Bench-press program please?

Hi all, I'm very new in the whole heavy lifting gyming. I'm 26, 91kg, 1.86m. I've been gyming on and off for the last 6 years but I now want to concentrate on bench-pressing competitions(/100kg). At this stage I suck, about 160kg. I'm not currently following any specific diet and have adapted my old off-season rugby gym program which is needless to say worthless as a bench program. Any help on diet and a program would be extremely appreciated!! I really need some help guys!
Thanx

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Bro, Conan will have to jump in here as a normal gym program will not get you the results you looking for. Power lifting is mostly technique and it becomes very difficult to describe that in a forum, basic pointers yes, but not exact. The best would be to have an experienced lifter coach you or you train with a club of some sorts, but again Conan will have to advise around that and point you to one in your area. I would wait for Conan to advise.

LSJ sorry for the delay! Ok I will first give you an off season program followed by a 10 week countdown program

TRAINING ROUTINE

MONDAY
-Bench Press(8 sets of 3 reps)+/- 60%-65% of max
-Close Grip Bench press (2 sets of 10 reps)
-Inclined Bench Press (3 sets of 8 reps)
-Dips (2 sets of 15-20 reps , preferably with weight)
-Lying Tricep Extensions EZ bar (3 sets of 8 reps)
-Tricep Pushdowns (4 sets of 8-10 reps)

TUESDAY
-Squats (8 sets of 2 reps with +/- 60 secs rest between sets)
-Straight Back Sumo-Style Deadlift (1 set 20-30 reps use light weight <100kg)
-Good Mornings (same stance as you squat- 3 sets of 8 reps)
-Hyper extensions (2 sets of 15 reps)
-Leg Extensions (3 sets of 8 reps)
-Leg Curls(3 sets of 8 reps)
-Calf Raises (3 sets of 20 reps)

THURSDAY
-Deadlifts (15 sets of singles - 30 sec rest between each single)
-Shrugs (1 set of 20 reps - max weight )
-Chin-ups (2 sets of 10-12 reps)
-Lat Pull Downs (3 sets of 8-10 reps)
-Seated pully Rows (3 sets of 8-10 reps)
-Hyper Extensions (2 sets of 15 reps)

FRIDAY
-Seated Dumbell Press (3 sets of 8 reps)
-Side Lateral Raises (3 sets of 8 reps)
-Bent over Lateral Raises (3 sets of 8 reps)
-Standing Barbell Curls (6 sets of 8 reps)
-Seated Dumbell Curls (3 sets of 8 reps)
-Light Bench Press (1 set of 15 reps)
-Light Dips (2 sets of 20 reps)

-Remember you are training for a 1 rep maximum thats the reason for low reps on main bench press training
-No equipment is used in the off season (only use your Belt)
-Abs should be trained every workout
-When you do Bench Press concentrate on explosive speed ('punch' the weight off your chest)
-Workouts should take you max 1 hour or less

10 WEEK COUNTDOWN TO COMP PROGRAM
(applies to Monday and Bench Press specifically rest of the exercises stay the same)

WEEK 1- Bench Press - 60% 8 sets of 3 reps (30 seconds rest between sets)

WEEK 2- Bench Press - 60% 8 sets of 3 reps (30 seconds rest between sets)

WEEK 3- Bench Press - 65% 8 sets of 3 reps (30 seconds rest between sets)

WEEK 4- Bench Press - 65% 8 sets of 3 reps (30 seconds rest between sets)

WEEK 5- Bench Press - 70% 8 sets of 3 reps (45 seconds rest between sets)

WEEK 6- Bench Press - 75% 6 sets of 2 reps (40 seconds rest between sets)

WEEK 7- Bench Press - 80% 6 sets of singles (40 seconds rest between sets)

WEEK 8- Bench Press - 95% 2 sets of singles with your Bench Shirt ,Belt and Wrist Wraps

WEEK 9- Bench Press - 97.5% 1 set of 1 rep with Bench Shirt and all your equipment

WEEK 10-(week before Comp) Bench Press -go up only to your opening attempt with Bench Shirt and all your equipment

THESE %'S ARE BASED ON WHAT YOU ARE AIMING FOR - (a 5%-7% increase from your previous max is realistic a 20% increase is not)
Always remember when training to keep feet flat on the floor -no moving feet and keep your bum on the bench - no lifting it up (this will result in a failed lift in competition) dont get into bad habits!
I hope this helps you as much as it did me , if there is anything you need explained, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for the great advice, Conan... I will certainly make use of your program as well.

Thanx Conan, I really appreciate your time and help!! The program looks very different to my current one. I do have one question though, if I start with my current 60% weight I take it that I can put on additional weight after about 3 weeks? Maybe not 10kg but 5-7kg? One of my friends suggested that on the Wednesday I do about 3 sets of 8-10 reps, very light (60kg) on a pilates ball. Aim is to strenghen the core and stabalizer muscles. What do you think?

