9 weeks to bring up bench, while 100% off

[Evom1]

So right now I will be off until the first or second week of January. I'm not a powerifter, but some friends are holding a friendly "meet" the end of January and the only lift I'm a little behind on is bench. Started using a sling shot recently and my God is that amazing for my shoulder.

What would you guys suggest as the best program for 8-9 weeks to add about 30-35lbs to my max bench? I may not pull it off of course since I'll be off of anything for the majority of it, but it could still be fun! I'd like to do the majority of my training with the slingshot on, as it's been a blessing for shoulder pain.


This is a piece from a program I found on t - Nation. Each bullet point represents a new week.
Thoughts on this? Being that I train for bodybuilding, my thoughts were to have flat bench as my first exercise after some warm ups, go along with this programming, and then do the rest of my standard chest workout.

• 5 x 3 x 80%
• 5 x 1 x 85%
• 4 x 5 x 80%
• 4 x 3 x 85%
• 4 x 1 x 90%
• 3 x 5 x 85% 
• 3 x 3 x 90% 
• 3 x 1 x 95%

 

[Ironlord]

30 lbs in that time should be doable.. That's less than a 4lb gain per week...

Depends where you're at right now for weight and reps.

 

[Skull]

@Docd187123 would you please help this gentleman out or tag a few more of our own Meso Powerlifters up in here to further assist him in reaching his goals?

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Once a week bench with no more than twenty reps and as few as three reps doesn't seem productive at all. Volume is too low. I remember you being fairly advanced with a max around 405lbs. I'd recommend five weeks of higher volume, twice a week benching with a three week peak leading into your competition. 30-35lbs in that time at your level and without gear would be amazing, but maybe the fact you've never trained PL style might make it possible.

 

[Evom1]

Once a week bench with no more than twenty reps and as few as three reps doesn't seem productive at all. Volume is too low. I remember you being fairly advanced with a max around 405lbs. I'd recommend five weeks of higher volume, twice a week benching with a three week peak leading into your competition. 30-35lbs in that time at your level and without gear would be amazing, but maybe the fact you've never trained PL style might make it possible.

Yes, max is currently 405 now. In my chest training I have about 12-15 working sets, however not all of those are flat bench of course.

That was also my thought, going below 8 reps is pretty foreign territory to me. I mean when I got the slingshot a month or so ago, I want to say I put up 315 for 7ish raw? Now I got 405x1 raw (not paused tho)

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Yes, max is currently 405 now. In my chest training I have about 12-15 working sets, however not all of those are flat bench of course.

That was also my thought, going below 8 reps is pretty foreign territory to me. I mean when I got the slingshot a month or so ago, I want to say I put up 315 for 7ish raw? Now I got 405x1 raw (not paused tho)

Yeah, the slingshot helped my max a lot. But if you want to improve your flat bench for this competition you need to focus mostly on flat bench. I'm guessing being a bodybuilder at your weight your chest is already very well developed. No need for any hypertrophy during this time.

 

[Ironlord]

Spend some time really bringing up strength in accessory muscles too... Stronger tri's, delts and lats will increase your bench..

I've also found board presses to be a way to quick gains.. Start at a 4 board with the weight you want to hit (so 435ish). Spend a couple weeks there, then move down to a 3 board for a couple weeks, and so on... Should get you right where you want to be.

By the end of the 8 week mark you'll be at 1 board...and able to go full to the chest in your challenge.

Almost like peaking for a meet-except using boards..

 

[janoshik]

Smolov Junior along with TONS of prehab exercises.

Also, train accessory muscles.

 

[Evom1]

Thanks for all the input guys, I will definitely apply what you've suggested!

 

[Johnny442]

Smolov Junior along with TONS of prehab exercises.

Also, train accessory muscles.

I agree with the Smolov Jr. I just ran it and my bench went up 35-45lbs in 3wks! Unfortunately I also tore my pec in the process!

 

[Docd187123]

Try smolov jr.

