Tweaking HLM bench program

[John Hanley]

Update:

5/27: CGBP - 167.5 5x5
5/30/17: Bench - 192.5x5 (5 rep PR, RPE 8.5?); 182.5 2x5; 172.5 2x5 (5m rest)
6/1/17: OHP - 117.5 3x3 (5m rest)
6/3/17: CGBP - 175 5x5 (5 min rest). Last set RPE 9?
6/6/17: Bench - 195x3/1/F; 175x5.

I was supposed to hit 195x5 today, and it was a miserable failure. Last week's 192.5x5 was way better. Warmups reps were incredibly slow. Food and sleeping was fine this week. I'm guessing I wasn't recovered fully from Saturday's CGBP 5x5@90% ? Should I try 3x5@90% CGBP instead this week? Or should I drop to ~87% 5x5 instead of 90% on CGBP? It's so frustrating that 192.5x5 went up great last week, but I could only manage 195x3 today.

Change Sat's session from close-grip to wide-ish grip, followed by 3x8reps LTEs.

[Aaron Montgomery]

Change Sat's session from close-grip to wide-ish grip, followed by 3x8reps LTEs.

This advice makes me sad. I've been really enjoying my CGBP sessions. Could be in my head, but CGBP feels faster and stronger than my normal-grip bench. My normal grip is pinky finger just inside the inner ring, which makes my forearms perpendicular at the bottom of the lift. My close grip is same as my OHP grip.

[John Hanley]

CGBP feels faster and stronger than my normal-grip bench.

Okay. DEFINITELY change Sat's session from close-grip to wide-grip.

I'm guessing your anterior delts are overwhelmed by volume...but I'd also guess that they are proportionately much stronger than your pec majors.

[Aaron Montgomery]

Okay. DEFINITELY change Sat's session from close-grip to wide-grip.

I'm guessing your anterior delts are overwhelmed by volume...but I'd also guess that they are proportionately much stronger than your pec majors.

Hmmm, interesting. If my anterior delts are proportionally stronger than my pec majors, does this mean that my "heavy" bench should utilize a closer grip? Or since I'm not competing I should just focus on bringing the pec majors up to par?

[John Hanley]

Hmmm, interesting. If my anterior delts are proportionally stronger than my pec majors, does this mean that my "heavy" bench should utilize a closer grip? Or since I'm not competing I should just focus on bringing the pec majors up to par?

Yeah...worry about optimizing technique to capitalize on idiosyncratic strength when you're closing in on 405.

For the next couple years, grow dem titties.

[Aaron Montgomery]

Alright, thanks Hanley. Another question, on the 3x8 LTE's, am I pushing those to almost failure, or leaving a rep or two in the tank?

[John Hanley]

leaving a rep or two in the tank?

This.

[IcePack]

Yeah...worry about optimizing technique to capitalize on idiosyncratic strength when you're closing in on 405.

For the next couple years, grow dem titties.

I wrote this down in my log book

[Aaron Montgomery]

Update:

Saturday 6/10: Bench (normal grip) 175 5x5; LTE's 45 3x8 (haven't done these in a long time, so I'll add 5lb/week)
Tuesday 6/13: 195x5; 185x5; 175 3x5

Hit 195x5 today. It was RPE 9.5/10, but it's better than only hitting 195x3 last week. Would it be too much to add a few sets of 2 count paused bench to Thursday's session, after pressing? I'm wondering if doing some paused bench work would help me with the bottom portion of the lift. It doesn't feel nearly as good at the bottom with a wide grip, as my CGBP does.

[BBB]

Hey Aaron, sorry I hadn't seen this thread before, but just quickly went through it. Going by what you wrote in my training logs and here... I have a few thoughts...

First, a few questions:
1. The %'s you quote, what are they %'s of? You mentioned several numbers in the 90+% range. Have you tested your 1RM?
2. Is your bench competition bench (with a pause at the bottom) or TnG (touch-n-go)?
3. Is there a video of you benching?
4. You mentioned that you want to get your bench better. Do you compete? Only asking, because you're devoting 1 day to OHP.

You shouldn't be near RPE 9.5/10 on your program, if you feel like you're at 9, don't go any higher.

Tuesday (H) - Bench 3x5, 2x5 @95%
Thursday (L) - OHP 5x5 (did a big reset)
Saturday (M) - Close-grip Bench 3x5, 2x8-10

In your program, above, can you add what other lifts you do, so I can get a gauge of overall stress? Also, write in % (of 1RM or e1RM) AND RPE (guesses) of hard you currently push your lifts.