Bench is stagnant. Is a 20% volume increase a good starting point?

I completed the Strength 1 template with no improvement to my bench 1rm. Squats and deadlifts improved and overall fatigue felt about right: not too high or low. I’m considering repeating the template but adding more sets for bench. Strength 1 has, on average, 14.7 sets of bench per week, with about 3-4 bench variations a week.

If I add 1 set of bench per session, that would be an extra 3 sets of bench a week, or a 20% increase in bench volume. I’ll monitor as I go but is this a reasonable starting point?

I previously did Powerlifting 2 but it was too much for me: I did it only 3 days a week instead of 4 and my rest times were too long. So I don’t think I’m ready to graduate to Powerlifting 2 yet.​​

If you’re curious, here’s a video showing 240 lbs for 4 reps three months ago. Thank you! Kevin Kane on Instagram: "I’m new to bench, may I get your advice on my set below please? 240 lbs x 4 reps and I failed rep 5. This is my close-grip bench (pinky just inside the rings). This is the first time that I’ve benched with a straight bar – instead of a Swiss or football bar -- for 7 weeks in a row. Before Barbell Medicine, I nocebo’d myself into thinking that straight-bar benching causes injury. Then when I did try it, I had intolerable elbow pain but I think I caused that by doing more ring pullups and triceps work than I could handle. Now that I can bench without elbow pain, I think that I might be able to improve my bench by: 1. Building my arch: I just ordered a football to place under my back during bench warmups. Jen Thompson recommends it: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqqt_8qgC2n/. Her idea is that you inflate the ball just enough so that your butt is a bit off the bench. Then you work on pulling your butt down. When you can get your butt down, inflate the ball a little more and repeat. 2. Leg drive: I try to get my feet back as far as I can. As I lift off you can see that my feet slip forward a bit. 3. Keeping butt on bench: My butt was coming off at first. A cue I got from Bryce of Calgary Barbell was to use constant leg tension to pin my shoulders down on the bench. I place my feet a bit wider because apparently that helps to keep the butt down? I don’t feel that my leg drive is contributing much to my bench but I think priority one is to keep my butt down. 4. Pause on chest: Would an IPF judge give me the press command on these reps? Am I holding the bar “motionless” to the IPF standard? 5. Failed 5th rep: I didn’t feel any technical errors but do you see any? I just felt that I wasn’t strong enough. 6. Elbow flare vs. elbow tuck: Sorry that you don’t get a good view from this angle. I’m about equally strong on my wide-grip bench with 3 ringers outside the rings. I’m still learning which grip width is best for me. Any suggestions for improvements are most welcome, that’s why I’m posting! Thanks."

A 20% increase in volume at the same average intensity would be fine in this case. You may also consider altering the bench variations to something else if you suspect they were contributory. Admittedly, that’s tough to feel confident in outside of subjective preferences, but you could make an educated guess by comparing your sticking point/miss point to the variations you’re currently using.

From your video, it looks like you miss a few inches off the chest in the lower mid range. This is pretty common for raw benchers with a moderate grip. I’d be thinking about pin bench at chest level and 2" off the chest, floor press, 2 board press, and similar.

Technique wise, I think there are opportunities to improve your bench press performance by:

  1. Pull your shoulders back to the bench prior to each rep. You should see the bar drop a bit without your elbows unlocking.
  2. The barbell is going straight up off your chest when it should be moving back towards the rack. I believe this is happening because your touch point is a bit low and the elbows are tucked too much. I would cue you to push your elbows out to the side (flare) more and touch a hair higher. Off the chest, throw the bar back towards the rack.
  3. You’re pauses are a bit “bouncy” as you attempt to get a rhythm going. I would cue you to hold the bar motionless for a full second before starting the press. -Jordan
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This is insightful feedback Jordan, thank you!

I compete in powerlifting and I’m not concerned about my overhead press – my ceilings are too low so I can do only seated overhead presses, anyway. In addition to the extra 20% of benching, should I also replace the first 6 weeks of pressing movements in Strength 1 with a bench variation instead?

If you have time, I tried implementing the technique changes you suggested: Here’s a video of 255 lbs x 1 @rpe 8.5 if you have 13 seconds. :slight_smile: Kevin Kane on Instagram: "Just practicing my bench technique here. 255 x 1 @8.5."

My grip is now wider: 2 pinkies outside the rings whereas in the previous video my grip is 1 pinky inside the rings.

About pressing the bar back toward the rack instead of straight up: How far back should I be aim? In the first video, I’m pushing back a few inches so at lockout the bar is about in line with my chin. Should I aim for my nose or forehead? (I’m just trying to get an idea of where I would want to see the bar when I review the video.)

Thanks doc!​​

I think keeping in some vertical pressing work is useful during development cycles. Seated press, high incline bench, landmine press, etc. would all work.

New video looks pretty good! I think it is likely to improve further with continued practice, but this is the proper bench press bar path imo. The bar should end up directly over the center of the shoulder joint at the top, but you may cue yourself to push back to your nose, chin, or just generally ‘back’.

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Thanks Jordan! I’ll keep doing the vertical pressing and I’ll practice the new bench technique per your suggestions. Appreciate it so much!