Stalled on bench press

crisanderson27

Bump...some good information here.

My bench hasn't stalled, but it's VERY slow...one of the things I'm currently researching

perhaps you are strong enough that it is just going to be slow? what is the ratio of your 1rm to bodyweight?

I've never done a 1rm, and I'm not using a true bench at the moment due to a shoulder injury I got doing 95lbs/arm on a 5x5 format with dumbbell chest presses.

But to answer you, I'm 185lbs, and my 5rm on that stupid hammer strength machine that I hate, is 250lbs.

SeanNJ

Finding a spotter is as easy as "hey will you spot me, don't touch the bar unless I call out 'help' ".

Or you could sing it:

Hey I just met you
And this is crazy
But I'm doing bench press
So spot me maybe?

Determinednoob

Bump...some good information here.

My bench hasn't stalled, but it's VERY slow...one of the things I'm currently researching

perhaps you are strong enough that it is just going to be slow? what is the ratio of your 1rm to bodyweight?

I've never done a 1rm, and I'm not using a true bench at the moment due to a shoulder injury I got doing 95lbs/arm on a 5x5 format with dumbbell chest presses.

But to answer you, I'm 185lbs, and my 5rm on that stupid hammer strength machine that I hate, is 250lbs.

Yeah dude, you're too strong (lol?) to increase very fast anymore (natty). You need to look into 5/3/1 or some other intermediate-advanced lifting routine\method

crisanderson27

Finding a spotter is as easy as "hey will you spot me, don't touch the bar unless I call out 'help' ".

Or you could sing it:

Hey I just met you
And this is crazy
But I'm doing bench press
So spot me maybe?

Dude, this effin rocks lol.

crisanderson27

Bump...some good information here.

My bench hasn't stalled, but it's VERY slow...one of the things I'm currently researching

perhaps you are strong enough that it is just going to be slow? what is the ratio of your 1rm to bodyweight?

I've never done a 1rm, and I'm not using a true bench at the moment due to a shoulder injury I got doing 95lbs/arm on a 5x5 format with dumbbell chest presses.

But to answer you, I'm 185lbs, and my 5rm on that stupid hammer strength machine that I hate, is 250lbs.

Yeah dude, you're too strong (lol?) to increase very fast anymore (natty). You need to look into 5/3/1 or some other intermediate-advanced lifting routine\method

I'm doing reverse pyramid now, and making gains slowly (like...half a rep/week on my main lift lol). Wednesdays sets looked like this:

Warmup: 90lbs*5, 120lbs*5, 140lbs*5
Working: 250lbs*5 (dead locked, no attempt at 6), 200lbs*5, 180lbs*6

DavPul

Bump...some good information here.

My bench hasn't stalled, but it's VERY slow...one of the things I'm currently researching

perhaps you are strong enough that it is just going to be slow? what is the ratio of your 1rm to bodyweight?

I've never done a 1rm, and I'm not using a true bench at the moment due to a shoulder injury I got doing 95lbs/arm on a 5x5 format with dumbbell chest presses.

But to answer you, I'm 185lbs, and my 5rm on that stupid hammer strength machine that I hate, is 250lbs.

Yeah dude, you're too strong (lol?) to increase very fast anymore (natty). You need to look into 5/3/1 or some other intermediate-advanced lifting routine\method

I'm doing reverse pyramid now, and making gains slowly (like...half a rep/week on my main lift lol). Wednesdays sets looked like this:

Warmup: 90lbs*5, 120lbs*5, 140lbs*5
Working: 250lbs*5 (dead locked, no attempt at 6), 200lbs*5, 180lbs*6

I agree Chris, you're at the point where things taper a bit. Since I don't work out with you, it's hard to diagnose. Two suggestions. Put a small increase of weight on the bar. Put those cookies (2.5 lbs) on each end. Your body shouldn't notice the difference and you should get your same 5 reps. Then add more cookies the next week, and the next. The other suggestion is perhaps you need more power/explosion? The guy I'm working with now; this is his issue. So we added some plyo pushups to the end of the chest routine. Once again, without seeing how the weight is moving it's hard to say. Bonus option. Take a week or two off, come back and use lighter weights for higher reps (8-10 range) for three weeks, then resume 5x5.

