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Six-Week Gorilla Bench Program

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MuscleHead
Dec 28, 2011
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By “Vanilla Gorilla” Eric Spoto, the uncrowned King of Raw Benching

"I have tried a few different templates that are percentage-based, but I never knew if I was improving week to week. If one week has 90 percent for a triple and then the next workout has 85 percent for five reps, it’s hard to determine if your strength is progressing each week. I like more instant gratification when it comes to training, so I keep it simple and motivating.

This is my basic bench cycle, based on triples. I start the training cycle with a weight I feel I can get a hard triple. After four or five warm-up sets pyramiding up, I go to my predetermined weight. If the triple comes up easy, I add weight (usually 5 to 15 lbs.). If the weight is too heavy, I take some off so I can get a hard three reps. Now I have my starting weight. My goal is to add about 5 lbs. every week over six weeks. If all goes well, you should have added 25 lbs. to your triple.

If you hit the triple on any of the sets, go up 5 lbs. the next week. For example, in week four, if on your third set you only get a double, you still go up 5 lbs. in week five because you hit your triple on the first two sets. If one week you can’t get a triple on any of the sets, stay at that weight for the next week and try to hit the triple that week. You can do this exact training cycle with the addition of bands and/or chains. Just determine your triple with the set amount of bands or chains you want to use, then add the 5 lbs. every week.

Weekly goals (based on 315 triple)
Week 1: 315, three sets of three reps
Week 2: 320, three sets of three reps
Week 3: 325, four sets of three reps
Week 4: 330, four sets of three reps
Week 5: 335, five sets of three reps
Week 6: 340, five sets of three reps

After this cycle is complete, I hit up singles to see where I am. From there I shift to bodybuilding-type stuff for sets of six to 15 reps.

Assistance exercises (pick two chest and two triceps movements)
Dips
Incline dumbbell
Floor press
Close-grip flat or incline
Dumbbell flys
JM press
Pushdowns
Skull crushers

I would do this every Monday for the six weeks. Every Thursday is dynamic bench day and every third Thursday is high-rep bench day in place of the dynamic training for that week.
Take your time. If things feel heavy it’s because they are; back off a little and you’ll be able to continue to move forward without getting hurt."
 
Bullmuscle7

Bullmuscle7

MuscleHead
Jun 11, 2014
8,847
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I love programs because they are tested ways to build, they inspire and make excitement. And usually they work and you grow!
I think this sounds like fun! Do it!!!
 
1bigun11

1bigun11

MuscleHead
Oct 23, 2010
2,142
1,832
I like that program sir. Thanks for posting
 
porky little keg

porky little keg

MuscleHead
May 21, 2011
1,225
647
So, you do a max triple then you try to do 5 pounds more the next week....... genius.



(sarcasm)




I'll cycle my auxiliary work this way - as a 3-4 week cycle adding weight each week...... but that's just part of a much larger plan. Doing this and then coming back to a main movement 4,5, or 8 weeks later can show progress...... but this isn't really a plan for anything. There's no progression other than just trying to do more every week. That works for absolute beginners but it's not how you make meaningful progress. There's no program here at all.

Can I guess that this came out of Mark Bell's Power magazine?
 
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MuscleHead
Dec 28, 2011
4,935
1,057
So, you do a max triple then you try to do 5 pounds more the next week....... genius.



(sarcasm)




I'll cycle my auxiliary work this way - as a 3-4 week cycle adding weight each week...... but that's just part of a much larger plan. Doing this and then coming back to a main movement 4,5, or 8 weeks later can show progress...... but this isn't really a plan for anything. There's no progression other than just trying to do more every week. That works for absolute beginners but it's not how you make meaningful progress. There's no program here at all.

Can I guess that this came out of Mark Bell's Power magazine?

It did come from there.

I assumed the good that comes from this plan stems from not maxing singles and staying in a lower percentage. The increase is minimal (kinda like 5x5) so you're not overdoing it. Also throwing in a rep day amidst the speed workouts is a bit different than some plans where it's just ME, speed, ME, speed...

Remember, I am a beginner and am searching for as much info as possible. Hearing opinions from people like you, PLK, is why this board is a haven for beginners like me. Y'all help us bob and weave the crap and head towards the pot of gold!
 
Casca

Casca

Member
Mar 30, 2014
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Solid setup, done it b4, real strong, eat big!!!
 
porky little keg

porky little keg

MuscleHead
May 21, 2011
1,225
647
It did come from there.

I assumed the good that comes from this plan stems from not maxing singles and staying in a lower percentage. The increase is minimal (kinda like 5x5) so you're not overdoing it. Also throwing in a rep day amidst the speed workouts is a bit different than some plans where it's just ME, speed, ME, speed...

Remember, I am a beginner and am searching for as much info as possible. Hearing opinions from people like you, PLK, is why this board is a haven for beginners like me. Y'all help us bob and weave the crap and head towards the pot of gold!

Yeah. Bell doesn't have enough material for a magazine and fluffs it with stuff like this. You have the right idea, but the published plan isn't doing anything for you.

Try a simple westside template.
Pick 3-4 auxiliary movements to hit your weaknesses and run them for 3 weeks - adding 5-10 lbs each week. Each week trying to hit a PR ( at a rep range).

You se the main movement up so that you do a heavy single on the first week ( establish a PR)..... then you don't do that movement heavy again for 5 weeks. Do a max for reps one week, then a partial movement, then a reverse band or band from the floor, deload, and then test a max or near-max again.

So, your main movement changes every week, but your auxiliary work pyramids up, deloads, then you test a max or hit a max at a partial movement etc and start the next wave of auxiliary work.



That's how most top guys train. That's how westside trains, that's how the old Frantz gym trains ( kinda), and it works long term at all levels.
There's a lot more that could be done with it - it'd take a day to lay out the big picture - but that's enough to get a few years of training in.

No magazine subscription needed. No fake ghetto attitude. No need to threaten people with lawyers. I'm not even asking anyone to listen to me talk while I drive my car for 15 minutes. LOL
 
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