How Important Is Incline Bench For Your Flat Bench Strength ?

[Turbolag]

What's your split look like? I train4 days a week, that allows me to have an ohp, dead, bench and squat day. Powerlifting is pretty simple to program.. do your main lift work, then pick four or five accessories to that lift. Although ohp is its own day, it's essentially another upper body accessory day. You can throw some dips and close grip in on either upper body day.. but don't forget to train your back as well.

I do OHP's on my Bench Day but I'm toying with making a 4th day like I used to and make it an OHP Day.

You can make dips an assisting lift on your dynamic day.

Here's what my split looks like right now:

Sunday: Heavy bench day, OHP, accessories

Tuesday: Dynamic/Rep bench day, back work, ab work.

Thursday: Lower body



I was thinking changing it to this:

Sunday: Heavy bench day, Incline press, triceps, low back and abs

Tuesday: Dynamic/Rep bench, OHP, dips, back work

Thursday: Lower body, cardio

What do you guys think of the changes?

 

[N.O.V.]

IMO, you should do your ohp in your dynamic/rep day.. make it your main movement of the session.. then do your speed and rep work for bench afterward. Also, I would space your pressing days out more.. do your heavy bench work Sunday, lower body Tuesday, and ohp/ bench rep work Thursday. That will allow you ample time to recover between sessions. Do you pull and squat the same day?

 

[Turbolag]

IMO, you should do your ohp in your dynamic/rep day.. make it your main movement of the session.. then do your speed and rep work for bench afterward. Also, I would space your pressing days out more.. do your heavy bench work Sunday, lower body Tuesday, and ohp/ bench rep work Thursday. That will allow you ample time to recover between sessions. Do you pull and squat the same day?

Unfortunately I can't squat or dead lift right now. I had back surgery in July of last year, and I'm scared to reinjure myself. I tested dead lifts out a couple weeks ago and it felt ok, but I don't think I'm mentally ready to start back.

I have a question about the spacing the pressing days out. If I do my OHP and dynamic/rep work on Thursday, do you think that I will be recovered in time for my heavy day on Sunday ?

I wasn't sure how to set up my days so I made Sunday my heavy day and put Tuesday or Wednesday as dynamic day and if I do that I have almost 5 days to recover for my heavy day.

I have thought about this topic for hours. What is the best way to space out your pressing days throughout the week? What is the best way to do it so that you are not beat up for your heavy day?

I'd like to try the way you suggested.

 

[N.O.V.]

Understood on the squatting and deadlifting, hope you get back after those soon! I feel that you will be better suited to do it as I suggested. Reason being you won't likely get much out of an ohp/ dynamic and rep day if you are still fatigued from heavy bench day. Your rep and dynamic work for bench should be kept to a lower percentage of your training max.. probably somewhere around 60-70%. You've already in theory done your main bench work for the week.. you're now just trying to build speed, hypertrophy, and solidify your form. Don't completely exhaust yourself when you powerlift. You need to be sure there's a little left in the tank, that way your next workout doesn't suffer. Do ohp heavy, then keep everything else moderate with some higher reps and sets. You're not squatting or deadlifting, so your body should have plenty of recovery time provided you're pounding carbs.

 

[Turbolag]

Thanks man. That makes a lot of sense. I'll try to adjust my schedule.

I need to lower my weight a little so my calorie intake is gonna be around. 2800 a day.

My maintainence is 3,025

 

[RAIDEN]

My bench has been about 80% incline for awhile. Really trying to get upper chest to fill in nicely. I hit flat about 2 times a month just to retain strength and make sure im not losing nothing. I have also changed where I lower the bar to when doing incline. I make sure to bring to neck/throat area instead of to nipple area where I used too. I feel this has helped alot.

 

[N.O.V.]

Thanks man. That makes a lot of sense. I'll try to adjust my schedule.

I need to lower my weight a little so my calorie intake is gonna be around. 2800 a day.

My maintainence is 3,025

No problem brother, be sure to let me know how it works for you

 

[Turbolag]

No problem brother, be sure to let me know how it works for you

One more questions. How heavy should I go on OHP ?

Should I do like 2 working sets? With say a max of 5 reps ?

 

[Turbolag]

My bench has been about 80% incline for awhile. Really trying to get upper chest to fill in nicely. I hit flat about 2 times a month just to retain strength and make sure im not losing nothing. I have also changed where I lower the bar to when doing incline. I make sure to bring to neck/throat area instead of to nipple area where I used too. I feel this has helped alot.

Thanks man. I'm definitely going to start doing inclines weekly.

 

[N.O.V.]

I would use the same protocol your using on your heavy bench press. Keep it around 5 reps, I like to try to build up to a heavy single or double.. but that's your call man. I really like 5/3/1. Check it out in your free time.

 

[Turbolag]

Thanks man. That's what I was thinking also.

I ran 5/3/1 for a couple months last year before my surgery. I liked it a lot and I definitely want to run it again in the future.

 

[N.O.V.]

Thanks man. That's what I was thinking also.

I ran 5/3/1 for a couple months last year before my surgery. I liked it a lot and I definitely want to run it again in the future.

Its a great program, you might use that template for your bench and ohp still, it would still be beneficial without the squat and dead portion.