Bench press program guide and free spreadsheet
Intermediate · 3 days a week · Until the bench stalls · Bench press three times a week: heavy triples, volume sets and paused reps
A three-day week built around the bench press: one heavy day, one volume day and one paused day, for lifters who want a bigger bench and can bench three times a week.
Free. The spreadsheet needs no account.
How Bench press program works
You bench on all three days, and each day does a different job. Day 1 is heavy: 5 sets of 3. Day 2 is for volume: 4 sets of 8 at a lighter weight. Day 3 is paused: 6 sets of 3 with a pause on the chest. Each day then adds rows, pulls or triceps work around the bench.
Training a muscle more often gave a small edge in growth in a Stronger by Science review of 13 studies, though the edge was not significant for direct measures such as muscle thickness. The same article suggests spreading the sets you already do across more sessions before adding more sets. That is the thinking behind three bench days instead of one long one. The author is careful about how big and how certain the effect is, and so are we.
The pause on Day 3 takes the bounce out of the rep and shows you where the bar slows. The volume day builds muscle and gives you practice at lighter loads. The heavy day is where you measure progress. This split is our own design.
Pulling work shows up every day: barbell rows, dumbbell rows, face pulls and pull-ups. That balance is our choice, so your shoulders are not the only thing working across three press days.
Our in-app Bench Press Builder days carry the lifts and set counts shown here. The spreadsheet adds the weights. The 85% and 80% figures for Days 2 and 3 live in the sheet only. The in-app days do not carry percentages, so set those weights by feel. That is why the in-app days are marked as simplified.
The schedule
Train on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or any other days with rest between. Every set uses the same weight, the one you can lift for the written reps.
Day 1: Heavy
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Bench press | 5 x 3 |
| Barbell row | 4 x 8 |
| Triceps pushdown | 3 x 12 |
| Face pull | 3 x 15 |
Day 2: Volume
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Bench press | 4 x 8 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 x 10 |
| Dumbbell row | 3 x 10 |
| Lateral raise | 3 x 15 |
Day 3: Paused
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Paused bench press | 6 x 3 |
| Close-grip bench press | 3 x 6 |
| Skull crusher | 3 x 10 |
| Pull-up | 3 x 8 |
Progression and stall rules
Add weight when every set is done
This is our own program, so every number here is our default. On Day 1, when you finish all 5 sets of 3 with the bar moving well, add 5 lb (2.5 kg) the next week. The sheet adds a fixed jump per session, so treat its later weeks as a guide and keep your own log.
Days 2 and 3 are set from Day 1
The volume day uses about 85% of your Day 1 weight for 4 sets of 8. The paused day uses about 80% for 6 sets of 3 with a one-second pause on the chest. Both percentages are ours. If the 8s feel easy, add the smallest jump you have; if the last set turns into a grind, drop the weight.
Accessories: reps first
Pick a weight you can take to the top of the rep range with clean form. When every set reaches the top, add the smallest jump available and start at the bottom again.
Stall rule
If you miss reps on Day 1 in two sessions in a row, drop the bench by about 10% and build back up. That 10% is our default, not a figure from a source.
Deload when you feel flat
When your joints ache or bar speed falls for a full week, take a week at about 50% of normal weights, with the same lifts and reps. This is also our own default.
Review every 8 to 12 weeks
Re-test your top set against the bench press standards. If it has not moved, change one thing at a time: more sets on the volume day, a different accessory, or more sleep and food. The 8 to 12 week window is ours.
Weekly volume
Work sets per lift, counted from the schedule above (warm-ups not included).
| Lift | Sets per week |
|---|---|
| Bench press | 15 |
| Barbell row | 4 |
| Triceps pushdown | 3 |
| Face pull | 3 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 |
| Dumbbell row | 3 |
| Lateral raise | 3 |
| Close-grip bench press | 3 |
| Skull crusher | 3 |
| Pull-up | 3 |
Who it suits
A good fit
- Intermediate lifters whose bench has stalled on a once or twice a week plan.
- Anyone who wants a clear 3-day week and can bench on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Lifters who want a bigger bench without giving up rows and pull-ups.
Look elsewhere if
- True beginners who can still add weight to the bar every session. A full-body linear plan will move faster.
- Lifters with a sore shoulder or elbow. Three press days a week adds load, so get that sorted first.
- Anyone who wants a full-body plan. This program has no squat or deadlift, so train those elsewhere.
Common mistakes
Grinding every heavy set
Day 1 is sets of 3, not a max test. Leave a rep or two in reserve on most sets and keep the bar speed up.
Skipping the pause
A pause that is not a pause is a touch-and-go. Hold the bar still on your chest for about a second, then press. Use less weight than you think.
Gripping too wide
Stronger by Science notes that a wider grip lengthens the moment arm and raises the horizontal flexion demand on the shoulders. Start with a grip that feels strong and film a set to check.
