If you’re looking for an easy-to-follow bench press development program that can help you increase your strength safely, strategically, and effectively, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I’ve shared the ultimate 12 week bench press program that will help you break your old personal record (PR) and set a new one.
This program will not only maximize your strength but also help you build a sizeable upper body, increase your pushing ability, and improve body composition.
12 Week Bench Press Program for Strength Gain
In this program, you’ll train your chest twice a week. On your first day, you’ll focus on strength (heavyweight sets), and on the other day, you’ll lift (moderate weight) to improve the development of your pecs.
A combination of heavy and moderate weight sets will help you boost your pushing ability and promote hypertrophy.
Anyone, from males to females, can try this 12 week bench press peaking program to maximize their strength safely and effectively.
Warm-up: Before you begin lifting weights, you need to perform warm-up exercises to increase blood flow and get your muscles ready to lift weights. Warmup helps you prepare to push more weight and lower the risk of injuries.
Here’s a 10-minute warm-up workout for bench press:
- Stationary Bike: 5 minutes
- Upper Body Foam Rolling: 4 minutes
- Empty Barbell Bench Press: 20 reps (1 min)
If you want to explore a comprehensive bench press warm-up guide, you can check out this excellent resource published by Avi Silverberg on his website Powerliftingtechnique.com.
Okay, let’s explore the program.
WEEK 1-3
Monday
| Set | Reps | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 60% of your 1RM | 2-min |
| 2 | 5 | 70% of your 1RM | 4-min |
| 3 | 5 | 75% of your 1RM | 4-min |
| 4 | 4 | 80% of your 1RM | 3-min |
| 5 | 3 | 85% of your 1RM | – |
Accessory Exercises (Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps with one to 2 minutes of rest between them.
- Chest Flys: 12 x 3
- Band Pull Apart: 10 x 3
- Bent-over Barbell Row: 12 x 3
Thursday
| Exercise | Intensity | Reps | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline DB Bench Press | 40-50% of your 1RM | 12-15 | 3 |
| Barbell Overhead Press | 30-45% of your 1RM | 15-20 | 3 |
| Spoto Press | 40-50% of your 1RM | 10-12 | 3 |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 40-50% of your 1RM | 12-15 | 3 |
WEEK 4-6
MONDAY
| Set | Reps | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 50% of your 1RM | 2-min |
| 2 | 6 | 60% of your 1RM | 4-min |
| 3 | 5 | 70% of your 1RM | 4-min |
| 4 | 4 | 75% of your 1RM | 3-min |
| 5 | 3 | 80% of your 1RM | – |
Additional Exercises:
- Bar Dips: Do as many reps as possible x 3
- Lateral Delt Raises: 10 reps x 3
- Inverted Row: 15 reps x 3
THURSDAY
| Exercise | Intensity | Reps | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close Grip Bench Press | 40-50% of your 1RM | 12-15 | 3 |
| Pin Press | 30-45% of your 1RM | 15-20 | 3 |
| Deficit pushups | 40-50% of your 1RM | 10-12 | 3 |
| Dumbbell Tate press | 40-50% of your 1RM | 12-15 | 3 |
Week 7-9
MONDAY
| Set | Reps | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 60% of your 1RM | 2-min |
| 2 | 5 | 70% of your 1RM | 4-min |
| 3 | 5 | 80% of your 1RM | 4-min |
| 4 | 4 | 85% of your 1RM | 3-min |
| 5 | 3 | 90% of your 1RM | 3-min |
| 6 | 2 | 95% of your 1RM | – |
Accessory Exercises:
- Dumbbell Slow-mo Bench Press: 10 reps x 3
- Banded Pull Apart: 10 reps x 3
- Chest Supported Row: 10 reps x 3
THURSDAY
| Exercise | Intensity | Reps | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Barbell Bench Press | 40-50% of your 1RM | 12-15 | 3 |
| Spoto Press | 30-45% of your 1RM | 15-20 | 3 |
| One-arm Landmine Press | 40-50% of your 1RM | 10-12 | 3 |
| Cable Crossover/Chest Fly | 40-50% of your 1RM | 12-15 | 3 |
Week 10-12
MONDAY
| Set | Reps | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 70% of your 1RM | 4-min |
| 2 | 5 | 80% of your 1RM | 4-min |
| 3 | 4 | 85% of your 1RM | 3-min |
| 4 | 3 | 90% of your 1RM | 3-min |
| 5 | 2 | 95% of your 1RM | 3-min |
| 6 | 1 | 100% of your 1RM | – |
Accessory Lifts:
- Deficit Pushups: 10 reps x 3
- Lateral Delt Raises: 10 reps x 3
- Barbell Rows: 12 reps x 3
THURSDAY
| Exercise | Intensity | Reps | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pin Press | 40-50% of your 1RM | 12-15 | 3 |
| Military Press | 30-45% of your 1RM | 15-20 | 3 |
| Decline DB Bench Press | 40-50% of your 1RM | 10-12 | 3 |
| Bar Dips | Bodyweight/Weighted | 12-15 | 3 |
How Much Weight Should You Increase Every Week?
This is how you can progressively increase weight and set your new bench press one-rep max (1RM).
Here, I’ve taken an example of a person who lifts 100 kg and wants to progress his bench press.
| Weeks | Increase Weight (Approx) | 1RM |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 0 | 100 |
| Week 2 | 1 | 101 |
| Week 3 | 1 | 102 |
| Week 4 | 1.5 | 103.5 |
| Week 5 | 1.5 | 105 |
| Week 6 | 2 | 107 |
| Week 7 | 2 | 109 |
| Week 8 | 2 | 111 |
| Week 9 | 2 | 113 |
| Week 9 | 2 | 115 |
| Week 10 | 2 | 117 |
| Week 11 | 2 | 119 |
| Week 12 | 3 | 122 |
This is how you can increase your bench from 100 to 120 kg or 20% in 12 weeks.
Some people may be able to lift more weight after 12 weeks of the program, and some may find it difficult to increase any weight.
Increasing weight primarily depends on how consistently you follow the program, how much time you allow your muscles to recover, and how your feed your muscles the optimum nutrition.
If you focus on everything properly, you’ll be able to break your old PR and set a new one.
Please note: You should not use this program if you have any kind of injury. Consult a professional before starting this program.
