Increase your bench by 50 pounds in 50 days.

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davidjr74

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The link above is the new workout I am doing to increase my bench. I'm not sure about how it works (I did the first bench workout today from the program). If you look on the link and go to the workouts the only thing I changed was instead of dumbell side raises for your shoulder I switched it to military press.


Do you all above of the workout by Shawn Philips? Its free, and he gives you the progression table (in microsoft excel, the workouts, and the workout sheets.

If it does work my max should rise from 115-165 pounds in 50 days. ( 7 weeks). Have any of you all every done this program before?
 
Never heard of it but keep us posted on your progress.
 
I might give this a try for chest, just got done reading over everything. But it seems like the workout he gives neglects everything else.
 
I think this program, even though it will give you some strength, is more focused on teaching how to 1RM. The way people max out is they train and train (at lets say an average of 8 reps) then they go into the gym warm up, lift 8, lift 3, then lift 1. Your body doesn't really know how to put all its force into 1 rep. So this will help you learn how to, and possibly take away some muscle endurance, or just stay the same, but not increase.

I know people who have done this, and it has added 35lbs to their 1RM. Which is very good, if absolute strength, and 1RM'ing is what you like.

I'm with everyone, keep us posted on your results, and good luck.
 
Thank You, the only thing that bothers me about the program is that what I am doing right now (4 sets, 1st set- warmup, 2-4 set 8-12 reps) has already given me good progress. Only the other hand, Shawn Philips is a well known powerlifter who knows what hes talking about, and can boost my progress even higher.

Tommorow will be my second "chest workout" which consists of
2 sets, 105 X 3
2 sets, 115 X 2
1 set , 125 X 1/2 reps.

The entire program takes 50 days, so if it doesnt work I still got 2-3 monthes of extra conditioning for football camp.

What do I have to lose? (other then maybe a little muscle endurance, but nice gains in strength)
 
IMO if what you're doing is still working stick with it. And then as soon as you begin to slow in your progress use this. Because as he stated you can't do this again and again..

But then again I don't think you could do this during or pre-season. Keep us updated.
 
I decided I am going to give this a try also. I am a hard gainer in the chest and bicep dept. so we will see how it goes. I also am going to apply it to my standing curl and just do these two movements two days a week. I will also do 2 days of legs and 1 day of abs, back and shoulders. That still leaves me with two days off for recuperation.

I started off today finding my 1 rep max since last Sun. I felt I could have done more. I was correct, I failed at 215 but made it at 209.5. I used my max of 107 from last week for my standing curl max. I imagine I will have to tweak the weights for the curl part. Also because my weider weight set is in increments of 2 3/4 lbs the numbers will be off of his tables some. My curling set only goes to 100 so to get above that I have to use the Weider's so my numbers will skew there also.

I tried the week one workout this morning after finding my BP max and failed to complete it. I completely missed the last set of BPs, failing to even lift the bar off the rack. I think I wore myself out too much finding my max 1 rep. :eek:

BP Max 209.5 | Standing Curl Max 107

BP 1@165.5x6, 1@176.6x5, 1@176.6x4, 1@182x4, 1@176.6xFailed
SC 1@80x6, 2@85x5, 2@85x4
 
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Greenetuckian said:
I decided I am going to give this a try also. I am a hard gainer in the chest and bicep dept. so we will see how it goes. I also am going to apply it to my standing curl and just do these two movements two days a week. I will also do 2 days of legs and 1 day of abs, back and shoulders. That still leaves me with two days off for recuperation.

I started off today finding my 1 rep max since last Sun. I felt I could have done more. I was correct, I failed at 215 but made it at 209.5. I used my max of 107 from last week for my standing curl max. I imagine I will have to tweak the weights for the curl part. Also because my weider weight set is in increments of 2 3/4 lbs the numbers will be off of his tables some. My curling set only goes to 100 so to get above that I have to use the Weider's so my numbers will skew there also.

