6 WEEK BENCH PROGRAM

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Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Shane Jerman ................................................................................................................................ 2
James Williams .............................................................................................................................. 2
Key Notes .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Technique...................................................................................................................................... 4
Nutrition........................................................................................................................................ 4
Deloads ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Bench Press Routine .......................................................................................................................... 5
Eccentric Phase.............................................................................................................................. 5
Isometric Phase ............................................................................................................................. 6
Assistance Exercises .......................................................................................................................... 7
Weeks 1-3 ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Weeks 4-6 ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Shoulder Stability .............................................................................................................................. 8
Weeks 1-6 ..................................................................................................................................... 8
Outro/Summary .............................................................................................................................. 11

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Introduction

Shane Jerman

My name is Shane Jerman I have been a full-time strength coach focusing on strongman and
powerlifting for the last 6 years, and an active strongman, weightlifter and powerlifter for the last 12
years.

As a lightweight athlete (u90kg for most my competitive life) who did not want to bulk up to a crazy
bodyweight to lift the numbers I wanted, I decided to go down a different path to achieve my
strength goals and started researching different training methods and due to being pretty successful
in my sports (370kg deadlift, 360kg squat, 220kg bench, 140kg snatch 170kg clean and jerk, 170kg
log – all raw) I had the pleasure of traveling the world and meeting some of the top minds in the
strength world.

I pride myself on being a sponge for knowledge, I like to learn in any situation I am in. I am a firm
believer that no matter how much you know you can extract a few gems from anyone you meet in
the gym/strength world. Even if at first glance they seem to just be “winging” it, if they are strong,
they must be doing something right?

After having these amazing experiences and conversations with the top minds in this industry I have
built my own very unique programming style which lends itself amazing well to the bench press
specifically. I have had hundreds of amazing results from a similar programming style and have
decided to release this small eBook to help everyone improve their bench press.

This program is the EXACT program that James Williams ran when he bench pressed 600lb / 272.5kg
I would honestly guarantee your bench will feel so much more powerful and stable after completing
the program.

James Williams

Unlike a lot of people, I didn’t start my lifting journey until quite

late in life. When I was twenty-seven years old I became a father to
my amazing son Lenny-James and from that moment life changed a
lot. I suddenly had drive and inspiration like never before.

I played a lot of sport growing up but never lifted a weight in my life

although something I’d always been interested in I never followed
it up and to be quite honest I never really had the dedication
required, but on the arrival of my son I wanted to set an example
and be the best dad I could be.

I want my son to follow his dreams but how could I teach him if I
wasn’t following my own? I was always a fan of strongman and
powerlifting as a kid as they always seemed superhuman and not
for your average guy, but the truth is they are.

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I trained for about 4/5 years without any real guidance or coaching and did my own research and got
myself to a reasonable level, but two years ago I decided that I wanted to see just how far I could
take myself with some specific goals in place so I contacted Shane who I’d followed and admired for
a while. I went from benching the low 200kg range and with Shane’s help too this to the
272.5kg/600lb mark.

I’ve also had big improvements in the strongman arena and have competed at the Arnold’s in Ohio
and whilst there I was invited to bench in the Animal Cage and lift at West Side Barbell.

Using this bench program, I have this year won the BPU British Championships and ranked 1st in the
UK in the BPU and 2nd in the UK across all federations, and for 2020 I will continue to use this exact
program. My goal going forward is to be one of, if not the first to bench 300kg raw in the UK.

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Key Notes

I am a huge fan of eccentric and isometric work and the program will be focusing around this kind of
work 90% of the time! Remember they are amazing at building stability, strength through the full
ROM and very often get rid of common niggles and injuries in the anterior deltoids that sometimes
come with bench pressing heavy and often.

There are 2 bench sessions per week (they are the EXACT same session), but the only thing that
changes is the RPE. Now I’m not a huge fan of RPE, but in this case it’s just the easiest way to explain
it.

There is an RPE 8 session, and an RPE 10 session. The reason it must be done this way is so that as
the sessions go on, we are linearly progressing the load and the only thing that changes is the time
of the eccentric or the time/position of the isometric.

I suggest you do session 1 Monday, and session 2 Thursday.

IMPORTANT – Even when I state RPE 10 you should leave some kilos in the tank even on this day, I
like to explain RPE 10 as you had about 2.5kg-5kg max left in the tank. If you stick to this weight
selection you will recover between sessions perfectly.

Technique

I am going to show you how I want you to do the assistance exercises but the bench technique we
will have to work with what you’ve got! I suggest if you are a competitive powerlifter that every rep
you do has a competition style pause at the bottom (even during the eccentric phase) just to keep
good habits.

