One Rep Max: Bench

[Dangerdan]

I've never had a very strong bench. My max is currently 300 which I got about a week ago. My goal for the past several months has been to get up to 315. I'm on the last week of my cycle and feel that if I dont get 315 up this week, its going to be a while before I get there again. My question is, what is the best "workout" to use when attempting a one-rep max?

I was thinking: two warm-up sets with 135 - 12 reps; 225 for two reps; 275 for one rep; and then try 315. What is the "normal" routine when going for a one rep max. I dont want to go straight to 315 without getting my muscles warmed up. Thanks.

[zaneisgreat]

That really looks pretty good. When i try to max, i do the same thing - get myself warmed up without fatiguing myself. I would cut out one of the 135 sets, add like a 205x6, push 225x3 275x1 then max.

But really, i think you got the general idea just fine.

good luck.

[DutchCowboy]

i just do a few reps with 225 to get my chest used to the stretch, then jump straight to 315x1, then 335x1, 365x1, 405x0

[Superhuman]

for getting your max up this is not a workout, but a good program if you follow it. it will take weeks doing chest twice a week. Let say you can do 60% of your 300lbs max (180lbs) for 12 reps right now...

ORIGINAL 1-REP MAX: 300lbs
Week 1:
-Chest Day 1 4x12 180lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x12 190lbs
Week 2:
-Chest Day 1 4x12 200lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x12 210lbs
Week 3:
-Chest Day 1 4x10 220lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x10 230lbs
Week 4:
-Chest Day 1 4x10 240lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x10 250lbs
Week 5:
-Chest Day 1 4x8 260lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x8 270lbs
Week 6:
-Chest Day 1 4x6 280lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x6 290lbs
Week 7:
-Chest Day 1 4x6 300lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x6 310lbs
Week 8:
-Chest Day 1 4x4 320lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x4 330lbs
Week 9:
-Chest Day 1 4x2 340lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x2 350lbs
Week 10:
-Chest Day 1 4x2 360lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x1 370lbs <----1 Rep Max!!!!

Then, you start over again @ 60% of your new max (225lbs) and by the 10th week of your next "cycle" your max will be 415!!!

[suckysucky]

for getting your max up this is not a workout, but a good program if you follow it. it will take weeks doing chest twice a week. Let say you can do 60% of your 300lbs max (180lbs) for 12 reps right now...

ORIGINAL 1-REP MAX: 300lbs
Week 1:
-Chest Day 1 4x12 180lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x12 190lbs
Week 2:
-Chest Day 1 4x12 200lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x12 210lbs
Week 3:
-Chest Day 1 4x10 220lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x10 230lbs
Week 4:
-Chest Day 1 4x10 240lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x10 250lbs
Week 5:
-Chest Day 1 4x8 260lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x8 270lbs
Week 6:
-Chest Day 1 4x6 280lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x6 290lbs
Week 7:
-Chest Day 1 4x6 300lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x6 310lbs
Week 8:
-Chest Day 1 4x4 320lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x4 330lbs
Week 9:
-Chest Day 1 4x2 340lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x2 350lbs
Week 10:
-Chest Day 1 4x2 360lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x1 370lbs <----1 Rep Max!!!!

Then, you start over again @ 60% of your new max (225lbs) and by the 10th week of your next "cycle" your max will be 415!!!

interesting.. i dont put much stock in how much weight i can bench but every now and then you always got that person asking how much you can bench, and its nice to be able to say a high number. I could definetly see this working.

[Johnny Gotti]

Go to stackmag.com for a good bench plan

[Liftnainez]

I guess for powerlifters this is good, but I feel maxing will do more harm than good..

[DutchCowboy]

for getting your max up this is not a workout, but a good program if you follow it. it will take weeks doing chest twice a week. Let say you can do 60% of your 300lbs max (180lbs) for 12 reps right now...

ORIGINAL 1-REP MAX: 300lbs
Week 1:
-Chest Day 1 4x12 180lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x12 190lbs
Week 2:
-Chest Day 1 4x12 200lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x12 210lbs
Week 3:
-Chest Day 1 4x10 220lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x10 230lbs
Week 4:
-Chest Day 1 4x10 240lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x10 250lbs
Week 5:
-Chest Day 1 4x8 260lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x8 270lbs
Week 6:
-Chest Day 1 4x6 280lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x6 290lbs
Week 7:
-Chest Day 1 4x6 300lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x6 310lbs
Week 8:
-Chest Day 1 4x4 320lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x4 330lbs
Week 9:
-Chest Day 1 4x2 340lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x2 350lbs
Week 10:
-Chest Day 1 4x2 360lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x1 370lbs <----1 Rep Max!!!!

