Chest Strength

Natx83

Alright, Im starting to get pissed at myself and questioning is there something I can be doing better or different to help me breakthrough this weight on my 3 sets x 8 rep bench @ 75KG/165lbs.

I have been lifting for a about 12-13 weeks, started out light (some of you might call my heavy, light ) and have consistently built up the weights on each of my lifts, to a point where things are starting to get heavy now.

I have been struggling to complete this, i always seem to end up 8,8, 7 and fail on the last rep. I dont know if its mental, like this things got me beat before I even start or what. I feel as If i should be getting it, I can feel its there, I cant quite get to lock out. I have dropped weight back down, after a proper form check, so technique and setup is pretty good and have built back up to my previous and current best for reps. 6 weeks ago i did a 1RM of 203lbs or 92.5 kg.

Is there any tips you guys and gals can give that I can switch up for a bit to maybe help me get out of this hole!

Thanks in advance!

Rayman79

Back when I was doing more benchpress I found that taking a break from the flat bench and doing incline and decline sets for a little while helped me increase the loads. I have never gone 'heavy', but got to about sets of 5 @ 90kg.

My diet was really dirty then too though and I was pretty fat so there was no lack of energy :P

Natx83

Okay, thanks for the response. Do you think even some dumbell press would help?

I have tried switching up the order of my workout too, as bench was usually one of the last things I would do, still didnt help haha.

Yeah I've got the energy, Im not dead at the end. I have a good fight with that last rep too, think sometimes I get out of that groove on the press movement and it just sticks at like the half way mark!

Rayman79

Yeah, I typically switched up between barbell and dumbells every couple of weeks.... not for any scientific reason though - just cos :P

I have no idea if there was any benefit to that or not. It does give you a greater range of movement with a dumbell though and feels like its working differently to that bar.

... must do some research on this myself actually - I'm getting close to a plateau on the bench myself too (doing Stronglifts program atm)

FoxyMcDeadlift

If you want to build strength, work more in the strength rep range of 1-5, if you still want a bit of hypertrophy, then do some additional pressing for assistance work after, with lower weights in the higher rep range. Switching up between inclines/declines and dumbells and barbells couldnt hurt, but i like to do all my strength work traditional benching

tross0924

Some people can see improvements when they work on their shoulders too. If you're not doing any military presses, try adding them in and see if that helps.

Other than that I'd say drop the reps to 5 and do 5 sets at a higher weight. An maybe throw in some lighter higher rep stuff at the end, another 5 sets of 8 to 10.

Nirlbou

I have to agree with Tross and Nymph, 8 8 7, is more of an endurance issue on that last rep. Tri's can assist on that lift with use of a barbell, alternating DB and BB is always good. One thing i didn't see mentioned is Deloading.

Natx83

I over head press 115 lbs at the moment and love em.

What sort of percentage you think for the higher rep stuff, obviously the point the these isn't to train to failure yeah?

Deloading as in cycle back down in weight through sets after completion of 5x5?

Excuse my lack of knowledge. Chrisdavey is usually my go to man but he's outta the country so I don't get train with him at the moment.

Natx83

Made the 75kg 5x5 was starting to get harder by the last set, but made it easily and cleanly, will add more weight to continue on 5x5 next workout

delmc1

build up your tri's is best advice i got , do close grip bench press to increase the triceps ,start light and build up
for your normal routine drop your sets to 5x5 or 6x4 for bench

tross0924

I over head press 115 lbs at the moment and love em.

What sort of percentage you think for the higher rep stuff, obviously the point the these isn't to train to failure yeah?

Deloading as in cycle back down in weight through sets after completion of 5x5?

Excuse my lack of knowledge. Chrisdavey is usually my go to man but he's outta the country so I don't get train with him at the moment.

Some where areound 60% for the higher rep stuff. Doesn't sound like much, but 5 sets of 10 after your 5x5 will hurt just right.

Deloading isn't cycling back through after the 5x5. Deloading is more like taking a step back from the whole program. So if you've been trying and failing at 3x8 at 75 Kg, then deloading would be doing 3x8 at 70 Kg one week and then 72.5 the next week and then 75 the third week. And idealy the third week you should be able to complete it. I'm not an expert on deloading though. It might be that you're supposed to drop back even further than that.

DaveRCF

I think a 20% deload is typically recommended, and that is after two consecutive workouts when you were not able to complete all 5 sets (with good form).

