cant seem to build strenght...help
Replies
-
I also think stronglifts 5x5 would be a good program to start with. Just go back to 5 main lifts and cut all the extra for a while. Watch some form videos on bench press, go back to the gym and practice. Ask if they have a 35lb bar or smaller to practice with. Can you do pushups?2
-
Your post is mostly about what you are putting in your mouth - but you gain strength by training not by ingesting!
Tell us about your training, not your diet.
Hi, Thanks for your response. My current gym routine:
5 times a week.
1. 4 sets of 15 reps of triceps kickback of 55 lbs. 2 on each side.
2. 2 sets of 15 reps of shoulder press of 35 lbs.
3. 2 sets of 15 reps of dumbbell curves of 35 lbs.
4. 2 sets of 15 reps of triceps extension of 35 lbs.
5. 1 set of 15 reps of barbell curl of 50 lbs
6. 1 set of 15 reps of curved barbell front raise 40 lbs.
7. 2 sets of 15 reps of lat pull down of 90 - 110 lbs
8. 2 sets of 15 reps of cable triceps push down 40 - 55 lbs.
9. 2 sets of 15 reps of leg extension 70 - 80 lbs
10. 2 sets of 15 reps of sitting leg curl of 120 lbs
11. 2 sets of 15 reps of leg press of 135 lbs
12. 15-25 min cardio
Total time at the gym: 1 hr
Please advise what I should be doing better to really build strength so I can finally bench press at least 45 lbs? I feel like I have weak wrists for a guy.
Why is it that some days at gym I do not have as difficulty lifting as I have on some other days?
Hope you can guide!
A couple of things....
First, if you do this 5 times per week - the whole thing, then you may not understand how strength building works.
Building strength is a 3-step process: 1) Stress, 2) Recovery, and 3) Adaptation. You must recover in order to adapt. You must adapt to build strength. It takes at least 48 hours to recover and adapt. You will not build strength by doing the same routine at the same weight over an over, especially without time for recovery. You adapt so that you can increase load/stress.
Second, your numbers seem incoherent....
If these numbers are correct, you would have enough strength to bench 45#. If you can do 55# kickbacks on each side, shoulder presses, etc., then 45# should be easy.
Read up on the thread about which lifting program is right for you. Do one of those. Ditch the one you have now.
Good luck.
7 -
If you get pinned under the bar there is no way to dump it...DO NOT BENCH PRESS IN THE SMITH MACHINE
That doesn't actually make sense - in bench press the bar follows a linear path so it's not a problem at all.
For other lifts I would agree Smith machine isn't a good choice.
But for someone who might need to gain confidence the safety aspect of being able to fail without getting pinned by the bar might (just might) mean they can push harder without fear.
0 -
Are you sure you don't have a mental block where you are scared on bringing the bar down because you are scared it is going to fall on you? That is really the only explanation I can imagine as to why, based on your other lifts, that you can't do the bar. If that is the case, can you do it with a gym buddy who spots for you and holds the bar essentially while you guide it down, helping to lift it up if you need it? Maybe that will help you break out from it.
2 -
If you get pinned under the bar there is no way to dump it...DO NOT BENCH PRESS IN THE SMITH MACHINE
That doesn't actually make sense - in bench press the bar follows a linear path so it's not a problem at all.
For other lifts I would agree Smith machine isn't a good choice.
But for someone who might need to gain confidence the safety aspect of being able to fail without getting pinned by the bar might (just might) mean they can push harder without fear.
@wiigelec
You don't have to dump the bar because you set the safety catches at the right height so you can't get pinned to the bench.
11 -
I think I can help because I was in a similar situation when I first started I couldn’t do 3 reps with the barbell only but I knew it’s fine because with training it’ll increase so
1: ask a trainer for a real training program or buy one from a YouTuber you trust and like their training philosophy or you could learn to make one yourself if you can’t afford one
2 after training your bench press in 8-12 rep ranges for 6 weeks I suggest switching to 5 sets of 5 reps with heavier weight than the weight you used for the 8-12 reps and with good nutrition results are inevitable1 -
https://www.google.com/search?q=smith+machine+bench+press+accident
safest way to bench is in a power rack with safety bars:
https://www.google.com/search?q=power+rack+safety+bars2 -
Wow, what a funny thread.. Not haha funny either... ;-)
I'm not too sure where that routine came from, but as others have pointed out, it's odd, very odd..
as @sijomial suggested, 5x5 is a great place to start: https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#gref
I would suggest using dumbells to do your bench pressing, or even start by simply doing push ups. It's easier mentally, because you're not afraid to drop anything, and all around, dumbells are always the best way to go. imho
Happy to help in anyway I can..
