The Bench Press Pyramid Workout

If there were a list of exercises that everybody knows, I'd imagine the bench press would be near the top. The bench press is popular for helping to build strength in the chest, triceps, deltoids, and more.

It also happens to be one of my favorite exercises! As you may already know, the bench press is one of the best strength-building exercises there is. What you may not know is that there are different strategies you can use to build strength in a bench press.

One of these strategies is known as a bench press pyramid workout. It can be a great way to structure your approach to bench pressing as a whole.

With this method, you can challenge your muscles and work toward a bigger, stronger bench press. So, if building strength or even building muscle is your goal, stick around! Bench press pyramid workouts can be a great way to keep making progress toward your goals.

Let's start with what I'm sure many of you are wondering: what is a bench press pyramid workout?

In This Article:

• Does Pyramid Weight Lifting Work?
• What Is A Bench Press Pyramid Workout?
• Types of Bench Press Pyramid Workouts
• Benefits of Bench Press Pyramid Workouts
• Additional Tips

Does Pyramid Weight Lifting Work?

Yes! Pyramid weight lifting can be an effective strategy to improve endurance, strength, and increase training volume. Because a pyramid workout routine combines different rep ranges and weights, it challenges muscles in different ways.  

Many lifters use pyramid weight lifting to break through plateaus and continue progressing. Let's start with what I'm sure many of you are wondering: what is the pyramid system of weight training, and how can it be used with the bench press?

What Is A Bench Press Pyramid Workout?

Bench press pyramid workouts are a specific structure for your reps and sets in a bench press. There are also different styles when it comes to pyramid workout routines. This often involves increasing the weight you use while decreasing the reps you do, or vice versa. You'll see what I mean shortly.

Ultimately, though, it's a method for progressing the strength of your bench press. On top of that, it can also be a good strategy for building up your chest, shoulder, and tricep muscles.

Let me preface this: I wouldn’t encourage you to try out a bench press pyramid workout unless you’ve been training for some time or are comfortable. You'll need to have an idea of what your 1 rep max is. As a beginner, attempting a 1-rep max is not something you realistically should be shooting for.

Now, a lot of people will refer to these workouts as pyramid sets. This makes sense, too, because it's a way to structure your sets over the course of your bench press workout. But as I mentioned, there are different ways to do this. So, let's get into each of the ways you can structure a bench press pyramid workout.

Types of Bench Press Pyramid Workouts

While there may be more, there are 3 popular structures for a bench press pyramid workout. Each of them can be an excellent way to build strength!

Before you dive into them, just make sure you warm up. With any strength training workout, it's best to make sure your body is ready to go.

Descending Pyramid

In a descending pyramid, your first set will start with heavy weight and low reps. Each set after that, you will decrease the weight and increase your total rep count.

This can be a great way to focus on building muscle endurance. You exert a lot of energy and power on the first part of the pyramid with the heavier weights. As you continue, you'll be taking on lighter loads, but also with more fatigue in your muscles.

Now, the number of sets you do in total is completely up to you and your goals. However, I'll give you an example of what this could look like if you were to do 5 sets.

Sets 1 & 2	1-5 Reps at 85-100% 1RM
Sets 3 & 4	6-12 Reps at 75-85% 1RM
Set #5	Until Failure at 50-70% 1RM

Ascending Pyramid

In an ascending pyramid, your first set will start with lighter weights and higher reps. Each set after that, you will increase the weight and decrease your total rep count.

In theory, this could be a great way to warm up to push some really heavy weights. Most of the time, you'll see people reserve themselves. They do this so they have the energy necessary once they get to the heavier-weight sets. This could help them work up to their one, two, or even three-rep max.

In fact, this is normally what I'll do for my bench press pyramid workouts. I'll give you another example of what this could look like with 5 total sets. This could be an attempt at a new 1-Rep maximum.

Set #1	12-20 Reps at 50-70% 1RM
Sets 2 & 3	6-12 Reps at 75-85%
Set #4	3 Reps at 90% 1RM
Set #5	1 Rep at 100+% 1RM

Triangle Pyramid

Triangle pyramids are a combination of ascending and descending. You can probably even picture what this looks like, too! Basically, you'll start with lighter weight and higher reps and start ascending. On the back half of the pyramid, you'll start lowering the weight and increasing the reps once again.

