Bench Press: Reps at Bodyweight

[Longhorn85]

Any value to this? My goal for years was to be able to bench 300lbs.

Now my goal is to get 20 reps at my bodyweight.

I weigh 225, and right now I'm at 12 reps. I've been picking up a rep pretty much every time I work pecs, so I hope I'll get it by years end.

If post-workout soreness is any indication, it's doing some good.

 

[nelmsjer]

Hmmmmm......I have an idea, and it is NOT something I have every tried before or done. However, it would use progression principles, and it may help you reach your goal.

Week 1: You stated you can do 12 now. One minute later, do 1 more. Keep doing that until you have reached 25, which will take 13 additional minutes. The rest of the week, train your chest as you normally would.

Week 2: The following week, go for 13 on the first set. One minute later, do as many more as you can. After that, go back to your one per minute, until you have reached 25.

Week 3: Go for 14 on the first. As many as you can on the second and third sets. One per minute from the fourth set on, until 25.

Week 4: Retest and follow week 1 protocol. Only 1 rep per minute for the remaining reps. Consider it a "backoff" week to recuperate, and keep the rest of your chest workouts for the week much lighter to allow for full recovery.

From that point, keep repeating, as in week 2, week 3, week 4. Week 2, week 3, week 4. The variation is in the second and third sets to failure, which will be tough. The "week 4" protocol should help you deload for a week.

ANYone's thoughts or opinions on this would be appreciated!

 

[Longhorn85]

Hmmmmm......I have an idea, and it is NOT something I have every tried before or done. However, it would use progression principles, and it may help you reach your goal.

Week 1: You stated you can do 12 now. One minute later, do 1 more. Keep doing that until you have reached 25, which will take 13 additional minutes. The rest of the week, train your chest as you normally would.

Week 2: The following week, go for 13 on the first set. One minute later, do as many more as you can. After that, go back to your one per minute, until you have reached 25.

Week 3: Go for 14 on the first. As many as you can on the second and third sets. One per minute from the fourth set on, until 25.

Week 4: Retest and follow week 1 protocol. Only 1 rep per minute for the remaining reps. Consider it a "backoff" week to recuperate, and keep the rest of your chest workouts for the week much lighter to allow for full recovery.

From that point, keep repeating, as in week 2, week 3, week 4. Week 2, week 3, week 4. The variation is in the second and third sets to failure, which will be tough. The "week 4" protocol should help you deload for a week.

ANYone's thoughts or opinions on this would be appreciated!

Sounds like a good idea. I guess I've been doing something similar because after warming up I go for reps at 225, then I do 2 more sets at 225, usually 8 the 5. Maybe I'll do one or two reps at 275 after that.

I only work chest once a week.

 

[Illuminati]

being able to rep your body weight 20lbs will do very little to help you with your goal of beingh able to bench 300lbs. but if that is your goal, and not to get stronger, then good luck.

Any value to this? My goal for years was to be able to bench 300lbs.

Now my goal is to get 20 reps at my bodyweight.

I weigh 225, and right now I'm at 12 reps. I've been picking up a rep pretty much every time I work pecs, so I hope I'll get it by years end.

If post-workout soreness is any indication, it's doing some good.

 

[tribal 1]

I utilize my bodyweight for reps as my last set of my heavy bench day (250x20) I do this and hold my breathe for all 20 reps to help lung expansion and to deplete my muscles of lactic acid. It has work great for my training.

 

[Longhorn85]

being able to rep your body weight 20lbs will do very little to help you with your goal of beingh able to bench 300lbs. but if that is your goal, and not to get stronger, then good luck.

I should have been more clear - already met my goal for a 300 lb bench last fall, this is my new mark on the wall.

I am now up to 14 reps at 225 (today).

So you don't think high reps increases muscular strength? What about muscular endurance? Also how do you think it will affect physique?

Thanks.

 

[vin01]

I utilize my bodyweight for reps as my last set of my heavy bench day (250x20) I do this and hold my breathe for all 20 reps to help lung expansion and to deplete my muscles of lactic acid. It has work great for my training.

Isn't holding your breath dangerous in a situation like this

 

[Tweakle]

train heavier and you'll get more reps with the light weight. More reps with 315 = more reps with 225.

More reps with 225 will almost certainly not mean more reps with 315.

hth

 

[Longhorn85]

train heavier and you'll get more reps with the light weight. More reps with 315 = more reps with 225.

More reps with 225 will almost certainly not mean more reps with 315.

hth

Ah, so maybe train with 6-8 reps at 250 progressing to 6-8 reps at 270 then try in 6 mos to check progress at 225? Good idea.

BTW, the reason I thought of trying this is because at the NFL combine one of the events is reps at 225. I want to see how I compare to NFL players about my size (6'1" 225).

 

[Tweakle]

Yeah, I tried it myself after reading about that.. I found doing the 225 as a backdown after a couple of heavier worksets was a good way to do it, becuase your CNS is so primed for a heavy load the 225 feels like 135. (take 15 mins break after the last workset)

good luck getting the target reps, 20 with bodyweight is a good goal.