Programming close grip bench

[Good Squire]

Ok, so looks like I ran a 12 week 4 day texas method cycle in late 2012/early 2013 with Close Grips done as my volume bench exercise (Done after presses on Press Intensity day). On Bench Intensity Day I did regular width bench press.
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When I started the cycle my estimated 1 rep max bench was 300 (but I did have a previous lifetime PR of 320) and my bodyweight was 200. By the end I did a 330 bench at bodyweight of 205.

To be honest, it probably doesn't make a ton of difference imo. In later cycles of the same programming I ditched the close grips and just went back to regular bench and had success there too. But I really don't think switching out your regular bench volume for close grips will hurt you, so if you think your triceps are a weak point, it's a pretty solid idea. It's a nice way to get them in there without adding pressing volume. I'd probably try it for 8-12 weeks and see what happens.

All that said, I think your original proposal of just adding 3x5 CGBP on your intensity bench day is fine too, but I'd probably do it after your volume presses.

This was very helpful. I think I may try that, volume day bench has been feeling very heavy lately. This may be just the thing. I think I have plenty to work with now. Thank you!

[BBB]

Question: why do you want to add CGBP? What makes you think that'll continue the gain-train? Have you had your bench technique evaluated? When you bench, do you feel more "pump" in your triceps or your pecs?

Benching and pressing both stress your triceps plenty. I want to make sure you're not just adding more specific volume that you then need to recover for.

[Rodolfo Bryant]

Question: why do you want to add CGBP? What makes you think that'll continue the gain-train? Have you had your bench technique evaluated? When you bench, do you feel more "pump" in your triceps or your pecs?

Though only an interested bystander, I'm curious as to your thoughts on this last bit.

Is it such that if your triceps pump, you're a "triceps bencher" so CGBP's would help your overall bench improve? Or that the pump indicates your triceps are working harder to move the load than your chest, with the CGBP's effectively improving your weak points?

[Good Squire]

Question: why do you want to add CGBP? What makes you think that'll continue the gain-train? Have you had your bench technique evaluated? When you bench, do you feel more "pump" in your triceps or your pecs?

Benching and pressing both stress your triceps plenty. I want to make sure you're not just adding more specific volume that you then need to recover for.

Honestly, I'm not sure. When I bench, both the triceps as well as the chest feel equally fatigued. Recently, I have not been able to get over 235lbs on volume day. Every workout feels the same, an absolute ball buster, and I don't want to even add weight because the last week I barely made all 5x5. I used to do weighted dips a few months ago and I felt like they helped my bench press out, but one workout, I felt a painful pop in my chest which I'm pretty sure was costal cartilidge and I stopped doing them. The dips were my only bench assistance aside from the main lifts, so that's why I started LTEs to replace them. The close grip thing is just an attempt to change things up to keep moving. I have always heard that variation and high volume keeps a good bench press moving. I was only able to get 265lbs for 2 reps on my 3RM week, so this is what I'm thinking.

Tuesday:
Intensity press 157.5lbs 3RM, 160 lbs(current) 2x2, 162.5 lbs 5x1 singles rotating rep range each week, add 2.5 lbs at end of 3 week cycle

CG Bench press 220lbs 5x5

Weighted chins 56.125lbs 3x6-8

Wednesday:
squat 5/1(360 1RM) Been hurting on squats lately, so I lowered my estimated 1RM to 360

SLDL 305 3x5

Conditioning(4x400m sprints)


Friday:
Bench intensity 5+/5x1 singles across(270 estimated 1RM)

Press volume 137.5lbs 5x5

Barbell/dumbbell curls 1x4-6, 2x10-12

LTES 3x10 85lbs



Sunday:
Squat 3x5 @70%

Deadlift 5/1 Karl's method (425 estimated 1RM)

Conditioning(30 kettlebell swings one minute on, one minute off for 10 minutes)

The 5/1 is a variation of 5/3/1 that forum member Karl Schudt has had success in using. Basically the 3 and deload week are eliminated in order to shorten the cycle and get more adaptions in. This program has brought my deadlift from a painful 390lb single in November, to 405lbs x2 this evening. What I planned on doing with the bench is the same thing, only doing 5 singles across on the 5/3/1 week instead of the AMRAP set in an attempt to get more volume in, while keeping the AMRAP set on the 5/5/5+ week. I am hoping this will at least get me in the 290lb range for the meet in January. I plan on incorporating pause work on intensity day in October, so we will see. Let me know what you all think. I need to get this bench unstuck! Thank you for the help.

