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ProgramsBoris Sheiko · Sheiko

Sheiko Bench Press Only Program

Sheiko Bench Press Only Program: three bench sessions a week plus light squats for maintenance, a high-frequency bench block that rotates board press, close-grip, and extra-wide-grip variations.

Weeks
14
Days / week
3
Exercises / day
1–7
  • Intermediate
  • Single-lift focus
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Week structure

Week 1

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 3 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 6 · 50% e1RM6 × 6 · 60% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM4 × 4 · 70% e1RM
  • Barbell Incline Bench Press5 × 5Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM2 × 4 · 70% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM1 × 4 · 70% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 6 · 50% e1RM
  • Machine Back Extension5 × 10Hip-extension dominant (back extension bench)
  • Barbell Bench Press10 × 3Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Triceps Dip6 × 6Weighted
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown5 × 8Triceps slot, your choice
  • Barbell Good Morning8 × 8

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 6 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM4 × 4 · 70% e1RM
  • Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RMPercentages are based on the corresponding main lift max2 × 4 · 60% e1RM5 × 3 · 65% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up5 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.
Week 2

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 6 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 5 · 65% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 55% e1RM1 × 4 · 65% e1RM5 × 3 · 75% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 10Back slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up5 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 6 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM2 × 4 · 70% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM2 × 1 · 85% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM1 × 5 · 65% e1RM1 × 7 · 55% e1RM
  • Machine Back Extension5 × 8Hip-extension dominant (back extension bench)
  • Barbell Bench Press8 × 3Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown5 × 10Triceps slot, your choice
  • Barbell Curl5 × 10Biceps slot, your choice
  • Barbell Good Morning4 × 8

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 5 · 70% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 6 · 50% e1RM1 × 6 · 60% e1RM4 × 6 · 65% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press2 × 8 · 35% e1RMExtra-wide grip bench press. Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max6 × 6 · 45% e1RM
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Triceps Dip6 × 6
  • Sit-Up5 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.
Week 3

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 55% e1RM1 × 4 · 65% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM4 × 2 · 85% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 6 · 50% e1RM1 × 6 · 60% e1RM6 × 6 · 65% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM1 × 3 · 70% e1RM4 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell Incline Bench Press6 × 6Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 10Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown5 × 10Triceps slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up5 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 6 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 4 · 70% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM2 × 1 · 85% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM1 × 3 · 75% e1RM1 × 4 · 70% e1RM1 × 6 · 60% e1RM1 × 8 · 50% e1RM
  • Machine Back Extension5 × 10Hip-extension dominant (back extension bench)
  • Barbell Bench Press8 × 3Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Barbell Wide-Grip Bench Press5 × 8Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max
  • Barbell Good Morning5 × 8

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM8 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 5 · 70% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown5 × 8Triceps slot, your choice
  • Barbell Curl5 × 8Biceps slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up4 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.
Week 4

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM6 × 3 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 4 · 70% e1RM
  • Barbell Incline Bench Press6 × 6Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 10Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown5 × 10Triceps slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up5 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM2 × 5 · 70% e1RM2 × 4 · 75% e1RM2 × 3 · 80% e1RM2 × 2 · 85% e1RM2 × 3 · 80% e1RM1 × 4 · 75% e1RM1 × 6 · 70% e1RM1 × 8 · 60% e1RM1 × 10 · 50% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press5 × 2Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 10Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown5 × 8Triceps slot, your choice
  • Barbell Curl5 × 8Biceps slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up4 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Machine Back Extension5 × 8Hip-extension dominant (back extension bench)
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 4 · 70% e1RM
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 6 · 50% e1RM1 × 6 · 60% e1RM5 × 6 · 65% e1RM
  • Barbell Good Morning5 × 8
Week 5

