Antonio Ernestos 6-Week Get Ya Bench UP!

Chest Strength Training Plan

ersonally, my legs respond best to training; this is great for

constantly increasing my squat 1-rep-max (1RM), but what
about bench press? It's great having a strong bench press, but
some of us struggle to increase our 1RM on bench. This 6week program is designed to help increase your chest strength
and also add size to your chest. Though this program's main
focus is chest, every muscle group will get a great workout
each time you set foot in the gym.

Our Blueprint for Success

We will be utilizing a 5-day split hitting chest twice per week
with the rest of the body just once per week. The first chest day
(Monday... just because it's International Chest Day) is a heavy
pressing day dedicated only to chest. The second chest day
(Thursday) is a lighter load with higher volume paired with
triceps. The split is shown below:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Heavy Chest Day

Back, Traps & Abs
Shoulders & Biceps
Chest & Triceps
Legs & Calves

Weeks

Back/Traps/Abs
1. Pull-ups
2. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
3. Bent-Over Barbell Row
4. Seated Cable Row
5. Cable Face Pulls (seated)
6. Barbell Shrug
7. Cable Woodchopper
8. Weighted Decline Sit-Up
Shoulders & Biceps
1. Seated Viking Press
2. Barbell Front Raise
3. Behind-the-neck Press
4. Cable Straight-Bar Curl
5. Incline Dumbbell Curl
6. Preacher Curl
Chest & Triceps
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
2. Cable Crossover, low to high
3. Incline Dumbbell Bench
4. Seated Machine Chest Flyes
5. Tricep Pressdown
6. Overhead Dumbbell Ext.
7. French Press
Legs & Calves
1. Squat
2. Leg Press
3. Leg Extensions
4. Lying Leg Curl
5. Smith Machine Split Squat
6. Standing Calf Raise
7. Seated Calf Raise

Weeks

Back/Traps/Abs
1. Pull-ups
2. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
3. Bent-Over Barbell Row
4. Seated Cable Row
5. Cable Face Pulls (seated)
6. Barbell Shrug
7. Cable Woodchopper
8. Weighted Decline Sit-Up
Shoulders & Biceps
1. Seated Viking Press
2. Barbell Front Raise
3. Behind-the-neck Press
4. Cable Straight-Bar Curl
5. Incline Dumbbell Curl
6. Preacher Curl
Chest & Triceps
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
2. Cable Crossover, low to high
3. Incline Dumbbell Bench
4. Seated Machine Chest Flyes
5. Tricep Pressdown
6. Overhead Dumbbell Ext.
7. French Press
Legs & Calves
1. Squat
2. Leg Press
3. Leg Extensions
4. Lying Leg Curl
5. Smith Machine Split Squat
6. Standing Calf Raise
7. Seated Calf Raise

The First Step

Before you begin this program, you will need to find out your
1-rep-max (1RM) for bench press. I recommend doing this the
week prior to starting this training plan so that you can go into
the first workout with full strength. Record your 1RM in the
space below and then perform this again once youve
completed the program.
Start Date:

Completion Date:

Start Bench Press 1RM:

Complete Bench Press 1RM:

Goal Bench Increase:

Total Bench Increase:

Just as youve done above, use the tables provided at the end of
this tracking journal to fill in the weights used for each exercise
of each workout so that you can properly track your progress.

TIPS
When attempting a 1RM, be sure to
1. Have a spotter in case of failure
2. Properly warm-up to help prevent injury
3. Do a complete rep; dont cheat

Monday: Heavy Chest Day

Heavy Chest Routine #1
1. Warm-up Bench Press
2. Bench Press
3. Bench Press (+20lbs)
4. Bench Press (-20lbs)
5. Wide-Grip Bench Press
6. Reverse-Grip Bench Press
7. Incline Bench Press
8. Superset:
Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes
Straight-arm Dumbbell Pullover
Heavy Chest Routine #2
1. Warm-up Bench Press
2. Bench Press
3. Bench Press (+20lbs)
4. Bench Press (-20lbs)
5. Reverse-Grip Bench Press
6. Wide-Grip Bench Press
7. Decline Bench Press
8. Incline Dumbbell Flyes
9. Weighted Dips

Weeks 1, 3 & 5
1x10
1x6
1x3
3x6
2x8
2x8
4x8
5x5
5 to failure
Weeks 2, 4 & 6
1x10
1x6
1x3
3x6
2x8
2x8
4x8
4x8
4x8, rest-pause last set

Add 5lbs each week to exercises 2-7. If this causes you to fail
before reaching the intended rep range, utilize the rest-pause
technique until all reps are finished (rack the weight, rest for
15-20 seconds and then finish the set until the remaining reps
are completed).

These next 3 pages are for you to record the weights you use
throughout this program. For our heavy chest routine, you
should be improving on every week. For the rest of the
workouts, you should notice an increase from microcycle 1
(weeks 1-3) to microcycle 2 (weeks 4-6).
Note: For the superset in heavy chest day #1, you should use
one of the dumbbells you already used for flat bench dumbbell
flyes; therefore, record the amount of reps completed until
failure each time rather than weight. Also, for pull-ups, record
the amount of reps completed each week rather than weight.
Heavy Chest Routine #1
1. Warm-up Bench Press
2. Bench Press
3. Bench Press (+20lbs)
4. Bench Press (-20lbs)
5. Wide-Grip Bench Press
6. Reverse-Grip Bench Press
7. Incline Bench Press
8. Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes
9. Straight-arm Dumbbell Pullover
Heavy Chest Routine #2
1. Warm-up Bench Press
2. Bench Press
3. Bench Press (+20lbs)
4. Bench Press (-20lbs)
5. Reverse-Grip Bench Press
6. Wide-Grip Bench Press
7. Decline Bench Press
8. Incline Dumbbell Flyes
9. Weighted Dips

Week 1

Week 3

Week 5

Week 2

Week 4

Week 6

How much do I need to be eating?

