Bench Press (Trying to increase weight)

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.

I'd try and add reps to the last set in particular.

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.

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 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

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

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.

I'm interested in this thread as I've found bench press is a tricky one to progress on

the biggest issue regarding moving up in weight on the bench is form.

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.

ninerbuff wrote: »

I've used an isometric technique with clients that has seemed to help, but you need either a power rack or Smith machine.
Set the pins or bar about "half way" of your arm extension when you bench. Now load it with weight that you for sure can't push, then get in and push up as hard as you can holding it for 10 seconds for a few sets.
Most results I get with clients is a a 5lb bench increase.
I learned this technique from a powerlifter.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Ah, good old rack presses. They have helped me get over plateaus.

Iron_Miss_Canada wrote: »

piperdown44 wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

I've used an isometric technique with clients that has seemed to help, but you need either a power rack or Smith machine.
Set the pins or bar about "half way" of your arm extension when you bench. Now load it with weight that you for sure can't push, then get in and push up as hard as you can holding it for 10 seconds for a few sets.
Most results I get with clients is a a 5lb bench increase.
I learned this technique from a powerlifter.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Ah, good old rack presses. They have helped me get over plateaus.

Niner is describing an isometric hold. Haven't personally done them for bench, but they are brutally effective for deads when held just below your sticking point, and I'm sure they would help on bench as well.

Love me some pin press! Hoping I get some next training cycle. It's been a while and I miss it. Especially when I'm above my sticking point and can press a supermax load.

Ah, was thinking rack presses. But pushing against a heavy weight you can't move as hard as you can for 10 seconds sounds like it would definitely recruit max muscle fibers. Actually, now that I think about it I do something similar with squats. Set the bars high, load up the bar and drive up as hard as I can. Depending on the weight it may even wobble a little bit lol

Also, try doing a super set with bench and lat pull downs. Basically do a bench set, walk over to the pull down machine do a set walk back to the bench do a set, repeat till sets are complete. No rest in between. Only the walk is the rest.

P.S. I apologize if you are already familiar with what a superset is.

piperdown44 wrote: »

tank1539 wrote: »

How close is your grip? Are you so close that it's mostly triceps and you're not engaging your pecs enough? What other pec exercises are you doing? Try moving from the bar and use Dumbbells for a few weeks. You can also do your sets on the bench but after every set do push-ups or knee push-ups till failure. Also, you should only be giving yourself about 90 sec inbetween sets that puts you around 70% recovery (ideal to make your body recruit different muscle tissue) at 2+ min your 100% recovered (not ideal)

Where did you get that?
You do realize that a 5x5 weight program is for strength (growth does happen too) and longer rest periods are called for with a strength program. The heavier the weight the more overall muscle tissue is recruited.

Arnold's encyclopedia

And I appologize for not knowing what a 5x5 program was. I just informed myself. I've never done any specialty programs so please disregard my posts as I was looking at it differently but the science is solid.