Determinednoob

Bump...some good information here.

My bench hasn't stalled, but it's VERY slow...one of the things I'm currently researching

perhaps you are strong enough that it is just going to be slow? what is the ratio of your 1rm to bodyweight?

I've never done a 1rm, and I'm not using a true bench at the moment due to a shoulder injury I got doing 95lbs/arm on a 5x5 format with dumbbell chest presses.

But to answer you, I'm 185lbs, and my 5rm on that stupid hammer strength machine that I hate, is 250lbs.

Yeah dude, you're too strong (lol?) to increase very fast anymore (natty). You need to look into 5/3/1 or some other intermediate-advanced lifting routine\method

I'm doing reverse pyramid now, and making gains slowly (like...half a rep/week on my main lift lol). Wednesdays sets looked like this:

Warmup: 90lbs*5, 120lbs*5, 140lbs*5
Working: 250lbs*5 (dead locked, no attempt at 6), 200lbs*5, 180lbs*6

I havent done a terrible amount of research into what to do when that strong cause i'm just not there yet, but I am pretty sure people doing 5/3/1, one example of an intermediate to advanced routine, increase the weight they user monthly

AddA2UDE

Finding a spotter is as easy as "hey will you spot me, don't touch the bar unless I call out 'help' ".

Or you could sing it:

Hey I just met you
And this is crazy
But I'm doing bench press
So spot me maybe?

LMFAO!!! That's so awesome!

JNick77

Unfortunately if you really want to take a run at increasing your bench you're gonna have to ditch the machines and get on the bench with a barbell and get some DB work in there too. Just work in sets of 3's or 5's and work to a max, don't really need a spotter for that. Throw-in 2 or 3 sets of max rep DB bench presses and you'll be good. Rotate the bench press with the floor press, close-grip press, incline-press, and even low-pin rack press if you can and go from there. Get some sets of heavy tricep work and sets of moderate tricep work, Lat work, and even some shoulder to work to strengthen and protect your delts.

5/3/1 would be excellent for you.

JNick77

I havent done a terrible amount of research into what to do when that strong cause i'm just not there yet, but I am pretty sure people doing 5/3/1, one example of an intermediate to advanced routine, increase the weight they user monthly

Every four weeks basically they increment the weight, if they can of course.

Honestly, if you want to try and get your bench moving I'd take a look at Westside for Skinny *kitten* 3 or maybe even the full Westside Method. I know people see Westside and think chains, bands, and that it's confusing, difficult, and for advanced lifters, but it's really not. Joe DeFranco's version (Westside for Skinny *kitten*) is super simple to follow and doesn't require chains or anything and can easily be adopted by even beginners, hence the name "Skinny *kitten*" (aka, no muscle mass).

crisanderson27

Unfortunately if you really want to take a run at increasing your bench you're gonna have to ditch the machines and get on the bench with a barbell and get some DB work in there too. Just work in sets of 3's or 5's and work to a max, don't really need a spotter for that. Throw-in 2 or 3 sets of max rep DB bench presses and you'll be good. Rotate the bench press with the floor press, close-grip press, incline-press, and even low-pin rack press if you can and go from there. Get some sets of heavy tricep work and sets of moderate tricep work, Lat work, and even some shoulder to work to strengthen and protect your delts.

5/3/1 would be excellent for you.

My shoulder has been feeling better. Tomorrow is bench day, and I may deload a bunch and go back to dumbbells and see how it feels. Right now my program requires lifting to virtual failure, and doing that with a barbell bench makes me nervous.

Bench day workout looks like this (assuming I'm off that effing machine):

Chest press (barbell or dumbbell) - warmup x3, weight no more than 10rm. My working set should be my 4rm and 4 reps of course. Deload 10% do 5 reps, deload 10% do 6 reps.

Weighted Dips - same rep program as above.

