The Bridge 2.0 - adding bench press volume

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hello everyone!
I’m trying to improve my BP while running The Bridge 2.0 and I’m looking for advice/guidance. I’ve searched the training forums about a similar topic but all I could find were 1 or 2 posts just touching about it without any specific information. I’ll try to layout my plan and if possible you guys can give me an opinion about it.

Training Log: Dozer's Training Log - Page 3
Age: 23 Male
Height: 175cm (5ft 9in)
BW: 91.2kg (201bs)
Currently on a cut (still cutting, aiming @90kg(198lbs)):

  1. Weight before The Bridge 1.0: 96.44kg (212.6lbs)
  2. Current weight: 91.2kg (201bs) Previous programming: PowerliftingToWin Novice LP (3x/w BP with no Press)

Current programming: The Bridge 1.0 (as it is written, on week 8 atm)
Next program: The Bridge 2.0

Lifts before The Bridge 1.0: (was just starting to use RPE)

  1. SQ: 127.5kg (280lbs) x5 reps @8.5
  2. DL: 145kg (325lbs) x5 reps @9.5
  3. BP: 108.75kg (242.5lbs) x1 @8 Lifts after The Bridge 1.0: (E1RMSs)
  4. SQ: 148.75kg (327.5lbs)
  5. DL: 180kg (405lbs)
  6. BP: 113.75kg (250lbs) My plan is to switch The Press in The Bridge 2.0 with another BP variant so my BP can still progress along side my other 2 lifts (SQ and DL are moving slowly but I haven’t seen any improvement in the BP which is to be expected when switching from a program with more BP frequency to a one with less). I was intending to move the Comp.BP to the middle of the week and add CGBP (TnG BP) on Mon and keep the Floor Press (2ct Pause BP) on Fri. That way I would have 1 overload and 1 underload movement in the same week (is this something to be sought after or volume is volume and doesn’t depend of overloads and underloads). For the CGBP (TnG) I will be using the rep scheme of the even numbered supplemental lifts (ex. S-B2, S-B4). The program would like something like this:

Weeks 1-4:

  1. Mon: CGBP (S-B4)
  2. Wed: Comp.BP
  3. Fri: Floor Press (S-B1) Weeks 5-8:
  4. Mon: TnG BP (S-B4)
  5. Wed: Comp.BP
  6. Fri: 2ct Pause BP (S-B1) Is this a reasonable way to approach a stalled BP? I’ve read on another thread that replacing The Press with a BP Variant doesn’t increase the pressing volume but it makes it more specific. Would this be enough do drive the bench or do I need to add BP volume on top of The Press ?

Reasons I do not like The Press:

  1. My goals is to be strong as possible on the SQ,DL,BP (My training is solely Powerlifting oriented atm)
  2. I don’t feel any carryover from The Press and I feel that it’s just taking up a pressing slot (and gym time) which can be used more specifically to train the bench if subbed with a more specific ex.
  3. As a side note (personal feelings involved) - Everyone has that one single exercise that they dislike doing and this is mine… I can’t explain it but I just have some inner negativity towards it.
1 Like
2

If it were me, I’d probably swap the floor press to an even-numbered rep scheme and the CGBP to an odd-numbered rep scheme (mainly personal preference), but otherwise I think this is a reasonable approach.

1 Like
3

Thanks for taking the time to answer (wall of text, etc).
I intend to start a log here and if someone wants to see how it goes is more than welcome to check it out.

4

What i did was replace C-P for TnG Bench (standard grip width) on Day2, using the S-B1 scheme for that.
I left FP as it was programmed for Day3. So I guess I did 2x S-B1.