Bench Question

[blacklab]

Hey All, just came back from a vacation to this brand new site. Looks great!

Anyway, I had a training journal on the old IC site that outlined a current and pretty standard 4x6 routine I was following.
I also mentioned that, because of a knee injury, I can't do any heavy squatting (in fact, atm, i'm still doing boring rehab exercises).
So, I decided to follow the three day split anyway and substitute the leg exercises and GM's for what would normally be squat day. Here's my
question for the group: could I add in an extra bench day to help drive my bench press through the roof?

The logic behind this is that I can't do squats. I can do deadlifts, but have to be very careful - no one rep max stuff yet. So, I figured I would
use this time to my advantage and focus on one of the three core lifts - bench. Here's what I'm currently doing:

Mon:
boring leg rehab day

Wed:
Bench: 7 sets, up to 3RM ... 3 sets over 90%
OHP: 4x6
Weighted Dips: 4x6

Fri:
Deads: 3x3
Bent BB Row: 4x6
Weighted Chins: 4x6

Thinking maybe add some bench assist/chest work on Sat or Sun. What does everyone think? Will it help? What kinds of exercises would you do?

Cheers! It's good to be back.

[PikeKing]

how about using a westside style approach? one heavy day, one speed day

[help]

nah, hes not ready for WSB

how about

day 1:
close grip bench 4x5
Military press 3x5
dips 3x5

day 2:
bench up to 3RM as u said
rows 5x5
chins 3x5

[PikeKing]

nah, hes not ready for WSB

whats the reasoning behind this?

[help]

hes done a 4x6 routine in the past, probably hasnt got much experience with singles, probably doesnt need to worry about speed at this point and would improve by just benching lots

just my opinion

[PikeKing]

ok cool, you're the powerlifter dude

[blacklab]

Thanks Gents. Couple questions for Help ... are you recommending Day 2 in addition to what I laid out in the first post, perhaps on Saturday or Sunday? Or are you thinking of doing your Day 2 instead of my "Wednesday"? If so, what about Deads?
Also, what would it take to be ready for a WestSide-type routine in your estimation? True, I don't have much experience with singles, but I've been weight training for the past couple of years.

[help]

What are your stats - height, weight, lifts

if you cant do legs im surprised you can deadlift, i would think it would aggrevate your injury just as much as squats

how about a deadlift days like

DLs 8x1
pull throughs 3x12

[help]

also, if you wanna get into PLing, get along to one of the great PLing gyms there are in New York and demand training

[kinkymisspinky]

i've just started benching twice a week.
in the first session i do 3-4x3 and some oh pressing. the second session is more focussed on speed/technique (5x5 fairly light) and i do quite a lot of shoulder work.

[Black Knight]

i've just started benching twice a week.
in the first session i do 3-4x3 and some oh pressing. the second session is more focussed on speed/technique (5x5 fairly light) and i do quite a lot of shoulder work.

Sounds good to me. I might do something similar in a few weeks when I'm back up to full speed.
How often do you Squat and D/L

[blacklab]

What are your stats - height, weight, lifts

if you cant do legs im surprised you can deadlift, i would think it would aggrevate your injury just as much as squats

how about a deadlift days like

DLs 8x1
pull throughs 3x12

Thanks again, Help. The problem with my left knee isn't an injury per se, it's a weird degenerative tissue thing. So, for the next month or so, I have to work on strengthening of the whole leg with machines and stuff - really sux! Surprisingly, deadlifts don't bother it much but the descent on squats absolutely kills.
As for as really dedicating to PLing, that's a little ways off for me (the West Side question was more out of curiosity). The knee problem is really going to limit me as far as squatting and really maxing out my DL potential. So, in the meantime I'm just going to follow a standard strength routine and work on my benching - I like the idea of a regular 5x5 or 4x6 strength routine with some PL aspects like 3RM and so on.
Also, since you asked ...
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 185 lbs
Bench: 225 lbs
Dead: 255 (approximate atm) lbs
Squat: No idea, was about 260 lbs

Oh yeah, if you know of any good PLing gyms in NYC, please let me know! All the ones I used to know of have closed down. :013:

[blacklab]

i've just started benching twice a week.
in the first session i do 3-4x3 and some oh pressing. the second session is more focussed on speed/technique (5x5 fairly light) and i do quite a lot of shoulder work.

sounds like a good plan.

[kinkymisspinky]

How often do you Squat and D/L

monday - squat/goodmorning
weds - bench/ light shoulders
fri - front squat/deads
sat - bench technique/shoulders

[Man of Steel]

How about having an upper body Heavy push/light pull day with a 4,3,2RM bench exercise over three weeks and say, 4x8 Chin ups and an upper body Light push/Heavy pull day where you do 5x5 or 4x6 on the Bench (focussing on form) and 4x4 Barbell row (+ assistance work on both days).