Programming partial bench presses

[wk105]

Mark

My bench press has hovered around 300lb for a long time, but the bar always slows at around the point of the transfer from chest/shoulders to triceps, so I want to do partial bench presses to increase my lockout strength.

Should I do one heavy set instead of or in addition to full bench presses? If the latter, would directly after bench pressing be the best time?

I can't find the answer to this in SSBBT3 or on the board. I'm sorry if I've missed it.

Thanks,

Will.

[wk105]

I'll add one heavy set of 3 after my top bench set. And I'll eat more. That'll work.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I'm confused. Are you asking me something?

[wk105]

I was in the first post: for partial bench presses to improve my bench lockout, should I do one heavy set instead of or in addition to full bench presses? If the latter, would directly after bench pressing be the best time?

But nobody answered after I few days, so I decided to add one heavy set of 3 after my top bench set.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

My apologies for being a little behind. Often times, if the gym gets busy, I can't get to the board more than about once per week.

I think you probably chose the best course of action.

[wk105]

Thanks.

Having realised that the weight I'd use for bench lockouts is far more than what I'm having trouble locking out in the full-range bench, I'm not sure I should bother doing them. I can already lockout far more than 300lb. I don't get stuck because of my lockout. I get stuck because I'm weak off the bottom, so I don't generate sufficient velocity to move the weight past the sticking point.

Do you agree?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I don't know. I'd have to watch you bench to figure it out.

[Oldster]

Maybe this isn't my place to answer, but I just had to since your predicament seems eerily similiar to mine a lotta years ago. Stuck at around 300lbs, weak off the bottom but monster lockout strength.

Then I started lifting with a partner that was a benching machine. It is what he loved, loves and still loves to this day. It took him a few years but he finally got me to start adding in some volume. Kicking and screaming, I finally gave in, albeit a little at a time. Each time I added volume, my bench went up, my sticking point also starting moving upward instead of just a couple inches off my chest. We experimented with volume, lots of volume and crazy 'should have injured us' volume. I can say this for sure, the volume not only made much substantially stronger in the bench and all pressing movements, but even in my mid 50's, I am stronger now than I was even a year ago. Because of volume.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I have had similar experiences with high volume bench programs. Not everyone does though.

[FrankSanders]

How do you program the extra volume, back off sets after the work sets? Thanks