I am about to likely learn more about deloading shortly as my OP is getting dodgy.

Natx83

Okay yep ace some the deloading just wasn't sure on the term, have done twice and built back up to 75. Cycled back to 70 then 72.5 then the original 75 again. Just couldn't make that elusive last rep. Will deload again as am real close to getting it.

Was doing close grip for the first 8 or so weeks, will include some more of these as well as wide grip.

Generalle

if it's just that last rep, it could be a mental thing too.
I know if I go in and say 'I'm going to do x today' I do it. Saying to yourself that's what you are going to do, instead of preparing yourself to just try it helps me.
Got me to 3 reps @ 60kgs which isn't too bad for a girl! lol

nsimportant

This really helped me with the bench press.

In the bench press there are 3 main areas that people have trouble with. These are pop off the chest, the midpoint area where your elbows are at about 90 degrees and the lockout. Lets cover which muscles are holding these areas back.

Off the chest:
Most probable weak point is the pectorals, followed by the shoulders then the lats. Incline dumbbell presses (any angle will do) will really help with starting strength off the chest. Don't forget to use a full range of motion and get a good stretch at the bottom, that's why you're using dumbbells! With the dumbbells you get an increased range of motion (more lower end work), it works your shoulders more (weak point at bottom) and increases bar
stabilisation and arm coordination. Press with the dumbbells facing each other as this mimics the elbow tuck you should be using.

Midway:
Anterior deltoids will be the main issue, but training your external rotators and lats will vastly help with this common sticking point.

Lockout:
Triceps

chrisdavey

I think the word "strength" in the title has thrown people off here

jwoffindin

Are you working your legs as well? I hated working legs when I first started training, but always found including intense leg workouts increased my strength in general & helped me break through strength plateaus, especially bench press... so I learned to love leg press :-)

A little anecdotal but there is some research from 2001 that backs it up. There's a reference to this research in the book "Strength Training" (NSCA) which I found on google books:

....The significance of the relationship between an increase in the anabolic hormones
circulating in the bloodstream and gains in muscle strength was demonstrated in
a clever experiment performed by a group of scientists in Denmark (Hansen et
al. 2001). First, the scientists tested the arm strength of a group of subjects and,
subsequently, divided the subjects into two groups: One group trained only their
arms (A group), and the other group trained their arms and their legs (AL group).
Both groups spent the same amount of time training their arms; however, the AL
group performed additional leg exercises to increase the concentration of circulating
anabolic hormones—that is, testosterone and growth hormone (as already
mentioned, the amount of anabolic hormones in the blood will increase more if a
large amount of muscle is exercised). At the end of the experiment, the scientists
found that the A group increased their arm strength by 9 percent, while the AL
group increased their arm strength by 37 percent! This study clearly shows the
importance of recruiting a large muscle mass during resistance exercise, because
doing so causes a large increase in anabolic hormones and a greater increase in
strength.

Abstract for the original article:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1034/j.1600-0838.2001.110606.x/abstract

DaveRCF

....The significance of the relationship between an increase in the anabolic hormones
circulating in the bloodstream and gains in muscle strength was demonstrated in
a clever experiment performed by a group of scientists in Denmark (Hansen et
al. 2001). First, the scientists tested the arm strength of a group of subjects and,
subsequently, divided the subjects into two groups: One group trained only their
arms (A group), and the other group trained their arms and their legs (AL group).
Both groups spent the same amount of time training their arms; however, the AL
group performed additional leg exercises to increase the concentration of circulating
anabolic hormones—that is, testosterone and growth hormone (as already
mentioned, the amount of anabolic hormones in the blood will increase more if a
large amount of muscle is exercised). At the end of the experiment, the scientists
found that the A group increased their arm strength by 9 percent, while the AL
group increased their arm strength by 37 percent! This study clearly shows the
importance of recruiting a large muscle mass during resistance exercise, because
doing so causes a large increase in anabolic hormones and a greater increase in
strength.

Abstract for the original article:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1034/j.1600-0838.2001.110606.x/abstract

This could be an infomercial for the compound lifts. I like it; gives me hope. I have learned though that many of these experiments are not designed particularly well.

Jeff92se

Ask for a spotter to complete the last rep.

Also consider hitting the triceps as they might be failing before your chest muscles.