Nutrition

Not going to delve to much into nutrition here as it is a bench press program, but to get the best
results you should be in a slight calorie surplus (15% area) and be eating around 2g of protein per kg
of lean body mass

Deloads

As this is only a 6 week phase it shouldn’t be necessary to deload during, and before re-testing a max
I have advised to take the first bench session off which SHOULD be enough for most people, if you
are slightly older or are lifting extremely fatiguing loads you could take a deload week after the
eccentric phase, and a deload week after the isometric phase. I would simply do 8x3 at 40-60% (%
varys depending on load lifted, more load = less %) for speed reps on these days, cut your assistance
load down 20% and this should suffice.

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Bench Press Routine
Eccentric Phase
Weeks 1-3

Important note – make sure you use a stopwatch/training partner to time your eccentric, so it is
accurate! Also, I would rather you undershoot the load and it be a little easier than plan then
overshoot and fail – failed reps on the top single are not productive! Sometimes the drop sets may
fall off towards the end due to fatigue, which is FINE, just adjust the load down for the last sets
and hit the eccentric goal.

Week 1 Session 1
Bench Press – 10 seconds eccentric build to a 1RM but hold back slightly RPE 8 area, might be a bit of
guess work first session in but make sure you leave kilos on the bar for session 2

Drop 25% and do 5x5 with a 5s eccentric each rep

Week 1 Session 2
Bench press – 10 seconds eccentric build to 1RM but go to RPE 10 – you should have a nice gauge
now as to where you will be so try to only leave 2.5kg max in the tank

Drop 20% 5x3 with a 5s eccentric

Week 2 Session 1
Bench Press – 7 second eccentric build to 1RM RPE 8 – again we have dropped the eccentric time
but holding kilos back, for most people this will be around the same weight you hit week 1 session 2
or perhaps even a tiny bit lighter

5x5 – with a Increase from week 1 by 2.5-5kg depending how difficult they were, stick to the 5s
eccentric each rep

Week 2 Session 2
Bench Press – 7 second eccentric build to 1RM RPE 10, again don’t leave much in the tank

5x3 drop sets with a increase by 2.5-5kg and stick to the 5s eccentric

Week 3 Session 1
Bench press – 5s eccentric build to 1RM RPE 8 – should be getting the hang of weight selection by
now

Drop to 5x5 again and increase by 2.5kg – 5kg and only use a 3s eccentric this time

Week 3 Session 2
Bench Press – 5s eccentric build to 1RM RPE 10, final session great weight selection please!

Drop to 5x3 again and increase by 2.5-5kg – 3s eccentric each rep

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Isometric Phase
Weeks 4-6

Notes – Same thing applies here exactly as we have done for the last 3 weeks although it is going
to be a pause about 3 inches off the chest for 3 seconds each rep, the pause should be done on the
eccentric phase not the concentric phase as we do not want to lose concentric bar speed.

Week 4 Session 1
Bench Press – build to a 3RM but each rep must be paused for 3 seconds 3 inches of the chest on the
eccentric – RPE 8 here so you can increase load session 2

Drop 15% and do 5x3 with a 2s pause each rep

Week 4 Session 2
Bench Press – build to a 3RM but each rep must be paused for 3 seconds 3 inches of the chest on the
eccentric – RPE 10 – increase from session 1

Drop 15% and do 5x3 with a 2s pause each rep

Week 5 Session 1
Bench Press – build to a 2RM but each rep must be paused for 3 seconds 3 inches of the chest on the
eccentric – RPE 8 here so you can increase load session 2

Drop 15% and do 5x2 with a 2s pause each rep

Week 5 Session 2
Bench Press – build to a 2RM but each rep must be paused for 3 seconds 3 inches of the chest on the
eccentric – RPE 10 – increase from session 1

Drop 15% and do 5x2 with a 2s pause each rep

Week 6 Session 1
Bench Press – build to a 1RM but must be paused for 3 seconds 3 inches of the chest on the
eccentric – RPE 8 here so you can increase load session 2

Drop 25% and do 3x5 with a 2s pause each rep

Week 6 Session 2
Bench Press – build to a 1RM but must be paused for 3 seconds 3 inches of the chest on the
eccentric – RPE 10 here

Drop 25% and do 3x5 with a 2s pause each rep

Week 7 – Test Week

If you have been benching Monday and Thursday as I suggested you should rest the Monday this
week, then re-test your max on the Thursday.

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Assistance Exercises

These are very important and I have selected exercises that the goal is to improve hypertrophy in
the triceps, chest, lats, delts etc, - everything we need to build a bigger bench BUT more importantly
lots of shoulder stability exercises to keep you healthy whilst benching heavy and often. I am not
going to show you how to do simple bodybuilding movements but there are certain exercises I want
done a certain way, so we get the correct result.

Assistance exercise to be performed after each bench press session.

