New to the group!

tinak33

Hey there!
I just joined the group. I have been doing Stronglifts 5x5 for 2 weeks. Today was day 1 of week 3. I love it! I love that I have a steady progression and that I can see the progress. I love that I ended last week FINALLY hitting the triple digits in lifting!

Does anyone else do the program and then add other things afterwards? I find that after I do the 3 exercises, I add a few other exercises to my workout. I don't mix them with the basic program, I wait till I am done. Then i might do curls, or dips, or something. Does anyoen else do that?

Also, I'm stuck on the bench press! I can't get past 60 lbs! I need a spotter every time, and i have been at 60 lbs since July 5. I can't seem to be able to do them without a spotter and the idea of going higher stresses me out because I don't think I can do it. Do I need to deload? Do I need to try going to 65 anyways?

How do I get past that?

Thanks in advance!!!!

tinak33

bump

lwoodroff

lol @ the bump, most of the yanks aren't up yet! this group doesn't move that fast Welcome, by the way!

also the check in and chat thread gets the most visits, so come by and see us there. You'll see there are a bunch of gals doing other stuff in various ways - mostly after their lifting, but some crazy people add in extra things in their rests.. personally I mostly just do my lifts, but I'm determined I'm going to be able to do a pull up one day, so I do a few on the assistance machine, and I do a HIIT thing on the bike after too mainly cos I loathe cardio but ought to do a bit!

lots do some core work too - there is a whole thread of crazy core exercises if you scroll down the page a bit

jstout365

Welcome!

Yeah, us crazy Yanks are around later in the day :laugh:

I am one of the crazy ones who add to the program, but I'm backing down after a week of bad sleep where I was fighting fatigue. I had been doing 6 days in the gym so 3x SL and then 3 days of cardio/accessory work. I was having trouble recovering, which is something to take into consideration. If you add onto SL days, you should be fine. Just limit what you do on other days.

Bench is as much about form as it is strength. I would highly recommend getting on youTube and watching the "So you think you can bench" series (I think there are 6 videos). Even in the first few videos I was able to correct some form issues and jumped my 1x5 weight up a bit. It sounds like your issues are also a bit in your head. You can't be afraid to fail or you will never push to get past it. Spotters can give you the confidence, but also learning how to get out from under the weight can be a big thing. Look for videos on how to properly do the roll. If you still don't feel okay lifting on your own, look into using the power rack/cage and moving the safety pins down to be your catch.

HannahJDiaz25

Another really good tip I have read is to buy those little fractional weights and just bring them with you. you can increase by as little as a quarter pound I think.

I also am doing the Stronglifts program. A couple workouts ago ago, I couldn't even bench-press the bar on my 4th set! :sad:
My husband spots me and would help a tiny bit so I could get through the last reps. I just kept working at it and after 2 more workouts I did all 5X5 with no help (I am sure all the body builders were laughing as I danced a happy dance...but hey its improvement and it's encouraging!)

On the other hand my Squats rock :laugh: :laugh:

So long story short...fractional weights would be my advice... I think I am going to have to get some because I just cant add 5 lbs to the bench press...its too big of a difference (as wimpy as I sound haha) I think adding 2.5 pounds per workout would work better for me.

tinak33

haha

Well I am going to deload down to 55 lbs, do the usual 5x5 and then on the last set do AMRAP. Then the next time I bench, try again for 60 lbs.

For accessory stuff, I usually do dips and back extensions on the benchpress days, and I do bicep curls and back extensions on the deadlift days.

And if I have time I do 3 sets of 10 hip thrusts and 3 sets of 10 crunches (alternating) right before I do my 10 minute stretch.

I only go to the gym 3x/week so I only do SL. I do a bit of cardio warmup, which is just walking on the treadmill at a 3.5 pace on a 4.0/4.5 incline.


jstout - I will check out the roll thing. I do think it's a good idea for me to get comfortable doing the bench press alone and figuring out how to get out from under the bar if I need to.
I also thought this morning, that because I think I need a spotter, maybe I don't do as well. I was actually going to attempt doing the bench press alone, but one of the guys I usually work out with came over and asked if I needed a spotter. So I said yes because it made me feel better having someone there. hahaha

kirabob

You can also try doing 5x6 on your bench before moving up - this is another good way to progress if you don't have fractionals. But yes, Jstout is right - form is SO important in bench. Until I figured out how to use my legs (I know - I never thought legs would be important to benching!), I couldn't get past 75. Now I am at 107 and rising. . .

I do some accessory work - just try to stick to pushing action/pulling action, and keep your accessory stuff in the lower weight/higher rep range. And make sure you are eating enough to compensate for all the extras!