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 55% e1RM1 × 4 · 65% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM4 × 2 · 85% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 5 · 70% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM1 × 3 · 70% e1RM4 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell Overhead Press5 × 5
  • Dumbbell Fly4 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM2 × 4 · 70% e1RM2 × 3 · 80% e1RM2 × 2 · 85% e1RM2 × 1 · 90% e1RM2 × 2 · 85% e1RM2 × 3 · 80% e1RM1 × 4 · 75% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM1 × 6 · 60% e1RM1 × 7 · 50% e1RM
  • Machine Back Extension5 × 8Hip-extension dominant (back extension bench)
  • Barbell Bench Press10 × 2Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown7 × 10Triceps slot, your choice
  • Barbell Good Morning6 × 6

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM6 × 3 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press1 × 4 · 50% e1RMPercentages are based on the corresponding main lift max1 × 3 · 60% e1RM5 × 2 · 70% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly4 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.
Week 6

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Machine Back Extension5 × 10Hip-extension dominant (back extension bench)
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 55% e1RM1 × 5 · 65% e1RM4 × 4 · 75% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly4 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 6 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM2 × 4 · 75% e1RM2 × 3 · 80% e1RM2 × 2 · 85% e1RM2 × 3 · 80% e1RM1 × 4 · 75% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM1 × 6 · 60% e1RM1 × 7 · 50% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM6 × 3 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press10 × 2Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Barbell Curl5 × 8Biceps slot, your choice
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown5 × 8Triceps slot, your choice
  • Barbell Good Morning5 × 8

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Machine Back Extension5 × 8Hip-extension dominant (back extension bench)
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 5 · 70% e1RM
  • Barbell Wide-Grip Bench Press2 × 8 · 40% e1RMPercentages are based on the corresponding main lift max4 × 6 · 50% e1RM
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Triceps Dip6 × 6
Week 7

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Machine Back Extension5 × 8Hip-extension dominant (back extension bench)
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 55% e1RM1 × 4 · 65% e1RM4 × 3 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Incline Bench Press5 × 3Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max
  • Dumbbell Fly4 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown4 × 8Triceps slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM3 × 1 · 90% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM5 × 5 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press3 × 10Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Barbell Good Morning6 × 6

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 55% e1RM1 × 4 · 65% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM5 × 2 · 85% e1RM
  • Machine Back Extension5 × 10Hip extension dominant.
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM1 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.
Week 8

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 55% e1RM1 × 4 · 65% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM5 × 2 · 85% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 5 · 70% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM4 × 4 · 75% e1RM
  • Cable Seated Row4 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Barbell Good Morning3 × 8

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM8 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press5 × 3Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 10Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Barbell Curl4 × 8Biceps slot, your choice
  • Cable Triceps Pushdown4 × 8Triceps slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM2 × 3 · 80% e1RM3 × 2 · 90% e1RM2 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 5 · 70% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM4 × 5 · 70% e1RM5 × 6 · 65% e1RM1 × 6 · 60% e1RM1 × 6 · 50% e1RM
  • Cable Seated Row4 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Barbell Good Morning5 × 5
Week 9

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 55% e1RM1 × 3 · 65% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM5 × 2 · 85% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM6 × 3 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM1 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell Incline Bench Press5 × 3Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max
  • Cable Seated Row4 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up4 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM7 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press7 × 2Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Dumbbell Fly5 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Barbell Good Morning4 × 6

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM4 × 1 · 90% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM6 × 3 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 4 · 55% e1RM1 × 4 · 65% e1RM4 × 4 · 75% e1RM
  • Cable Lat Pulldown4 × 8Lat accessory of your choice.
  • Triceps Dip5 × 5
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.
Week 10

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 55% e1RM1 × 3 · 65% e1RM2 × 3 · 75% e1RM4 × 2 · 85% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 55% e1RM1 × 5 · 65% e1RM5 × 5 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM1 × 3 · 70% e1RM4 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly4 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press7 × 2Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Cable Seated Row5 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Barbell Good Morning4 × 6

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM3 × 1 · 85% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 55% e1RM1 × 5 · 65% e1RM5 × 5 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 4 · 50% e1RM1 × 4 · 60% e1RM4 × 4 · 70% e1RM4 × 2 · 75% e1RM2 × 3 · 65% e1RM1 × 3 · 55% e1RM
Week 11

