Up Your Bench 30lbs in 30 Days Program

[Mike S]

Hello all, I have another training log but I'm taking a month off from that to give this 4 week program a try and see if it does me any good. My bench press hasn't improved in the last three months, and my max bench is only 185. So I'm going to give this a try.

I'll show all of my results right here for anyone who is interested in this program.

Also, here is a link to the program:
Up Your Bench 30lbs in 30 Days! (http://www.wannabebig.com/forums/showthread.php?113583-Up-Your-Bench-Press-30lbs-in-30-days)

The Routine:
Monday:
- Week 1: Bench Press - 3 x 120 x 3 reps
- Week 2: Bench Press - 3 x 130 x 3 reps
- Week 3: Bench Press - 3 x 140 x 3 reps
- Week 4: Bench Press - 3 x 150 x 3 reps
- Decline Skull Crushers - 2 x 10
- Triceps Pushdowns - 1 x 10
- Squat - 2 x 5
- Lat Pulldown (curl grip) - 2 x 10
- Calf Raises - 2 x 10, to failure

Wednesday:
- Week 1: Bench Press - 2 x 145 x 3
- Week 2: Bench Press - 2 x 155 x 3
- Week 3: Bench Press - 2 x 165 x 3
- Week 4: Bench Press - 2 x 175 x 3
- Triceps Pushdown - 1 x 10
- Hack Squats - 2 x 6
- Abs

Friday:
- Week 1: Bench Press - 2 x 155 x 2
- Week 2: Bench Press - 2 x 165 x 2
- Week 3: Bench Press - 2 x 175 x 2
- Week 4: Bench Press - 2 x 185 x 2
- Dumbbell Bench Press - 1 x 30 or more reps, to failure
- Skull Crushers - 2 x 8
- Decline Triceps Pushdowns - 1 x 10
- Hack Squats - 2 x 6
- Lat Pulldown (curl grip) - 2 x 10
- Calf Raise - 2 x 10, to failure
- Abs

The Log:
Monday, January 3rd
Bench Press:
- Bar x 10 Warm up
- 95 x 5 Warm up
- 120 x 3
- 120 x 3
- 120 x 3

Skull Crushers:
- 20 x 10 Warm up
- 45 x 10
- 45 x 10

Triceps Pushdowns:
- 50 x 10 Warm up
- 70 x 10 Warm up
- 100 x 10

Squats:
- Bar x 5 Warm up
- 95 x 5 Warm up
- 135 x 5 Warm up
- 175 x 5 PR (First 5 rep set of 175)
- 175 x 5 PR (2 sets of 175)

Lat Pulldown Curl Grip:
- 50 x 10 Warm up
- 80 x 10 Warm up
- 100 x 10 Warm up
- 120 x 10
- 120 x 10

Calf Raises to failure: 45 Degree calf sled machine
- BW x 10 Warm up
- 90 x 10 Warm up
- 180 x 10
- 180 x 12 (Failure)

Notes: I expect these number to be higher next time. I spent my new years with the flu, and I'm still recovering from it. This was my first workout in a week.

[cheeseburgler]

Good luck man, high volume like that slapped a ton of weight on my bench this winter. Went from 225x1 to 225x7 & 265x1.

[Mike S]

Good luck man, high volume like that slapped a ton of weight on my bench this winter. Went from 225x1 to 225x7 & 265x1.

That's awesome, man! I really hope I can pull something like that off. I doubt this routine will get me that kind of improvement in only a month but definitely come summer time I hope to bench atleast 225 for reps!

[Mike S]

Wednesday, January 5th

Bench Press:
- Bar x 10
- 95 x 5
- 95 x 5
- 140 x 3
- 140 x 3

Triceps Pushdowns:
- 40 x 10
- 60 x 10
- 90 x 10
- 100 x 10
- 110 x 10
- 120 x 10 PR +20

Sled Hack Squats:
- BW x 5
- 90 x 5
- 180 x 5
- 270 x 5
- 400 x 6
- 400 x 6 PR +20

Leg Raises:
- 20
- 15
- 10

Planks: 30s Each
- Front
- Left
- Right
- Right salute
- Left salute

[Mike S]

Friday, January 7th

Bench Press:
- Bar x 10
- 95 x 5
- 135 x 3
- 155 x 2
- 155 x 2

Dumbbell Bench Press:
- 20 x 10
- 45 x 25

Skull Crushers:
- 25 x 8
- 45 x 8
- 45 x 12

Triceps Pushdowns:
- 70 x 10
- 100 x 10
- 120 x 10

Sled Hack Squats:
- Sled x 6
- 90 x 6
- 180 x 6
- 180 x 6

Lat Pulldown (curl grip):
- 70 x 10
- 100 x 10
- 130 x 10
- 130 x 10

Sled Calf Raises:
- Sled x 10
- 90 x 10
- 180 x 10
- 180 x 12

Leg Raises:
- 20 Reps
- 15 Reps
- 10 Reps

[Mike S]

Monday, January 10th

Threw out my back yesterday at my girlfriend's house. Apparently I strained a muscle... No more lower body/back workouts for me for awhile...

