Doug Hepburn Bench Press Routine

Doug Hepburn Bench Press Routine Warm-up with a medium weight for a set of 5 reps, 5-8 singles with 90% of 1 rep max, 6 sets of 3-5 reps with 70-80% of 1 rep max. Rest 3-5 minute between sets. Workout once or twice or week or once every 4 or 5 days.

[@beyondonethousand]

I knew Hepburn and have sat with him in the alley of his shop in central/east van on a warm August afternoon talking about getting stronger. He was a good man. Very kind.

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Agree he was a great man. I spoke to a few times over the phone and learned a lot from him. He was world class athlete.

[@mofooutdoors3773]

Old school wisdom and so simple , I am going to add this in. Thanks !

[@oepolish]

I'm 37 @225lbs. My forever goal is to have 300lbs my final working set. I dont entertain ideas of being a pro bencher it's just nice to know I'm 3 times as strong as the average guy my age and size.

[@HeathWatts]

Great explanation of Hepburn’s bench routine. Thanks! Wow, you were able to call and speak with Doug Hepburn! That’s very cool. Now, every person who takes a 4 week course to get certified thinks that they get to earn $50 to $100 an hour for their time because they are a “coach”. Hepburn could be making a fortune today.

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Thanks. I guess you can say Doug was my one and only coach. I bought all of his courses for a around $50 and they included his home phone number in BC, Canada. He was in his 60s at the time and very talkative.

[@HeathWatts]

@@strengthandbulkMadness What a great experience that was. I've read "The Doug Hepburn Story" and have learned some of his methods second hand through Brooks Kubik, but it would be great if his methods were still available.

[@chiragsomaraj5121]

He has a few routines I think I 've read of 8 sets * 2 reps and 3 sets of 6 reps.

[@tpap6827]

The singles were all grinders. There is bo chance that the program is going to work optimally if you're starting with a weight where the first five singles are not executed smoothly with perfect form. The reason this program works so well is predicated on starting with a weight where you are not challenged by the load at all, and are simply practicing multiple singles twice a week so that your technique is consistently reinforced. You are ingraining the precise ibar path, kinetic linkage (timing of the order in which the muscles fire, thereby eliminating sticking points, taking advantage of the most advantageous body positioning, including nailing the set up (shoulder blades pulled in right, and shoulder girdle depressed towards the feet, a static back arch, tight flexed buttocks, feet planted on the floor to maximize stability and leg drive, gripping the bar tightly, rucking the elbows as you row the bar to the sweet spot, then drive it back towards your head as your elbows gradually open and flare out as you approach lockout. The elbow tuck allows you to maximize the use of the lats out of the hole, driving the bar back towards the dead allows the chest to be used in concert with the lats and ooening the elbows maximizes triceps power. Although Doug doesn't explain all of these modern bench press cues,when you watching Vince you can still tell he employs them. Some variation of the aforementioned technique is necessary to perform the bench press properly so that heavy weights can be used in a safe manner. If you ever watch bench press Masters hitting records in competition, rarely are world record efforts done in a grinding slow form. Many world records appear almost effortless because there is so much are speed resulting from perfect kinetic linkage. Although you should be able to grind, this program is about practicing the bench press with substantial load but always having plenty of reserve fuel left in the tank after the rep. if you really want to get the most out of this routine, let's assume that you are capable of a perfect paused single with 405. You should probably start the routine with no more then 365 at the most. On Monday go365 for 5 easy singles followed by 6x3 with 295. On Thursday do 6x1with 365 ,followed by 6x4 with 295. The following Monday do 7x1 with 365,and3x5 with 295 and 3x4 with 295. On Thursday do 8x1 with 365, and 6x5 with 295. Next Monday drop to 5x1 with 370 followed by 6x3 with 300, continue with the progression as outlined above,,, and in two weeks you should be good to add 5 pounds. 375 and 305. You should be able to continue progressing easily every two weeks until you are up around 385 to 390 pounds. and 315 to 320. At this point getting 8 singles at 390 and 6x5 with 320 using 2 minutes of rest should require real effort. Therefore, you should either reduce the weight by 10 or 20% for the next week and just bang out 8 easy single and 6x5 with a super easy weight, or take the week off. You can resume where you left off because you started without being challenged for the first several weeks. By the time you are able to complete aid singles with 405 and 6x5 with 335, you are probably capable of a 435 to 440 bench. At that point, it might make the most sense to resume the routine starting at 390 and 320 and rebuild to 425 for 8x1 and 355 6x5.. By now you are likely benching 455-465. It is probably a good idea to replace the bench press with dips or decline presses and replace the overhead press with a 55-70 degree incline press and run the same program. You should continue to perform flat and seated presses once a week for 3-5 sets of 4-8 reps with an easy load simply to reinforce the movement pattern you worked so hard to blll