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM4 × 2 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM3 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 2 · 70% e1RM2 × 1 · 80% e1RM1 × 1 · 90% e1RM1 × 1 · 95% e1RM3 × 1 · 100% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly4 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Cable Seated Row4 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Barbell Good Morning4 × 6

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM3 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 55% e1RM1 × 3 · 65% e1RM3 × 3 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RMPercentages are based on the corresponding main lift max2 × 3 · 60% e1RM3 × 3 · 70% e1RM
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.
Week 12

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM2 × 2 · 80% e1RM2 × 1 · 90% e1RM3 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 5 · 70% e1RM
  • Cable Seated Row4 × 8Back slot, your choice
  • Sit-Up3 × 15Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 55% e1RM1 × 3 · 65% e1RM2 × 2 · 75% e1RM3 × 1 · 85% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM5 × 5 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM4 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly4 × 8Chest accessory of your choice.

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM5 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell Incline Bench Press5 × 3Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max
  • Barbell Bench Press5 × 2Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Barbell Good Morning4 × 6
Week 13

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM4 × 2 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM1 × 5 · 70% e1RM6 × 3 · 80% e1RM
  • Cable Seated Row4 × 6Back slot, your choice

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 2 · 70% e1RM3 × 1 · 80% e1RM
  • Barbell Bench Press5 × 2Board press (boards on the chest to shorten the range). Percentages are based on the corresponding main lift max.
  • Sit-Up3 × 8Abs exercise of your choice.

Day 3

Friday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 3 · 70% e1RM4 × 2 · 75% e1RM
  • Dumbbell Fly3 × 6Chest accessory of your choice.
  • Barbell Good Morning3 × 5
Week 14

Day 1

Monday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM1 × 3 · 60% e1RM2 × 2 · 70% e1RM2 × 1 · 75% e1RM
  • Barbell High Bar Squat1 × 5 · 50% e1RM1 × 5 · 60% e1RM5 × 5 · 70% e1RM

Day 2

Wednesday

  • Barbell Bench Press1 × 3 · 50% e1RM2 × 3 · 60% e1RM3 × 1 · 70% e1RM

Program guide

The bench-only version of Boris Sheiko's training philosophy: 14 weeks, 41 sessions, 1334 sets in total, compressing the Russian approach of "submaximal loads, very high volume, and high-frequency repetition of the competition lift" into a single goal, building a thicker bench. Bench appears in all 41 sessions (you bench every time, and often in two or three separate bench blocks within the same session), while squat steps back to light maintenance. Suited to intermediate and advanced lifters with a stalled bench who only need to maintain their lower body.

Origin and philosophy

Boris Sheiko is a Russian Honored Coach of powerlifting, known for the philosophy of "building maximal strength through a huge volume of submaximal training": instead of grinding out single reps with heavy weights, he keeps loads at 50–90% of max over the long term and accumulates volume through technically perfect repetitions. This program is the bench-specialization branch of that philosophy: deadlift is cut, squat is reduced to maintenance, and all attention is pressed onto the bench. It is not a general template, but a focused sprint for people whose bench is the weak point and who only need to hold on to everything else.

Who it's for

  • Experience level: Intermediate to advanced, with at least a year of consistent barbell training and a bench that has hit a plateau where linear progress no longer works.
  • Prerequisites: Known bench and squat 1RMs; able to handle sessions of 40+ sets and 1.5–2 hours.
  • Primary goal: Break through a bench plateau, or sprint for a bench-only or powerlifting meet.
  • Best suited for: Maintenance calories or a slight surplus. The volume is too high to run during a fat-loss phase.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Both bench frequency and volume are very high: all 41 sessions train bench, and the highest-volume session (Week 5 Wednesday) alone has 28 bench working sets, engraving technique into the nervous system through a large number of repetitions.
  • Submaximal throughout: the vast majority of working sets fall at 70–85% of your bench max and rarely need to be ground out, so the movement stays fast and clean and injury risk is low.
  • Two clear blocks with a clear rhythm: the first 8 weeks build a base with high volume, and the last 6 weeks tighten intensity and peak, with Week 11 Wednesday ramping up to a 100% single as a clear progress checkpoint.
  • Squat is maintained lightly at 50–80% (appearing in 23 sessions), keeping the lower body and overall foundation without competing with bench for recovery.

