Planning workouts for Russian bench press

Author: Lev Liberant - Master of Sports in Powerlifting.
2012-06-30

About the Russian Press

The Russian press is a bench press, but not for maximum weight; rather, it focuses on achieving the maximum number of repetitions in a set.

The Russian press is conducted in the following competitive categories. For men, the barbell weights are 100, 125, 150, and 200 kg. For juniors, it's 75 kg. For boys, it's 55 kg. Veterans aged 40-49 years have a weight of 75 kg, while veterans over 50 years have 55 kg. For women, the barbell weights are 35, 45, and 55 kg.

Russian Press – Strength, Power Endurance, General Endurance

In the Russian press, a set is considered successful if the athlete manages to complete 8 or more repetitions (in the strongman category, 5 repetitions is the qualifying number for 200 kg).

For general information, I will provide record and standard results of competing athletes in various categories of the Russian press.

• 200 kg -- 12, 5-7 reps.
• 150 kg – 30, 15-20 reps.
• 125 kg – 45, 20-30 reps.
• 100 kg – 60, 30-45 reps.
• 75 kg – 100, 50-70 reps.

There is a noticeable difference between the heavy and light categories in terms of the number of repetitions.

The 200 kg category is purely strength-based; only among leading athletes pressing 10 or more repetitions is there a very slight involvement of power endurance.

The 150 kg category is the most challenging since the body must cope with significant weight across a large number of repetitions. Thus, both strength and power endurance are equally engaged.

In the lighter categories, strength and general endurance play a primary role.

Training for the Russian Press

A runner cannot be both a sprinter and a marathon runner simultaneously. For the same reasons, it is impossible to perform equally successfully in both heavy and light categories. Therefore, the athlete must choose one or, at most, two competitive categories (adjacent ones) and structure their training process based on the specifics of those categories.

If the athlete chooses the heavyweight 200 kg category as their main focus, their training will closely resemble classic strength training for powerlifters or bench pressers. A month before the competition, one should aim for maximum single repetitions, followed by dedicating 3-4 weeks to work with weights ranging from 90-110% of 200 kg. No special work in an aerobic mode should be performed.

The most challenging is preparing for the most popular category – 150 kg, which combines extraordinary strength qualities and a high level of power endurance in the athlete.

I personally love this category the most and have a competitive result of 18 repetitions and a training result of 20 repetitions, which corresponds to the standard for the candidate for master of sports. Without unnecessary modesty, I would add that achieving this at over forty years old and without the use of anabolic steroids is not too shabby.

Therefore, I am confident that there is a rational kernel in my training. Naturally, each athlete should plan their training process considering their personal characteristics, and my recommendations are just one possible approach.

So, to build strength, it’s essential to choose an effective system for its growth. The first two months of training focus specifically on developing this crucial quality. I perform bench presses every 4-5 days with weights ranging from 170 to 190 kg, and every two weeks, I attempt 200-205 kg. The repetitions range from 10-6 to 4-2, respectively. Additionally, I train my triceps and deltoids by doing dips, 45-degree presses, and narrow-grip presses, typically using 12-6 repetitions.

I am convinced that one should avoid training for maximal single lifts. First, this is injury-prone; second, it wears out the nervous system; and third, it is ineffective for improving results in the selected category.

After completing a strength cycle, accompanied by protein and creatine intake, my next strength indicators are 2053 and 1906.

In the two months leading up to the competition, I focus more on power endurance. I conduct 2 training sessions a week, using weights ranging from 130 to 170 kg, with 180-190 kg every two weeks. I leave only the narrow-grip press in my auxiliary work at 20-12 repetitions. I reduce my daily protein intake from two servings to one, keep creatine at the same level, but significantly increase carbohydrates.

To develop power endurance, I use the following training methods:

1. Press with rest pauses. (For example – 150*12 reps + 90 seconds resting under the bar + 4 reps + 90 seconds resting under the bar + 2 reps).
2. Interval pressing for 5 minutes. (For example – 1506 + 40 seconds resting on the stands + 1506 + 40 seconds resting on the stands + 1506 + 40 seconds resting on the stands + 1504 + 40 seconds resting on the stands + 150*2).
3. Press with rest pauses while decreasing weight.
4. Interval pressing with decreasing weights.
5. Combined pressing with rest pauses – using medium, wide, and narrow grips while decreasing weight.
6. Press with pauses on the chest for 5-10 seconds.
7. Press with a fixation at full extension for 5-10 seconds.
8. Final presses with medium grip in a power rack for 10 or more repetitions.

Once a week, I train my legs. I perform squats, hack squats, and leg presses. I work not to the absolute limit but with enough load to pump blood into the muscles. I also pull once a week for many repetitions without maxing out. I believe that without training such large muscle groups as the legs and back, an athlete cannot fully unlock their potential for strength and endurance in the Russian press.

The 125 kg category resembles the 150 kg category, but more attention should be paid to training for power endurance rather than absolute strength.

However, the lighter categories, 100 kg and especially 75 kg, require a fundamentally different approach.

From my experience competing, I've realized that results in lighter categories correlate poorly with the single lift. Often, a 90 kg guy can perform 40 reps at a centner (100 kg) with a one-rep max of 170, whereas a 140 kg guy with a one-rep max of 230 may struggle to achieve the same. Thus, strength in lighter categories is not an objective in itself and certainly not the key to victory.

In lighter categories, when the results approach 100 repetitions, general endurance becomes crucial. And, as we learned in the good old Institute of Physical Culture, general endurance is determined by the maximum oxygen consumption!!! This means the body exits the anaerobic zone and operates either in an anaerobic-aerobic mode or in a purely aerobic mode.

Therefore, working at an elevated heart rate (around 160-170 beats per minute) should be included in the preparation. In my opinion, this could involve breathing squats, supersetting squats/presses or presses/vertical block pulls, etc. During the off-season, it’s worthwhile to run cross-country. But with endurance work, one must be cautious not to burn off the muscle mass necessary for pressing.