Power to the People Professional_ How to Add 100s of Pounds to Your Squat, Bench,and Deadlift with Advanced Russian Techniques ( PDFDrive )

CHAPTER
I: TOTAL
31
If you are a bench specialist, skip the leg and back days and take 4-5 days between light and
heavy bench days. Rogozhnikov's system has a track record of adding 50kg to already big benches
in just 4-5 months. Anticipating problems, the boss warns "not to pump up the shoulders and
biceps, box, or wrestle on days off." You know who you are.
THE BENCH PRESS
While we know that varying the set and rep schemes over time is superior for strength, if we are
to pick only one, three sets of six could be it. A perfect balance of volume and intensity. American
researcher R. Berger who established it in 1962 would have been proud to know that half a century
later one of Russia's top powerlifting coaches uses this protocol as his primary. 5-6/3 close to
failure.
"Many ask the question: why only 3 sets? I answer: practice and experience show that after a
third work set 90% of athletes are unable to handle the previous six rep weight. And if they are,
then they have not chosen the correct weights. And if you can no longer press the working weight,
then you are tired. And if you are tired, then you will not see progress... so there is no point in torturing
yourself any more. So three sets are optimal."
You will be striving to up the poundage in these three hard sets of bench presses every heavy day
or about once every four weeks. You do not have to lift the same weight in all three sets. The
Russian coach prefers a more flexible approach of estimating the 6RM for the first set and then
adjusting the weight up or down if necessary for the second and the third sets. If you have to
tweak the poundage after the second set again, so be it.
On to the assistance. Like a Westsider, Rogozhnikov does not prescribe extra work for the pecs
and the delts, but pays a lot of attention to the tris and pumps up the lats and the bis. Start with
one drill for the triceps, 12-15/3. Then the same three sets of twelve to fifteen reps for the lats. The