Cons

  • Sessions are long and dense: in the base block, Wednesday sessions total 33–49 sets (49 sets on Week 6 Wednesday), and there is no fixed routine you can memorize, so you execute the prescription cell by cell every time.
  • Deadlift is cut entirely and squat is only maintained. This is a specialization sprint, not a balanced full-body program, and you need to return to balanced training afterward.
  • The accessory "slots" (chest, back, triceps, biceps, abs) are generic default exercises and may not precisely target your weak points.
  • Recovery demands are high, and if sleep and nutrition don't keep up you'll be dragged under during the base block (especially Weeks 5–6).

Program structure

  • Split: Train three times per week on Monday / Wednesday / Friday; 3 sessions per week for the first 13 weeks and only 2 in Week 14, for 41 sessions in total.
  • Within the week: Every session opens with bench and often contains 2–3 separate bench blocks, one heavier (percentage ramp or pyramid) and one lighter (rep-based volume / back-off sets). Squat is mostly scheduled on Monday and Friday as maintenance.
  • Two blocks:
    • Base block (Weeks 1–8): high volume. Bench warm-ups ramp up with descending reps of 5/4/3, working sets are mostly 3–5 reps, and the peak intensity slowly climbs from 80% in Week 1 to 90% in Weeks 5, 7, and 8; Wednesday is the signature pyramid block.
    • Intensification block (Weeks 9–14): tighter intensity, gradually peaking and then tapering. Bench warm-ups drop to 3 reps, and working sets are mostly doubles/singles; Week 11 Wednesday ramps up to 100% (3 singles), the only intensity peak of the whole cycle; then in Weeks 12–14 the top weight drops week by week (90% → 80% → 75%) with sharply fewer sets, and Week 14 has only 2 sessions to wrap up.

Exercise selection and rationale

The program is built around the barbell bench press, with a small number of variations and accessories of your choice:

  • Barbell bench press is the undisputed star, running through all 41 sessions. The percentage-based blocks handle the intensity ramp and pyramids; there are also rep-based volume blocks (no percentage), corresponding to the board press slot in the original. In this library they are uniformly presented as barbell bench press by reps, with load of your choice, going by keeping bar speed.
  • Bench variations are interspersed to reinforce different angles: barbell incline bench press (6 sessions), barbell close-grip bench press (3, with some blocks at 50–70%), barbell wide-grip bench press (2), and barbell overhead press (only 1 session, Week 5 Monday).
  • Barbell high-bar squat is maintained in 23 sessions at 50–80% for 3–6 reps per set (heavier top sets drop to 3 reps), not aimed at growth.
  • Accessory slots are rep-based, moderate in intensity, and not taken to failure: dumbbell fly (18), cable seated row (17), barbell good morning (14), cable triceps pushdown (10), machine back extension (9), sit-up (19), plus a few barbell curls (5), weighted dips (4), and cable lat pulldown (1). These are common defaults and can be swapped freely based on weak points.

