Strength Training Two Different Movements

[Thin Lizzy]

If you wanted to bring up both your bench and military presses, is it better to do the the same or on different days?

I've found that when I do them on the same day, the second exercise suffers.

[jpm101]

If working towards power, that do each on separate days. If into a muscle size improvement, with a little strength improvement included, then do BB'ing style workouts. Suggest doing the front press first in the workout, than the BP. Can even SS the press with the bench.

Might suggest 5X5's as a good starting point for general strength improvement. . Keeping the same weight on the bar for each set, because you want to insure 5 reps each set and not adding weight to the bar and getting only 3 or 4 reps on the final set. You are training the body, not challenging it each workout, quite a difference .

               Good Luck

[Donny]

5x5 is a great simple workout and i am enjoying it full Body. I tend to Bench press first then BB rows, shoulder press, squats, chins (Palms facing),parallel bar Dips. on the Dips and chins 3 sets not 5

[Thin Lizzy]

How many warm up sets before you get to the 5x5.

I've found it takes 2 or even 3. So, it's more than 5 sets. How about counting the two sets it takes to get to the strength training weight, so it's 2x the warm up weights + 3x5 strength sets?

[Donny]

How many warm up sets before you get to the 5x5.

I've found it takes 2 or even 3. So, it's more than 5 sets. How about counting the two sets it takes to get to the strength training weight, so it's 2x the warm up weights + 3x5 strength sets?

There are diffrent methods of 5x5. I warm up with a set of 10 reps then i hit a weight for 5 reps. My last set i put more weight on the bar and do maybe 3 reps. my Goal is to hit that last set for 5

[Melkor]

If you want to increase your strength in both lifts I would dedicate a separate day for each. Both movements use a lot of overlapping musculature (delts, triceps, traps) and performing one before the other will surely create fatigue and decrease performance. If your schedule won't allow and you insist on improving both simultaneously, you could focus on performance in one lift each week and on hypertrophy in the other and then swap them around the following training session. For example:

Session 1: Bench 3x5 or 3x3 (or whatever strength building programme you follow) followed by 4 x 8-10 in the overhead press
Session 2: Press 3x5 or 3x3 followed by 4 x 8-10 in the bench

Fortunately I've found that both movements are mutually beneficial, especially the overhead press for improving the bench (I find I can maintain my bench performing only overhead press but not the other way around).

[jpm101]

Agree, the overhead press, as well as the press behind neck, have a great influence on increasing the BP.

Known some Olympic lifters who have hoisted some very impressive benches even though they practice that lift rarely in  training. Think that overhead presses give a more complete base of power than benches ever have,for most men. Not to mention greater shoulder/upper body development.

Same can be said for dips (weighted) for improvement on the BP. Just a personal view, but to me dips (when preformed correctly) can be a much better mass/strength builder that benches.  The "V" bar is a very handy piece of equipment for all around dipping and allows different hand grips and hand spacing (narrow to wide to knuckles facing forward or even inward). For most guy's, a "V" bar can allow less strain on the wrist & elbows, given the hand positions. The extreme positions of knuckles in can cause the most stress on the wrist/elbows. Though Girondia seemed to favor this style.

Problem develops when hooking up plates over 220...for me any way.Just a pain in the butt attaching more plates up. Hooked up a floor pulley for awhile, for added resistance when dipping. The great Marvin Eder had been reported to do over 400, for reps, at around 190lb bwt. Others are pretty near that weight in past and present years.   Good Luck.