Bench Press - yet another question!

It`s not a question about form or technique, I`m just wondering how other people do their sets?

I have always performed flat bench press as 3x8, increasing the weight on the bar by 5kgs for each set.
Only when I can do 3 full sets in succession do I increase the start weight for the first set.

For example, when I started training again 10 weeks ago I had lost a considerable amount of strength compared to when I stopped training last year. 
Therefore my first bench press consisted of 3 increasing weight sets,  60kgs, 65kgs & 70kgs.

Training this afternoon I managed the following :- 1st set 100kgs x8, 2nd set 105kgs x8, 3rd set 110kgs x3, 
Only when I can do 3 full sets of 8 reps will I increase the 1st set to 105kgs.

Admittedly I know that I can not do this indefinately, and there will come a time when I simply cannot press anymore, but before that time comes I will most probably have to drop the weight increase per set to 2.5kgs or less. 

So, back to the question, how do you bench press? 

On my most recent chest day, my flat bench was:

6 x 50kg warm up
6 x 90kg warm up
6 x 125kg
6 x 125kg
5 x 125kg
4 x 125kg

Once I can do 4 working sets of 6 reps at that weight I'll up it by 2kg or so.

I've never been a great fan of upping the weight over sets and have always preferred to keep it constant.

I do a couple of warm up sets then move on to 3 or 4 working sets where I will use weights that let me get somewhere in the region of 6-10 reps.  If I get nearer to 10 reps I will up the weight the next set.

i do two warm up sets then at present:-

all sets aiming for 12reps, if i cant quite get that on first set i'll decrease weight slightly on 2nd set, hopefully achieve it on 3rd.

I hope to be able to getthe full 12 reps next time

I do pyramid sets e.g.

high reps, light weight
10 x 50%
8  x 65%
5  x 75%
3  x 85%
1  x 95%
1  x 100%
ton of weight, low reps (need to be spotted)

I also like the 5x5 e.g. start at

90kg 5x5

next workout add 2.5 kg

92.5 kg and so on.

I prefer pyramid sets to the 6 weeks at 8-10 rep range then 6 weeks at 4-6 rep range as I can activate more muscle fibres.

A couple of light sets then 5x5.

2 sets 60kg x 8
100kg x 6
130kg x 5
150kg x 5
170kg x 2
170kg x 2

*warm up*

example weights

160kg - 6 reps
155kg - 6 reps
150kg - 6 reps

now if i started the other way round i know i wouldnt hit 160kg as i would have spend a good amount of energy on the lighter sets i could already handle.

more weight = more stimuli = more growth

why train with weight you can easily handle for the majority of the sets is beyond me

I took advice from IB on this, it works.

I do the first set at the heaviest I can do, try to hit 8, normally fail for first couple of weeks.

Second set -2.5KG and try to hit 8.

Third set again -2.5KG and try to hit 8.

I only up weight once my first working set hits 8, then next week I up it. Then I'm working every set to my max potential.

I've had best strength and muscle gains in all areas with this new training technique IB explained to me.

usually constant weight for 3 sets, aim for 3x10, although at present I'm on about 8, then 6, and then dropping back a couple of kgs for the last set

nothings set in stone, lift hard with good form and the sets/reps will work themselves out.

Incredible Bulk


*warm up*

example weights

160kg - 6 reps
155kg - 6 reps
150kg - 6 reps

now if i started the other way round i know i wouldnt hit 160kg as i would have spend a good amount of energy on the lighter sets i could already handle.

more weight = more stimuli = more growth

why train with weight you can easily handle for the majority of the sets is beyond me

I should probably do it that way

I do what you do for DB press.
I'll do something like...

8 x 60kg
8 x 60kg then if that goes well
8 x 64kg

then the following week i'd do

8 x 60
8 x 64
8 x 64 and then slowly go up that way.

I've got friends who go heavy first then decrease the weight.

Aks


I do what you do for DB press.
I'll do something like...

8 x 60kg
8 x 60kg then if that goes well
8 x 64kg

then the following week i'd do

8 x 60
8 x 64
8 x 64 and then slowly go up that way.

I've got friends who go heavy first then decrease the weight.

For the DBs I would either just bang out 3 sets of the highest DBs I can do, or get someone to spot me on the next highest e.g.

47.5 kg pair x 6 (3) In brackets the no of reps i was assisted.

As DBs go up in increments and I don't have the microweight adjustments you can use to get over your plateau, I find this a good working method for DBs not BB Bench.
 

Incredible Bulk


*warm up*

example weights

160kg - 6 reps
155kg - 6 reps
150kg - 6 reps

now if i started the other way round i know i wouldnt hit 160kg as i would have spend a good amount of energy on the lighter sets i could already handle.

more weight = more stimuli = more growth

why train with weight you can easily handle for the majority of the sets is beyond me

This is because you train like a bodybuilder.   Pyramids usually mean you are working to a single or double. What you are doing is a reverse pyramid of sorts BTW.

I do a warm-up set of 60kg for 20 then something along the lines of

1x10 (80kg)
1x8 (85kg)
1x8 (85kg)

may do 3 sets of just 80 depending on how im feeling on the day but tends to be around the 80kg mark

Incredible Bulk


*warm up*

example weights

160kg - 6 reps
155kg - 6 reps
150kg - 6 reps

now if i started the other way round i know i wouldnt hit 160kg as i would have spend a good amount of energy on the lighter sets i could already handle.

more weight = more stimuli = more growth

why train with weight you can easily handle for the majority of the sets is beyond me

That's one way that clearly works for you.
 
However. If someone were to do, say, 3 sets on 155 of 6 reps. The total weight lifted would be the same. So you may have the heavier work set, but you also have the lighter work set. Would you work each set to failure? That doesn't work for some but the 2 methods both have the same total volume lifted of 2790kg, one involving a few sets possibly to failure, 1 involving none.
 
That said I like a (sort of) mix of both, I have one lift I usually work up to a single maximal set on (no real backwards pyramidding tho) and then another exercise where I'll do 3 sets on one weight.

why do you always follow a set rep and weight routine???? thats why your not increasing, i normaly do 2 warm up sets

10x60kg
6x100kg
8x180kg
2x220kg
6x200kg
10x170kg
i always change, sometime i up the weight quicker other times i go slower and more reps but i keep between 6-8 reps for atleast 2 sets, the other 2 sets i will go as heavy or as light as i want

triples doubles singles back up to doubles and triples and next routine speed sets

Incredible Bulk


*warm up*

example weights

160kg - 6 reps
155kg - 6 reps
150kg - 6 reps

now if i started the other way round i know i wouldnt hit 160kg as i would have spend a good amount of energy on the lighter sets i could already handle.

more weight = more stimuli = more growth

why train with weight you can easily handle for the majority of the sets is beyond me

 
when warming up what weight do you go up to?