programming bench

[Tom Campitelli]

I was going to say the same thing as Kong. Microload by smaller increments.

[Squatson]

Hopefully JP gets his reset article done....it worked wonders for my presses.

[msingh]

Thank you guys. But i've read somewhere on this site that you shouldnt microload the bench press, although it's ok for press. What do you think of this idea? Microloading the bench 1lb seems to be counterproductive, especially when intermediate programimng would yield better gains. In any case i've decided to continue with linear programming with 1.25kg jumps done twice a week, with the middle workout being a press.

[Squatson]

I'm a hopeless romantic, you're just hopeless.

[Paul Sousa]

I think you got some good advice from some strong benchers (Kong's 405 video was awesome). I say take their advice and run with it. If you add 1 pound per workout and can keep that up you'll be adding 8-10 lbs. per month which isn't bad at all, especially if you can sustain that long term.

[msingh]

that makes sense.. if you're benching over 100kg but every bro i know gets to a 100 without even knowing what a rippetoe is. they do sets of 8 and get there in a few months, why am i gonna take a year to get to a 100 from 80 via microloading??

[MikeC1]

Why are you in such a hurry? If you bench 20kg more a year from now, that's real progress. The alternative is that you try some fancier and less effective programming and end up adding 10kg to your bench in a year. Here's some advice that applies not just to weight training: think long term, not quick fixes. if you added 20kg to your bench every year, in 5 years you'll be benching 400 lbs. Or ask yourself where was your bench 5 years ago? 100 kg lighter? Probably not.

[msingh]

i'm not in a hurry but what's the point lifting if you're weaker than the average bro who doesn't even lift seriously. I'll take slow and steady post 2 plates thank you very much.

[MikeC1]

I detect a problem here. Why are you comparing yourself to average bros in the first place. And why would you let that comparison dictate how you train? The fact that you refuse to microload these lifts for that reason says to me that you are in fact in a hurry to "catch up" to these guys and you don't want to have to wait "a whole year" to do so. Just a warning, but your progress may turn out to be even slower than it would be with microloading if you are greedy. I know you're not a huge fan of Rip, but this piece of advice from him could be very valuable for you in particular through your training career: "Don't be afraid to take small jumps - be afraid to stop improving. "

[Squatson]

What were you benching in July of 2008 when you joined the forum? If you had added 2 pounds per week since then, you'd be benching 224 pounds more than you did. Even if you were benching an imaginary bar, you'd be moving 2 plates on the bench.

If if's and buts was candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Xmas.