Bench press issues

mperrott2205
mperrott2205 Posts: 737 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello everyone,

So I'm about 4.5 months into my weight lifting career and it's going well in most areas and I'm seeing a noticeable change in most places, especially my arms and shoulders which is nice. The weight is progressively getting heavier too in most places - Apart from the bench press.

Does anyone have any advice in getting stronger at the bench press? Atm the most I can properly do 4 sets of 8-12 reps is 35kg, which is quite a small amount, but a significant step up from when I started (I was doing 15kg).

Oh also, I am trying to lose weight so I am in a caloric deficit which I know can impede on my strength and muscle gains but still I would like to be doing at least 50kg asap.

Many thanks
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Replies

  • Philllbis
    Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
    Are you working your back with other lifts or rows? A stronger back helps your bench.
  • nadz6012
    nadz6012 Posts: 126 Member
    Why such high volume?
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
    What are your goals?
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    If you can do 4 sets of 8-12 reps, I think I'd up the weight and drop some reps/sets.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Up the weight with lower reps.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    If strength is your goal, you need to stop with the high-rep sets at low weights. That's not going to make you stronger. Give Starting Strength or Stronglifts a try.
  • stephenszymanski
    stephenszymanski Posts: 114 Member
    Look into stronglifts. I'd drop the reps and increase the weight.
  • james6998
    james6998 Posts: 743 Member
    3-6 reps builds power but not so much size. Bodybuilding is about strict from, getting as much as you can out of each muscle. The rep range you are using is perfect for building muscle mass. Strength training is a whole different game. Many people bench with the weight too close to the neck. The bar should drop just below the nipples. Shoulders should be back and down. Chest stuck out but not in an unnatural way. Personally i have made much better gains using dumbbells not to mention less stress on the shoulders. Remember the amount of weight doesn't mean anything if its not right. If you want the best workout ever try this once at least. either bench or dumbbell. set up to do 4-5 sets. 8-12 reps. Make sure the weight is set so you can drop 20lbs off of each set really fast. Or if u really like pain only 10lbs off. Now what you do is you take the weight you normally use for your set. Do your first set. Without rest or any time wasted at all. Drop the 10-20lbs and do your second set. Repeat dropping the weight and doing the sets. Tell me how your chest feels after that. Btw if you dont feel it in your chest and instead feel it in your shoulders. Your doing improper form for the exercise. Perfect form reps is the key to Bodybuilding, shame i only learned this after 25+ years of lifting.
  • michaelmadonna
    michaelmadonna Posts: 105 Member
    First, I agree with some of the other posts - lower the reps and increase the weight.

    Second, a "tweek" I learned from my trainer to increase strenght in the bench press was to stop doing the flat bench press for about 4-6 weeks and work on increasing strength in your shoulders with progressive loading on Overhead Press and Shoulder Press (and probably others, these are what we focused on) - I did this and came back to the flat bench about 6 weeks later and broke through a plateau and then continued to make some gains. He had an explanation of why it worked but that, I don't remember.
  • kevinjb1
    kevinjb1 Posts: 233 Member
    How much gain can he really expect while eating at a deficit and cutting weight?
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    What are your fitness goals?
    What does your overall program look like?
  • michaelmadonna
    michaelmadonna Posts: 105 Member
    How much gain can he really expect while eating at a deficit and cutting weight?

    OP has only been lifting 4.5 months, he can still make gains in strength that early on even at a deficit. I agree he won't be building much if any additional LBM but the question OP posed was essentially how to get over a plateau on a particular exercise. Just saying what had once worked for me.
  • K_Serz
    K_Serz Posts: 1,299 Member
    Regardless of your goals. Heres some advice someone gave me once.

    Assuming you do flat, decline, and incline..... Do your worst exercise first, and save your best one last.

    Most people suck at incline.....myself included. I started doing incline first, then flat second. Never saw such amazing gains in my bench or shoulder press until I started doing that.

