Up Your Bench Press 30lbs in 30 days!

Chris has been working on this program for a while now...

He started off by giving the program in a raw form to several friends and members on this forum and they experienced very favourable increases in their bench press, many much more than the modest 30lbs in the title of the program.

So, Chris decided to put a bit more work into the program and cover all angles - how to train, eat and supplement to increase your bench press AT LEAST 30lbs in 30 days!

Here is the personal introduction to the program from Chris himself:

Your reaction upon reading the title of this guide was one of disbelief and curiosity, wasn’t it? I understand.

There are a lot of people making a lot of promises out there and very few of them pan out. Your personal gym experience also influences your reaction to the title. You have not experienced such fantastic progress and follow all of the advice you have gathered from the net and in print. Undoubtedly, you have heretofore come to the conclusion that such progress is only possible with anabolic steroids and inhuman heredity.

I am here to tell you it can and has been done, drug-free, and that includes experienced trainees. With the right combination of proper training, diet, rest, and supplementation you can do it!

If you’re game, read on….......

Enjoy!

Also, we would love to hear your feedback on the program. Let us know in this thread!

I'm going to try this.

Ok one second here.
My 1rm is 255
So I should increase the weight by 10lbs per set.

Friday
85% of 255 is 215
215x2x2. Easy I can already do that.

Week 2 friday
Program say I should increase the set by 10lbs. Ok no problem
225x2x2 Easy I can already do that.

Week 3 friday add another 10lbs
235x2x2. Easy I can already do that.

Week 4 Friday add another 10lbs
245x2x2. I can already do that.

Thomas, if you can do 2 sets of 2 reps with 245 lbs then your 1RM is significantly more than 255 lbs. You need to re-test your max and see what it really is.

Chris

Great write up.

Will give this a try soon. Thanks

How many days after the last workout before testing the new max?

Ok I am definitely going to try this. But one question. I read and re-read the entire program and must have missed this both times. After my warmup, how many sets of the specified weight do I do? And do I just go to 1-2 reps before failure in all the sets?

For example on Monday of my first week I will be doing 135 pounds since my max is 210. How many sets and reps am I supposed to do with that weight?

Originally Posted by chris mason

Thomas, if you can do 2 sets of 2 reps with 245 lbs then your 1RM is significantly more than 255 lbs. You need to re-test your max and see what it really is.

Chris

I'll re-test next bench day but I did my 1rm not too long ago.

Originally Posted by Ripe1

How many days after the last workout before testing the new max?

I would test it Wed-Fri. of the following week if you were on a M,W, F schedule.

Originally Posted by decroo21

Ok I am definitely going to try this. But one question. I read and re-read the entire program and must have missed this both times. After my warmup, how many sets of the specified weight do I do? And do I just go to 1-2 reps before failure in all the sets?

For example on Monday of my first week I will be doing 135 pounds since my max is 210. How many sets and reps am I supposed to do with that weight?

Ok, it says: 3 x 65% x 3 reps. So, that is 3 working sets of 3 reps with 135 lbs. This will be very easy, and that is by design. Trust in the program. It WILL get much harder.

Originally Posted by ThomasG

I'll re-test next bench day but I did my 1rm not too long ago.

Thomas, think of it this way, if you can handle a weight for 2 reps of 2 sets it means it is relatively light for you. Your 1RM should be at least 275 lbs if you can do 2 x 2 with a given weight fairly easily.

wow 25 cals...for every 1 lbs of weight

so me being 185

i need about 4625 at a min a day

Originally Posted by chris mason

Thomas, think of it this way, if you can handle a weight for 2 reps of 2 sets it means it is relatively light for you. Your 1RM should be at least 275 lbs if you can do 2 x 2 with a given weight fairly easily.

I dunno, the last time i tried 260 i failed, yet i can do 235 for 4, then 3. Granted i don't ever practice for max bp also i concede that my form is likely less than perfect, but i see where thomas is coming from. Also i'll include that i'm currently starting a bulking cycle and am eager to try this program.

Bser, you make a good point. Form is important. The percentages used in the program assume a lift performed with good form. Poorer form skews your true max and can alter the effectiveness of the overall program.