Shoulder press (dumbbell) - 5x5

I think I will do the dumbbell chest thing tomorrow, and work on some assistance forward and reverse shoulder work after my main workout. The injury I had was pressing 95lb dumbbells as I said. Weird electric shocks in my forearm, then instantly after, cold pain in the rear part of my shoulder...like the ball of my upper arm crushed part of the socket in my shoulder in the opposite direction of the press.

I'm looking into other lift methods...but I really like the simplicity of this reverse pyramid, and the results seem pretty solid. Just slow on the bench, which as you said could be due to the limits of that machine.

crisanderson27

Finding a spotter is as easy as "hey will you spot me, don't touch the bar unless I call out 'help' ".

Or you could sing it:

Hey I just met you
And this is crazy
But I'm doing bench press
So spot me maybe?

LMFAO!!! That's so awesome!

I dead stole it and put it on my profile lol.

JNick77

Unfortunately if you really want to take a run at increasing your bench you're gonna have to ditch the machines and get on the bench with a barbell and get some DB work in there too. Just work in sets of 3's or 5's and work to a max, don't really need a spotter for that. Throw-in 2 or 3 sets of max rep DB bench presses and you'll be good. Rotate the bench press with the floor press, close-grip press, incline-press, and even low-pin rack press if you can and go from there. Get some sets of heavy tricep work and sets of moderate tricep work, Lat work, and even some shoulder to work to strengthen and protect your delts.

5/3/1 would be excellent for you.

Ha, that post was actually for the OP but that's cool too. :laugh:

Yeah I just threw-out WS as they have a cool approach to lifting. Things like 5/3/1, reverse pyramid are great too.You can actually pyramid with 5/3/1 for added volume.

How is your shoulder during weighted Dips? Although they're better, my shoulders still have some trouble tolerating weighted dips. How wide is your grip usually on the bench press?

invictus8

I had some shoulder problems and it's largely gone away since I replaced the flat bench press with the decline bench press and incline bench press. The decline bench press actually works out the pectoral muscles more effectively than the flat bench (which puts about 40% of the stress on the shoulders, especially the front deltoid). It seems a lot of people with shoulder problems from benching are actually just over-working the front deltoids -- which get hit a lot from a variety of exercises.

crisanderson27

Unfortunately if you really want to take a run at increasing your bench you're gonna have to ditch the machines and get on the bench with a barbell and get some DB work in there too. Just work in sets of 3's or 5's and work to a max, don't really need a spotter for that. Throw-in 2 or 3 sets of max rep DB bench presses and you'll be good. Rotate the bench press with the floor press, close-grip press, incline-press, and even low-pin rack press if you can and go from there. Get some sets of heavy tricep work and sets of moderate tricep work, Lat work, and even some shoulder to work to strengthen and protect your delts.

5/3/1 would be excellent for you.

Ha, that post was actually for the OP but that's cool too. :laugh:

Yeah I just threw-out WS as they have a cool approach to lifting. Things like 5/3/1, reverse pyramid are great too.You can actually pyramid with 5/3/1 for added volume.

How is your shoulder during weighted Dips? Although they're better, my shoulders still have some trouble tolerating weighted dips. How wide is your grip usually on the bench press?

My shoulder was doing pretty well during dips. As I started adding weight (I think about 70lbs in really), it hurts up in my collar bone of all places. I did 90lbs of added weight this week though.

I wasn't doing bench until yesterday lol. I was doing that retarded hammer strength machine with 250lbs. Yesterday though I said fark it, and skipped the barbells that I mentioned I was going to do...and went to the bench. I overdid my warmup sets because I had NO clue what I was going to do for my working set. It ended up like this:

Bench Press - 135*5, 145*5, 155*5, 205*4, 185*5, 165*6

I could have did 205lbs for one more rep...but my left lat cramped clear the eff up, enough so I almost dropped the weight. It definitely would have been my last rep though. Why my lats were engaging in a manner that caused one to cramp, I'm not really sure. I must be doing something wrong...but I can't think of what. My sets felt good, shoulder blades locked down into the bench...pushing from my chest...I dunno.
On my bench yesterday, slightly wider than my shoulders.