ETA: You might try failing a bench press "on purpose" with a weight you feel comfortable getting out from under. I did this (after doing it NOT on purpose), and it helped me to know I could rescue myself. I also don't use the clips when I bench, so that I can just push one end up and dump the plates on the floor if need be. I've never had to do this, but the employees at my gym told me that they would rather I drop plates on the floor than crush my larynx, so. . .

chubby_checkers

I'm seconding (or thirding/fourthing) the fractionals. Also, how long do you rest between sets? Longer rest periods can be beneficial as well.

lwoodroff

Re not using clips with bench, after dropping a weight onto my phone, I now use clips! Bar isn't anywhere near my larynx :-)

bumblebums

I was stuck on the same bench press weight for a while because I used a standard chest press bench without a spotter. Then I moved to the power rack instead, and my bench press started moving again.

When you bench in a power rack, you can set the catch pins to just above the height of your lifted chest so they catch the bar if you fail. This also works out to be right above your face, so you do not risk crushing your skull with the bar. And, because the catch pins are on either side, the bar will not overbalance to one side and unload the plates on your cell phone.

In short, I highly recommend using a power rack for benching.

lwoodroff

nice idea, trouble is there are only 2 power racks and 2 standard bench racks at the gym, if I went dragging a bench over to the rack I'd be exceedingly unpopular!

what I will consider is getting a spotter for new or very heavy weights.. although to be honest I am very familiar with what feels like an 'I'm not going to hit my next rep' weight now and let discretion be the better part of valour (for the most part!)

bumblebums

nice idea, trouble is there are only 2 power racks and 2 standard bench racks at the gym, if I went dragging a bench over to the rack I'd be exceedingly unpopular!

I don't worry too much about popularity and do it anyway. Nobody has ever said a word to me, even though there is only one power rack at my gym (there are three squat racks and a lot of benches with barbell supports, though, so the power rack does not get that much use during the hours I am there).

what I will consider is getting a spotter for new or very heavy weights.. although to be honest I am very familiar with what feels like an 'I'm not going to hit my next rep' weight now and let discretion be the better part of valour (for the most part!)

That's fine, if you can find a good spotter who will not get in your way. What I see at my gym half the time is team benching, with the spotter rowing half the reps up. It's exactly like that old joke about what bodybuilder benching--"It's all you bro!"

Sugar_Junkie

Welcome to the group. I personally do both when it comes to the extras. I work some things in on my rests and other things in after my stronglifts. That also depends on what I am doing. For instance, I don't stand there on my breaks with OHP and do curls. OHP is a hard workout for me so I really need my rests to master the next sets.

I can understand the frustration with bench and needing a spotter. Personally when I stalled out I just increased the weight I used on my warm ups and that helped me progress some. Also when I started my BF spotted me and he has not been the past few times so I had been working with a weight I knew I could handle and progressing up when I felt like I mastered that weight.

lwoodroff

yeah I'm not into spotters for that reason. But if I need one the rule will be 'don't touch the bar unless it starts going down again when I'm pushing up. otherwise leave it alone!'

DaniH826

Welcome!

I'm currently doing barbell/kettlebell/dumbbell complexes before my lifting session (as my warm-up/cardio), but I'm probably going to switch those to after at some point. I'm not doing Stronglifts but Starting Strength (3x5).

I highly recommend you get fractionals. I use Fastenal washers that work out really well for me.

Far as bench press -- I work out in my garage without a power cage, so I: a) never bench to failure and b) don't clamp the plates on in case I need to do a roll of shame. I pay very close attention to my body, and if it's telling me that something is a no-go ... then it's a no-go. There's always the next workout. I'm in no hurry.

BikerGirlElaine

Hi, and welcome!

I only add a little bit. Your list seemed very long to me. As the weights get heavier, don't be afraid to drop your extras if you are too pooped by the time you finish with your main routine.

In the past I have done some core work when it felt like my core was the weak point in my squat form.

Currently I add on chinups and pullups -- just doing negatives, but you know what I mean.

My bench is the pits. I may add some assistance work for it at some point.

But you if you see what I mean here, I'm only adding in things to support my main lifts. I'm not just adding random things that I think I *ought* to do. And I do the chins and pullups because they're fun, and a goal of mine, which is a perfectly legit reason, too! :bigsmile:

You've gotten lots of good advice on the benching. Checking your form, deloading and working up with fractionals are the things that help me the most.

bimmer2331

Hey there!!!
Welcome... Yes. On the fractionals.... I bought fastenals and tow them around on my strong lifts day..... They are so so so useful..

Bench and ohp can be tough to progress on as fast... I started SL in feb 2013 and I am at 75 lbs on bench...and a grand 56.25 on ohp... My squats and deals are little more respectable.... I used to do 5x6 or 5x7 or 6x5 for a few sessions on the same weight before adding weights.... Even doing higher reps at the same weights is progress and it does help u and make u stronger....

I don't have anyone to spot me but one guy did walk up to me once and say " u know u have to only ask to spot" and I was squatting 120 lbs....weird...... On bench too I sometimes have had to just do 4 reps as I "felt " I wouldn't make the 5th one....it's a little frustrating at times coz progress on weights can be very slow but think 4 months from now 60lbs would be ur warmup weight....

I do accessory work depending on time and my energy levels.. Lunges, glute bridges, back extensions , steps etc..

Good luck!!