Cheers,5 -
If you get pinned under the bar there is no way to dump it...DO NOT BENCH PRESS IN THE SMITH MACHINE
That doesn't actually make sense - in bench press the bar follows a linear path so it's not a problem at all.
For other lifts I would agree Smith machine isn't a good choice.
But for someone who might need to gain confidence the safety aspect of being able to fail without getting pinned by the bar might (just might) mean they can push harder without fear.
Well you can bench without the clips. Not as ideal as safety bars but you can dump the weight if you have to. It can be awkward but it works. (I know this from experience).4 -
not in a smith machine...Silentpadna wrote: »Well you can bench without the clips. Not as ideal as safety bars but you can dump the weight if you have to. It can be awkward but it works. (I know this from experience).
1 -
DO NOT BENCH PRESS IN THE SMITH MACHINE
That doesn't actually make sense - in bench press the bar follows a linear path so it's not a problem at all.
For other lifts I would agree Smith machine isn't a good choice.
But for someone who might need to gain confidence the safety aspect of being able to fail without getting pinned by the bar might (just might) mean they can push harder without fear.
But benching in the smith machine takes away almost all the benefits of the bench press as there's no need to engage muscles to stabilise and control the bar.
Surely if you're just looking for a linear pushing motion you're better off just sitting in the chest press machine.2 -
DO NOT BENCH PRESS IN THE SMITH MACHINE
That doesn't actually make sense - in bench press the bar follows a linear path so it's not a problem at all.
For other lifts I would agree Smith machine isn't a good choice.
But for someone who might need to gain confidence the safety aspect of being able to fail without getting pinned by the bar might (just might) mean they can push harder without fear.
But benching in the smith machine takes away almost all the benefits of the bench press as there's no need to engage muscles to stabilise and control the bar.
Surely if you're just looking for a linear pushing motion you're better off just sitting in the chest press machine.
It takes away some of the minor benefits I would agree - but the main muscle groups used are the same. The balancing of the bar and stabiliser muscle benefits are not the major aim of benching, it's the big muscle groups people are primarily seeking to train.
The idea is to get over what I'm assuming must be a confidence and/or specific strength issue in one plane.
Yes he could use a chest press machine to achieve the same thing, the ability to push harder with the confidence of not hurting himself.
I'm not suggesting OP uses an alternative to barbell benching for the rest of his life. He could also do a mixture of both, low RPE work with his currently empty bar and higher RPE work in the Smith machine (or cage, or machine, or dumbells, or spotter.....).2 -
Check out Alan Thrall’s leg drive video for bench press. Also, check out the “strength-specific” training programs which may be less reps and progressively heavier than what you are training now.0
-
Your post is mostly about what you are putting in your mouth - but you gain strength by training not by ingesting!
Tell us about your training, not your diet.
Hi, Thanks for your response. My current gym routine:
5 times a week.
1. 4 sets of 15 reps of triceps kickback of 55 lbs. 2 on each side.
2. 2 sets of 15 reps of shoulder press of 35 lbs.
3. 2 sets of 15 reps of dumbbell curves of 35 lbs.
4. 2 sets of 15 reps of triceps extension of 35 lbs.
5. 1 set of 15 reps of barbell curl of 50 lbs
6. 1 set of 15 reps of curved barbell front raise 40 lbs.
7. 2 sets of 15 reps of lat pull down of 90 - 110 lbs
8. 2 sets of 15 reps of cable triceps push down 40 - 55 lbs.
9. 2 sets of 15 reps of leg extension 70 - 80 lbs
10. 2 sets of 15 reps of sitting leg curl of 120 lbs
11. 2 sets of 15 reps of leg press of 135 lbs
12. 15-25 min cardio
Total time at the gym: 1 hr
Please advise what I should be doing better to really build strength so I can finally bench press at least 45 lbs? I feel like I have weak wrists for a guy.
Why is it that some days at gym I do not have as difficulty lifting as I have on some other days?
Hope you can guide!
You need to get on an established program. You're doing too many movements for one thing, and most of them are isolation movements. I don't even see bench press in there...if you want to get stronger on bench press, you need to bench press. Beyond that, the rep scheme is not conducive to efficient strength gains...that many reps is working muscular endurance more than anything. Programs geared toward building strength in the most efficient manner are typically low rep at a high % of your max...like 1-5 reps.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p16 -
Silentpadna wrote: »
If you get pinned under the bar there is no way to dump it...DO NOT BENCH PRESS IN THE SMITH MACHINE
That doesn't actually make sense - in bench press the bar follows a linear path so it's not a problem at all.