Then, you start over again @ 60% of your new max (225lbs) and by the 10th week of your next "cycle" your max will be 415!!!

Dude, no way are you going to be able to jump 20 lbs. every week like that.

[Superhuman]

well that's what we did on my football team and it worked for all 50 of us

[Dangerdan]

Yeah, I can't imagine my max improving 70lbs in ten weeks, but I may give this program a try and see how much it does improve my one-rep max.

[spywizard]

static training will make for big gains in your performance...

I always suggest this type of training as it has and does work very well for me..

[Superhuman]

static training will make for big gains in your performance...

I always suggest this type of training as it has and does work very well for me..

yes this is awesome, there is a whole book about it called "static contraction training". It's best to do it in a power rack because you can go all-out and you don't have to worry about the heavy weight falling on you or having to have a spot

[spywizard]

yep.. what i found was you needed 5 days of rest between muscle groups before you hit that one again..

after 6-8 weeks, go back to your normal routine.. you will be very suprised..

the most frustrating thing about this training, is you are not in the gym more than 20-30 minutes, and you will not get ever stronger if you do 3-4 reps instead of the 1 static..

i always did a warm up with about 60%.. then waited 3 minutes to do the rep..

[humungus88]

This one works great.
Gary Edward’s 4-Week Bench Workout

This is what I used to get started in benching. I had a partner; we were very dedicated and well-scheduled. The charts work as follows:

1) Pick your maximum 1 repetition category from the chart

2) Follow the workout listed under that weight for Week 1, Week 2 and so on

After I reached 300 pounds for a max bench, I stopped using the chart. I used my log and if I was able to complete that week’s workout, I simply added 5 pounds to each workout weight.

I used the chart as my basic bench routine on Mondays and on Thursdays I would do other variations such as: close grip benching, GVT(10X10’s) or Bill’s 5x5 routine for 6 weeks or so.

Mondays, I also did:

Reverse benching (3 sets of 4)
Dumbbell flat bench (2 sets of 10)
Standing dumbbell presses (2 sets of 8)
Dips (2 sets to failure)

Thursdays, I also did:

Incline bench (3 sets of 4)
Dumbbell flat bench (2 sets of 10)
Standing dumbbell presses (2 sets of 8)
Dips (2 sets to failure)

That’s it for bench days. Look up your 1 rep max and get started! By the way, if your 1 rep max is higher than the chart goes, it’s easy to calculate your starting poundages by following the previous columns, not that you need the chart if your bench is already that high.








WORKOUT SCHEDULE WEEK #1

100-105 110-115 120-125 130-135 140-145 150-155
12x60 12x65 12x70 12x75 12x80 12x90
12x60 12x65 12x70 12x75 12x80 12x90
10x60 10x70 10x75 10x80 10x85 10x95
8x65 8x70 8x80 8x85 8x90 8x100
8x65 8x70 8x80 8x85 8x90 8x100
10x60 10x70 10x75 10x80 10x85 10x90

160-165 170-175 180-185 190-195 200-205 210-215
12x90 12x100 12x105 12x110 12x115 12x120
12x90 12x100 12x105 12x110 12x115 12x120
10x95 10x105 10x110 10x115 10x120 10x125
8x105 8x110 8x115 8x125 8x130 8x135
8x105 8x110 8x115 8x125 8x130 8x135
10x95 10x105 10x110 10x115 10x120 10x125

220-225 230-235 240-245 250-255 260-265 270-275
12x130 12x130 12x140 12x145 12x150 12x155
12x130 12x130 12x140 12x145 12x150 12x155
10x135 10x140 10x150 10x160 10x160 10x160
8x145 8x150 8x155 8x160 8x170 8x175
8x145 8x150 8x155 8x160 8x180 8x180
10x130 10x140 10x145 10x150 10x155 10x160

280-285 290-295 300-305 310-315 320-325 330-335
12x160 12x170 12x175 12x180 12x185 12x190
12x160 12x170 12x175 12x180 12x185 12x190
10x170 10x175 10x180 10x185 10x190 10x200
8x180 8x190 8x195 8x200 8x210 8x215
8x180 8x190 8x195 8x200 8x210 8x215
10x170 10x175 10x180 10x185 10x190 10x200

