Gillingham 2 day 12wk Bench Program

[Brackish]

Does this actually work? Like, for real? I realize I'm only in week 1, and it's going to get harder as it progresses, but I just did 125x8x2 for today's session, based on what the spreadsheet said to do. Last week, I did 120x12x5 for my 2nd bench session of the week. It's a huuuuuge drop in volume for me. Are all of the reps supposed to be paused or something? Am I doing something wrong? Help!

[JohnHelton]

Does this actually work? Like, for real? I realize I'm only in week 1, and it's going to get harder as it progresses, but I just did 125x8x2 for today's session, based on what the spreadsheet said to do. Last week, I did 120x12x5 for my 2nd bench session of the week. It's a huuuuuge drop in volume for me. Are all of the reps supposed to be paused or something? Am I doing something wrong? Help!

@Wilhelm had very good success with it when paired with weighted dips. What is your e1RM for bench?

[Brackish]

Does this actually work? Like, for real? I realize I'm only in week 1, and it's going to get harder as it progresses, but I just did 125x8x2 for today's session, based on what the spreadsheet said to do. Last week, I did 120x12x5 for my 2nd bench session of the week. It's a huuuuuge drop in volume for me. Are all of the reps supposed to be paused or something? Am I doing something wrong? Help!

@Wilhelm had very good success with it when paired with weighted dips. What is your e1RM for bench?

191lbs based off of a set of 4 with 170lbs recently.

[Wilhelm]

Does this actually work? Like, for real? I realize I'm only in week 1, and it's going to get harder as it progresses, but I just did 125x8x2 for today's session, based on what the spreadsheet said to do. Last week, I did 120x12x5 for my 2nd bench session of the week. It's a huuuuuge drop in volume for me. Are all of the reps supposed to be paused or something? Am I doing something wrong? Help!

I do all paused, but i don't think that's necessarily specified.
The light days do start out (and remain for the triples) silly light.
I've been reading that they are supposed to be done very explosively.
Early on i did change the 8 triples to 4 sets of 6, just because i didn't want to set up 8 times.

And yes, i assume you need your accesories to go along with this.

As far as drop in volume, i searched this out (well "two day bench program" ) because i was stuck for so long doing 3 and even 4 days a week.
I figured if i was going to be stuck, i'd rather spend less time working to be stuck.

But for me, lower volume worked.
I did step up my dip volume though.

The waving loading of the heavy day is my favorite part.
After doing it as written for a very long time, i've kept the heavy day as is and shifted to a medium day two.

[Brackish]

Does this actually work? Like, for real? I realize I'm only in week 1, and it's going to get harder as it progresses, but I just did 125x8x2 for today's session, based on what the spreadsheet said to do. Last week, I did 120x12x5 for my 2nd bench session of the week. It's a huuuuuge drop in volume for me. Are all of the reps supposed to be paused or something? Am I doing something wrong? Help!

I do all paused, but i don't think that's necessarily specified.
The light days do start out (and remain for the triples) silly light.
I've been reading that they are supposed to be done very explosively.
Early on i did change the 8 triples to 4 sets of 6, just because i didn't want to set up 8 times.

And yes, i assume you need your accesories to go along with this.

As far as drop in volume, i searched this out (well "two day bench program" ) because i was stuck for so long doing 3 and even 4 days a week.
I figured if i was going to be stuck, i'd rather spend less time working to be stuck.

But for me, lower volume worked.
I did step up my dip volume though.

The waving loading of the heavy day is my favorite part.
After doing it as written for a very long time, i've kept the heavy day as is and shifted to a medium day two.

Thanks for the insight! This very well may be where I end up going with this, but I'll see if things feel differently a few weeks in.

[Wilhelm]

Does this actually work? Like, for real? I realize I'm only in week 1, and it's going to get harder as it progresses, but I just did 125x8x2 for today's session, based on what the spreadsheet said to do. Last week, I did 120x12x5 for my 2nd bench session of the week. It's a huuuuuge drop in volume for me. Are all of the reps supposed to be paused or something? Am I doing something wrong? Help!

I do all paused, but i don't think that's necessarily specified.
The light days do start out (and remain for the triples) silly light.
I've been reading that they are supposed to be done very explosively.
Early on i did change the 8 triples to 4 sets of 6, just because i didn't want to set up 8 times.

And yes, i assume you need your accesories to go along with this.

As far as drop in volume, i searched this out (well "two day bench program" ) because i was stuck for so long doing 3 and even 4 days a week.
I figured if i was going to be stuck, i'd rather spend less time working to be stuck.

But for me, lower volume worked.
I did step up my dip volume though.

The waving loading of the heavy day is my favorite part.
After doing it as written for a very long time, i've kept the heavy day as is and shifted to a medium day two.

Thanks for the insight! This very well may be where I end up going with this, but I'll see if things feel differently a few weeks in.

I did put almost 30lbs on my bench with it as written.
To be fair, that was over 1 year and 5 months, and then you have to account for the effect of the weighted dips.
I have a lot pf patience for my bench though, as long as it's moving up at all.
The switching to a medium day is in response to that movement falling off.
recent bout of covid had something to do with that, but in reality it was time to make a change.
The last cycle i was spinning my wheels with it.

I see the heavy day portion being something i just keep doing though.
Love the design of that.
And i'll be sticking with two days a week as well.

[Brackish]

Sorry for the necro (again), but did you ever fail a given lift for a week @Wilhelm ? If so, is there some way you're supposed to address it? I had either food poisoning or the stomach flu last week, lost 6lbs, and was only able to lift Monday/Friday. I got the heavy day in, but I wasn't able to do the light day. Thought I would be fine going on with the program since I got the heavy day in last week. Nope. Failed the single, and then I failed the back offs as well. Got pissed and just quit trying at that point.

[Wilhelm]

Sorry for the necro (again), but did you ever fail a given lift for a week @Wilhelm ? If so, is there some way you're supposed to address it? I had either food poisoning or the stomach flu last week, lost 6lbs, and was only able to lift Monday/Friday. I got the heavy day in, but I wasn't able to do the light day. Thought I would be fine going on with the program since I got the heavy day in last week. Nope. Failed the single, and then I failed the back offs as well. Got pissed and just quit trying at that point.

I have changed things up a little.
I kept the heavy day part of this, and made a medium day out of light day.
Just the heavyday sets -5ish%, and no single.
But also now 8 weeks out from my meet, i've added heavyish singles to medium day as well.
I need the practice

My bench suffered from my covid bout, and i also started cutting weight, just trimming a little in october, but since Nov 8th i've been cutting down to deep in the -90kg class.
Kind of playing chicken with my lifts vs. the benefits to my DOTS of being a lot lighter.
Squat and DL have held up well, and it looks like i have righted the ship with bench.

Tldr i have at times taken some weight off the heavy day sets (i do all paused) and i even reset the whole block down a little in weight a few weeks back.
I think i have a handle on things now for meet day for bench.

I like the heavy/medium pattern, and i'll probably stick with it post meet.
But i have some intensive chest hypertrophy work planned that i should have gotten to before.
I like 2X week benching, but i will be adding some muscle to actually move my bench along this year.