 

[janoshik]

I agree with the Smolov Jr. I just ran it and my bench went up 35-45lbs in 3wks! Unfortunately I also tore my pec in the process!

We ought to start a club, lol

 

[janoshik]

I agree with the Smolov Jr. I just ran it and my bench went up 35-45lbs in 3wks! Unfortunately I also tore my pec in the process!

How did you rehab it?

I'm currently fighting a lot with the healing and the muscle is tense like steel rope

 

[Evom1]

How did you rehab it?

I'm currently fighting a lot with the healing and the muscle is tense like steel rope

Have you looked into Graston therapy? I know alot of Physical Therapists use it for this

 

[Johnny442]

How did you rehab it?

I'm currently fighting a lot with the healing and the muscle is tense like steel rope

Mine doesn’t seem to be too bad. I didn’t even know it happened until later that night. It’s only been 6 days so it’s still tender and purple. I’ve done incline dB for 120reps with 10’s just to get the blood moving. I’m also digging in it with a ball . I think I got very lucky.

 

[janoshik]

Have you looked into Graston therapy? I know alot of Physical Therapists use it for this

Seems like active release to me, except they are using quite expensive tools instead of a lacrosse balls.
I'll take a more in depth look into it, thank you!

Mine doesn’t seem to be too bad. I didn’t even know it happened until later that night. It’s only been 6 days so it’s still tender and purple. I’ve done incline dB for 120reps with 10’s just to get the blood moving. I’m also digging in it with a ball . I think I got very lucky.

I felt it immediately, but it was like 3/10, felt just like a regular bad cramp, with a tiny bit of purple in the armpit crease.

Then I tried doing military press and I couldn't move my arm too much for a week afterwards. My current painfree max on bench is 30 kg.

 

[ickyrica]

Graston therapy is strange. I am new to it since my distal rupture, still figuring out if I like it or not. It's intense when going on, I'll say that.

 

[Evom1]

Seems like active release to me, except they are using quite expensive tools instead of a lacrosse balls.
I'll take a more in depth look into it, thank you!

It's along the same lines of (I'm going to mess up spelling here) Gua Sha and AISTM

They're actually taking a metal tool and scraping away at the muscle from the surface, breaking up adhesions and scar tissue and increasing blood flow. I've probably had a good 40 sessions done overall to the point where I bought my own generic tools off myobar. It's been an absolute game changer for me with recovery

 

[ickyrica]

It's along the same lines of (I'm going to mess up spelling here) Gua Sha and AISTM

They're actually taking a metal tool and scraping away at the muscle from the surface, breaking up adhesions and scar tissue and increasing blood flow. I've probably had a good 40 sessions done overall to the point where I bought my own generic tools off myobar. It's been an absolute game changer for me with recovery

Do you find it to be very intense for you? I find it to be very uncomfortable, slightly painful. It's like the pain increases the entire time I'm being pressed on. I've had maybe 8 sessions

I am fighting an uphill battle with another issue so Graston might not be the best thing for me currently, not that sure...

 

[Evom1]

Do you find it to be very intense for you? I find it to be very uncomfortable, slightly painful. It's like the pain increases the entire time I'm being pressed on. I've had maybe 8 sessions

I am fighting an uphill battle with another issue so Graston might not be the best thing for me currently, not that sure...

It's by far the most intense pain I've ever felt in my life. If I wasn't looking, I'd swear I was being skinned alive. Most of my sessions are filled with a lot of swearing and trying to breathe and not puke from the pain. But the moment he lifts the tool away the pain is gone.

I've had it done by three people. One was PT who was so gentle with it that I didn't get anything out of it, and it just kinda hurt. One is a chiropractor who specifically works with bodybuilders and understands how it needs to be done on people with more muscle mass and also is very good at using it to make the lines much more pronounced in the muscle and the definition pop.

When working on my chest, he gave me a towel to bite down on and counted me through the last 5 seconds coaching me to not give up lol

I've had some injuries over the years. On a pain scale of 1-10 with Graston being a 10, breaking a bone was a 3