Touching too high or too low on the chest
The same source puts the touch point low on the chest, roughly just below the nipples to about an inch below the xiphoid process (the tip of the breastbone), and says touching too low raises the demands again. Film a set from the side.
Dropping the rows
The pulling work is not filler. Cut it and the press days pile onto your shoulders.
Pressing three days with no recovery
Three press days a week is a lot. Sleep, eat enough, and take the deload when your joints complain.
Your sample week
For each lift, enter: Weight you use for your working sets. The weights below update as you type. Your numbers stay in your browser and are not saved. The numbers shown are an example lifter.
Day 1: Heavy
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 135 |
| 2 | 3 | 135 |
| 3 | 3 | 135 |
| 4 | 3 | 135 |
| 5 | 3 | 135 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 105 |
| 2 | 8 | 105 |
| 3 | 8 | 105 |
| 4 | 8 | 105 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 40 |
| 2 | 12 | 40 |
| 3 | 12 | 40 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 30 |
| 2 | 15 | 30 |
| 3 | 15 | 30 |
Day 2: Volume
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 115 |
| 2 | 8 | 115 |
| 3 | 8 | 115 |
| 4 | 8 | 115 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 40 |
| 2 | 10 | 40 |
| 3 | 10 | 40 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 45 |
| 2 | 10 | 45 |
| 3 | 10 | 45 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 15 |
| 2 | 15 | 15 |
| 3 | 15 | 15 |
Day 3: Paused
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 110 |
| 2 | 3 | 110 |
| 3 | 3 | 110 |
| 4 | 3 | 110 |
| 5 | 3 | 110 |
| 6 | 3 | 110 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 105 |
| 2 | 6 | 105 |
| 3 | 6 | 105 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 55 |
| 2 | 10 | 55 |
| 3 | 10 | 55 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 0 |
| 2 | 8 | 0 |
| 3 | 8 | 0 |
The spreadsheet
The file has three sheets: your numbers, the full week with every weight as a formula, and a progress table that carries the weights forward. It opens in Excel, Numbers and LibreOffice. The weights in the link below use the numbers you typed above.
Open it in Google Sheets
- Download the .xlsx file above.
- Go to Google Drive and choose New, then File upload, and pick the file.
- Double-click the uploaded file and choose Open with Google Sheets.
- Choose File, then Save as Google Sheets so you can edit it.
Want the weights to follow you into the gym? Create a free account and the program loads into Train for you.
How it compares
Bench press program vs Smolov Jr
Our Smolov Jr guide is a three-week squat peaking block, four days a week on one lift. This program is a slower, ongoing build for the bench with three bench days and no peak. Pick Smolov Jr to peak a squat, this one to build a bench. Read the Smolov Jr guide.
Bench press program vs Powerlifting program
A full powerlifting program trains squat, bench and deadlift. This one only trains bench, so it suits a lifter who already has a squat and deadlift plan. Read the Powerlifting program guide.
Load Bench press program into Train and log each session against the plan.
Start it in Symmetric StrengthThe workouts in Train are a simplified version of this program, with one rep count per lift. Use the schedule above for the exact sets.
Common questions
How many days a week should I bench?
This program uses three, with a day off between each. If your bench stalls at one or two days a week, more frequent sessions are a reasonable next step. Spread your existing sets across the extra days before you add more.
How do I increase my bench press with this program?
Add weight to Day 1 when you finish all 5 sets of 3 with good bar speed. Day 2 and Day 3 follow from Day 1. If you stall for two sessions, drop about 10% and build back up.
Where does my bench sit against other lifters?
Check the bench press standards page at /standards/bench-press, which compares your lift by bodyweight and sex. Re-check it every 8 to 12 weeks.
Is a bench-only program a good idea?
It works for a block of 8 to 12 weeks if you also squat and pull somewhere else. For a plan that covers squat, bench and deadlift, see the powerlifting program guide.
What is the difference between this and Smolov Jr?
Our Smolov Jr guide is a three-week squat peak with a fixed schedule of sets. This program is an ongoing bench build with a progressing heavy day and no end date. Many lifters build first and peak afterward.
Where does bar path matter?
At the sticking point. Stronger by Science says elite lifters tend to press the bar up and back toward the shoulders early, while novices press nearly straight up first. Film your sets from the side and check where the bar travels.
Know where you stand
Before you start, check how your lifts compare on the strength standards, estimate a max with the one-rep max calculator, or score your total with the DOTS calculator.
Sources and credit
This is our own program: Symmetric Strength built the Bench Press Builder days and set the sets, reps and progression rules. Technique and frequency notes draw on Greg Nuckols at Stronger by Science, who is not affiliated with us.
- Training Frequency for Muscle Growth: What the Data Say (Stronger by Science)
- Bench Press Bar Path (Stronger by Science)
Checked . Symmetric Strength is not affiliated with Greg Nuckols or Stronger by Science. Program names are used only to identify the programs.