Varied Vs. Constant Bench Press Load

If you’re planning out a resistance training program to meet very specific goals, a study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine has done some of the work for you. The findings offer insight into differences between bench pressing a varied or constant load.
 
Nineteen men with weight training experience did sets with a load equivalent to their 8 to 12 rep max or a load that varied between 2 to 4 rep max for the week’s first session, 8 to 12 rep max on the second day and 20 to 30 rep max for the week’s third session.
 
After 8 weeks, all subjects increased muscle size, strength and endurance. The varied load protocol worked best for increasing elbow flexor thickness, maximal bench press strength and upper body muscle endurance.