This can be a "best of both worlds" scenario. You work up to using heavy weight, then finish in more of a muscular endurance/hypertrophy (muscle building) fashion. This is arguably the most popular way to do a bench press pyramid workout.

To give you an idea of what this would look like, here's an example 5-set layout for a 3-Rep maximum.

Set #1	12-20 Reps at 50-70% 1RM
Set #2	6-12 Reps at 75-85%
Set #3	1-5 Reps at 85-100% 1RM
Set #4	6-12 Reps at 75-85%
Set #5	Until Failure at 50-70% 1RM

Now that you understand how bench press pyramid workouts work and what they can look like ... You may be wondering: "Are there any benefits to structuring my bench press routine this way?" Let's get into that next.

Benefits of Bench Press Pyramid Workouts

There are many benefits that can come along with weightlifting pyramid chart programs. Many of these benefits are a big reason why I choose to throw them into my training regimen!

Variation In Training Stimuli

Pyramid workouts contain a variety of different weight and rep ranges. Because of this, these workouts can help train multiple muscular adaptations.

At lighter weights and higher reps, you can maximize muscle endurance.

At moderately heavy weight and a moderate number of reps, you can maximize muscle growth and hypertrophy.

At heavy weights and low reps, you can maximize muscular strength.

In a bench press pyramid workout, you can incorporate one, if not multiple sets, to focus on each of these areas. So really, you're giving your body a full spectrum of stimuli to adapt to.

Achieving Progressive Overload 

Weightlifting pyramid charts are designed to help you increase weight over time. This is one of the main benefits that comes along with choosing this style of workout. As you increase your weight over time ... You are achieving progressive overload.

This basically means you are giving your body new stress to adapt to. Well, this is essential for muscular adaptations such as strength and muscle growth!

Now, you don't have to do this through weight alone either! You could also try adding more reps or sets. Either way, you are creating more overall volume. Increasing this volume over time is ultimately what can help you make progress.

However, that's also assuming you are doing the right things for nutrition and recovery! Just putting that out there as well.

Plateau Breaking 

Bench press pyramid workouts can be very effective in helping you when you are stuck. I definitely find this to be true for myself. When I do the same things over and over, it can be hard to make progress.

With bench press pyramids, again, it can be easier to achieve progressive overload. This can help you break through a workout plateau and get to that next level in no time!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which Exercises Are Best for Weight-Lifting Pyramid Training?

A: Weight-lifting pyramid training works best with compound movements to help achieve progressive overload. Some good exercises include bench press, squats, deadlifts, overhead press, and barbell or dumbbell rows. 

These lifts require the use of multiple muscle groups, and the lifts respond well to volume and intensity changes. This is exactly what pyramid training delivers on!

Q: How Do I Calculate Bench Press Percentage?

A: To calculate percentages for your bench press pyramid, you’ll need your 1-rep max (1RM). From there, you’ll multiply your 1RM by your desired percentage (e.g., 60%, 70%, 80%, etc.). For example, if your 1RM is 200 lbs, and you’re working at 75%, your working weight would be 200 × 0.75 = 150 lbs. 

You can use this approach to build out your pyramid structure based on whether you are working to increase or decrease your training intensity.

Q: What Is Better: Traditional Strength Training or Pyramid Training?

A: It all depends on your training and workout goals. Traditional strength training will often focus on low reps and heavy weight across consistent sets. This is great for building maximum strength. 

Pyramid training gradually adjusts weight and reps to build endurance, hypertrophy, and strength in one workout.

One Last Tip With Bench Press Pyramid Workouts 

Bench press pyramid workouts can be a great way to take your bench press to the next level. They can help to improve your strength, endurance, and so much more.

However, switching up your workout alone can only take you so far.

Reaching your goals and earning the results you're after isn't just limited to what you do in the gym. In fact, I'd argue most of the progress you make is outside of the gym.

Yes, your workouts play a critical role in your results. At the same time, so does your nutrition, recovery, and much more.

At 1st Phorm, our mission is to help real people like you and me earn real and long-term results. That's whether it's building strength, improving your bench press, losing body fat, or anything in between.

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