I tried the week one workout this morning after finding my BP max and failed to complete it. I completely missed the last set of BPs, failing to even lift the bar off the rack. I think I wore myself out too much finding my max 1 rep. :eek:

BP Max 209.5 | Standing Curl Max 107

BP 1@165.5x6, 1@176.6x5, 1@176.6x4, 1@182x4, 1@176.6xFailed
SC 1@80x6, 2@85x5, 2@85x4
Click to expand...

A curl, of any form is NOT an exercise that you need to find a 1 RM at. Put that effort into deadlifts and rows (back exercises) and if you want, put the bicep exercises AFTER the back exercises, but not maxing out, and you will see better results for your biceps. I can guarantee you that you won't see much progress with maxing out on curls.

On the main topic, I was gonna say the same thing as mreik. Your body will probably get use to what your doing now, and if its not broken don't fix it, but once you slow down on progress then maybe you should try out the program. It's up to you.
 
Not to contradict you fella's but like I said I've got some time and I also just love to experiment ( it keeps me interested and makes working out more fun ). I'll give it at least till my June weigh in / stats and see what happens.

I have fairly strong biceps, it's just that I can't get that nice round shape. I figure it can't hurt anything and standing curls must also hit the back and shoulders a bit (something has to keep you upright ).
 
Greenetuckian said:
Not to contradict you fella's but like I said I've got some time and I also just love to experiment ( it keeps me interested and makes working out more fun ). I'll give it at least till my June weigh in / stats and see what happens.

I have fairly strong biceps, it's just that I can't get that nice round shape. I figure it can't hurt anything and standing curls must also hit the back and shoulders a bit (something has to keep you upright ).
Click to expand...

Well, I guess it's hopeless, maybe later down the line you'll realize. I would suggest reading around a lot more, here and and anywhere, magazines, websites, etc...

Curls do not hit the back or shoulders either, technically, for a back exercise you have to be pulling something as in a row or pullup or deadlift, etc. a shoulder exercise is similar for traps and delts you must be pulling and for presses you must be pushing...curls are only an isolation exercise, isolating a tiny muscle, the bicep
 
I think I see the problem, I did not post the rest of my workout here. You all probably think the IYBP is the only workout I am doing.

Here is what I have planned, now keep in mind I try to inline skate an hour each day for cardio / aerobic workout. I also laid out my routine like this

Sun. - IYBP Workout
Mon. - Legs (dead lifts, leg ext and leg presses)
Tue. - Abs, Back and Shoulders. (crunches, lat pulldowns, back rows, presses)
Wed. - Rest
Thur. - IYBP Workout
Fri. - Legs (dead lifts, leg ext and leg presses)
Sat. - Rest
 
Greenetuckian said:
Not to contradict you fella's but like I said I've got some time and I also just love to experiment ( it keeps me interested and makes working out more fun ). I'll give it at least till my June weigh in / stats and see what happens.

I have fairly strong biceps, it's just that I can't get that nice round shape. I figure it can't hurt anything and standing curls must also hit the back and shoulders a bit (something has to keep you upright ).
Click to expand...

Greentuckian, That nice round shape in your biceps or the shape of any muscle in your body, really comes from genetics, what you've been "handed down" How is your bodyfat? You may have a bit of fat covering your bicep and you're not seeing your "true genetic" shape, if ya know what I mean. And yes curls are for biceps only, forearms are involved also if you are squeezing the bar as you curl. What keeps your body upright are your stabilizer muscles, which is true basically for any exercise. Good luck with your goals and workouts :)
 
Progress

So far so good. This is the workout I completed yesterday on my bench
2 sets 105 Pounds, 3 reps
2 sets 115 pounds, 2 reps (115 is my max when I started)!
1 sets 125 pounds, .5rep ( I got halfway and then the spotter came in.

