How often should I bench?

[btownbuck2012]

I've heard that if i hit my chest hard once a week that's all i need but i thought 2 times a week was better??

I do flat, incline, and decline. I do 3 sets of each at about 6-8 reps.

Is once a week enough??? I'm looking to build mass

 

[DarkShade]

I think the general consensus is 3 times a week, giving a day for rest between workouts of that certain body area (chest, arms). Otherwise you'll wear yourself out or hurt yourself doing too much day after day. You gain your muscle during the repair process, so resting is vital.

 

[Konada]

I suggest yoy read this

Courtesy of EFFORT: http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=78783

The gym is only a stmulus for growing. Usually 2 times a week will be enough. A good diet is ALWAYS the key factor to gaining mass. Simple Calories In > Calories out

 

[mrRuckus]

I've heard that if i hit my chest hard once a week that's all i need but i thought 2 times a week was better??

Is one time a week building your mass and strength? If it is, then leave it alone. The last thing you want to do is mess up progress.

I only do upper body once a week and squats one day a week and deadlifts the other. So two lower days and one upper. There's been no less progress since I dropped doing upper body more often.

 

[TheManOfSteel]

I do chest hard once a week (about 7-8 different chest exercises). That's all I really need. My chest is then sore for a couple of days.

 

[Quiksilver]

Once or twice is pretty standard.

Generally, once is enough until you pinpoint a specific weakness in your movement. You won't be able to pinpoint a weakness until you're benching at least +1.5x your bodyweight for reps.

A lot of strong guys cut the volume of their bench day in half and double the frequency (two days instead of one, with half the work each session).

Broken into one strength day and one hypertrophy/power day. Low rep, high weight & lower weight, higher rep + speed or tempo work. That is for advanced lifters who've been grinding away for the better part of a decade though.

As long as the trendline of your strength is positive over a 12-18 week period then just keep doing what you're doing and focus on getting other balls in the air (good training is like juggling; diet, rest, training, cardio, lifestyle). As long as the weight is going up then focus on getting your posterior chain work done, if that's working then focus on your diet and simplifying it so you don't spend so long each day/week cooking and food preparing. Then focus on getting enough protein in and all that stuff. There's a lot to think about besides Bench Press, which will indirectly increase your strength in that and other movements.

 

[Jitterbug]

I bench heavy twice a week, totalling about 60 reps, 10~15 sets per session. I also do a very light session as a third one. My chesticles are huuuuge. j/k

Serious lifters bench anywhere from 2 to 6 times a week.

As a newbie with still good recovery capacity, and since bench is a technique-heavy lift, you should bench 3 times a week. Heavy, light, medium.

 

[Jariel]

Don't underestimate the importance of resting. I know once you've caught the workout bug it's addictive and you just want to see fast results, but your muscles need downtime in order to repair and grow.

I'd say once or twice is all you need on the bench. Anything more and you risk overtraining or injury...and that's something I say from experience unfortunately. A pectoral tear is fvcking agony and feels like your damn chest is caving in and you can't breathe. Plus it takes a long time to recover and will set your entire bodybuilding back upto 6 months. Even years later I've never recovered 100% from it.

That doesn't just go for benching obviously. Avoid overtraining and make sure you're allowing enough time for recovery.

 

[Colossus]

Personally I can make linear gains benching once a week. I dont know of any strength-focused lifter who benches more than twice a week, using the conjugate system.

 

[Jitterbug]

Plenty of powerlifters bench more than twice a week, but most of them aren't American. Some old school American lifters did bench more than twice a week, up to 6 times like Jim Williams. Lots of Russian and EE lifters do "Bench and nothing but the bench", and bench 3-4 times a week. The Japanese also bench with similar frequencies.

Obviously they have proper programming and don't bench to failure every session like the typical idiot wannabe bodybuilder at commercial gyms though.

Having said that, if you're making gains and your training system calls for once a week, don't change.

 

[Jariel]

Having said that, if you're making gains and your training system calls for once a week, don't change.

I totally agree.

Obviously everybody is different. There will always be debates on whether to lift heavy or do high reps, how often to lift and so on, but if you're getting the results you want then there's no need to change.

 

[Colossus]

I remember reading an article about Konstantinovs where he said he benches every other day. His actual routines are a bit mysterious, but he has benched mid-500's with a narrow grip so whatever he's doing works.

 

[ella1985]

I do it twice a week, tuesday and sunday, but very light on friday with lots of reps.

 

[Alle_Gory]

I've heard that if i hit my chest hard once a week that's all i need but i thought 2 times a week was better??

I do flat, incline, and decline. I do 3 sets of each at about 6-8 reps.

Is once a week enough??? I'm looking to build mass

Is your chest growing? Do you think that once a week gives you enough rest for the chest or too much rest? How is your diet? How is the rest of your workout routine?

 

[Midnight_Oil]

Been benching 2-3 times a week for nearly 10 years. YMMV.

 

[btownbuck2012]

Yes my chest has been growing and I'm at a point now where I'd like to pretty much maintain. This past semester I worked my chest hard (i.e. benching once-twice a week, doing push ups every day) and after a while my chest began to look really nice.

After a while though I felt like I was over doin it so I took a week break and that seemed to help. When I got back in the gym after a week of doing nothing the pump i got was pretty big.

I guess i'm at a point now where'd i'd just like to maintain what i've got. But at the same time I always feel like I could be bigger. I mean some guys in the gym are huge, they look like nfl players. I'd like to look like that cause I've certainly got the frame for it. I don't do any squats though. i probably should start doin em

Also, down at school I eat like a horse but its all healthy stuff. For example after a work out i usually eat a turkey sandwich on wheat bread with a bowl of spagetti, a couple baked potatoes, an apple, orange, and about 15-20 baby carrots, lol. But yea, that's what I eat. I hear if u wanna gain muscle mass u need to eat like a horse but at the same time I know i've got a little too much body fat (never had a six pack)

I think when I get back to school in a couple weeks i'm gonna a whole other routine, maybe find some online.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Alle_Gory]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I say change it up when you're doing the new routine. Yes, definitely ad squats or deadlifts at the minimum. Work those legs and the back.

 

[Theminatar]

I benched every other day of the week.

 

[marydeferred]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I say change it up when you're doing the new routine. Yes, definitely ad squats or deadlifts at the minimum. Work those legs and the back.

Definitely, deads and squats are nice full body exercises that will kick start your body into producing important growth hormones. Helps everything, not just the legs, your chest will grow more easily because of it.