Ideas for DE training bench

[biglifter]

I would like to know how everyone who trains DE days for bench does it. By that, I mean do you alternate weeks with ME work or both in the same week?
> How many sets, reps, and % of 1RM intensity for each set
> How many times per week and days between training with ME days
> Rest between sets, in comparison to ME-type sets
> Only done on flat bench or inc/dec/DB work too
> Lessons learned. Overtraining, pros/cons, tips, the improvement you saw in 1RM after xx weeks, etc...

Basically, if everyone could reply with everything they know about the world of speed work, that's all I ask ;D.

[3speed]

I, personally, dropped speed work. All I ever got from it was sore elbows. I switched to a light bench/heavy tricep day 3 or 4 days after my heavy bench day and saw great results.

My .02.

[biglifter]

Do you still do that, 3speed? I thought you're on 1x/week now.

[3speed]

Whenever my schedule allows - usually about twice a month - I will sneak that workout in Wednesday or Thursday. I wish I could do it every week because my bench is always smoother on the weeks I manage to get it in. If I can't get to the gym and I'm not too tired, I will sometimes do 2-300 pushups instead.

[biglifter]

Awesome. Really looking forward to adding these on the next cycle to break through the dreaded bench plateau.

[chancey]

I've done speed work and sometimes still do it. I've done it the west side method on a seperate day with 50-60%, 3 reps, 1 min rest. The last time I actual did it on my heavy time preceding my workout. It was based on this information that I highjacked "In Supertraining, Mel Siff points to Russian research which shows that "dynamic work with heavy weights (i.e. high tension with relatively few repetitions) elicits a positive after-effect in the central nervous system (CNS), which produces a general toning influence on the motor apparatus and an improvement in speed and strength" (pp. 163). Although speed training generally would precede strength training if done in the same session, Siff says that low repetition strength training can precede speed / speed-strength training to take advantage of the said after-effect of heavy loading (pp. 26)."

I like doing that way because it allows me to work for reps on my second day and if faced with the choice, I prefer the reps. I do these like speed work trying to generate as much force as I can so I think they are just as valuable.

[biglifter]

Thanks Chancey. That's in line with everything I'm reading about and gearing up for in the next cycle. Huge thanks to you, 3speed, dopar for the insight. I'm hoping this will expedite membership in the 300 club.

[Eagleface]

I like to throw DE Bench in the mix when my lift starts to slow down, I like to do 6 sets of 3 most of the time.