Along with this I had to do Shoulders (military press 3 sets 12-15 reps) and triceps (skull crushers 3 sets 6 reps.). I managed to do 2 sets of 115, 2 times. That shows that I am having progress because when I started I only got 115 pounds up once. So yeah! I actually had to do weighted dips for the triceps but I didn't have the equipment so I replaced it with skull crushers (which work the triceps more in my opinon). I also actually had to do rotator cuff-exercises, but as said above I replaced that with military presses (20 pounds). so far so good, I'll keep you all updated.

Edit: Today I was required to do reverse-grip pulldowns 3 sets 0f 8 (which I completed, one-arm dumbell rows 3 sets of 8 which I did not do, Biceps incline dumbbel curls 3 sets of 8 reps ( I didn't do, but I replaced with preacher curls) and Legs (squats,legpresses(I don't have), and leg curls).

Tuesday is my "off" day so I am gonna do my legs on that day coz I didn't have time to do legs today. then on wendesday is bench press workout number 3 along with shoulders and triceps. This program is really good so far, it doesn't neglect any muscle even though your tyring to increase your bench. I decided on my "off" days I'm gonna do HIIT cardio because I have to keep my speed up for football coming this september. I'll keep you all updated on my progress. thanks for tuning in.
 
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Progress- increase bench 50 pounds in 50 days

Workout #3 Wendsday
Chest (bench press workout #3), Dumbell bench press-(3 sets of 8 reps)
Shoulders (dumbell side raises, which I replaced with military press, 3 sets of 8 reps)
Triceps(Lying triceps extensions- 3 sets of 8 reps).

The chest workout included (3 minute break between each set)

Set 1- Warmup 20 pounds 10 reps completed
Set 2- Warmup 30 pounds 10 reps completed
Set 3- Warmup 40 pounds 10 reps completed
Set 4- Warmup 50 pounds 10 reps completed
Set 5- 100 pounds, 6 reps completed
Set 6- 105 pounds, 5 reps completed
Set 7- 105 pounds, 5 reps completed
set 8- 110 pounds, 4 reps I only managed 2 reps
Set 9- 100 pounds, 4 reps or to failure I only managed 2 reps

uhh, hope this isnt a bad thing I wasn't able to complete 4 reps in Set 8 and Set 9. The good thing about this program is that on week 5 workout for bench there is something called a "failure test". I provided a link in post #1 that explains what that is and why it is a good thing if you look into it.
 
uhh, hope this isnt a bad thing I wasn't able to complete 4 reps in Set 8 and Set 9.
Click to expand...
Set 1- Warmup 20 pounds 10 reps completed
Set 2- Warmup 30 pounds 10 reps completed
Set 3- Warmup 40 pounds 10 reps completed
Set 4- Warmup 50 pounds 10 reps completed
Click to expand...
I think you may have over warmed up and that is the reason you did not complete sets 8 & 9. Stretch good and just use the 50x10 for a warm up and see if you don't do better.

I did my stretching and then just one warm up set for BP and Curls. This routine is very demanding. It certainly is not a one rep routine like I think many believe it is. All total not including warm ups weeks 1 & 3 have 5 sets with a total 24 reps and weeks 2& 4 have 5 sets with at least 10 1/2 reps. It is grueling with the weights involved. I think the way it works is by two ways, one is challenging you to callenge yourself. I know after the first workout I was so sore even though I have been bench pressing for months. #2 is by forcing you to rest more by only performing this twice a week. I was BP'ing 3 days a week before.

I will be very interested at week 5 to see where I am at.
 
Good point, but on the workout sheet it said 3-4 progressive warm up sets before chest workouts. I think I will lower the reps to 5-8 on the warmup.
 
Stretching

Bench Press
warm up 138x10

1@165.5x6
2@176,5x5
2@187.5x4

Standing Curl
warm up 60x10
1@80x6
2@85x5
2@90x4

I think I did pretty well and did much better than my first workout. I still think I tired myself out from finding my max BP last Sunday. I am doing it a bit different than jmanjman47 and warming up much less. Man this workout wears me down quick. I also do only 2 total exercises on the IYBP days. I simply could not handle any more resistance training on these days.
 
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