Microcycle Breakdown

Time for some math! To find out how many calories you need,
take your body weight and multiply it by 15. For me, thats
3,300 (220x15); this is your maintenance level calories. For
this program, we need to be eating in a surplus, so add between
200 and 500 calories to this number dependent on how much
you plan on bulking. Dont worry about getting fat; as long as
you keep your diet CLEAN, the majority of the weight you put
on will be muscle mass. With that being said, you may need to
ease your way into this bulk; gradually add 100-200 calories
per week until you reach your goal level of calories. Below is a
sample of how this would play out for me:

For our heavy chest day we have 2 similar, yet different,

workouts; for the rest of the program, the workouts for each
muscle group will be the same exercises during these next 6
weeks just with changing rep ranges. As you will see, the rep
ranges drop from weeks 1-3, then bounce back up and drop yet
again. This is called a microcycle. You will notice that when
you return to the same rep range again (example; once you
reach week 4 and return to week 1s rep ranges), you will be
able to move more weight for the same amount of reps. So,
even though this program is designed to increase chest
strength, all of your muscle groups will get stronger as well.

Week 1

3,400 calories

Week 2

3,500 calories

Week 3

3,600 calories

Week 4

3,700 calories

Weeks 5&6

3,800 calories

Now, your macronutrient percentages are where you really

need to focus your attention; these are you fats, carbs, and
proteins. For optimal results during this program I recommend
a distribution of 35% protein, 35% carbs and 30% fat. This
is what I find works for me and others that have worked with
me. Before I end this nutritional discussion, remember; keep it
CLEAN!

Tuesday: Back, Traps & Abs

Weeks
1. Pull-ups
2. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
3. Bent-Over Barbell Row
4. Seated Cable Row
5. Cable Face Pulls (seated)*
6. Barbell Shrug
7. Cable Woodchopper
8. Weighted Decline Sit-Up

1&4
2&5
3 sets to failure
3x12-15 3x9-11
3x12-15 3x9-11
3x12-15 3x9-11
3x20
3x15
3x20
3x15
3x30
3x20
3x30
3x20

3&6
4x6-8
4x6-8
4x6-8
3x10
3x10
3x15
3x15

*To perform this exercise, sit on the lat pulldown and use a rope
attachment. Lean back and go through the motions of a standard
cable face pull contracting your rear delts and traps.

Wednesday: Shoulders & Biceps

Weeks
1. Seated Viking Press*
2. Barbell Front Raise
3. Behind-the-neck Press
4. Cable Straight-Bar Curl
5. Incline Dumbbell Curl
6. Preacher Curl

1&4
3x12-15
3x12-15
3x12-15
3x20
3x12-15
3x12-15

2&5
3x9-11
3x9-11
3x9-11
3x15
3x9-11
3x9-11

Friday: Legs & Calves

3&6
4x6-8
4x6-8
4x6-8
1-10**
4x6-8
4x6-8

* This exercise is identical to a standard military press, only rather

than pressing the dumbbells with your palms facing away from
your body, hold them perpendicular as if wearing boxing gloves.
** The 1-10 represents Arnolds 1-10 method; pick a weight with
which you can only complete 1 rep. Immediately after that, drop
the weight so that you can complete 2 reps. Then 3. Continue this
until youve made your way up to 10 reps.

1&4
3x10-12
3x12-15
3x10-12
3x12-15
3x15-20
3x10-12
3x20

2&5
4x6-8
3x10-12

4x6-8
3x10-12
3x12-15

4x6-8
3x15

1&4
3x10
3x12-15
3x12-15
3x12-15
3x10
3x25
3x10-12

2&5
4x8
3x9-11
3x9-11
3x9-11
4x8
3x20
3x8-10

3&6
5x5
4x6-8
4x6-8
4x6-8
5x5
3x15
3x6-8

*To perform this exercise, grab a bench or a plyo-box and set it in

front of the smith machine. Then, facing the opposite direction,
place the bar on your shoulders as if ready to perform a standard
squat. Firmly plant one leg on the ground while elevating the
other with the bench or box. Complete the set amount of reps for
each leg.

Nutrition

Thursday: Chest & Triceps

Weeks
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
2. Cable X-over, low to high
3. Incline Dumbbell Bench
4. Seated Machine Chest Flyes
5. Tricep Pressdown
6. Overhead Dumbbell Ext.
7. French Press

Weeks
1. Squat
2. Leg Press
3. Leg Extensions
4. Lying Leg Curl
5. Smith Machine Split Squat*
6. Standing Calf Raise
7. Seated Calf Raise

3&6
5x5
3x8-10
5x5
3x8-10
3x10-12

5x5
3x10

In order for this program to work for you, you need to eat for
the program. Nutrition is just as important as the time spent in
the gym; if you think just by doing these workouts and eating
pizza and Twinkies everyday will allow you to reach your
goals, then you are sadly mistaken. You need to be in a caloric
surplus for maximum results, but you need to be taking in
CLEAN calories. This sounds simple enough, but many will
make this too complicated. Simply go onto bodybuilding.com
to view clean carb, protein and fat sources.