Any problems benching heavy 3X a week?

[JuniorSaint99]

I am 5’6 and 153 lbs. At the moment, my one rep maxes for my lifts are 120 lbs for bench, 240 lbs for squat, and 270 lbs for deadlift. I like doing bench and deadlift for 3-4 sets of 5 while I do 5x3 for squats (personal preference). Is there anything wrong with benching 3 times a week or should I alternate with a different exercise? I am not very fond of the ohp and the bench press is my favorite exercise after squats. I lift for recreational purposes but I don’t want to have any muscle imbalances. Every workout I do cable rows and chin ups for sets of 6-8 reps. On occasion I will do high rep face pulls for shoulder health.

[PurmaBulker1984]

I am 5’6 and 153 lbs. At the moment, my one rep maxes for my lifts are 120 lbs for bench, 240 lbs for squat, and 270 lbs for deadlift. I like doing bench and deadlift for 3-4 sets of 5 while I do 5x3 for squats (personal preference). Is there anything wrong with benching 3 times a week or should I alternate with a different exercise? I am not very fond of the ohp and the bench press is my favorite exercise after squats. I lift for recreational purposes but I don’t want to have any muscle imbalances. Every workout I do cable rows and chin ups for sets of 6-8 reps. On occasion I will do high rep face pulls for shoulder health.

If you don't like ohp, you should look at any other shoulder press variant. If that isn't going to work then look at doing incline bench. Lastly a pause bench would be another variant that lowers the intensity but allows you to work on form.

[jademonkey]

I am 5’6 and 153 lbs. At the moment, my one rep maxes for my lifts are 120 lbs for bench, 240 lbs for squat, and 270 lbs for deadlift. I like doing bench and deadlift for 3-4 sets of 5 while I do 5x3 for squats (personal preference). Is there anything wrong with benching 3 times a week or should I alternate with a different exercise? I am not very fond of the ohp and the bench press is my favorite exercise after squats. I lift for recreational purposes but I don’t want to have any muscle imbalances. Every workout I do cable rows and chin ups for sets of 6-8 reps. On occasion I will do high rep face pulls for shoulder health.

IMO you should do some overhead shoulder work.

At 120 lb max bench you can probably do a lot of volume. The heavier my bench got the more it beats me up. But you should easily be able to do 9 to 12 sets a week. I do around that for heavy (5 to 7 sets every 4 days) and an additional day of high rep incline dumbbell press.

[JuniorSaint99]

How many reps should I aim for the incline bench? I train full body three times a week but I often rotate squats and deadlifts. I could probably do the same with flat bench and incline.

I own a pull up bar at home and I do a lot of pull ups and chin ups.

[JuniorSaint99]

Bumped.

Is my workout missing anything? I train full body

Squat 5x3

Deadlift (alternate between squats) 2x5

Bench 3x5

Seated DB press 2x8

Cable Row 3x6

Chinup 3x 6-8


My squat and deadlift go up pretty easily even on maintenance calories. My bench goes up maybe once a week. As someone trying to recomp, could I do a lighter set of 3x8 once a week to give some variation?

[faithbrah]

Bumped.

Is my workout missing anything? I train full body

Squat 5x3

Deadlift (alternate between squats) 2x5

Bench 3x5

Seated DB press 2x8

Cable Row 3x6

Chinup 3x 6-8


My squat and deadlift go up pretty easily even on maintenance calories. My bench goes up maybe once a week. As someone trying to recomp, could I do a lighter set of 3x8 once a week to give some variation?

i don't have much knowledge about programs, but what about hamstrings and calves? also shouldn't the cable row be at around 8 reps instead of 6? someone confirm please

[JuniorSaint99]

i don't have much knowledge about programs, but what about hamstrings and calves? also shouldn't the cable row be at around 8 reps instead of 6? someone confirm please

Idk, Stronglifts and Greyskull had rows in reps of 5. Deadlifts work my hamstrings though I can add in leg curls. I really don’t care about calves- not into bodybuilding.

Edit: I do a lot of pull ups and chins so I am not particularly worried about back volume.

[TheUnderdog83]

There’s no problem with benching 3 times per week for a while. I’ve gone through periods of trying to bring my bench press strength up where I would bench every other day. Eventually I had to pull back volume as it started to wear on my joints.

