Programming for Bench/Press (injured knee)

[pierre27]

Hi everybody, thanks for all of us to share your knowledge I'm from Paris; working as a personal trainer, this website is gold and definelty can be considered as one on the most effective way to learn how to train peoples.

Anyway, I got injured while playing Football (not soccer), i tore my quadricipital tendon (pattela?) got surgery 6weeks ago, and the rehab is going pretty well.

I get back in the gym about a month ago, working out on my upper body. I would like to progress on the press and bench press. I've been on a linear progression for the past 5weeks, and now my workout's looking like this:


Press work up to 1x5 100%
Bench 4x5 90%
Seated row 5x12/pull up 5xmax
Biceps curl 3x12
heavy crunch 3x12

bench press 2x5 75%RM5
Press 2x5 75%
seated row 3x12/pull up 3xmax -3
bicep curl 3x12

bench press 1x5 100%RM5
Press 5x5 90%
seated row 5x12/pull up 5xMax
bicep curl 3x12

Assistance exercices are not performed until failure, just try to add some weight every two weeks.

6f2, 230lbs, bf 15%
bench press 275lbsx5
press 160lbs

Squat and deads werent that bad: squat 360X5, deads 440lbsx5 PC 230lbs.

So do i can raise the volume because i aint no more deads and squat anymore?
Or should i stay like this? or change something? i would like to have your opinions guys.

Thanks

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

You already have plenty of press/bench volume, I don't think it is likely that you need to raise it. Is your program working?? If so, then don't change it. If it isn't working try to pin point why

[pierre27]

For now, its working because i find my levels on strenght back on pressing mouvements. and i got another question:
I cant do micro loading for now, so can i do something like This, sounds kind of logical:
For example: RM5 Bench 275 lbs
w1 1X5 265
W2 1x5 270
W3 1x5 275
W4 1X5 280 New PR
W5 1X5 270
W6 1X5 275
W7 1X5 280
W8 1X5 285 new PR

i cant really squat/dead (And restart with an empty bar) until June and it could be cool to get something like 300lbs for 5. what do u think?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

You also might consider having a day of fives for volume and a day of singles to get the weights up

[pierre27]

Ok o it but for the day of singles 5sets is ok?
singles day;
280X5X1 W1
285X5X1 W2
290X5X1 W3
295X5X1 W4
300X5X1 W5
305X5X1 W6
310X5X1 W7
315X5X1 W8

i feel im starting low, but in 8weeks hving my bench around 325lbs Will be cool

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Always better to start a little conservative on a new program and work the kinks out. If you can follow the plan and set big PRs in 8 weeks thats fine. Its really not that far off.

[pierre27]

So after settings big PRs should i continu to work purely on strength? or should i work on hypertrphy?, i personaly think sets of 5across is suffisant to put some mass on, what do u think?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Sets of 5 are sufficient for mass for the most part. Other than that, I can't really tell you what your goals should be.

[pierre27]

ok thanks after completing 315X5X1 should i try a max like.
w1 2X3 300lbs
w2 2X2 310lbs
W3 1X1 325 lbs

After that i would still keep 5X5 on monday, and maybe a heavy triple for a single set on friday. Got another question for the Heavy triple on friday, Warmup sets would look like this for example

target 315lbsX1X3
Empty bar 10,10
85lbs 5
135lbs 5
175lbs 5
220 1
245 1
265 1
285 1
315x3

or should i switch 8X3 on monday for a while?
Thanks for the quality of your answer Andy.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I don't know why you'd switch to 8x3.

315 x 3
295 x 1
265 x 1
225 x 1
185 x 1-3
135 x 5
Bar x 10