For other lifts I would agree Smith machine isn't a good choice.
But for someone who might need to gain confidence the safety aspect of being able to fail without getting pinned by the bar might (just might) mean they can push harder without fear.
Well you can bench without the clips. Not as ideal as safety bars but you can dump the weight if you have to. It can be awkward but it works. (I know this from experience).
Since he can’t even lift the bar it’s a little irrelevant whether or not he uses clips. It seems to me fear of dropping the bar or getting pinned under it can’t be what is causing the issue - if you dropped it straight down on your teeth it would be an issue but otherwise a 45 lb bar just isn’t that scary. Unless you are a kindergarten child you aren’t getting pinned by 45 lbs.2 -
cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »OP can you post a picture of what you think is a bench press. I haven’t read every post but I suspect some terminology confusion. Plus, as others suggested it’s better to run an established programme.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj0vZu2sMfkAhUTr54KHbaVD6AQjhx6BAgBEAI&url=https://gfycat.com/gifs/search/bench+press&psig=AOvVaw28W9qQr57jp0mVl0zNvcfh&ust=1568243486923166
2 -
thanks but how am i supposed to lift with my chest and not my arms?I'll be honest with you, I think you need to look at a few good videos on bench press form. I have a feeling you are relying too much on your arm strength for the lift. Do some research on which muscles to engage for the lift. The bench press is a chest exercise, not an arm exercise. While arms and shoulders help with the lift they are not meant to take the bulk of the weight. You should also be engaging your lats, have your feet flat on the ground, etc. Many have suggested Stronglifts 5x5 which is what I used when I first started lifting. Here is a link to the program
https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#gref
There are videos right on the page.
1 -
Muscleflex79 wrote: »Your post is mostly about what you are putting in your mouth - but you gain strength by training not by ingesting!
Tell us about your training, not your diet.
Hi, Thanks for your response. My current gym routine:
5 times a week.
1. 4 sets of 15 reps of triceps kickback of 55 lbs. 2 on each side.
2. 2 sets of 15 reps of shoulder press of 35 lbs.
3. 2 sets of 15 reps of dumbbell curves of 35 lbs.
4. 2 sets of 15 reps of triceps extension of 35 lbs.
5. 1 set of 15 reps of barbell curl of 50 lbs
6. 1 set of 15 reps of curved barbell front raise 40 lbs.
7. 2 sets of 15 reps of lat pull down of 90 - 110 lbs
8. 2 sets of 15 reps of cable triceps push down 40 - 55 lbs.
9. 2 sets of 15 reps of leg extension 70 - 80 lbs
10. 2 sets of 15 reps of sitting leg curl of 120 lbs
11. 2 sets of 15 reps of leg press of 135 lbs
12. 15-25 min cardio
Total time at the gym: 1 hr
Please advise what I should be doing better to really build strength so I can finally bench press at least 45 lbs? I feel like I have weak wrists for a guy.
Why is it that some days at gym I do not have as difficulty lifting as I have on some other days?
Hope you can guide!
this is so confusing - are you sure you have your exercises named correctly? it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever that you could do tricep kickback of 55lbs and not bench 45lbs. here is a pic of arnold doing tricep kickbacks and it doesn't look like he is doing anywhere near 55lbs - the tricep kickback is not normally an exercise you would be going super heavy on (not saying arnold couldn't do 55lbs - but based on what you wrote you are no arnold). Something is just not adding up here!
(and to build on what everyone else said - yes, you should be on a structured lifting program and if you want to be able to bench press you need to practice bench pressing - if you can't do an empty bar start with light dumbbells)
sorry not tricep kickback,i meant dumbbell row https://www.google.com/search?q=dumbbell+row&rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA742CA742&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjwve3RscfkAhUJmeAKHRhCBv0Q_AUIEigB&biw=1904&bih=920#imgrc=K2BwYj5m0Pe0kM:1 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »I also think stronglifts 5x5 would be a good program to start with. Just go back to 5 main lifts and cut all the extra for a while. Watch some form videos on bench press, go back to the gym and practice. Ask if they have a 35lb bar or smaller to practice with. Can you do pushups?
sorry, not able to do push ups.
so you're saying i stop doing my current routine and just do these 3 exercises 3 times a day and that would put me in a better form than my current routine?3 -
middlehaitch wrote: »You are training too frequently if you are doing the same routine 5x a week so probably aren’t progressing as well as you could.
Your programme is not optimal.
I don’t see a bench press in your list of exercises that you do. You can do it with a lighter bar, or, if not available, dumbbells.