Sets and reps

  • Warm-up is the prescription: percentage-based bench blocks mostly start at 50–55% and ramp up step by step (some lighter volume blocks start at 35–40%). These ramp sets are part of the program and must not be skipped.
  • Pyramid blocks: the main event on Wednesday. Every Wednesday in the base block is a pyramid: Week 3 Wednesday is 15 sets, climbing to 85% then stepping back down to 50%; Week 5 Wednesday is 18 sets, climbing to a 90% single and then stepping back down. The descending sets after the peak are back-off sets, used to pile up volume and consolidate technique without going to failure; the pyramid peak moves up week by week within 80–90%.
  • Volume range: working sets are mostly 70–85% for 2–5 reps per set; the intensification block has more doubles and singles at 80–90%; 100% appears only on Week 11 Wednesday.
  • Purely percentage-driven: the prescription uses only two dimensions, "percentage of max + reps", with no RPE and no required tempo. The lighter second/third bench blocks in the same session are rep-based with load of your choice, to practice bar speed and technique.
  • No failure work: just complete every set as prescribed, leaving something in reserve on each. If a set feels clearly heavy, your 1RM is set too high or you are under-rested.

Progressive overload

The program is based on your current 1RM and lays out the percentage of every cell across the 14 weeks in advance. Progress is built into the block structure, so you don't need to add weight each session:

  • Base block (Weeks 1–8) piles up volume in the 70–90% range;
  • Intensification block (Weeks 9–14) tightens to doubles/singles and reaches 100% in Week 11;
  • Weeks 12–14 deliberately reduce load (90% → 80% → 75%) to finish.

When done, use the new bench 1RM from a test or meet as the anchor for the next run. If it feels unmanageable: lower the 1RM for that exercise by 2.5–5% across the board and keep going, without changing the sets and reps structure.

Run length and what comes next

Run the full 14 weeks. Stopping early breaks the block logic, since the base block's volume is the prerequisite for the intensification block's peak.

  • Finish signs: the 100% block on Week 11 Wednesday is the built-in progress checkpoint; the step-down in Weeks 12–14 is itself the pre-meet/pre-test taper.
  • What comes next: rerun this program with your new bench max; or move to a more balanced cycle, such as the three-lift sprint of "Sheiko #29-32 (16 weeks)", or switch to another bench specialization such as "Candito Advanced Bench Press Program (6 weeks)".

Equipment needed

Barbell, bench, squat rack, and plates are all you need for the main lifts. Accessories also need: dumbbells (flies), cable machines (seated row, triceps pushdown, lat pulldown), a dip station that can take added weight (dips), and a back extension bench. In a home gym without cables, substitute dumbbell rows for seated rows and close-grip bench for cable triceps pushdowns.

Rest times

This bench specialization does not prescribe fixed seconds; rest is governed by a single standard: can you do the next set with clean technique and steady bar speed. Bench is the star, and rest serves it first:

  • Heavy bench (80% and above, including each Wednesday pyramid peak and the doubles/singles of the intensification block): 3–5 minutes, going again once bar speed has recovered;
  • Moderate bench (70–79%) and rep-based volume / back-off sets: 2–3 minutes;
  • 50–65% ramp-up warm-up sets: 1–2 minutes, done back to back as a dynamic warm-up;
  • Squat maintenance sets and accessory slots such as chest / back / triceps: 1–2 minutes.

On big days like the base block Wednesdays approaching 49 sets in a single day, 1.5–2 hours is normal. To save time, cut the rest on the lighter warm-up sets first, and leave the recovery between heavy sets alone.

How to choose starting weights

The source program needs only two inputs: bench 1RM and squat 1RM.

  • Bench 1RM is the main anchor, as almost every percentage in the program hangs off it. Starting Week 1 at 70–80%, bar speed should feel light, controlled, and smooth; if bar speed is clearly slow and the press feels strained in Week 1, it is set too high, so lower it by 5–10%.
  • Squat 1RM is used to calculate the high-bar squat maintenance sets; use a true value you are confident in.
  • Close-grip bench / wide-grip bench carry percentages in some blocks: set their 1RM to your bench max (the original scales variation loads off the competition bench max).
  • Rep-based exercises (incline, overhead press, board press volume sets, and all accessory slots) don't use percentages; pick a weight you can complete for the target reps with 1–2 reps in reserve.