Bench Press:
- Bar x 10
- 95 x 5
- 115 x 5
- 130 x 3
- 130 x 3
- 130 x 3

Decline Triceps Extensions with EZ Curl Bar:
- Bar x 10
- 45 x 10
- 55 x 10
- 55 x 10

Triceps Pushdowns:
- 50 x 10
- 70 x 10
- 90 x 10
- 110 x 10
130 x 10

Squats: Can't squat for a while. Damn back.

Lat Pulldown (curl grip):

50 x 10
90 x 10
110 x 10
140 x 10
140 x 10

Calf Raises with sled machine:
Sled x 10
90 x 10
90 x 10

Did these with long 5 second pauses at the bottom.

Notes: I wish I could have squated... I love squats. Got a PR on the Lat Pulldowns, that was cool. Bench felt nice and easy and I feel like I'm getting my form and stability alot better.

[Mike S]

Wednesday, January 12th

Bench Press:
Bar x 10
- 95 x 5
- 135 x 3
- 155 x 3
- 155 x 3

Triceps Pushdown
- 70 x 10
- 100 x 10
- 130 x 10

Leg Raises:
- x 20
- x 15
- x 10

Notes: Couldn't deadlift or squat because of back injury





Friday, January 14th

Bench Press:
- Bar x 10
- 95 x 5
- 135 x 3
- 165 x 2
- 155 x 2 ...... 165 was too hard... had to drop back to 155 to finish the sets... :(

Dumbbell Bench Press:
- 20s x 10
- 45s x 20 ..... 5 less reps than last time..... :(

Skull Crushers:
- 45 x 8
- 45 x 15

Triceps Pushdowns:
- 50 x 10
- 80 x 10
- 110 x 10
- 130 x 10

Hack Squats:
Could not complete because of back injury

Lat Pulldown (curl grip):
- 50 x 10
- 80 x 10
- 100 x 10
- 140 x 10
- 140 x 10

Calf Raises:
- Sled x 10
- 90 x 10
- 180 x 10
- 180 x 11

Leg Raises:
- x 15
- x 10
- x 5

Notes: I got to the gym, then realized I had forgotten to eat and was very hungry.... I am confident that I could have performed much better than this and easily made that 165 bench mark for today if only I hadn't forgot to eat. I was totally drained of energy from the start. Today was very disappointing.

[Mike S]

Monday, January 17th

Bench Press:
- Bar x 10
- 95 x 10
- 135 x 5
- 150 x 3
- 150 x 3
- 150 x 3

Decline Skull Crushers w/ EZ bar:
- Bar x 10
- 45 x 10
- 45 x 10
- 75 x 5

Triceps Pushdowns:
- 50 x 10
- 80 x 10
- 110 x 10
- 140 x 10 PR

Squats:
Still can't squat because of back injury...

Lat Pulldowns (curl grip):
- 70 x 10
- 110 x 10
- 150 x 10
- 150 x 10 PR

Calf Raises
- To failure

Notes: Felt like I had more energy today finally. I'm not sure if my bench is getting any better though... If I can bench the 2 x 165 x 3 tomorrow then I know I've increased. But if I can't do it then I haven't made any bench progress these last 3 weeks at all... Wish me luck!

[Mike S]

Wednesday, January 19th

Bench Press:
- Bar x 10
- 95 x 10
- 115 x 5
- 135 x 3
- 155 x 2
- 165 x 3
- 165 x 2 - Missed the last rep :(

Triceps Pushdowns:
- 50 x 10
- 100 x 10
- 130 x 10
- 150 x 10 PR

Deadlift: Didn't do because of back

Abs: Leg Raises and planks

Notes: I felt alot more energized this workout. I was little skeptical about the 165 reps and I ended up missing the last one. I feel like I'm failing at this program.... I have no idea if I'm going t be able to manage the 2 x 175 x 2 this friday.... I doubt it :(

[Mike S]

Friday, January 21st

Bench Press:
- Bar x 10
- 95 x 5
- 135 x 3
- 155 x 1
- 175 x 2
- 175 x 2

Dumbbell Bench Press:
- 45s x 27

Skull Crushers:
- 65 x 8
- 65 x 8

Triceps Pushdowns:
- 150 x 10

Hack Squats: Didn't complete because of back

Lat Pulldowns (curl grip):
- 150 x 10
- 150 x 10

Calf Raises

Abs

Notes: Benching actually felt good today. I didn't think I was going to get the 175s.