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Yes not perfect but here I was capable of 400lb medium grip touch and go single so the 370lbs singles were easy. It might have looked like I was grinding but they felt easy. I did get stronger over the following weeks hitting 395lbs for 5 singles and 340lbs for 5x5. I was able to get away with going heavier because it was once a week. A second workout was done in the week with assistance exercises like weighted dips and behind the neck press. That seemed to work best instead of doing low intensity or speed singles twice a week.

[@Paulkersey5921]

Awesome bench man, ive been doing 315 for singles for years but can't get past my shoulder pain . I don't know if it's a torn labram or how to heal it. besides quitting the bench for a while. I dont wanna do that it could go up if it wasn't for the injury

[@RJ-is9ko]

Strengthen the rotary cuffs

[@oepolish]

Update, I'm part of the 300lb + club for the first time in over a decade.

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

That was fast

[@oepolish]

@@strengthandbulkMadness 3 weeks ago I was doing doubles on 280

[@oepolish]

@@strengthandbulkMadness I'm gonna upload a video. Follow me so you'll know when it's up

[@kawasakikmx1623]

I wonder how long u will live, maybe 50 tops?

[@alexanderstevens145]

Impressive mate. Also thanks for the explanation

[@diegocastillo5400]

This sure does look like a good program for the Olympic Press.

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

He used it for the press also. Also can start with 5 sets of 2 reps until you get 5 sets of 3 reps then add weight.

[@hammeringhank5271]

I though Paul Anderson could bench well over 600lbs. Maybe I'm wrong or it's just speculation, but it really wouldn't surprise me

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Maybe he did over 600 at his strongest. Doug Hepburn told me they both did 500 In Hawaii.

[@coors3763]

Great lifts!

[@kolecarterbenches]

Interesting. I had someone ask me what I thought about the routine so I looked it up. I personally just pyramid up adding weight on each set until I can only do a single then go back down the back side increasing the reps and decreasing the weight. I vary it up and do a heavy bench day and a volume bench day each week, but am doing pretty well. I compete often and have not lost yet. I tell everyone though tthey have to find their own groove and use what is best for them.

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

A lot of routines work. The main thing is to go heavy and eat.

[@kolecarterbenches]

@@strengthandbulkMadness both I know how to do very well. LOL!!!

[@jiujitsuboy]

Who won the bench contest between him and Anderson?

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Doug said they both did 500 lbs so it was a tie

[@rudyrich9817]

Hi, do you do it on overhead press? And what do you think to do the volume work on a different day? Thanks

[@MURRAY9714]

when you're doing the back off sets. Are you getting your percentages from the singles you work with or your overall max? Good job by the way, how much have you improved since this video

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

All the percentages come from a one rep max single. Well I lost weight since this video, about 40 lbs so I lost strength on the bench. I plan to build up power at a lighter weight.

[@areyouusingthatsquatrack8256]

is that training manual still available anywhere to get since Doug passed away? also does it cover what to do for squat and deadlift too?

