Mike is among the best benchers in the world. He has a competition best raw press of 600 lbs and a shirted press of 860 lbs. Mike’s short term goal is to press over 900 lbs equipped. His long term goal is to simply be the best!
Each month, Mike will answer bench press questions from AtLarge Customers. If you have a question for Mike, please send it to askmike@atlargenutrition.com!
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Getting my bench press form back!
Dear Mike,
While in college, I competed as a novice lifter in bench press contests. I got the state record of 501 lbs, but then graduated and began my professional career as a coach. For some reason, I just cannot seem to get back to form. I keep trying various programs, but I just seem to lack confidence and don’t progress like I used to. Could you please help me get started?
As a former college athlete I can be coached! I truly feel that with the right direction I can get back in the game. Any help you can give will be much appreciated. Thank you for this column.
No name provided
Mike Wolfe: First, I want to recognize your accomplishment. 501 lbs is a tremendous lift!
Consistency will be the key to your return to form. Your statement about trying various programs indicates you are searching and probably not giving the routines a chance to work. I am going to provide you a program to follow, and I need you to follow its general format for a minimum of 12 weeks.
Two days per week will be allocated for benching. One day will be Dynamic Effort (DE), and one day Max Effort (ME). Allow for at least 3 days between sessions (I train ME on Sundays and DE on Wednesdays).
ME day should consist of 1 of a handful of basic compound movements performed with loads which are 90-100% of your 1 repetition maximum (1RM). Use both partial (such as board presses, floor presses, and lockouts) and full range movements. Use 1 rep sets for the partials, and 3 rep sets for the full range exercises. Progressively increase the load each set until you fail at the prescribed rep target. Be sure to ALWAYS use a spotter. Keep your volume in the 8-10 set range. Alternate exercises each week for a 4 week cycle. At the end of the 4 week period, repeat the cycle and go for a personal record each training session. Finish off the day with a heavy triceps movement performed for 4 sets of 8-10 reps.
DE day focuses on building explosive power. Use 50% of your 1RM for 8 sets of 3 reps. You can use barbell weight alone, barbell weight plus bands, or barbell weight plus chains. Perform each repetition as quickly as possible while maintaining good form. Rest for no more than 1 minute between sets. As with ME day, finish with 4 sets of 8-10 reps of a heavy triceps exercise.
As always, be sure to include plenty of work for your upper back on your other training days. A strong upper back is key to a big press. Some authorities suggest that upper back training should be performed on the same plane as chest training. I prefer, and recommend to others, both horizontal and vertical upper back training. This includes, but is not limited to the following exercises:
Lats
- seated pulldowns
- seated rows
- standing dumbbell rows
Rear Delts/Traps
- face pulls (see other issues for explanation)
- rear delt raises
- high shrugs (see other issues for explanation)
Choose 2 of the above exercises for lats and rear delts/traps per session, and perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Repeat 2-3 times per week varying the movements weekly.
After 12 weeks, take a 1 week rest and then go for a PR on the bench. You WILL see a nice increase!
I hope this helps!!!
Wolfy
Training and supplementation for a BIG Bench!
Hi Mike,
First, let me tell you a bit about myself. I am 5’9” tall and weigh roughly 195 lbs. I am 44 years old. My current 1RM bench is 290 lbs.
What would you recommend, with respect to both training and supplementation, to increase my bench?
Thanks,
Chuck Sayre
Mike Wolfe: Chuck,
First, I don’t really consider your age to be much of a factor. Some of the best benchers in the world are over age 40. Age, and the wisdom it provides, can be an asset as opposed to a liability to your training.
Simplicity is important to your training success. Too many people try to overcomplicate matters. Simple and consistent wins the race…
My training recommendations to you would be the same as to the gentleman above. Please read my above answer for a basic 12 week training template.
When it comes to supplementation, protein is of the utmost importance. You can forget about the RDA for protein if you train intensely with weights. I recommend a minimum intake of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, with a target goal being 1.5 grams per pound. AtLarge Nutrition makes 2 of the best protein products out there with Nitrean and Opticen. Nitrean is their protein-only product, and Opticen is a meal replacement with carbs, vitamins, and minerals to go along with protein. Both products use unique protein blends of whey, casein, and egg. These blends provide for superior retention and utilization of the protein you ingest.
Protein aids recovery, but there are other supplements on the market which go above and beyond what it will do in that respect. AtLarge Nutrition’s ETS is such a product and I swear by it! I use it on a daily basis and it makes a huge difference in my ability to train harder, more often. I can have a brutal session at Westside on Sunday and be ready to hit it again at my home gym on Monday.
I hope this helps and feel free to contact me again if you need anything else.
Wolfy
For more information on Mike's background and achievements, see the Mike Wolfe sponsor page!
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