Lastly, can you give me a rough idea of what to eat and what to stay away from? At the moment I eat a lot of pasta, chicken and red meat and I am not using any supplements.

Thanx again for your help! Will let you know if how the progress is!

Hey LSJ rather do the 3x8 on the ball on the Friday ,rest is so important here,only train 4 days /week ,you might think 8 sets of 3 reps not much work but with the time limit between sets it can be very taxing on the tris pecs and front delts so recovery is most important

Also with the 60% its fine to advance 10 kgs after week 3
but remember you must be able to complete the sets - no going to failure -VERY NB!!
Will write more later

Hi Conan,sorry I took so long to reply. I'm busy working out a diet, will post it as soon as get the chance again. Correct me if I'm wrong but is it correct to eat 2x bodyweight for Proteien(g), 44x for calories and 3x for carbs? Do you think it is sufficient?

Thanx for advice so far

LSJ that looks about right ,also the timing of your meals is important , try eat every 2-2.5 hours (5-6 meals per day)and dont forget the most important meal -the post workout meal- should be consumed within the 20 min window after training -protien to carb ratio of 1:3 using whey protien and glucose and maltodextrine for carbs (no fructose)
It looks like you'll be 'eating up' to your weight class ,but that is no excuse to get fat your power to weight ratio is very important so keep to lean beef chicken or fish for protien ,and carbs like brown rice; oats; pasta(plain and wholewheat)potatoes; and vegetables stay away from processed foods and fast foods ,please let me have a look at your diet and supplementation when you are ready

Hi Conan, this is a diet that I worked out. Its far from perfect, to much fat to little proteien? It is basically what I'm eating at the moment plus a bit extra, I just put it on paper. Please let me know what you think! Getting my bodyfat % tested tonight, will let you know that as well.

7am
Jungle Breakfast Cereal
Proteien Shake
3 egg whites
1 Yolk
1 Banana/Apple

10am
4 slices of wholewheat bread
Ham & Cheese

1pm
Pasta (normal size Desert bowl)
Chicken (2 skin,fat-free breasts)

3pm
Babana/Apple whatever
Proteien shake
3 Egg Whites
1 Yolk

7pm
Pasta & Meat - Basically same as 1pm, normally try for some veggies or bit of red meat/venison (should probably use some Whey proteien as well?)

The proteien shake I'm using is Muscle Science Grow Extreme. I also make myself about 8 - 10 peanut butter & Provitas "snackwiches" on which I chew during the day.

The only other product(s) that I intent to use in the near future is ZMA,Gabba and maybe creatine. I do not know enough about anabolics/ steroids to try them and even though my first compitition is only in Oct I dont want to test positive!

Thanx

Just a couple things about the diet
- Is jungle breakfast cereal Jungle oats ?(hope it is )
- 3 hrs is a bit too long between meals try for 2 hours ,that will allow for another meal plus it should eliminate the provita and p/butter problem (contrary to popular belief provita's are not the best carb in the world)
- What time do you train ?
- If you have to have pasts twice per day make sure its wholewheat pasta (rather go for fiberous green vegetables with your last meal
Please get back to me on this

Its the energy breakfast(5gr proteien & 25gr carb per serving) I add half a cup of oats with it. Is that bad?

I will struggle to eat every 2 hours because of work but I will try. Do you have any alternatives for the peanut butter & Provita? I am eating wholewheat pasta. Any other ideas about food I can eat thats good in same criteria? Don't wanna eat to much of same thing.

I train 17:30 in the afternoon. Sitting with bit of a problem at the moment though, have class on Thursday & Friday from 5pm - 9pm. (Stupid!! - started doin a Masters) By that time gym is closed so I will have to go first thing in the morning on those days. Different eating habits for those days?

LSJ rather eat jungle oats than that processed jungle cereal (in fact rather than any of the processed breakfast cereals -you'ed be surprised how much crap is in there just read the ingredients and you'll see)

As far as training in the morning goes for powerlifting -not a good idea not only will you be considerably weaker but you also run the risk of injury-remember you've been inactive for 7-9 hours and you need time for your muscles and tendons to warm up ,my advice would be that on the two days you have nite classes rather make them your training rest days

Instead of provita and peanut butter a better idea might be to make up a protien/carb shake made up of whey ,micellular casien and jungle oats and sip on that during the times you feel like a snack , you could also make up a bowl of chicken and rice and vegetables that you carry around in a tuppeware container and snack on that when hungry
What supplements and vitamins ect are you taking?

The proteien shake I'm using at the moment is Muscle Science Grow Extreme.
The only other product(s) that I intent to use in the near future is ZMA,Gabba and maybe creatine. I do not know enough about anabolics/ steroids to try them and even though my first compitition is only in Oct I dont want to test positive!

I'm taking a normal vit supplement each day, nothing fancy - Vital product.

Hi Conan, would you suggest something else to use as supplement or is what I'm using at the moment sufficient? Anything I can use that will give me a boost at the beginning but wont be in my system till Oct?