If you want to press 45bs+ and can’t, start lighter. I started at 27lbs and worked up.
Try following a proven programme-
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Cheers, h.
I’m not an angry bro ridiculing you, I am a woman that didn’t start lifting until I was 60.
I stand by my post.
Start running a proven programme, post above.
Start where you are, and progress.
Floor with dumbbells, bench with dumbbells, light,17lbs or 35 lbs bar, squat rack, whatever gets you doing the movement.
Just as an FYI, I used the chest press machine until a light bar was available. Once I got a light bar I could lift less than 50% of what I could move on the chest press. I worked the major muscles but, the balance and accessory muscle activation wasn’t there.
If you want to bench, bench. The weight you initially move doesn’t matter.
Cheers, h.
PS, never been spotted. I use a rep over weight programme (AllPro) so I am comfortable and confident with the weight I am moving.12 -
Are you sure you don't have a mental block where you are scared on bringing the bar down because you are scared it is going to fall on you? That is really the only explanation I can imagine as to why, based on your other lifts, that you can't do the bar. If that is the case, can you do it with a gym buddy who spots for you and holds the bar essentially while you guide it down, helping to lift it up if you need it? Maybe that will help you break out from it.
thats one of the reasons as well. also, when I can barely lift the with 10 lbs how can I do 45 lbs? what im unable to lift and everyone starts laughing at me. I mean I dont want to be humiliated like that. how do you make a gym buddy? im shy, just go to random person and ask them if they can be my gym buddy?2 -
11Templars wrote: »Wow, what a funny thread.. Not haha funny either... ;-)
I'm not too sure where that routine came from, but as others have pointed out, it's odd, very odd..
as @sijomial suggested, 5x5 is a great place to start: https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#gref
I would suggest using dumbells to do your bench pressing, or even start by simply doing push ups. It's easier mentally, because you're not afraid to drop anything, and all around, dumbells are always the best way to go. imho
Happy to help in anyway I can..
Cheers,
thanks everyone seems to recommend 5x5 so I'll try doing that today but they're only 3 exercises..compared to my current routine. wouldn't I be neglecting my biceps, triceps and forearms if im only doing this beginner 3 workouts every other day? right now im doing my current routine everyday0 -
-
cwolfman13 wrote: »Your post is mostly about what you are putting in your mouth - but you gain strength by training not by ingesting!
Tell us about your training, not your diet.
Hi, Thanks for your response. My current gym routine:
5 times a week.
1. 4 sets of 15 reps of triceps kickback of 55 lbs. 2 on each side.
2. 2 sets of 15 reps of shoulder press of 35 lbs.
3. 2 sets of 15 reps of dumbbell curves of 35 lbs.
4. 2 sets of 15 reps of triceps extension of 35 lbs.
5. 1 set of 15 reps of barbell curl of 50 lbs
6. 1 set of 15 reps of curved barbell front raise 40 lbs.
7. 2 sets of 15 reps of lat pull down of 90 - 110 lbs
8. 2 sets of 15 reps of cable triceps push down 40 - 55 lbs.
9. 2 sets of 15 reps of leg extension 70 - 80 lbs
10. 2 sets of 15 reps of sitting leg curl of 120 lbs
11. 2 sets of 15 reps of leg press of 135 lbs
12. 15-25 min cardio
Total time at the gym: 1 hr
Please advise what I should be doing better to really build strength so I can finally bench press at least 45 lbs? I feel like I have weak wrists for a guy.
Why is it that some days at gym I do not have as difficulty lifting as I have on some other days?
Hope you can guide!
You need to get on an established program. You're doing too many movements for one thing, and most of them are isolation movements. I don't even see bench press in there...if you want to get stronger on bench press, you need to bench press. Beyond that, the rep scheme is not conducive to efficient strength gains...that many reps is working muscular endurance more than anything. Programs geared toward building strength in the most efficient manner are typically low rep at a high % of your max...like 1-5 reps.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
which one do i pick? there's like 60 different programs1 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »I also think stronglifts 5x5 would be a good program to start with. Just go back to 5 main lifts and cut all the extra for a while. Watch some form videos on bench press, go back to the gym and practice. Ask if they have a 35lb bar or smaller to practice with. Can you do pushups?
sorry, not able to do push ups.
so you're saying i stop doing my current routine and just do these 3 exercises 3 times a day and that would put me in a better form than my current routine?
If you can’t do a push up from the floor, do it against the wall, then the kitchen counter, then a table, then a coffe table, then a step.
Graduate to the floor.
You seem to have a problem knowing how to activate, therefore engage your pecs, the easiest thing to do is stand in front of your bathroom mirror, hands clenched together at chest level, and press them as hard as you can against each other. You should see pec movement.
