Are you ready to take it to the next level? Then check out these bench-blasting routines!

This is an 8-week bench-blasting program that will have you hitting a new personal best. Each week is laid out for you. You'll be training your bench twice a week, with the rest of the week dedicated to training other bodyparts and resting. One bench-press day will be dedicated to lifting heavier mammoth poundages, while the second day will have you working on your bar speed and explosiveness.

Before you start, you'll need to know your bench press 1-rep max (1RM) in order to make the most of these routines. If you don't currently know that, check out our handy 1-Rep Max calculator before you start.

Nutrition and supplements are, as always, very important to the success of this program. The next eight weeks will be tough on your recovery abilities, so ensure you're following a diet containing quality food that's high in protein and carbs. Adding Nitro-Tech^® Hardcore protein powder and the creatine musclebuilder Cell-Tech™ Hardcore to this program will also help boost your muscle size and strength! And for a kick in the pants at the start of each workout, try GAKIC^® - you'll have all the extra energy you'll need to tear through the weights!

The "Jack Up Your Bench" 8-Week Program

This program involves starting at 75 percent of your 1RM and, over the course of 8 weeks, increasing the weight you use, as well as your overall force and explosiveness. By week 8, you will be handling more weight for more reps, you'll look thicker and have more quality muscle, and you'll have more functional strength than when you started the program. This program is your plan for blasting through a stubborn plateau!

Below are the workout logs you'll be using to track your progress throughout the eight weeks. Click on the links below to download each week's log.

Workout Logs

Special Instructions

You'll notice that each "light" bench press day is just that – light. The key with these days is to shorten your rest times between sets and to push up the weight quickly, with force, though in a controlled manner. The key here is bar speed. This type of training will help you develop force and speed, ensuring you have the explosive power you need when it's time to lift the big weights.

With the exercises that do not have weights filled in on the training logs, it's important to continually challenge yourself. Use weights on these exercises that you can handle safely, but that still challenge you to complete the target reps.

So there you have it! Stick with this program through the eight weeks, and when it's time to show your true strength, you'll have the big numbers to impress with!