Bench Press (Trying to increase weight)

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soldiergrl_101
soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,206 Member
edited September 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
I have been trying to increase the weight I use on the bench press gradually. I started with just the bar 5x5 and for the past few weeks I have made it up to 10lbs on each side 5x5. I cant seem to push beyond that though, I cant do 12lbs for 5x5 or even 1x5. How should I move forward, stick with 10lbs or should I do like 5 sets of 1 or 2 reps with the higher weight?
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  • KittensMaster
    KittensMaster Posts: 748 Member
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    Do you have a partner?

    Do a few reps beyond your ability to lift. Let them hold the bar and you very slowly lower it

    Do 3 of those where they pull it up off you and you lower it slowly

    It is called a Negative

    Great for pushing thru barriers.

    You may be a bit sore after a solid workout and adding a few negatives
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,206 Member
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    KittensMaster wrote: »
    Do you have a partner?

    Do a few reps beyond your ability to lift. Let them hold the bar and you very slowly lower it

    Do 3 of those where they pull it up off you and you lower it slowly

    It is called a Negative

    Great for pushing thru barriers.

    You may be a bit sore after a solid workout and adding a few negatives

    Thats part of the issue, I dont have a workout buddy wish I did

  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    How are you feeling after the 5x5 at 65 pounds (the bar plus 10 on each side)? If you're feeling like you're spent, then keep doing that. If you feel like you could do more, then try adding the 2s to the bar and do a set or two of 2 reps.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    Work in a power rack with the safeties set so that you can worm your way out from under the bar. Or learn how to do the roll of shame. Knowing that you can fail safely is a huge part of the mental battle.

    Honestly, if you're stuck at 65lb, odds are that negatives and other partial movements aren't right for you yet. I'd focus on perfecting your form before worrying about anything like that. Bench isn't a comfortable lift. If you're comfortable, you're not tight, and probably trying to bench with just your chest.
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,206 Member
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    mathjulz wrote: »
    How are you feeling after the 5x5 at 65 pounds (the bar plus 10 on each side)? If you're feeling like you're spent, then keep doing that. If you feel like you could do more, then try adding the 2s to the bar and do a set or two of 2 reps.

    At 65lbs (wow that sounds way better than 10lbs haha) I feel bored like I could keep doing more because my body is used to it. I thought maybe I would try 4 sets of 5 at 10lbs and 1 set of 5 at 12lbs, but I couldnt get through the last set, I did maybe 1 and a half.
  • JeffGDDG
    JeffGDDG Posts: 252 Member
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    I'd try and add reps to the last set in particular.
  • KittensMaster
    KittensMaster Posts: 748 Member
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    Just make sure you are getting enough calories too
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
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    You can approach it multiple ways.
    Add on an extra set or two.
    Add weight, drop reps down to 4 and then build up to 5.

    If it was me I'd most likely do the following:
    Add weight, sets might look like this 5, 5, 4, 3, 3
    Next time see if I can't get 5 on the 3rd set, maybe 4 on the 4th. Keep going until 5x5 is achieved. Repeat.

    Not sure if you are in deficit, maintenance or surplus but it can be very difficult to increase weight on a deficit. Not impossible (neuromuscular adaption) but difficult.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Could it be mental?

    You can do 65lbs 5x5 - can you do a single at 69lbs? If not, I don't think it's a strength issue... probably mental, or perhaps yoru form/technique is bad... or a combination of both.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    Might want to have someone check your form, too. The push starts from the legs / glutes, so if your feet aren't firmly planted and you don't use your glutes and back arch to get your shoulders firmly planted on the bench, your arms & pecs don't have anything to work with.
  • ar9179
    ar9179 Posts: 374 Member
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    Are you working out at home or a gym? Other gym goers don't mind spotting each other. If at home, you need to get a rack with safeties so that you can progress. There is no way I could have kept adding weight without a spotter. I was too concerned about hurting myself.

