The 6 Week Russian Bench Press Peaking Program is a free, percentage-based bench press cycle that runs 3 days per week for 6 weeks. It’s modeled directly after the Russian Squat Routine — the same high-frequency grid structure, just applied to bench. You enter your current 1RM, and the spreadsheet calculates every working weight for all 18 sessions. The cycle ends with a single at 105% of your starting max.
The idea behind the program is simple: spend 3 weeks piling up volume at 80% to 85%, then taper into progressively heavier singles as you peak. Week 6 Day 3 is your test — 1 rep at 105%. The approach is nothing flashy, but the accumulated work in weeks 1 through 3 is what makes the peak possible. It’s a bench-specific adaptation of a Soviet-era training method that’s been used successfully for decades.
This program is best for intermediate or advanced lifters who already know their bench 1RM and want to peak it — whether for a meet or just a personal best. It’s not a general strength program, and it’s not for beginners. If you’re newer to bench training, you’ll get more out of a program like the KIZEN 6 Week Bench Peaking Program first.
Table of Contents
6 Week Russian Bench Press Peaking Program Spreadsheet
via Russian Squat Routine (adapted for bench press)
November 8, 2021 Update: Thanks to a Lift Vault reader, I corrected the Week 3 Day 2 rep scheme to 6 sets of 6 reps. It had been incorrectly recorded as 6 sets of 5 reps. The fix is included in the spreadsheet below.
June 2026 Update: Corrected Week 5 Day 2 to 3 sets x 3 reps at 95% (previously 90%) and Week 6 Day 3 to 1 set x 1 rep at 105% (previously 2 sets x 1 rep), per the canonical Russian Bench Press program schedule.
Overview
This is a no-nonsense 6 week bench press peaking program styled after the Russian Squat Routine. It’s a 3 day bench press program that accumulates volume around 80% to 85% of your 1RM before tapering down volume and increasing intensity. It ends with a single at 105% of your starting 1RM.
While it may not look like much, this is a lot of volume at those intensities. Week 1 is an easy week, but it ramps up fast — take a look at week 4.
Good for peaking and preparing for a powerlifting meet.
Accessories
A lot of people are messaging me and asking if they should also be doing accessories while running this program.
Yes, you can do accessory lifts during the first 3 weeks, but I wouldn’t recommend doing much past that.
It’s a peaking program. It’s designed to peak your bench press for a specific date — usually a powerlifting meet. Most people can’t run this kind of program many times back to back since the intensity is so high. It needs to be mixed in with other training blocks (see: block periodization programs).
Doing accessories during the back half of the program could interfere with your recovery, which is essential to adequately completing the program.
I personally like to do the following accessories for 3 to 5 sets of 10 to 15 reps:
- Hammer curls
- Tricep extensions
- Rows
- Pull downs
But this is me. Your accessory choice should reflect your individual weaknesses and preferences.
I personally would not perform any bench press variations (e.g. incline bench press, dumbbell press, etc.) while running this.
I also, again, would not do many accessories past week 3 other than any prehab movements you find helpful (e.g. band pull-aparts, light curls for elbow health, etc.).
6 Week Russian Bench Press Program FAQs
What is the Russian bench press program?
The Russian bench press program is a 6-week, percentage-based bench peaking cycle that runs 3 days per week. It’s adapted from the Russian Squat Routine — a Soviet-era training method originally designed to build squat strength through high-frequency, submaximal work. The bench version follows the same grid: lots of sets at 80% in the first half, then a taper into heavier singles in weeks 5 and 6.
The program ends with a 1-rep attempt at 105% of your starting max. The spreadsheet handles all the math — you enter your 1RM once and it calculates every working weight across all 18 sessions.
How many days per week is it?
Three days per week. The program doesn’t prescribe specific days, so you can run it Monday/Wednesday/Friday or any other 3-day split that gives you at least one rest day between sessions. That recovery matters — especially in weeks 4 and 5 when the volume and intensity both climb.
Do I need to know my 1RM?
Yes. The entire program is percentage-based off your bench 1RM, so you need a reasonably accurate number going in. If you haven’t tested recently, do a conservative estimate rather than guessing high — running the program with an inflated max will make weeks 5 and 6 nearly impossible.
If you’re not sure what your current 1RM is, run a quick test week before starting. A common approach: work up to a heavy set of 3, then use a 1RM calculator to estimate. The spreadsheet will do the rest.
How heavy does it get?
Very heavy toward the end. The heaviest session is Week 6 Day 3: 1 rep at 105% of your starting max. Week 5 Day 2 hits 3 sets of 3 reps at 95%, and Week 6 Day 1 calls for 2 doubles at 100%. The back half of this program is demanding — you need to be conservative with accessories and prioritize sleep and food in weeks 4 through 6.
Is it good for beginners?
No. This program assumes you’ve been benching long enough to know your 1RM, can handle high-frequency bench work, and understand how to manage recovery. Beginners will make faster progress on a general linear progression program first.
If you’re an intermediate lifter who wants to peak bench but isn’t ready for something this demanding, check out the KIZEN 6 Week Bench Peaking Program — it’s a lower-frequency option that’s easier to recover from.
Any questions, drop them in the Russian Bench Press Program discussion thread or email me. Good luck on the bench.