    Be safe and good luck!
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    First step is to video yourself if you can and see if there's any glaring issues with form.
  • Last2bfirst
    Last2bfirst Posts: 49 Member
    As has been said, working secondary muscles, Biceps, triceps, Front Delts, triceps etc is going to improve your over all bench, especially the fast twitch muscles. Also you may add flys to your chest work and/or incline bench. Dont stop doing the bench. It is an over all resistence exercise adn works, at least at some level all the muscles I listed above. If I only had three-four resistence exercises I could do it would be bench, incline bench, seated rows and squats.
  • Drej3735
    Drej3735 Posts: 12
    For me, the way I got stronger over time was to drop the weight and increase the reps! It helped me but everyone's body is different and it's all trial & error, trying to find out what works best for u..good luck tho!
  • jdm_taco
    jdm_taco Posts: 999 Member
    My bench went up considerably with dumb bells.

    I like rep range of 5-8
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    How much gain can he really expect while eating at a deficit and cutting weight?

    Depends what you mean by gains: Size or Strength?

    Size, not much at all - especially with a larger deficit. If he was hovering closer to maintenance it would be possible (although very slow... much like a recomp).

    Strength - Possible, but more difficult. I've been at a deficit for 13 weeks and I'm still making strength gains on all core lifts while leaning up. It's more or less about your nervous system adapting to the weight though and being able to more efficiently recruit fibers.
  • Unknown
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  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    8-12 reps is more volume or hyperthrophy (muscle building) training. If your goal is strength then the reps should be under 5 reps at about 80-85% of your 1RM. Since you are new I would recommend StrongLifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. Both are very good reads and I have done both programs. I usually switch btwn the two of them though and I have seen all kinds of gains from starting both early in the year. StrongLifts has a very nice iPhone app that coaches you on what days you should do what lifts and how many sets, reps and weight. I'm still waiting for the Android app (plz hurry on that Mehdi) but know the program enough off memory. In short you really cant go wrong with either plan listed above in regards to strength.

    Now if your goal is muscle size then just keep doing the volume training like you are, eat a lot of clean food and don't over train your chest. Some guys just have a hard time developing their pecs.
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
    A lot of people, myself included actually loose some strength on the bench while on a caloric deficit, but you can minimize by, as others have said, using lower reps. In addition watch youtube videos on benching techniques. Mark Rippetoe and Dave Tate have excellent videos.
  • viperk1
    viperk1 Posts: 43 Member
    I'm on a calorie deficit and I upped my bench a pretty sizable amount (highest I've ever been). I was wondering how that was possible in a deficit and some of the posts here have given me some answers. Thanks!
  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
    As I'm 9 months into this, you are probably just missing a few basics.

    Make sure you are getting enough protein.

    As others have stated, work at a lower rep range. 6-8 instead of 8-12.

    Re-learn the proper benching form. Maybe you know it, but review it. Plenty of informative and accurate youtube videos.

    Are you overtraining? Getting enough rest?

    If you are using the bar you could switch to dumbbells, at least for a couple months.

    Good luck. :glasses:
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Bump.


    My bench sucks.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    Bump for educational purposes :)
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    How much gain can he really expect while eating at a deficit and cutting weight?

    A lot. I've been making gains for over 2 years while in a deficit.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Also, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHx1gYTA-Rw

    Watch the whole series. It will help your bench a lot.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    I found that I was able to up the weight more with dumbbell presses rather than bench.
  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
    I'm also making steady gains on a deficit. My bench isn't great, but I'm past my newbie gains. 9 months of 3x week lifting.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    Seriously everyone 8-12 reps is not "high rep" and is generally considered to be the hypertrophy range. He should be able to make gains in that range if everything else lines up. People on this site are way too in love with 5x5.

    I think the real thing here is calorie deficit. You have reached the maximum you will be able to lift with the current amount of muscle you have. If you want to get stronger/build more muscle, you will probably have to bulk than cut again.

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