340-345 350-355 360-365 370-375 380-385 390-395
12x200 12x205 12x210 12x215 12x220 12x225
12x200 12x205 12x210 12x215 12x220 12x225
10x205 10x210 10x215 10x220 10x230 10x235
8x220 8x230 8x235 8x240 8x245 8x250
8x220 8x230 8x235 8x240 8x245 8x250
10x205 10x210 10x215 10x220 10x230 10x235



REPETITION SCALE – WEEK #2

100 110 120 130 140 150
10x55 10x60 10x65 10x70 10x75 10x80
8x65 8x70 8x80 8x85 8x90 8x95
6x75 6x80 6x90 6x95 6x105 6x110
4x85 4x90 4x100 4x110 4x115 4x125
8x65 8x80 8x80 8x85 8x90 8-105


160 170 180 190 200 210
10x85 10x95 10x100 10x105 10x110 10x115
8x105 8x110 8x115 8x125 8x130 8x135
6x120 6x125 6x135 6x140 6x150 6x155
4x135 4x145 4x155 4x160 4x170 4x180
8x100 8x105 8x115 8x125 8x130 8x135


220 230 240 250 260 270
10x120 10x125 10x130 10x135 10x145 10x150
8x145 8x150 8x155 8x160 8x170 8x175
6x165 6x170 6x180 6x180 6x195 6x200
4x185 4x195 4x205 4x210 4x220 4x230
8x145 8x150 8x155 8x160 8x170 8x175


280 290 300 310 320 330
10x155 10x160 10x165 10x170 10x175 10x180
8x180 8x190 8x195 8x200 8x210 8x215
6x210 6x215 6x225 6x230 6x240 6x245
4x240 4x245 4x255 4x260 4x270 4x280
8x180 8x190 8x195 8x200 8x210 8x215

340 350 360 370 380 390
10x190 10x195 10x200 10x205 10x210 10x215
8x225 8x230 8x235 8x240 8x245 8x250
6x260 6x265 6x270 6x275 6x280 6x285
4x295 4x300 4x305 4x315 4x320 4x325
8x225 8x230 8x235 8x240 8x245 8x250





REPETITION SCALE – WEEK #3

110-115 120-125 130-135 140-145 150-155 160-165
8x65 8x75 8x85 8x95 8x105 8x110
5x75 5x85 5x95 5x105 5x115 5x120
3x85 3x95 3x105 3x115 3x125 3x130
1x100 1x110 1x120 1x130 1x140 1x150
1x100 1x110 1x120 1x130 1x140 1x150
5x75 5x85 5x95 5x105 5x115 5x120

170-175 180-185 190-195 200-205 210-215 220-225
8x115 8x120 8x130 8x140 8x140 8x150
5x130 5x135 5x140 5x150 5x160 5x160
3x140 3x150 3x160 3x170 3x175 3x185
1x160 1x170 1x180 1x190 1x200 1x210
1x160 1x170 1x180 1x190 1x200 1x210
5x130 5x135 5x140 5x150 5x160 5x160


230-235 240-245 250-255 260-265 270-275 280-285
8x150 8x160 8x160 8x170 8x180 8x190
5x170 5x180 5x190 5x190 5x200 5x210
3x190 3x200 3x210 3x220 3x225 3x235
1x220 1x230 1x240 1x250 1x250 1x260
1x220 1x230 1x240 1x250 1x250 1x260
5x170 5x180 5x190 5x190 5x200 5x210

290-295 300-305 310-315 320-325 330-335 340-345
8x200 8x200 8x210 8x215 8x215 8x220
5x220 5x230 5x240 5x250 5x250 5x255
3x240 3x250 3x265 3x280 3x285 3x290
1x270 1x280 1x290 1x300 1x310 1x320
1x270 1x280 1x290 1x300 1x310 1x320
5x220 5x230 5x240 5x250 5x250 5x255

350-355 360-365 370-375 380-385 390-395 400-405
8x225 8x240 8x245 8x255 8x260 8x265
5x260 5x270 5x280 5x290 5x295 5x300
3x280 3x295 3x310 3x320 3x325 3x335
1x330 1x340 1x350 1x360 1x370 1x380
1x330 1x340 1x350 1x360 1x370 1x380
5x260 5x270 5x280 5x290 5x295 5x300


REPETITION SCALE – WEEK #4

100-105 110-115 120-125 130-135 140-145 150-155
3x85 3x95 3x105 3x110 3x120 3x130
3x90 3x100 3x105 3x115 3x125 3x135
3x90 3x100 3x110 3x120 3x130 3x140