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Not sure. You can look online. He wrote training manuals for bench, press, deadlift. squat. barbell curl and overhead press. They were all about the same focusing on singles followed by sets of 3-5 reps. Always starting out with easy poundage and adding weight weekly. Then when you go steal :stop the singles for a couple of weeks just do sets of 5 for a while. The food is a big part of it. I drank a gallon of low fat milk and half gallon of orange juice a day like Doug recommended. It worked great.

[@HHH396]

Good job man! Interesting program.

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Thanks. ..it works

[@matthewfisher222]

How did doug recommended programming the other lifts into the routine? Thanks

[@TheMooudi]

Impressive Sir but when you stall, what would you do? Thanks.

[@lastsonofkrypton3918]

Hepburn had another program with a simple progression he recommended alternating to every 3 or 4 months after you went stale. 8 sets of doubles at 80% of 1 rm, add 1 rep to *one* set each work out until you had done 8 triples. Add 10lb for lower body, 5 lbs. for upper body and begin with 8 doubles again. The singles program was similar, 90% of 1rm, add 1 set each workout day starting at 4 until you reached 10 sets then add those weights again and drop back to 4 sets. Old school auto-regulation that works. Recommended split was Mon&Thu do squat+bench on Tuesday & Friday do deadlift+overhead press. Apparently, in his later years he did not recommend doing the pump portion of the workout as he believed it led to overtraining for too many people. Hope this helps.

[@gabe-cv7yt]

@@lastsonofkrypton3918 I wish this course was still available to buy. Even with your comment and this video I have questions, confused.

[@michaelnemeth5242]

I need your help! Its been a few years since you answered a question for me. I hope you see this. Last week I benched 255 for 23 singles, 2 min apart and it was amazing! I could probably have done 30 but I was careful of my joints at 45 years old. Just now I thought I could at least get 20 singles with 265. 10 pounds more, and I got 11. Failed on 12th and second attempt. What factors can cause you to be weaker???? I eat. I rest. Horrible workout.

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Hi, sounds like you burnt out your CNS (central nervous system). 23 singles is way too much and require a week or more of complete rest. Stick with 3-5 singles followed by rep work 5x5 or 4x8. Start under your max and then slowly add weight Also don't do singles more than once a week. What works is bench pressing like that once a week and then doing a second workout later in the week with assistance exercises like overhead press.

[@eneko1890]

This is the workout B, right?

[@chiragsomaraj5121]

Where did you get that booklet ?

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

I ordered it from Doug Hepburn years ago

[@DNikos7]

Just found this video. Could you tell me how/when/how much weight or reps do I add?Should I deload if I stall? Thanks in advance.

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Ideal would be to start out with 5 singles 85-90% of your max. Add a single each workout until you get 8 singles with the same weight. Add 10 lbs and start the process over again. After singles (same workout) drop weight down to 70% of your max and do 6 sets of 3 reps. Add reps each workout until you get 6 sets of 5 reps then put 10 lbs on the bar and back down to 3 rep sets working up to 5 rep sets again. Add reps slowly even if you can do more. Leave some in the tank. Just concentrate on speed at first. Don’t start grinding until about 3 or 4 weeks in. Over about 8-10 weeks you should be a lot stronger and pushing harder. Then take a break. You could cut out the singles for a couple of weeks and just do the 3-5 rep sets as sort of a deload.

[@DNikos7]

@@strengthandbulkMadness very informative,thanks a lot.

[@DNikos7]

@@strengthandbulkMadness have you tried the 8x2 too? if yes, how would you compare both plans?

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

DNikos7 8x2 will produce similar results. Just use the same approach and start out with an easy weight. Slowly add weight every week. Then peak out over 6-8 weeks.

[@oepolish]

3 to 5 minutes rest on singles? I've been doing 1.5 minutes on doubles. But it's about time to swap out routines anyway

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Yes 3-5 minutes is good

[@oepolish]

@@strengthandbulkMadness thanks for the tip. Not a lot about singles out there but I've been using them for years and years. I let myself go and now I'm crawling back up.