    Someone posted this video in a thread a long time ago, but I came across it recently (can't find the thread now) and it has helped me a LOT. I went from struggling through 80 lbs to getting all 5x5 at 95 lbs in a matter of a few workouts. Never thought I'd make it this far, especially eating at a deficit! The pushing back on the leg drive makes a big difference for me, although I try to follow all of her advice.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XRmd3a8_0
  • juliewatkin
    juliewatkin Posts: 764 Member
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    ar9179 wrote: »
    Are you working out at home or a gym? Other gym goers don't mind spotting each other. If at home, you need to get a rack with safeties so that you can progress. There is no way I could have kept adding weight without a spotter. I was too concerned about hurting myself.

    Someone posted this video in a thread a long time ago, but I came across it recently (can't find the thread now) and it has helped me a LOT. I went from struggling through 80 lbs to getting all 5x5 at 95 lbs in a matter of a few workouts. Never thought I'd make it this far, especially eating at a deficit! The pushing back on the leg drive makes a big difference for me, although I try to follow all of her advice.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34XRmd3a8_0

    I think that was me that posted it. It's one I post a lot because of the awesome information :smile:

    Another approach is micro plates. I find bench very difficult to progress at. A friend made 1.25 plates for me so I can increase in total increments of 2.5lbs rather than 5lbs. A five lb jump can be significant on bench so I structure mine around 2.5lb increments. You can buy something similar on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/CFF-Olympic-Fractional-Weight-2-Inch/dp/B005P7BPCA
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Could it be mental?

    You can do 65lbs 5x5 - can you do a single at 69lbs? If not, I don't think it's a strength issue... probably mental, or perhaps yoru form/technique is bad... or a combination of both.

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    soldiergrl_101 wrote: »
    I have been trying to increase the weight I use on the bench press gradually. I started with just the bar 5x5 and for the past few weeks I have made it up to 10lbs on each side 5x5. I cant seem to push beyond that though, I cant do 12lbs for 5x5 or even 1x5. How should I move forward, stick with 10lbs or should I do like 5 sets of 1 or 2 reps with the higher weight?

    When you were just benching the bar, how was the bar speed? Were you controlling it well on the eccentric and a controlled explosive concentric for a lack of better words? Bar speed is also a good indicator of when to progress the weight. One of the negatives of SL5x5 is that it's absolute as far as how weight is increased. If your reps are kind of slow and "grindy", you probably shouldn't progress the weight even if you can finish all sets.

    Secondly, it could be a form issue so watch some videos on form. You don't need to go full-on powerlifter style, but a little arch and definitely good leg support and drive will keep your shoulders healthy and provide with a better base to press from.



  • ar9179
    ar9179 Posts: 374 Member
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    @juliewatkin Thank you VERY much for sharing it! It has made a big difference for me.
  • icemaiden37
    icemaiden37 Posts: 238 Member
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    I'm interested in this thread as I've found bench press is a tricky one to progress on
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,521 Member
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    I bought 1.25lb plates from Amazon. I'm at the point that going up by 5lbs is too much; I figure that if I take smaller jumps (2.5 lbs total), I might have better success. I also switched from 5x5 to 5/3/1, which has helped my bench.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    the biggest issue regarding moving up in weight on the bench is form.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    The OP said that she "cant do 12lbs for 5x5 or even 1x5" so I thought she was already trying microplates.

    I will second or third the mention of calories and cutting. If you are eating in a large deficit, your strength may plateau or decrease. For me, bench press is the first lift to be affected by eating in a deficit. I have to stay pretty moderate with any cut that I do in order to prevent completely stalling on bench.
  • JamestheLiar
    JamestheLiar Posts: 148 Member
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    Mark Rippetoe suggests "micro-loading" in his book Starting Strength ... Sorry I can't site chapter and verse, but I HIGHLY recommend the book. According to Rippetoe, it's important to continue a linear progression in the novice program, but sometimes the smallest plates are too heavy - especially for lifts like the bench press. In the book, he suggests using 52 mm steel washers to increase the weight. I bought a few from an online company called Grainger, and they weigh about 12 ounces each.

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