Recognize that and emulate it when you bench.
Sometimes a mind motion activation can work by touching and activating the muscle before the movement.
Cheers, h.
Adding. 5x5 or 3x5 isn’t for everyone. Have a look at the AllPro in the ‘which lifting programme is best for you’ list.
Not everyone responds well to linear progression.10 -
which one do i pick? there's like 60 different programs
https://blackironbeast.com/starting-strength
0 -
11Templars wrote: »Wow, what a funny thread.. Not haha funny either... ;-)
I'm not too sure where that routine came from, but as others have pointed out, it's odd, very odd..
as @sijomial suggested, 5x5 is a great place to start: https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#gref
I would suggest using dumbells to do your bench pressing, or even start by simply doing push ups. It's easier mentally, because you're not afraid to drop anything, and all around, dumbells are always the best way to go. imho
Happy to help in anyway I can..
Cheers,
thanks everyone seems to recommend 5x5 so I'll try doing that today but they're only 3 exercises..compared to my current routine. wouldn't I be neglecting my biceps, triceps and forearms if im only doing this beginner 3 workouts every other day? right now im doing my current routine everyday
This is exactly why I recommend that program. You seem to be overwhelmed by all the other stuff/accessories. Once you get the basic lifts down, you can add in accessories as needed. Your assisting muscle groups do work during the main lifts, they just aren't the main muscle targeted. Your gym should have smaller bars than the regular 45lb. Just ask someone who works there to show you where they are. Of course stronglifts is not the only beginner program, I just like it because it is so basic and uses very little equipment. My gym only has bars and plates, no dumbbells or machines, so it works for me. I add in exercises to suit my goals, but I have been lifting for a few years now.3 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »I also think stronglifts 5x5 would be a good program to start with. Just go back to 5 main lifts and cut all the extra for a while. Watch some form videos on bench press, go back to the gym and practice. Ask if they have a 35lb bar or smaller to practice with. Can you do pushups?
sorry, not able to do push ups.
so you're saying i stop doing my current routine and just do these 3 exercises 3 times a day and that would put me in a better form than my current routine?
You can do pushups from your knees if you can't do them in normal form. There is no shame in that.
The big issue with your current workout is that you don't seem to be working out your chest at all. That is where your muscles appear to be weakest and why you are unable to do bench press, which uses your chest primarily. That is the core of your upper body strength and you need to develop it. Strong lifts in only 3 exercises because it works multiple muscle groups per exercise. It is better to do fewer meaningful exercises less frequently rather than doing exercises frequently that don't work what you need to work.
Always take a rest day between working the same body parts.4 -
middlehaitch wrote: »DancingMoosie wrote: »stand in front of your bathroom mirror, hands clenched to
you mean like this? http://sonamics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/bl43-300x300.png0 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »I also think stronglifts 5x5 would be a good program to start with. Just go back to 5 main lifts and cut all the extra for a while. Watch some form videos on bench press, go back to the gym and practice. Ask if they have a 35lb bar or smaller to practice with. Can you do pushups?
sorry, not able to do push ups.
so you're saying i stop doing my current routine and just do these 3 exercises 3 times a day and that would put me in a better form than my current routine?
You can do pushups from your knees if you can't do them in normal form. There is no shame in that.
The big issue with your current workout is that you don't seem to be working out your chest at all. That is where your muscles appear to be weakest and why you are unable to do bench press, which uses your chest primarily. That is the core of your upper body strength and you need to develop it. Strong lifts in only 3 exercises because it works multiple muscle groups per exercise. It is better to do fewer meaningful exercises less frequently rather than doing exercises frequently that don't work what you need to work.
Always take a rest day between working the same body parts.
thanks so i did the 5x5 today. I did squats, bench press, barbell row. All with 45 lbs barbell and no weights added.
I am confused about working my chest. How is my chest even helping me with bench press? isn't it basically my arms and how strongly i push up the bar? whats the chest doing? nothing
My THIGHS are BURNING. I dont know if that means i'm on the right track or if i did something wrong like I can barely walk.
Can I still do cardio afterwards at least? to complete my daily 10k steps?
So what should i do next? tomorrow is rest day, can i do accessory/random dumbbell exercises and cardio on rest day?
do i start adding weights the next time i do strength training and continue to increase weight with each subsequent turns or keep same weight for a week before adding more weight the next time?
how long am i supposed to keep the strength going for? so im not even doing lat pulls or dumbbell curls or shoulder press, leg extension...any of these exercises?
1
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.2K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 421 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions