Saturday, June 17, 2023

Sample 8-Week Bench Press Program, Part One -- Joseph Locero

 





Our programming will reflect the focus on the bench press. I am not one to neglect the lower body's growth and development, but in this case to keep the  program geared towards bench pressing precision I wanted to select most of the exercises for their worth as beneficial movememnts for upper body dominance. 

Please understand that this is not the typical programming promoted for overall strength performance, it focuses on increasing your bench pressing capabilities over the length of 8-week periods. 

All exercises use terminology that we have discussed earlier. Terminology is also chosen to help you search online for guidance, images and videos if you aren't sure how a specific exercise is performed. 

When you look at the program, you'll see percentages but primarily RPE values, representing "ratimg of perceived exertion" that can be viewed as how tough the workout should be. RPE within this program would range from 1 being easiest to 10 being the toughest. 

Week 1 is primarily RPE7, which I view as tough but not out of reach. If the goal is to reach RPE10 and you're struggling to bench 300 pounds for week 1, gthen you have picked the wrong value. Please read the notes as well, to understand percentages as reference points with your programming. 

And as usual, please understand that the programming in this book is designed to be used at your discretion. 


Format of Workout Program

Listed as: 
Exercise / Sets x Reps / Weights or Percentages / Rest Intervals in Seconds

e.g. : Bench Press 3x6 RPE8 120

Week 1

Day One

Safety Bar Squat 
5x5 RPE8 120

DB Walking Lunges 
BIG steps and pause at the bottom for hip flexors 
4x12 RPE8 60

Snatch Grip RDL
Don't touch the ground 
4x10 RPE8 60

Leg Extension
4x12 RPE8 60

Day Two

Pause Bench Press
2x3 RPE8 120
Reference would be 88% of desired 1RM

Paused Medium Band Bench Press
Lock out each rep, hold for 3 seconds
2x3 RPE8 90

Dead Bench (1" off chest)
for speed
6x4 RPE7 60
Reference would be 70% of desired max

30 Degree Low Incline Tempo DB Press
3 seconds down, 3 seconds up
4x6,6,8,10 RPE8 60 

DB Flyes 
3x10 RPE8 60

Standing Barbell Front Raise
3x10 RPE8 60

Cable Triceps Extension
3x20 RPE8 60

Day Three

Barbell Bent Row
4x10 RPE8 120

DB Shrugs
4x12 RPE8 60

45 Degress Incline Seal Roes
pull back as far as possible
5x8 RPE8 60

Pullups
3xAMRAP, bodyweight 60

Reverse Barbell Curl
3x8 RPE8 60

Eccentric EZ Bar Curls to Standing EZ Bar Cheat Curls
5x5-8 RPE8 60

Day Four 

Close Grip 3-Board Pause Bench
2x3 RPE8 120 
Reference would be 90% of desired max

70 Degree Incline Close Grip 2" Spoto Press, Paused
4x6 RPE8 60

Light Band Resisted Paused Speed Bench
6x3 RPE6 60
Not including band, 62% of desired max

Lateral Raises
4x10 RPE8 60

Horizontal Bench Rear Delt Flyes
3x10 RPE8 60

Floor JM Press
keep at eye level
4x8 RPE8 60

Narrow Grip Pushups
1xAMRAP bodyweight 60
write down reps


Week 2

Day One

Safety Bar Squat
5x4 RPE9 120

DB Walking Lunges
BIG steps and pause at bottom for hip flexors
4x12T RPE9 60

Snatch Grip RDL
don't touch the ground
4x10 RPE9 60

Leg Extension
4x15 RPE9 60

Eccentric Weighted Chinup
4x8 RPE9 60

DB Hammer Curl
4x10 RPE9 60

Day Two 

Pause Bench Press
2x3 RPE9 120
Reference would be adding 5-10 lbs to your week One weight

Pause Medium Band Resisted Bench Press
Lock out each rep, hold for 3 seconds. 
2x3 RPE 9 90

Dead Bench (1" off chest) - for speed
8x4. RPE 7 60
Reference would be 70% of desired 1RM

30 degree Low Incline Tempo DB Press
3 seconds down - 3 seconds up)
4x8 RPE 9 60

DB Flies
3x10 RPE9 60

Standing Barbell Front Raise
3x10 RPE9 60

Cable Triceps Extension
4x20 RPE9 60

Day Three

Barbell Bent Row
4x8 RPE9 120

DB Shrugs
4x12 RPE9 60

45 Degree Incline DB Seal Row
pull back as far as possible
6x8 RPE9 60

Pullups
3xAMRAP RPE9 60

Reverse Barbell Curl
3x8 RPE9 60

Eccentric EZ Bar Curl  
go to 
Standing EZ Bar Cheat Curl  
6x5+8 RPE9 60

Day Four

Close Grip 3-Board Pause Press
2x3 RPE9 120
Reference would be adding 5-10 lbs from Week One poundage

70 Degree Incline Close Grip Spoto Press - Paused
4x5 RPE9 60

Light Band Resisted Paused Speed Bench Press
4x5 RPE9 60 
Not including band, 62% of desired 1RM

Lateral Raise
4x10 RPE9 60

Horizontal Bench Rear Delt Flyes
3x10 RPE9 60

Floor JM Press (keep at eye level)
5x8 RPE9 60

Narrow Pushups
1xAMRAP bodyweight 60
Beat week one. 


Week 3

continued from, yawn, here

Enjoy Your Lifting! 
 






 






















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