How many sets for Bench?!?

[Grantsdu]

I lift 3 nights a week. I normally try to do bench work at least 2 times a week and sometimes every night I lift. Is this wrong? Wehn I do bench I normally try to do between 4 and 7 sets with heavy weight as many times as I can and then get help on one or two more. Is there anything wrong with this? I have my fisrt meet in a little over a month, trying to get ready for it. Its bench only. Any tips would help!!

 

[GRIMMER]

don't bench more than twice a week and only go really heavy and to failure once a week. Focus on your tris. Heavy one day and lighter 4-5 days later for both bench and tris. Keep the reps aaround 2-6 on your heavy days and 8-10 on your lighter days. Chose wieghts acordingly. What meet?

 

[GRIMMER]

Sorry ,2-6 for bench and 6 for tris.

 

[ZZuluZ]

Forget everything you've learned. IF you want to get strong it's not a question of doing 25 forced reps and training your chest 3X a week! That's just overtraining...even for a bodybuilder!

-Zulu

 

[powerlifterjay]

Get good and warmed up and make 3 sets your work sets. Meaning you might hit 10 sets if you bench over 500 cause 135 , 225 315 405 , all those are done for 10 reps. There not work sets. This is just an example. So if you max at 315 dont count 135, 225 . Go for as many as you can with 275 (no forced reps), then hit 300 then 315. Try to end with a power ful double. With singles if everything is perfect Lift off, speed , foot drive, you will get the lift. In my opinion i reach a new strength when after that big rep number 1, i can reset and do it again. I am much happier with a double then a single. Then hit tri's. Then 72 hrs later hit tri's again. Pressing movements , board presses, floor presses, Jm presses, these are done heavier on this day and you start with them. No flat bench but once a week if you do them. Hope this shed a little light.

 

[brianmincher]

I bench twice a week. On sundays I bench with 45-50 percent of my shirtless max, with 50 lbs of chain, for 8 sets of 3 reps, the three reps being done in about 2.7 seconds. then hit triceps, lats, a little shoulders, and some rotators. On Wednesday, max out for a single on declines one week, next week board press, next week reverse band press, next week rack lockouts, next week inclines, next week 100 lb dumbells on a flat bench for a rep max, and so forth. After the max movement, hit triceps, lats, shoulders and rotators.

Doing this you never get burned out. I do no forced reps. This is painting the program with very broad strokes, but since I started this program 7 months ago, I have put 120+ lbs on my bench.

Good luck and research articles written by Dave Tate and Louie Simmons on bench pressing. They know more about it than anyone out there IMHO.

B

 

[Grantsdu]

I'm going to enter that Kentucky State Championship. Its help by NASA. I have never lifted in any type of lifting event. I'm only entering bench the first couple of times untill I see what its all about and find out if I will have any future lifting in them at all. I'm benching around 275 pause. I'm going to enter the 138 pound class as a Pure Novice. I don't know if I can do any good or not but I will never know unless I try. I have been hitting my tris really hard here lately but I don't feel like I'm gaining any on them. I do skull crushers and push downs. I often throw other things in but I don't lift at a Gym and haven't ever had anyone show me how to powerlift effectively. I have heard alot about board presses and bands, still not sure on how to do them. I may buy some bands this weekend if I can find them. Thanks for all your help. With alot of work maybe I can place in the upcomming meet!!