Common adjustments

  • Accessory swaps: chest / back / triceps / biceps / abs are slots of your choice, with common defaults in the library; swap them freely to match weak points, keeping intensity moderate.
  • Reducing volume: if the base block (especially Weeks 5–6) is too heavy, on the densest Wednesdays you can drop the lighter second bench volume block and keep the main percentage-based block.
  • No meet goal: treat Week 11 Wednesday as a test day, and use Weeks 12–14 afterward as deload weeks or go straight to the next program.
  • Compared with Smolov: if you'd rather have a short, fast, intense grid, look at "Smolov Jr (4 weeks)"; this program is a longer, gentler, wave-style high-volume route, and the two are different paradigms.

FAQ

How many days per week is this program? How many times do I bench?

3 days per week, Monday / Wednesday / Friday (only 2 sessions in Week 14). You bench every session, with no exceptions across all 41 sessions, often in 2–3 separate blocks within the same session. Squat comes up about 1–2 times per week as light maintenance.

Why are there two or three "bench" blocks in one session?

Splitting one session's bench into two or three blocks is Sheiko's way of stacking volume for a bench specialization: one block is heavier (percentage ramp or pyramid) and the other lighter (rep-based volume / back-off sets, corresponding to the board press slot in the original). No block is pushed to the max, yet together they pile up 28 bench working sets in a single day on Week 5 Wednesday, the highest-volume day, without any set being driven to failure.

How do I do the bench "pyramid"?

Take the Wednesday block as an example: climb from 50% step by step to that week's peak (80–90% in the base block), then step back down to 50%. The Week 5 Wednesday block, the highest-volume one, reaches 18 sets, and the descending sets after the peak are back-off sets, used to consolidate technique and keep stacking volume.

If I only bench, why is squat scheduled?

High-bar squat is maintained at 50–80% for 3–6 reps per set and appears in 23 sessions. The purpose is to hold on to the lower body and overall strength base, with the load kept deliberately low so it doesn't compete with bench for recovery.

Why does Week 11 suddenly jump to 100%?

That is the only intensity peak of the whole cycle: Week 11 Wednesday ramps up to 100% with 3 singles, as a checkpoint for bench progress. Then Weeks 12–14 deliberately step down (90% → 80% → 75%) as a taper to finish, with no heavier blocks after that.

Which 1RMs do I need to enter?

Two main inputs: bench 1RM (the main anchor) and high-bar squat 1RM. Close-grip / wide-grip bench carry percentages in some blocks, so just set their 1RM to your bench max; incline, overhead press, and the accessory slots are rep-based, with weights of your choice.

How long do sessions take? Why so many sets?

In the base block, bench working sets run 12–28 per day, and with accessories the total is 30–49 sets (Week 6 Wednesday's 49 sets is the peak), so a 1.5–2 hour session is normal. In the intensification block (Weeks 9–14) the set count drops sharply, and Week 14 has only 2 sessions with very few sets.

Can I run this during a fat-loss phase?

Not recommended. The volume is too high to recover from fully in a calorie deficit, and you would likely stall or regress partway through the base block. Run it at maintenance or a slight surplus.

How do I choose between this program and "Smolov Jr (4 weeks)"?

Smolov Jr is a 4-week, high-intensity, high-frequency grid-style shock; this program is a 14-week wave-style, submaximal, pyramid-based high-volume route that is longer and gentler, focused on technique refinement and volume tolerance. Choose Smolov Jr for a quick shock, and this program to build technique steadily.

Why are there no RPE or tempo requirements in the program?

The Sheiko system prescribes intensity purely as a percentage of max: percentage-based blocks are done by the percentage, and rep-based blocks (incline, overhead press, board press volume sets, all accessories) use a weight of your choice that you can complete cleanly with 1–2 reps in reserve. There is no RPE and no tempo; just work through the prescription cell by cell. The intensity has been calculated in advance, and your only job is to make sure the technique is right.

Program by Boris Sheiko. TopSet is not affiliated with or endorsed by the program’s creator. Program names and trademarks belong to their owners. See the guide for original sources.

Make every set count.

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