180kg bench press (Stuart McRobert)

Hello, fan! In front of you is the Bench Press Strength System by Stuart McRobert, well known to you from his book Brawn. It’s worth mentioning that Joe Weider called it the best bodybuilding book of the 20th century. Thousands of athletes have gained strength and mass with the help of this book. Anyone who has tried the Stuart McRobert system can say with certainty: it works! And this is a guarantee that this system, which you see in front of you, will also work. The author guarantees you that by exercising according to his methodology, you will increase your lying pressure up to 130-140 kg! Provided you are a beginner bodybuilder. And if you have years of training under your belt, you can increase the bench press up to 180 kg!

Move forward

From the age of 18, my dear friend Charlie (who looks like a death camp inmate) enters one of the town halls. I didn’t know him back then, just as I didn’t know his most important dream in life: to become a record holder under pressure. In short, at the beginning of the fourth year, in this action he reached the 80 kg threshold. According to local athletes, it was already a miracle. Subsequently, Charlie stopped at this point, and I don’t know how his story would have ended if he had not come to the gym of my colleague-trainer Flynn.

“You should have seen him when he came to me to take notes,” Flynn said with a smile. – Imagine: height is 180 cm and weight is 72 kg! And that’s when he told me his problem: listen, I want to squeeze 135 kg, I can die! He wrote his program in detail. My eyes popped out of my forehead! I’ve never heard anything like it! Imagine, chest training: five times a week! The weight is almost always the same. At the beginning, 20 or 25 sets of presses lying down, then 10 at an angle and another 5 upside down. Plus 10- in the gym… He trained other muscles, maybe once a week, and also biceps – once in a while. And that’s all! And he remembers nothing of the squats and pull-ups of the last two years. He ate as if after a stomach operation and spent his money on amino acids, which the former coach sold for 40 dollars. for the box.

– He probably immediately asked you your opinion on his program?
Flynn began to laugh.
– Sure, but I told him that today is Sunday and I have a day off. Today I can honestly admit that I didn’t think he could become a bench press champion back then!

Charlie’s first show

The program lasts 12 weeks.

Monday
1. Squats: 5х5
2. Rewards while lying down: 5х5
3. Vertical cable pulls behind the head: 5×5
4. Rolls: 5х5

Wednesday
1. Overhead barbell press (seated): 5х5
2. Barbell bending: 5х5
3. Calf (standing): 5х5
4. Rolls: 5х5

Friday
1. Squats: 5×5 (weight – 80% of what Charlie worked with on Monday)
2. Narrow grip pressing (40cm): 5×5
3. Barbell pull: 5х5

In the “5х5” system, you first need to perform 2 warm-up approaches with weight gain, then 3 working approaches of five repetitions each. You just have to increase the weight over time and eventually reach your maximum result. By the way, if at first it is not possible to strengthen the “5×5” scheme, you can choose 4×5, then only two approaches will work.

After the first 12 weeks he reached 95 kg! Then, after a week off, he repeated the program a second time and lost 101kg! In the first cycle I gained 3 kg of muscle, in the second another 3. It is not possible to increase the pressure while lying down without increasing the mass.

Charlie’s second show

The program lasts 12 weeks.

Monday
1. Squats: 5х5
2. Bench press: 2х5 (warm-up with weight gain), then 5/4/3/2/1
3. Bent Barbell Pull: 5×5
4. Curls: 1х40

Wednesday
1. Seated dumbbell press: 4х6
2. Seated dumbbell curls (for biceps) 4×6
3. Sitting calf: 2х10
4. Fold at the sides: 1х15 (on each side)

Friday
1. Barbell pull: 5х5
2. Barbell press: 4х5
3. Pulldown: 4×5 http://athlete.ru/books/sm_exercise/33_pulldown.htm
4. Kmpu dumbbell press (30 degrees): 4х5
5. Curls: 1х40

“5/4/3/2/1” system

Initially two warm-up approaches, then working approaches. First, grab a weight that you would do five good reps with. But not a maximum of five repetitions, otherwise you will tire too soon. Next, you slightly increase the weight and perform the second working approach: four repetitions. Heavy too, but not too much. You increase the weight again and perform a 3-rep approach. After that, add again and log in from two. You add it back and make the final push. By the way, such gradual weight lifting is very useful, not only for strength but also for mass. I guarantee you will not end your life in a wheelchair.

After 12 weeks of the second program, he gained another 2 kg and weighed 108 kg. After a week’s break, he repeated the second cycle and lifted 113 kg. In short, after a year of training, he gained 8kg and increased his bench press by 33kg. That’s great progress!

Charlie’s third show

Again you need to start slowly at a comfortable weight and gradually increase the weight over the next six weeks. And then comes the hardest work.

Monday
1. Squats: 4х5 (warm-up), then 2х5 (heavy approaches)
2. Calf (standing): 2х10-15
3. Curls with lace on the chest: 1х30

Wednesday
1. Bench press: 3×5 (warm-up with weight gain), then 5×1 with a weight of 70% of your maximum repetition. Add weight each week until you reach 90% of your maximum (around week 6 of the cycle). After that, you start adding 2kg each week. For the most part, such addition is successful only in the first two weeks, in the second part of the cycle, and then reaches 1 kg per week. After exceeding the 90% limit, you can reduce the pressure of the unit from 5 to 2-4 (if necessary). And some get a good result with just one print. It is recommended to take a 2 second break between repetitions.
2. Lock the chest pull: 4х5
3. Chest dumbbell curl: 1х30

Friday
1. Barbell pulls: 4х5 (warm-up), 2х5 (heavy approaches)
2. Jams: 4х6
3. “Hammer”: 4х6
4. Side bends: 1×30 (30 in each direction with a heavy dumbbell).

Flynn told me that Charlie repeated this cycle 3 times, with weekly breaks in between. After the first cycle she weighed 126 kg. At the end of the second – 131 kg. The third – 135 kg. But Flynn stopped him, you will make your personal best in the competition – said Flynn. He signed Charlie up for a pressure competition between “naturals”. I also purchased a pressure gauge and some containers. The boy took first place among the newcomers. In the first attempt – 117 kg, in the second – 126 kg, in the third – 135 kg. This brought him the victory, but on the fourth attempt he lifted 142 kg! And after all, 80 kg was once his limit. Pressure while lying down is a thing of the past. Now the boy dreams of becoming a real strength athlete!