Smolov Jr – 3-Week Bench Press Program

Smolov Jr is a three-week bench press peaking program: four sessions a week, every set at a set percentage of your one-rep max. Each week adds weight. It is the short version of the Smolov squat routine.

Hardy tracks every set for you. Log your reps, and the app raises your one-rep max by the rule below. No spreadsheet.

Weekly structure

Bench press four days a week, for example Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The same week repeats three times.

• Day 1: 6 sets of 6 at 70%
• Day 2: 7 sets of 5 at 75%
• Day 3: 8 sets of 4 at 80%
• Day 4: 10 sets of 3 at 85%

Rest 2 to 3 minutes between sets. Do no other pressing during the three weeks.

Progression

Every percentage is of your bench press one-rep max. Hardy asks for it when you start the routine. Test it, or estimate it with the bench press calculator first.

Finish Day 4 with every rep and Hardy adds 5 lbs (2.5 kg) to your one-rep max for the next week. Weeks 2 and 3 use the same percentages of the higher number. The program assumes this gain, and the test after week 3 confirms it.

Hardy keeps one bench press max for all your routines, so the raise shows everywhere. There is no reset. If a day fails, keep the number and repeat the week's weights.

After week 3, rest four to seven days and test a new one-rep max. Enter the result in Hardy.

Smolov vs Smolov Jr

The full Smolov is a 13-week squat program with a base cycle, a switching phase and an intense phase. Smolov Jr takes only the three-week base cycle and is usually run for the bench press.

Expect 10 to 20 lbs (5 to 10 kg) on your bench when sleep and food are in order.

Tips

• Want Smolov Jr for squat? Swap bench press for squat in the editor and raise the weekly jump to 10 lbs (4.5 kg).
• Use the warm-up calculator before every session. The first work set is heavy from Day 1.
• Run it at most twice a year, and never while cutting.
• Coming off a stalled 5x5 Workout? Smolov Jr is a three-week bench specialisation, not a full program. Go back to a full routine afterwards.

Smolov Jr is the three-week base cycle of Sergey Smolov's squat routine, published free and adapted for the bench press by lifters. Not affiliated with its authors.