Chris

Originally Posted by chris mason

MONDAY:
• Bench Press - 3 x 65% x 3 reps
• Skull Crushers - 2 x 10
• Triceps Pushdowns – 1 x 10
• Squat – 2 x 5
• Lat Pulldown (curl grip) – 2 x 10
• Calf Raise – 2 x 10, to failure
• Machine Ab-Crunch – 2 x 10, to failure

WEDNESDAY:• Bench Press – 2 x 75% x 3 reps
• Triceps Pushdown – 1 x 10
• Deadlift - 2 x 3
• Ab-Crunch – 2 x 10, to failure

FRIDAY:• Bench Press – 2 x 85% x 2 reps
• Dumbbell Bench Press - 1 x 30 or more reps, to failure
• Skull Crushers – 2 x 8
• Triceps Pushdowns – 1 x 10
• Leg Press – 2 x 6
• Lat Pulldown (curl grip) – 2 x 10
• Calf Raise – 2 x 10, to failure
• Ab-Crunch – 2 x 10, to failure

So i have a question. the program has you squatting on monday, deadlifting on wednesday, and leg pressing on friday. For someone whose body doesn't respond well to such a program, could one:

1) Get rid of the squating, leg pressing and calf raises on monday and friday
2) Make Wednesday DE Squat/Deadlift day (doing designed bench work prior to any lower work of coarse)
3) Add a ME Squat/Deadlift day on Saturday/Sunday

Making Wednesday a ME Lower day and Saturday/Sunday a DE Lower day would work also.

Originally Posted by chris mason

Ok, it says: 3 x 65% x 3 reps. So, that is 3 working sets of 3 reps with 135 lbs. This will be very easy, and that is by design. Trust in the program. It WILL get much harder.

Ok and will the M: 3x3, W: 2x3, and F: 2x2 format stay the same for all four weeks?

Originally Posted by littleman19

So i have a question. the program has you squatting on monday, deadlifting on wednesday, and leg pressing on friday. For someone whose body doesn't respond well to such a program, could one:

1) Get rid of the squating, leg pressing and calf raises on monday and friday
2) Make Wednesday DE Squat/Deadlift day (doing designed bench work prior to any lower work of coarse)
3) Add a ME Squat/Deadlift day on Saturday/Sunday

Making Wednesday a ME Lower day and Saturday/Sunday a DE Lower day would work also.

Chris will surely answer your question better than I will, but don't alter the program at all. It is designed to increase your bench press. Doing things like DE and ME lower body days will take away from the integrity of the program, and you will not see the desired results. It will not be taxing on you at all to do the prescribed sets and reps. You will just be maintaining in those lower body lifts during this month, making minimal increases if that. Guys who have these questions, re-read the article. This is a very simple, effective program to follow if done correctly.

Originally Posted by decroo21

Ok and will the M: 3x3, W: 2x3, and F: 2x2 format stay the same for all four weeks?

Yes, that is correct. You are simply increasing the looks week by week.

Originally Posted by littleman19

So i have a question. the program has you squatting on monday, deadlifting on wednesday, and leg pressing on friday. For someone whose body doesn't respond well to such a program, could one:

1) Get rid of the squating, leg pressing and calf raises on monday and friday
2) Make Wednesday DE Squat/Deadlift day (doing designed bench work prior to any lower work of coarse)
3) Add a ME Squat/Deadlift day on Saturday/Sunday

Making Wednesday a ME Lower day and Saturday/Sunday a DE Lower day would work also.

If you train with the prescribed volume and stop a few reps short of failure on your working sets, your body will respond just fine. You have to consider ALL aspects of the program.

So, no, don't change it.

What the rest periods be between the bench press(working sets) and assistant moves (working sets)??? I am used to doing 5 min rest on heavy working bench sets and 2-3 min on other excercises, but I would like to do this program exact for the next 4 weeks.

this is probably a stupid question.....but i am going to try this workout next week and was wondering what 2 X 10 to failure means?

is it two sets of 10 and you are aiming to be near or at failure at the 10th rep?



also, it says stop 2 reps short of failure for each exercise, but then whats the point of listing an exercise as 2X 3 (two sets of three reps each)

i am a little confused

Good write up, might give the routine a try. One beef tho. If it can be done drug free don't fill the article with pics of pro p.lifters who use drugs.

Maybe I just didn't fully understand the memo in the program outline but I don't understand how this will really help my bench. My current benching routine is 3 sets of 5 reps with 175, supersetting the bench with my other exercises. To me that seems to be a better workout then the 2 or 3 sets with 2 or 3 reps. Not that I am questioning you at all, I am probably just missing something about working up to a certain weight or something.

Originally Posted by sandcracker21

this is probably a stupid question.....but i am going to try this workout next week and was wondering what 2 X 10 to failure means?

is it two sets of 10 and you are aiming to be near or at failure at the 10th rep?



also, it says stop 2 reps short of failure for each exercise, but then whats the point of listing an exercise as 2X 3 (two sets of three reps each)

i am a little confused

any1??