[JuniorSaint99]

There’s no problem with benching 3 times per week for a while. I’ve gone through periods of trying to bring my bench press strength up where I would bench every other day. Eventually I had to pull back volume as it started to wear on my joints.

Should I change up my rep goal each workout or can I go heavy every session?

[backinthegymbro]

I bench 3x a week. No problems here. although if i bench the day after going heavy on shoulders, i won't be able to hit PR's.
But if i take a rest day and then do bench the following day, i can go heavy as possible without issue.

[PurmaBulker1984]

Should I change up my rep goal each workout or can I go heavy every session?

You can go for 5's every session. Are you adding in Incline bench in every other work out. If so you can do 5's on that as well. But FYI this is a very short term plan, maybe 6 months. You are going to need to go to an intermediate program once you start stalling a lot.

[JuniorSaint99]

You can go for 5's every session. Are you adding in Incline bench in every other work out. If so you can do 5's on that as well. But FYI this is a very short term plan, maybe 6 months. You are going to need to go to an intermediate program once you start stalling a lot.

I am definitely going to change my schedule for this. Anything wrong with replacing OHP entirely with incline bench? I hated the ohp ever since I started.

Workout A
Squat 5x3
Bench 3x5
Row 3x6
Chinups 3 x Amrap


Workout B
Deadlift 2x6
Incline bench 3x5
Row 3x6
Chin ups 3x amrap

I might toss in some face pulls and leg curls if I have the energy.

I own a doorway pull up bar and I like to grease the groove with it. I went from 2 pull ups last week to doing 7.

[WolfRose7]

i don't have much knowledge about programs, but what about hamstrings and calves? also shouldn't the cable row be at around 8 reps instead of 6? someone confirm please

You are correct about hamstrings.
Calves are up for debate as to whether it's worth training them.

Why would cable rows need to be 8?

[JuniorSaint99]

Probably because Fierce 5 has rows in 8 rep range. I do a lot of pulls and chin ups at home so I am not worried about my shoulder health.

[DCSpartan]

If you are only benching 120, you probably should bench 3 times a week. Based on your lift, a FBW 3x a week would be pretty good and you could do that for a long time. In 6 months you'll be amazed at your progress. Best of luck.

[JuniorSaint99]

If you are only benching 120, you probably should bench 3 times a week. Based on your lift, a FBW 3x a week would be pretty good and you could do that for a long time. In 6 months you'll be amazed at your progress. Best of luck.

Good to know. Is there anything wrong with my workout plan (the one with incline)? I know there are a bunch of other programs but none of them besides Allpro have bench 3X a week.

[WolfRose7]

Good to know. Is there anything wrong with my workout plan (the one with incline)? I know there are a bunch of other programs but none of them besides Allpro have bench 3X a week.

Barbell medicine beginner template does

[clwhoops44]

Is nobody going to tell the OP that incline bench and overhead press primarily work two separate muscle groups? I see he's asked a couple of times about replacing OHP with IB but nobody has said no, so now I'm curious myself...

[JuniorSaint99]

Is nobody going to tell the OP that incline bench and overhead press primarily work two separate muscle groups? I see he's asked a couple of times about replacing OHP with IB but nobody has said no, so now I'm curious myself...

Yeah that has really been bothering me. I have see an old thread where someone running Fierce 5 replaced OHP with incline. He seemed to make good gains with it but I just needed to clarify.

[MajorTendonitis]

Tendonitis guaranteed

[sunsean]

Yeah that has really been bothering me. I have see an old thread where someone running Fierce 5 replaced OHP with incline. He seemed to make good gains with it but I just needed to clarify.

I believe they work the same muscles but to different degrees...they both hit upper chest/shoulders but incline puts emphasis on the chest whereas OHP emphasizes the shoulders.

[PurmaBulker1984]

Is nobody going to tell the OP that incline bench and overhead press primarily work two separate muscle groups? I see he's asked a couple of times about replacing OHP with IB but nobody has said no, so now I'm curious myself...

OP has made his mind up about not doing OHP, so no point. But yes OHP and incline are not 1 for 1 replacements. As far as musculature goes IB is much closer to Flat bench, especially with a proper arch. OHP works not only the front delts and chest, but lateral delts, traps (all upper back muscles retracting scapula), long head of the triceps. but if OP wants flat looking shoulders and not bowling ball shoulders, who are we to tell him otherwise.