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Ed Coan's Bench Press Routine
Posted to misc.fitness by Chuck Grissom
By request, here's a repost of an excerpt from an article in Powerlifting USA reviewing Ed Coan's Bench Press Video. The writer describes Ed's periodized training scheme and gives a detailed example. If you want to try the bench cycle for yourself, just scale the prescribed weights according to your current max. The lifter in the example has a 1 rep max of 270 pounds, and wants to improve to 300.
"...The point is: most writers deal in abstract thinking, reflected knowledge, not direct knowledge. Most depend on reading, studying, researching to develop their concepts. Most have never squatted 600, much less a 1000. This is not to say that their viewpoints or theories are worthless. On the contrary, truth is truth and no one has the market cornered when it comes to the truth. And a great powerlifter is not necessarily a great trainer. There is an old football adage: a great player does not necessarily make a great coach. On the other hand, let's not ignore the training and philosophy that has produced the great champions in favor of the clever writers who dazzle us with catchy phrases and reflected knowledge.
Training the Bench: Ed's approach to upper body strength looks like this:
- Wednesday: bench press, after warmup, 2 work sets. Narrow grip, no warmup, 2 work sets (60 pounds less). Incline, no warmup, 2 work sets (50 pounds less). Points to ponder: In so far as poundage: if Coan performs 2x5 with 500 in the conventional bench press, he would then perform 2x5x440 with 440 in the narrow grip bench press and finish with 2x5x410 in the 45 degree incline bench pres. He feels that his competition style benches serve as sufficient warmup for his narrow grips which in turn allow him to incline without any warmup. All told, Coan performs a total of 6 work sets. Not very many when you think about it.
- Thursday: Press-behind-the-neck, after warmup, 2 work sets. Front lateral raise, after warmup, 2 work sets 10-12 reps. Side lateral raise, 2 sets 10-12 reps. Bent over lateral raise, 2 sets 10-12 reps. Points to ponder: Coan is a big believer in heavy, specific shoulder training. So much that he trains them on a separate day from his bench...
- Saturday: Light bench, no warmup, 2 sets 8-10 reps. Light dumbbell flyes, no warmup, 2 sets 8-10 reps. Tricep pushdowns, 3 sets 8-10 reps, Dips 1 set 8-10 reps, Preacher curls 2 sets 10-12 reps. Points to ponder: This is a lightweight, muscle flushing, chest workout. Ed does a couple of quick sets with a weight about 60 percent of his max (340x10) with his feet on a bench. A few sets of light flyes and he is ready for triceps....
Ed cycles on all his exercises. Cycling, by definition [well, not quite. CRG], is concentrating on different repetition ranges at different times over the course of the training cycle... Here are his cycling repetition guidelines: Week 1-2 - 10 rep sets, Week 3-4 - 8 rep sets, Week 5-8 - 5 rep sets, Week 9-10 - 3 rep sets, Week 11-12 - 2 rep sets, Week 13 - 1 rep set, Week 14 - 1 rep set.
Remember those two work sets Ed does on all his major exercises? This is the weekly rep strategy for those work sets. This is called cycling and is designed to peak strength. Each week he adds 15 pounds to the previous week's work set weight. 15 pounds represents a paltry 2.5 percent of his max bench. Small jumps, done consistently and spread over a long 14 week cycle, adds up to big increases. Small weight jumps coax strength and power gains from the body. Week after week, the body is acclimated to slightly heavier loads. Exercise technique is simultaneously refined. Everything is done to develop momentum. This is a classic and timeless strength strategy. Compared to the army of arm- chair muscle gurus, Coan's conservation and impeccable pedigree stands out like a bright moon on a pitch black night. While not as trendy-sexy as newer models, this is the most effective system of strength building ever devised. Period."
"Ed Coan designs a cycle for you: We asked Coan to apply his cycle logic to a hypothetical 270 pound bencher who wanted to break the 300 pound barrier: "We can do it, but it'll take a thirteen week commitment from the lifter." Here's the breakdown:"
Week | Weight, Sets & Reps |
---|---|
Week 1 | 190x2x10 |
Week 2 | 190x2x10 |
Week 3 | 200x2x8 |
Week 4 | 210x2x8 |
Week 5 | 220x2x5 |
Week 6 | 230x2x5 |
Week 7 | 240x2x5 |
Week 8 | 250x2x3 |
Week 9 | 260x2x3 |
Week 10 | 270x2x2 |
Week 11 | 190x2x10 |
Week 12 | 300x1 |
Reader's Comments:
Please leave your comments or suggestions below!Right now I can bench 160 x 1.. and I want to get up to 200 by end of summer (3 months..40 pounds..can be done?)
I need help!
And I really hope the 13year old is a joke - you need mama's home cooking and shed loads of milk at that age bro - not rip of suppliments for idiots!
bench: 235
squat: 325
deadlift: 395
powerclean:220
curls: 55 (each arm)
supps: anabolic halo, ON gold standard whey, bsn syntha-6, animal pak
future?: NFL's all time leading rusher...yea
bench: 265
squat:335
curl:60 each arm
40:4.93
Oh wait, you didn't. They just failed to read.
No.
It helps focus my mind and chill me out..
I have some tokes before I get in my car and drive to gym..
then I sit in the carpark and smoke some more
then I go and lift, whilst off my tits
one time, I'd been up all night at a rave, and I drove to the gym to do my workout..
I had a good session, but when I came round I realsied I'd accidently walked into a furnature store, and had been moving all the tables around, the old man there had called the police!
I thought I was at the f**king gym! ha..
Rich O
London
England
Travis Lilly
take your current maximum on the bench (times) 90% and once a week perform (8 sets) of (1) repetition - Mondays.
Thursdays do 50% of your 1 rep maximum for 8 sets of 3 repetitions. also work your triceps 8 sets of skull crushers = moderate weight with superstrict form and only 15 seconds of rest between sets.
for a full copy of my workout and some of my secrets email me at.
iliftw8s@hotmail.com
doing this workout i jumped 70 lbs in just a few months!
Thanks,
Ricky
I am currently a junior in highschool and benching 290 raw, squating 355, and deadlifting around 405. My Ultimate goal is to lift in compatition at 195 pounds( I'm currently about 245 pounds but about 40-50 lbs overweight) and lift a total of 1,800 lbs. (400 on the benchpress, and 600 on deadlift and squat).
I want to know if you think i have the genetics to do it and, if so, would it be too much to ask for you to help me with a schedule to help me reach my lifting goals? If you could i would be very greatful.
Thank you for reading,
Wells Bibo
I am at age 50 yrs. bodybuilding for 2-yrs. Benching 315 max
Looking to bench 400+ any suggestions? Thanks.
John
CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE A GOOD SCHDULE FOR CHEST ROUTINE.
I NEED TO MAKE A SIZE . I WANT TO BLAST A CHEST AND I WANT
TO INCREASE A WEIGHT.
HOW MAN TIMES I WANT TO DO A CHEST WORKOUT.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPS I WANT TO DO AND HOW MANY WEEKS I WANT TO DO THIS WORKOUT......
I AM WATING FOR YOUR REPLAY
THANKS
YOUR
IRSHAD
I'AM IN THE ARMY AND I HAVE A 425LBS. BENCHPRESS WITH SHIRT. A 365LBS. BENCHPRESS WITHOUT A SHIRT. (HELP ME WITH A WORK OUT TO GET 450LBS).