What do you do when you can't get 5 reps?
ShakeyMcGee
Posts: 13
I was on my first working set of bench press at 170 pounds and failed on my fourth rep, pulling something in my shoulder. I knew I wouldn't make 5 reps in the last 4 sets so I lowered the weight to 135 and got the rest of my sets and reps. Should I have stayed at 170 and got as many reps as I could? What is more important, lifting the weight you are supposed to be lifting or getting all your sets and reps in?
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Replies
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Making sure you are not injured is first priority, then after that is resolved and if everything is ok, just repeat 170lbs for your next workout that includes bench press. No different than a fail/stall or whatever you want to call it. If you fail that weight 3 times (all sets and reps for 3 workouts), you deload by 10% and work your way back up. You could try it 4 times if you wanted to give it a go, but its more a psychological thing to get you back onto weight that you can complete for all sets and reps and give your muscle more time to recover due to handling a little lighter weight more than anything.0
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As already stated preventing injury is the top priority. If you failed because you pulled something in your shoulder you can, and probably should, be done with bench for the day.
Beyond that, the most important thing is stressing your muscles as much as possible. If you can do 170 for 4 reps then try the fifth rep and at least do the negative portion on each set. Another option would be to lower the weight to 165 and then do 5 reps and maybe a sixth if you can. Then come back the next workout and destroy 170.0 -
Yeah, definitely stop. It sounds like something similar I did years ago that messed my shoulder up. Get yourself a micro or light band and start doing band pull-aparts to help strengthen your shoulder, even on off days, and do about 50 in total. Use the bands before you bench to help warm-up, yes squatting does help a little, and also when you're done lifting.0
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Thanks for the advice guys. When I unracked the weight for the second set I knew I wasn't going to make all my reps. Rather than risk hurting it more I decided to finish at a lower weight instead of quitting the workout. I will buy bands tonight. I will call it a stall and try the same weight next time if my warm up sets are pain free.0
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I have been doing pull aparts with a light band and bench press was pain free! My reps were 5/5/5/3/3, my second stall, but that is ok, the pain was gone. Thanks JNick77.0
