Looking to get your bench numbers up? You might want to listen to Ryan Kennelly when it comes to how to get your bench game up. The guy has broken the world record for shirted benching, currently at 1075lbs. Here’s something that he came up with that I found over on criticalbench.com that I thought may work for some guys just starting out and are about 6 months in to lifting:
Heavy Bench Day Week #1: Work with 50% of your one rep raw max and you will do 8 sets of triples at this weight. So, for example, if you’re 1RM is 300 pounds, you’ll do 8 sets of 3 reps with 150 pounds. For your assistance work, perform 5 sets of 5 with a four board press, using 80% of your 1RM. Then, do 3 sets of 12-20 reps of tricep cable pushdowns.
Heavy Bench Day Week #2: Work with 55% of your one rep max and perform 8 sets of triples. So, going off of our example of a 300 pound 1RM, do 8 sets of 3 reps with 165 pounds. Again, for your assistance work, do 5 sets of 5 reps with a four board press, using 80% of your 1RM and then do 3 sets of 12-20 reps of tricep cable pushdowns.
Heavy Bench Day Week #3: Work with 60% of your one rep max and perform 8 sets of triples. As per the above 300 pound 1RM, do 8 sets of 3 reps with 180 pounds. For your assistance work, do rack lockouts for 5 sets of 5 reps and with 80% of your 1RM. Then, perform skull crushers for 3 sets of 12-20 reps.
Heavy Bench Day Week #4: Work with 65% of your one rep max and perform 8 sets of triples. In our example workout (300 pound 1RM) you’d do 8 sets of 3 reps with 195 pounds. Your assistance work this week will be a repeat of Week #3; rack lockout for 5 sets of 5 using 80% of your benchpress 1RM and then skull crushers for 3 sets of 12-20 reps.
Heavy Bench Day Week #5: Train with 70% of your one rep max and perform 6 sets of triples. Example workout: 6 sets of 3 reps with 210 pounds.. Your assistance work this week will consist of floor presses for 5 sets of 5 and using 50% of your benchpress 1RM and then behind-the-head 2 hand dumbbell extensions for 3 sets of 12-20 reps.
Heavy Bench Day Week #6: Work with 75% of your one rep max and perform 6 sets of triples. Example workout: 6 sets of 3 reps with 225 pounds. For assitance work, repeat what you did on Week #5: floor presses for 5 sets of 5 using 50% of your 1RM and then behind-the-head 2 hand dumbbell extensions for 3 sets of 12-20 reps.
Heavy Bench Day Week #7: Train with 80% of your one rep max and perform 3 sets of triples. Example workout: 3 sets of 3 reps with 240 pounds. Your assistance work for this week will be weighted dips for 3 sets of 8-12 reps and then barbell extensions off the floor for 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
Heavy Bench Day Week #8: Train with 85% of your one rep max and perform 3 sets of triples. Example workout: 3 sets of 3 reps with 255 pounds. For assistance work this week, repeat what you did on Week #7: performing weighted dips for 3 sets of 8-12 reps and then barbell extensions off the floor for 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
Heavy Bench Day Week #9: Train with 90% of your one rep max and perform 3 sets of triples. Example workout: 3 sets of 3 reps with 270 pounds. This will be your last day of assistance work before going for your new 3 rep max. For this training day, you’ll return to what you did on Week #1: 4 board presses for 5 sets of 5 and using 80% of your benchpress 1RM and then cable pushdowns for 3 sets of 12-20 reps.
Week #10: Take this week off and avoid any chest, shoulder, and triceps training.
Heavy Bench Day Week #11: Train with 100% of your (now previous) one rep max and perform 1-3 sets of triples. Example workout: 1-3 sets of 3 reps with 300 pounds.
