How to Break your Bench Press PB

Ever feel like you’re just lifting the same weights every workout with no progress?

You’re eating correctly, sticking to a workout plan and are bench pressing as much as your plan asks you too, but you just seem to be stuck on the same one rep max. Each time you un-rack a PR attempt, your spotter ends up getting more from the exercise than you.

Plateaus are the single most irritating part of a workout plan. They happen to everyone, so no one is going to be immune and you’re not going to find a one size fits all way of pushing through them, as all our bodies respond differently to different stimulus in the gym.

However, if you’re anything like me and usually respond well to higher volume, there may well be a bench press workout to move you past that pesky plateau.

The Workout

Make sure you warm up sufficiently with light weights before beginning the workout. Warm up weights shouldn’t be a challenge and are there to get your muscles firing.

8 Sets of 2 Reps @80% of current one rep max

Take a maximum of 3 minutes rest in between sets.

When you’re able to complete all 8 sets, add a further rep to the first 2 sets in the next workout. Continue with this method until you can complete 8 sets of 3 reps, then test for a new one rep max and repeat the program.

Breaking down the Workout

From the outside looking in, the workout appears too straightforward to gain any real muscle or strength.

However, when trying to break through plateaus, most gym goers will attempt weights that are too close to their current PR. Doing so will be at detriment of your form and will prevent you from making any real progress.

The key is to lift weights that are approaching your PR and are still tough to perform, but allow you to complete the lift with good form and intensity. You’re looking to keep the same level of intensity through all 8 sets and, believe me, you will still be sore afterwards.

Average gym users seem to be obsessed with progression, even at the sacrifice of long-term goals. You may have a sporadic session where you’re able to lift a higher amount of weight, but it won’t be sustainable. Instead, you’re aiming to add weight slowly and consistently over time, this is the secret sauce of progression.

Make sure you’re selecting the correct one rep max

Another trap you’ll no doubt fall into is working out your actual one rep max, not your desired one rep max.

Your single rep should be a challenge to complete but not brutal to get through. A one rep max is a weight that you can do once but wouldn’t be able to do again, this will be the same for a weight that you’re able to press out slowly but surely as it would for a rep that takes an eternity to push and ends up injuring you.

I’d always recommend that you side with caution when thinking about your one rep max. It should really be the weight that you’ve achieved several times and not a rep you somehow achieved after gulping down 3 energy drinks.

Helpful Links

Doug Hepburn was the first person to bench press over 500 pounds. He was also a world champion weightlifter, so it’s fair to say he knew a thing or two about moving massive amounts of weight.

Hepburn training is still one of the most popular training methods used by power lifters today, some 60 years after the creator was at his peak strength.

The training program focuses on gradual progression, without bench pressing at high intensity. This leads to consistent gains over time and is something I believe in myself.

This workout was formed from Hepburn training, if you are interested in the full program, check out this article by T-Nation.

Conclusion

Setting up for another attempt to break your one rep max shouldn’t be guess-work, you should know you’re able to crush a weight and break a record.

It’s easy to over think progression, or to be too keen to break your own records, which will cause a break down of your form. You’ll no doubt have entered a vicious cycle, where you’re trying too hard to lift a weight and you could end up going backwards.

By training smarter and with weights that are a challenge, but don’t push you to breaking point, you’ll start to consistently break those records over time.

Next time you’re aiming to increase your bench, give the above workout a go and let me know how you get on in the comments!