160-165 170-175 180-185 190-195 200-205 210-215
3x140 3x145 3x155 3x165 3x170 3x180
3x140 3x150 3x160 3x170 3x180 3x185
3x145 3x155 3x165 3x175 3x185 3x195

220-225 230-235 240-245 250-255 260-265 270-275
3x190 3x200 3x205 3x215 3x225 3x230
3x195 3x205 3x215 3x220 3x230 3x240
3x200 3x210 3x220 3x230 3x240 3x250

280-285 290-295 300-305 310-315 320-325 330-335
3x240 3x250 3x260 2x265 3x275 3x285
3x250 3x260 3x265 3x275 3x285 3x295
3x260 3x265 3x275 3x285 3x295 3x305

340-345 350-355 360-365 370-375 380-385 390-395
3x290 3x300 3x310 3x320 3x325 3x335
3x300 3x310 3x320 3x330 3x340 3x345
3x310 3x320 3x330 3x340 3x350 3x360

[Squatman51]

for getting your max up this is not a workout, but a good program if you follow it. it will take weeks doing chest twice a week. Let say you can do 60% of your 300lbs max (180lbs) for 12 reps right now...

ORIGINAL 1-REP MAX: 300lbs
Week 1:
-Chest Day 1 4x12 180lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x12 190lbs
Week 2:
-Chest Day 1 4x12 200lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x12 210lbs
Week 3:
-Chest Day 1 4x10 220lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x10 230lbs
Week 4:
-Chest Day 1 4x10 240lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x10 250lbs
Week 5:
-Chest Day 1 4x8 260lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x8 270lbs
Week 6:
-Chest Day 1 4x6 280lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x6 290lbs
Week 7:
-Chest Day 1 4x6 300lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x6 310lbs
Week 8:
-Chest Day 1 4x4 320lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x4 330lbs
Week 9:
-Chest Day 1 4x2 340lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x2 350lbs
Week 10:
-Chest Day 1 4x2 360lbs
-Chest Day 2 4x1 370lbs <----1 Rep Max!!!!

Then, you start over again @ 60% of your new max (225lbs) and by the 10th week of your next "cycle" your max will be 415!!!

good joke...

what else no special exercises? lockouts?

[Superhuman]

good joke...

what else no special exercises? lockouts?

?? yeah i'm laughing my ass off...

do your normal routine, but for bench you do this

[Doc.Sust]

spywizard, do you haveany literature on static training,? i am intrested in a good read on that type of training, i know the principle behind it, but i never aw an entire program based on static holds

[Doc.Sust]

how to warm up, 135 2 sets of , 225 for 1 275 for 1 , 315 for one and thats it. as far as a proram goes, if you want to up your press, look into board presses, rack lockouts, close grip, jm presses, tri extensions, and a solid program, i like the progressive overload periodization type of training,but i know alot of people wha have had success with westside methods. if u want to learn more about west side and these exercises i talked about, go to www.elitefts.com

[Dangerdan]

Thanks for all the info guys. I dont have any desire to become a powerlifter and normally don't focus on my maxes but I was finishing up a cycle and was curious to see how much I could get up on bench. The last time I "maxed-out" was probably two-three years ago. Unfortunately, I didnt get 315, but dropped down and got 305 which was still a new personal best. I think my tricepts are the weak point of my bench right now but I'm working on that. My warm up looked like this:

135 for 12 reps
225 for 4 reps
275 for 1 rep
315 for 1/2 rep. . .
305 for 1 rep

I've been working out chest pretty heavy for the past 12 weeks or so and my shoulders and elbows are starting to feel the strain. I think I'm gonna try to shock my muscles by lifting lower weights for higher reps for a while.

[Dangerdan]

I think I might pick up the ESF Beginner Training Manual. I think it's probably a good read even if I'm not interested in powerlifting.

[getpumped24]

1 rep max is for bragging rights only. i hate the question "how much do you bench?" on heavy days i only drop to 3-4 reps. its just an injury waiting to happen. just my opinion.

[novastepp]

spywizard, do you haveany literature on static training,? i am intrested in a good read on that type of training, i know the principle behind it, but i never aw an entire program based on static holds

bump i would like to read about this training too. i responmd so damn well to workouts that ive never done. i love to rhow in a crazy switch up week every 2-3 weeks. so this could be added at least once every 6-8 weeks for me.