Weeks 1-3

Exercise 1: Dumbbell floor press

Sets x Reps: Week 1 - 5 x 15, Week 2 – 5 x 12, Week 3 – 5 x 10
Rest: 90s – 2mins between sets
Notes: Seesaw style movement with each rep (as left arm does eccentric portion the right arm is
doing the concentric, so 15 reps each arm)

Exercise 2: Rolling dumbbell tricep extension

Sets x Reps: Week 1 – 3 x 20, Week 2 – 3 x 15, Week 3 - 3 x 12
Rest: 90s – 2mins between sets

Exercise 3: Snatch grip rows (or snatch grip seal rows if equipment is available)
Sets x Reps: Week 1 – 3 x 20, Week 2 – 3 x 15, Week 3 - 3 x 12

Rest: 90s rest between sets

Weeks 4-6

Exercise 1: Incline dumbbell press

Sets x Reps: : Week 1 - 5 x 15, Week 2 – 5 x 12, Week 3 – 5 x 10
Rest: 90s – 2mins between sets
Notes: Seesaw style movement with each rep (as left arm does eccentric portion the right arm is
doing the concentric, so 15 reps each arm)

Exercise 2: Overhead tricep extensions

Sets x Reps: Week 1 – 3 x 20, Week 2 – 3 x 15, Week 3 - 3 x 12

Rest: 90s between sets

Note: To be performed on a neutral grip bar

Exercise 3: Wide grip lat pull down

Sets x Reps: Week 1 – 3 x 20, Week 2 – 3 x 15, Week 3 - 3 x 12
Rest: 90s rest between sets

As the reps are dropping weekly make sure to increase loads to match.

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Shoulder Stability

Weeks 1-6

Shoulder stability work will stay the same throughout the whole program. You must focus here on
the eccentric and concentric control every rep and be mindful of the outcome and the execution of
each rep – if you really own these exercises your shoulders will stay crazy healthy throughout the
whole program.

Exercise 1: Trap 3 Raise

Sets x Reps: 2x15
Rest: Each arm rests as other arm is working, keep swapping arm as you finish each set

Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3

Starting position in pic 1. I like to lean on a surface such as a low box or bench. My thumb is facing 10
o’clock/2 o’clock (depending on left or right hand). I am actively retracting my scapular and holding it
in position (pinching shoulder blade back).

I will then raise my arm in to a Y shape (see pic 2 and 3). Keep your scapular retracted the whole
time. This is 1 rep. After each rep I like to reset my scapular and pinch it back in to position to make
sure each rep is performed correctly.

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Exercise 2: Rope face pulls
Sets x Reps: 3x15
Rest: 30s rest between sets
Notes: If no rope attachment is available, then it can be substituted with a resistance band

Pic 1 Pic 2

I am pulling the middle of the rope towards my nose, flaring elbows and pinching my
scapular/shoulder blades together with each rep, focusing on pulling the rope apart at the same
time. As I let the rope pull me forward, I allow my lats and scapular to protract and stretch forward
before starting the next rep. Perform each rep with a slow and even tempo.

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Exercise 3: Kneeling straight arm pull downs
Sets x Reps: 3 minutes of constant work (light load)
Rest: No rest, continue for the entire 3 minutes

Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 2

Cues here, knees, hips, shoulders inline, rib cage neutral and flat do not let it flare, brace through
core hard, allow lats to take over the ROM. You can use a rope attachment, or a straight bar is also
fine. Only come as far up as mobility allows before ribs start to move – real good relationship with
those ribs here.

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Exercise 4: Plank Powell raises
Sets x Reps: 2x12 each arm
Rest: Rest each shoulder as other arm is working, then swap arms after each set

Pic 1 Pic 2

Cues here, pic 1 is the start, arm should come straight out from your shoulder, elbows wrist inline – I
like to aim for the end of the dumbbell to land near my other wrist as a visual aid, when you extend
to full ROM the same applies, shoulder, elbow wrist inline, again I like to move my head and look,
make sure I haven’t gone too far. When I am stable and the dumbbell is not moving then go into the
eccentric for the next rep, again slow even tempos!

Outro/Summary

Now that you're at the end of the program you're probably thinking where to go next. Running an
eccentric and isometric block like this will give adaptions that you can carry forward for months so I
would not suggest running a phase like this more than 3 times a year. A perfect transition would be
into a higher volume/frequency block for example Smolov Jr for bench, the adaptions you will have
made and changes in shoulder stability should make it possible for your body to handle a higher
work capacity than before so make sure to take advantage.

I recommend you carry on with at least the trap 3 raises and Powell raises weekly as these should be
a staple in keeping your shoulders healthy.

Hopefully you can take away a few gems from this eBook that you can apply to your future training,
make sure to follow me for lots of free information on strength training @mstsystems

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