new 12wk program

[biglarge]

The 10x2 and 9x3 on bench interests me alot, esp at the higher intensity. Im currently running Smolov, lots of sets dont scare me one bit.

I may try this once I complete Smolov.

[biglarge]

I'm starting this routine today. I recently totaled 1475@245 lbs.

I'm going to carb cycle and keep the rest periods short. Goal is to total 1500 and (hopefully) drop a couple pounds.... i am entirely to fat for 242's.

[0ni]

No reason to not cut weight unless you're 5% body fat or going after a super heavy weight record imo!
You'd be crushing shit at 200lb with a 1500 total

Also the 10x2 and 9x3 is kinda like Coan's bench programming

[superaveragebro]

I just concluded this 12 week routine with excellent results. It led me to a raw meet, I took 2nd place overall on points in the Malta Powerlifting National Championships.

13kg PR on squat and 17.5kg PR on bench. I injured my low back during my record breaking squat so ended up doing a token deadlift

You can read the whole report on this link www.powerliftingmalta.com/2012/08/28/mdfpa-national-champs-2012/

[superaveragebro]

This is skills evalution day video clip for bench after following this 12 weeker

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Dropping in to say i'm currently on Wk6. I'm really liking the bench volume and intensity, though strangely i'm not finding it THAT difficult despite using my true 1RM. Like the pause squats to. I started carb cycling and i'm down 3-4 lbs.

[0ni]

I found the bench difficult until about week 3 when it became really easy. Upped the training max at week 4 3% and it was still easy. My bench really did well on this. I am 67kg and using a training max now of 77.5kg. My competition bench was 75kg at 64.4kg

Yeah, my bench really sucks so any improvement is a sign that it's working. Squat is also going up well, best in the same competition was 137.5kg and I'm now using a training max of 150kg. Competition deadlift was 190kg but I blew a psoas on it so I used a 160kg training max and switched to sumo pulls and just concentrated on bringing my hamstrings and abs up as my deadlift training

Yes, I know, that's some f**ked up lift ratios

[biglarge]

Question:

For Wk 9 skills eval day, do you really only recommend going to the numbers you suggest? Or CAN we go higher?

I seem to be responding well to the bench volume. Wk8D3 I was able to complete 305x10x2 on bench with only 60 seconds break between sets! And that was using my true 1RM at the beginning of the program

[0ni]

It is a skills evaluation not a demonstration of strength. It's to fix any issues you have with high intensities so film the lifts and pick out what you need to work on before the meet. I think a "bulgarian training max" would be around right. Something that you do not psyche up for and is not a balls out grinder. Also the stronger you are, the less you will be able to push yourself on this. For example I would be able to do a true max on the bench no problems but not so much the deadlift.

[superaveragebro]

I think this program is a meat and potatoes program for intermediate weight trainers who are just starting out in powerlifting. They get to practice lifts a lot with decent but not ultra heavy weight and they got lots of pauses which is what they need for competition benches and to get out of sticking points during squats. Beginners are especially weak out of the hole and that is what paused squatting helps with. Also for more advanced lifters whose sticking point is mid way, that is slightly below or at half squat position, they can perform the pauses at that point.

[0ni]

10 years later I still use 8-10 sets of 3 reps with a 3 second pause on bench press whenever I need to break through plateaus in training.
I generally go lighter though, around 60-65% of 1RM and usually after some heavier work (sets of 5-15 at 70-80%)

Really cool to see my old lifts from back then also

Thanks for this program Dave