps. Different exercise every time. It sounds tough, but I use lighter weight, so it doesn't impact my pressing movements at all, really (as I've been progressing). I do this after Chest on Sunday, Wednesday, after legs on Thursdays and Fridays.

Has been working thus far. I get hypertrophy work done + strength work done with good results.

Personally, I would cut way back on the assistance work and just grease the groove with some high volume, low-mid intensity bench work for awhile. I think that many lifters could benefit from dialing back on the assistance work and just hitting the bench.