Ryan Kennelly’s Bench Press Workout
Ryan Kennelly is a powerlifter who specializes in the Bench Press. As of November 8th, 2008, Ryan Kennelly holds the WPO world record in the assisted bench press with a lift of 1075 lbs.
Ryan Kennelly is also the first man to bench press 800 pounds. If you want to be the strongest man then you will need to work on your bench press power to get there. I can not think of any bench press workout routine better suited to make you the strongest man than that of Ryan Kennelly the wold record holder in the bench press.
WEEK DAY EXERCISE WEIGHT SETS REPS 1 TUE Bench Press 60% 8 3 1 TUE Close Grip Bench Press 60% 2 5 1 TUE Rack Lockouts (Half way) 60% 2 5 1 TUE Rack Lockouts (1/4 way) 60% 2 5 1 SAT Speed Press 50% 8 3 1 SAT Tricept Excercise #1 --- 2-3 8-15 1 SAT Tricept Excercise #2 --- 2-3 8-15 2 TUE Bench Press 65% 8 3 2 TUE Close Grip Bench Press 65% 2 5 2 TUE Rack Lockouts (Half way) 65% 2 5 2 TUE Rack Lockouts (1/4 way) 65% 2 5 2 SAT Speed Press 55% 8 3 2 SAT Tricept Excercise #1 --- 2-3 8-15 2 SAT Tricept Excercise #2 --- 2-3 8-15 3 TUE Bench Press 70% 6 3 3 TUE Close Grip Bench Press 70% 2 5 3 TUE Rack Lockouts (Half way) 70% 2 5 3 TUE Rack Lockouts (1/4 way) 70% 2 5 3 SAT Speed Press 60% 8 3 3 SAT Tricept Excercise #1 --- 2-3 8-15 3 SAT Tricept Excercise #2 --- 2-3 8-15 4 TUE Bench Press 75% 6 3 4 TUE Close Grip Bench Press 75% 2 5 4 TUE Rack Lockouts (Half way) 75% 2 5 4 TUE Rack Lockouts (1/4 way) 75% 2 5 4 SAT Speed Press 50% 8 3 4 SAT Tricept Excercise #1 --- 2-3 8-15 4 SAT Tricept Excercise #2 --- 2-3 8-15 5 TUE Bench Press 80% 3 3 5 TUE Close Grip Bench Press 80% 2 5 5 TUE Rack Lockouts (Half way) 80% 2 5 5 TUE Rack Lockouts (1/4 way) 80% 2 5 5 SAT Speed Press 55% 8 3 5 SAT Tricept Excercise #1 --- 2-3 8-15 5 SAT Tricept Excercise #2 --- 2-3 8-15 6 TUE Bench Press 85% 3 3 6 TUE Close Grip Bench Press 85% 2 5 6 TUE Rack Lockouts (Half way) 85% 2 5 6 TUE Rack Lockouts (1/4 way) 85% 2 5 6 SAT Speed Press 60% 8 3 6 SAT Tricept Excercise #1 --- 2-3 8-15 6 SAT Tricept Excercise #2 --- 2-3 8-15 7 TUE Bench Press 90% 2 3 7 TUE Close Grip Bench Press 90% 2 3 7 TUE Rack Lockouts (Half way) 90% 2 3 7 TUE Rack Lockouts (1/4 way) 90% 2 3 7 SAT Speed Press 50% 8 3 7 SAT Tricept Excercise #1 --- 2-3 8-15 7 SAT Tricept Excercise #2 --- 2-3 8-15 8 TUE Bench Press 55% 5 3 8 SAT Bench Press 60% 3 3 9 TUE REST 9 SAT MAX OUT
Category: Workout | Tags: bench press 15 comments »
March 3rd, 2013 at 2:24 am
I did this workout however I didn’t really care for it. I did push about 4% more at the very end however I wonder if that’s just because I forced myself to basically take the prior week off pressing only 50-60% – which gave my chest a nice long rest before going for my max. Typically in the past I pushed 70-80% or so the week before – I suppose that’s because I haven’t really trained to max out.
Maybe it’s just me but I didn’t really care for the order of the routine. I’m referring to doing rack lockouts after doing close grip. I was okay until 75%, but after that I found it too hard to do a 90% on a rack lock out just after I did both the regular bench press and then narrow grip at 90%. Note that I’m training naturally so my body maybe can’t recover as fast as it needs to, for the following set – that’s the only thing I can figure.
The end result – I didn’t get the gain that I was hoping for and wouldn’t do this workout again. I say that however I’m happy that I did the routine once as it made me think about the load order more than I normally do.
September 6th, 2012 at 2:20 pm
Before you start the workout, get your max in All 4 lifts. Close press, regular bench, 1/2 lock and 1/4 lock.
it’s best to start with the close bench, regular, 1/2 lock and then 1/4 lock because you can keep adding weight.
Lockouts are done at a smith or a squat rack with bars you can set at your 1/2 bench (half way to your chest) and your 1/4 bench (quarter way to your chest) When I do this workout (i am in my 9th week of it as i type and seeing great improvements) I use it for anything I want to MAX out. I am doing 4 lifts that I want to max out Bench, Powersled/Leg Press(weigh goes up at 45degrees), Power Clean and Deadlift. It is working with all the different lifts. with Deadlift and cleans you can’t do 1/4 and 1/2 lifts though, maybe with deadlifts, but I don’t have a machine that will work.
REST IS THE BIGGEST KEY TO MUSCEL GROWTH(LEE HANEY 8 TIME MR OLYMPIA ECHO’S THIS) KENNELLY’S WORKOUT PROGRESSES AND ALTERNATES LIGHT AND HEAVY WORKOUTS …. IT IS WORKING GREAT AND I AM SET TO go up in my bench by 20% using his methods…. It is a very well thought out workout.
September 1st, 2011 at 2:29 am
I am not sure how the percentage works. Im thinking it means the percentage of your 1 rep max, but how do you know your 1 rep max 5 weeks into the workout..? lets say my 1 rep max is 225, and the workout is telling me to do 50% on week 7, should i still do 50% of 225? or have a maxing day to see what my new max is?
July 17th, 2011 at 12:38 am
Powerlifer are you crazy? Hell people aren’t even supposed to powerlift until they’re 18 because their joints and muscles have not matured.
What kind of sport would powerlifting be if it was only safe for people in the age group of 18-25? That’s 7 years maximum if you start powerlifting on your 18th birthday!
Powerlifting is only for people age 25 and over if anything.
July 1st, 2011 at 10:32 am
What’s rack lockout??
February 11th, 2011 at 11:37 pm
What about his workout for shoulders back and legs?
January 14th, 2011 at 11:27 am
to powerlifter.
I’m 48 and definetly not on steroids and my shoulder didn’t separate on week 7.Actually my sholders have never felt better.In 9 weeks I gained 25 lbs.Great bench workout!!!
December 24th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Yes you could switch days around.
December 20th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
could I switch the tues and sat with mon and thurs
November 29th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
A 135lb increase is no joke much less when it means going from monster weight to freakishly heavy weight.
November 29th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
I used this workout and in 8 months time, I went from pushing 380 to 515; it is a great workout
March 16th, 2010 at 2:36 am
This is a sure-fire way to get a shoulder injury for anyone over 25 that’s not on steroids. Try this workout, but listen to your body before your shoulder separates on week 7.
August 25th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
65% of normal 1RM
August 25th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
do you take the percentages for close grip and lockouts off your 1rm bench or 1RM for that particular exercise?
July 4th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
the best bencher that will ever lift!