[BBB]

Though only an interested bystander, I'm curious as to your thoughts on this last bit.

Is it such that if your triceps pump, you're a "triceps bencher" so CGBP's would help your overall bench improve? Or that the pump indicates your triceps are working harder to move the load than your chest, with the CGBP's effectively improving your weak points?

Just trying to determine if maybe his grip is off or if the bench isn't working certain muscle groups enough. For many people, the triceps would actually get pretty fatigued while the chest may not, especially with some arch.

When I bench, both the triceps as well as the chest feel equally fatigued.
...
Every workout feels the same, an absolute ball buster, and I don't want to even add weight because the last week I barely made all 5x5.
...

The goal is to make progress on intensity day, so if your volume is a ball-buster, consider reducing it. I'll post the same article that was suggested to me. You'll definitely have a d'oh/duh moment when you read this

Understanding the Texas Method Intensity Day | Andy Baker

I was just curious as to why you'd want to add CGBP in a program which already stresses the triceps via bench and press. Both use the anterior delts and triceps, so if anything, I'd expect you to say you want to do wide(er)-grip bench to work the pecs more.

Looking at your program, you're trying to set PR's twice per week. Once in press and once on the bench and pretty serious volume for both. You don't give your body time to recover. Not to mention the squat/DL maxes. That's a lot of stress on your body. Hopefully you eat like a horse and get plenty of rest.

I'm not a programming guru, so I'll let someone smarter chime in and help you with your programming, but it just seems like a bit much to me.

[Good Squire]

Just trying to determine if maybe his grip is off or if the bench isn't working certain muscle groups enough. For many people, the triceps would actually get pretty fatigued while the chest may not, especially with some arch.



The goal is to make progress on intensity day, so if your volume is a ball-buster, consider reducing it. I'll post the same article that was suggested to me. You'll definitely have a d'oh/duh moment when you read this

Understanding the Texas Method Intensity Day | Andy Baker

I was just curious as to why you'd want to add CGBP in a program which already stresses the triceps via bench and press. Both use the anterior delts and triceps, so if anything, I'd expect you to say you want to do wide(er)-grip bench to work the pecs more.

Looking at your program, you're trying to set PR's twice per week. Once in press and once on the bench and pretty serious volume for both. You don't give your body time to recover. Not to mention the squat/DL maxes. That's a lot of stress on your body. Hopefully you eat like a horse and get plenty of rest.

I'm not a programming guru, so I'll let someone smarter chime in and help you with your programming, but it just seems like a bit much to me.

The reason I incorporated twice a week volume and intensity bench and press is because last year, I ran out bench press and press on a traditional 3 day A/B rotate via Texas Method. From the results I have gotten with this method which I got from PPST3, I have come to conclude that it does work for me. When it comes to my volume day bench, I left the weight at 232.5lbs for over a month with it being extremely heavy. Keep in mind my intensity days kept going up on this. I then made the switch to 235lb volume day with it being extremely hard over the past three weeks and now I have stalled. Perhaps you are right, maybe the volume day was overtaxing me. At the same time, I was tired of being stuck at the same weight for weeks on end. That is why I wanted to do something different with a CGBP for volume to get me through my sticking point. I'm not sure if wide grip bench is too popular for assistance work around here because of the difficulty of tucking elbows and possible shoulder impingement, so that's why I avoided them. I wish I could do dips, but it aggravates my chest every time.

[BBB]

The reason I incorporated twice a week volume and intensity bench and press is because last year, I ran out bench press and press on a traditional 3 day A/B rotate via Texas Method. From the results I have gotten with this method which I got from PPST3, I have come to conclude that it does work for me. When it comes to my volume day bench, I left the weight at 232.5lbs for over a month with it being extremely heavy. Keep in mind my intensity days kept going up on this. I then made the switch to 235lb volume day with it being extremely hard over the past three weeks and now I have stalled. Perhaps you are right, maybe the volume day was overtaxing me. At the same time, I was tired of being stuck at the same weight for weeks on end. That is why I wanted to do something different with a CGBP for volume to get me through my sticking point. I'm not sure if wide grip bench is too popular for assistance work around here because of the difficulty of tucking elbows and possible shoulder impingement, so that's why I avoided them. I wish I could do dips, but it aggravates my chest every time.

As far as wide-grip, you can use a slingshot to help keep your elbows tucked and overload, so you're working your triceps more, plus handling higher weight. By the way, you don't have to change grip too much to feel the difference. Move and inch or two and you'll feel it.