[@km-yx8vl]

Great lifting! I'm looking for this course for years... You find Doug Hepburn's courses for the other lifts,but not for the Bench Press. Is there any possibility that you could upload it somehow?

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

I'll try

[@km-yx8vl]

Peter Hess That would be great!!! I'm searching this course so long...

[@tpap6827]

I have run this routine several times. I believe you are starting to heavy to go very fat with it. This routine is designed to become better at the lift by improving mechanics. You are much stronger than the weights you are using would suggest because your tecnique is atrocious. No offense but your body oosition is not tight, your chrst is caved in and you get very little pec or lat involvment. There is bo chance that the program is going to work optimally if you're starting with a weight where the first five singles are not executed smoothly with perfect form. The reason this program works so well is predicated on starting with a weight where you are not challenged by the load at all, and are simply practicing multiple singles twice a week so that your technique is consistently reinforced. You are ingraining the precise ibar path, kinetic linkage (timing of the order in which the muscles fire, thereby eliminating sticking points, taking advantage of the most advantageous body positioning, including nailing the set up (shoulder blades pulled in right, and shoulder girdle depressed towards the feet, a static back arch, tight flexed buttocks, feet planted on the floor to maximize stability and leg drive, gripping the bar tightly, rucking the elbows as you row the bar to the sweet spot, then drive it back towards your head as your elbows gradually open and flare out as you approach lockout. The elbow tuck allows you to maximize the use of the lats out of the hole, driving the bar back towards the dead allows the chest to be used in concert with the lats and ooening the elbows maximizes triceps power. Although Doug doesn't explain all of these modern bench press cues,when you watching Vince you can still tell he employs them. Some variation of the aforementioned technique is necessary to perform the bench press properly so that heavy weights can be used in a safe manner. If you ever watch bench press Masters hitting records in competition, rarely are world record efforts done in a grinding slow form. Many world records appear almost effortless because there is so much are speed resulting from perfect kinetic linkage. Although you should be able to grind, this program is about practicing the bench press with substantial load but always having plenty of reserve fuel left in the tank after the rep. if you really want to get the most out of this routine, let's assume that you are capable of a perfect paused single with 405. You should probably start the routine with no more then 365 at the most. On Monday go365 for 5 easy singles followed by 6x3 with 295. On Thursday do 6x1with 365 ,followed by 6x4 with 295. The following Monday do 7x1 with 365,and3x5 with 295 and 3x4 with 295. On Thursday do 8x1 with 365, and 6x5 with 295. Next Monday drop to 5x1 with 370 followed by 6x3 with 300, continue with the progression as outlined above,,, and in two weeks you should be good to add 5 pounds. 375 and 305. You should be able to continue progressing easily every two weeks until you are up around 385 to 390 pounds. and 315 to 320. At this point getting 8 singles at 390 and 6x5 with 320 using 2 minutes of rest should require real effort. Therefore, you should either reduce the weight by 10 or 20% for the next week and just bang out 8 easy single and 6x5 with a super easy weight, or take the week off. You can resume where you left off because you started without being challenged for the first several weeks. By the time you are able to complete aid singles with 405 and 6x5 with 335, you are probably capable of a 435 to 440 bench. At that point, it might make the most sense to resume the routine starting at 390 and 320 and rebuild to 425 for 8x1 and 355 6x5.. By now you are likely benching 455-465. It is probably a good idea to replace the bench press with dips or decline presses and replace the overhead press with a 55-70 degree incline press and run the same program. You should continue to perform flat and seated presses once a week for 3-5 sets of 4-8 reps with an easy load simply to reinforce the movement pattern you worked so hard to build.

[@sloppyjonuts9162]

I did this mon wed Friday for about 2 months went from 250-280ish bench for a max ..but I have only been lifting for about 7 months at the time

[@eneko1890]

Do you have an excel or something similar? Did you add chin ups, dips and rows after routines?