What is the best way (program) to increase strenght?

[Shawdow]

Hi, I would like to increase my strenght, what is the best program (reps, sets, daily schedule) to increase strenght?
I mainly want to increase my bench press.

Thanks.

[Hedgehog]

Hi, I would like to increase my strenght, what is the best program (reps, sets, daily schedule) to increase strenght?
I mainly want to increase my bench press.

Thanks.

There is no one program.

Studies have shown that for whatever reason, the body adapt to a routine after cerca 8-12 weeks of training.

After that period of time, an athlete needs to switch up the routine.

It can still be based on the same principals, but some changes should be made, eg changing the supplemental benchpress excersise from close grips to board presses.

Perhaps even better, doing high volume for a few months then followed by moderate volume and with much higher intensity.

If you want to try something that could help you improve the benchpress - there are two things you should try:

1. Train benchpress exclusively. Don't fcuk around with flies, DB's or shit. Just do 7-8 sets of benchpress once or twice a week. No fcuking triceps or "pec" training. And don't train anything heavy for shoulders, just a little side raises to prevent injuries.

2. Eat.

[The Wall]

gotta agree with hedge...cept flip the order that he gave you

#1 is EAT lol then eat more...and more after that its sad that a statement like that is becoming a cliche because everyone knows to do it but choose not too....good way to tell if your eating enough is if you ever feel hungry during the day chances are you are way below your calories needed

same thing for hydration...thrist is the last mechanism is the preventive chain of dehydration...if your thirsty during the day you are pretty below your need on water

[Stubborn]

Good advice here.


If you just NEED a program, start out with something like 5x5 or even Max OT. From there you find what works and you like. Then you may move on to a modified westside program. Then you may do it all over again. Thats just what has worked for me but its a good example because "everything works but nothing works forever." Switch your program every 12 weeks, take a week off after each program, eat, keep a log, and always re-evaluate things.

[The Wall]

super good info in Lift4sizes post

LOG is a must....tommy kono once said how well you lift and how strong you get it is directly related to how many notes he took while working out...i wont explain who he is because u can google him urself, but there is alot of truth in that statement...i try my best to log every lift even if i fail on it and maybe give a short explanation why i think i failed on it...99.99999% of the time you never write down "bc i wasnt strong enough" it will be something like " i stayed up too late last night" or "i skipped 2 meals today" sometimes writing down the reason helps you focus on a solution rather than the problem

[Vet]

gotta agree with hedge...cept flip the order that he gave you

#1 is EAT lol then eat more...and more after that its sad that a statement like that is becoming a cliche because everyone knows to do it but choose not too....good way to tell if your eating enough is if you ever feel hungry during the day chances are you are way below your calories needed

same thing for hydration...thrist is the last mechanism is the preventive chain of dehydration...if your thirsty during the day you are pretty below your need on water

Yup.  The number one best way to improve your bench press is to eat.   Then bench, then work your triceps (on the bench).   


I know people are advocating switching programs (for example 5x5, max ot, then westside) but I don't necessarily agree with that.   I think you MUST cycle your training, but you can do that within the same program depending on what your goals are.   

One big thing that is so often missed is people don't rest when they need to.  We schedule deload weeks routinely to allow for recooperation and more than anything else to let the joints heal a bit.   I've got one training partner who sneaks into the gym when the rest of us aren't there on deload weeks and does stupid shit, like tries to max on his bench and squat both on back to back days.    His gains will go stagnant every training cycle he does that.   You've got to eat big, train hard, then get the fuck out of the gym and let your body heal so you can do it all over again.  There are so many people who focus too much on maxing out.  They don't work to a peak and then back off and let the body heal, they try to peak again and again when they shoulden't. 

[Stubborn]

I know people are advocating switching programs (for example 5x5, max ot, then westside) but I don't necessarily agree with that.   I think you MUST cycle your training, but you can do that within the same program depending on what your goals are.   

Sure you can use the same program all the time, but it wont be the same "program" when you tailor it to your needs. Not only that but how do you know what works for you if you havent tried many different things?

[BFP]

I'm having great success with Wendlers 5/3/1. I think Wicked is smashing away at it as well. I recently pulled 600x7 and squatted 700x4 off of a modified couch cushion an inch below parallel. My bent over rows have also gone from 315x4 loose to 315x7  fairly strict as well.

Jason