heavy pressing volume

[tomhaverford]

Hi,
So I have recently switched to an Arnold type split (chest/back,shoulders/arms,legs) from a PPL split.
My reasoning is that I would like to be training both my bench and shoulder press heavy twice a week (with PPL I have had to alternate between the 2 lifts)
However, I am worried about the volume of heavy pressing I will be doing with this (particularly the impacts on my elbows - which I have had trouble with in the past as I tend to overtrain).

How many sets of heavy pressing would you recommend per week (bearing in mind that this will be split into four sessions)?
Would you also recommend doing some back off sets after the heavy stuff - or is this overkill?

thanks
Tom

[air2fakie]

No one can recommend anything useful based on generic split formats without knowing more about you.

You’d have the best idea of what you can handle based on your lifts, what you consider to be “heavy”, past training, progress, recovery, etc.

[WolfRose7]

define heavy for us?

[tomhaverford]

define heavy for us?

Heavy is of course relative - my seated barbell shoulder press 1RM is 72.5kg and my bench press 1RM was 105kg (it has likely declined as I have recently focussed on shoulder pressing twice a week during push sessions.)

I know that these arent huge weights - I just want to make sure Im not overloading my elbows by pressing too much and too often.

also - do you think it is a good idea to be pressing 4 days a week (as the split would dictate)
thanks for your help

[WolfRose7]

Heavy is of course relative - my seated barbell shoulder press 1RM is 72.5kg and my bench press 1RM was 105kg (it has likely declined as I have recently focussed on shoulder pressing twice a week during push sessions.)

I know that these arent huge weights - I just want to make sure Im not overloading my elbows by pressing too much and too often.

also - do you think it is a good idea to be pressing 4 days a week (as the split would dictate)
thanks for your help

I press 4 days and recover well.
Very few sets close to failure, which helps.

[tomhaverford]

I press 4 days and recover well.
Very few sets close to failure, which helps.

what kind of strength programme do you use for pressing 4 days a week - I have been doing 5x5 and german volume training for shoulder press twice a week, but dont know how I would programme this with bench.
thanks

[WolfRose7]

what kind of strength programme do you use for pressing 4 days a week - I have been doing 5x5 and german volume training for shoulder press twice a week, but dont know how I would programme this with bench.
thanks

It's custom and bench driven.

Last dev block was

1
Comp bench 1@8 8 sets of 5 submax
Myo close grip 15@9 and myo downs till 4@10.

2.
2ct heavy double then back off triples

3.
Low pin heavy triple then 5 doubles with the same weight
Myo Larsen bench

4. Tng similar protocol to comp

To summ it up

Main movement heavy single and high volume submax rep work
Secondary movements, high intensity low reps, harder variations.
Tertiary hypertrophy chest and tri work

[TolerantLactose]

How could anyone know what your elbows can tolerate besides you?

what kind of strength programme do you use for pressing 4 days a week - I have been doing 5x5 and german volume training for shoulder press twice a week, but dont know how I would programme this with bench.
thanks

This isn't geared for strength.

[tomhaverford]

How could anyone know what your elbows can tolerate besides you?

I was just hoping someone could recommend a general framework for volume that I could adjust depending on how recovery felt

[air2fakie]

I was just hoping someone could recommend a general framework for volume that I could adjust depending on how recovery felt

It'd prob be more productive if you posted your current Arnold split (which would reflect your own training preferences and what you think you can handle), your prior PPL split you switched from, and any concerns/Qs you have based on your elbow/recovery issues from past "overtraining". There are lots of diff ways to handle it so might as well start with your own program and concerns first, then people can provide feedback.

[coachcalande]

I was just hoping someone could recommend a general framework for volume that I could adjust depending on how recovery felt

I used to do a split similar to that...my delts rarely really recovered....

My elbows weren’t the issue. That said, I’m pressing at about 26 sets over 8 days...at age 54

The weight, more than the total reps seems to matter most for MY elbows.