Programming
[tabl class=”table-condensed” caption=”” width=”100%” colwidth=”100″ colalign=”left”] Workout A3×5 Barbell Bench Press
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How to Progress
Every time you complete Workout A add a total of 2.5 lb for women and 5 lb for men to the bar for the next workout.
What if I am stalling?
During this phase of training, there shouldn’t be any stalls. You should be able to add each time you do Workout A. If perchance there is a week where you are unable to add weight – the next time you do Workout A stay at the same weight. If again you are unable to add weight you will stay at the current weight until are you able to complete an entire 3×5 at that weight. Once you are able to perform a 3×5 bench press then you can add 2.5 or 5 lb depending on what you are comfortable with. During this phase, you are likely also working on push-ups and dips, which will both complement your overall pushing strength but at the same time may interfere from time-to-time due to soreness.
When to move to the next level?
Open up the weightlifting spreadsheet that you originally downloaded in the Program Design lesson and make sure your current stats are inputted for this movement. Take a look a the 1RM Weight Ranges table and find this movement and movement level. You’ll see a numerical range. You will progress to the next level once your 1RM surpasses the upper end of the range. For example, let’s assume a 135lb female athlete named Rachel is in the beginner bench press level with a 3×5 at 90lb bench press. The upper end of her range is 116. So she will progress to Elementary bench press once her estimated 1RM is 116 or slightly over. Now, noticed I said estimated 1RM so there is no need to actually test your 1RM. The way you can get your 1RM from your 3×5 is to multiply by 1.15. Rachels estimated 1RM is 103.5 given her 3×5 is 90 ( 90 * 1.15 = 103.5 ). This means she is not ready to move onto Elementary. She will be ready to move onto Elementary once she can do a 3×5 bench press at 102.5 lb which will give her an estimated 1RM at 117.
Once you have an estimated 1RM above the range, you will mark this lesson as complete and print out the Elementary Bench Press level.