Anyone else in this boat?

rysigpi

rysigpi

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Okay, here is the low down. I have been training for about 3.5 years now, maybe a little more. About 2.5years seriously and I eat VERY VERY well, especially for a college student. (Yeah everyone is like wtf are you eating and why all the time) Right now I am 6'3" 233 at about 13ish% b/f (see top 4 abs well and next two faintly) and 20 y/o. My roommate, he is 21 and like 5'8" 158 pounds and he out benches me!

I doesnt sound like a huge deal, but it pissed me off cause he will rep about 10-15 pounds more than me on flat barbell bench presses. Also the same for incline or decline barbell. Now if we use dumbells, I am doing dumbells that are 10-15 pounds heaver EACH. Its just so weird, and everything lifting comes up around our friends it always gets thrown in that he "kills" me on bench day. Well thats the only exercise he really uses more weight for is a barbell press so whatever. I try and leave me ego at the door, and I never have the heart to tell the people (that my roommate says that too) that I deadlift over 200 pounds more than he does for reps, and parallel squat 150+ more than he does for reps.

All this has just got me determined to bring my chest up! In the last month I have put 20 pounds on my bench for equal reps of what i was doing before.

I guess my rant is over!

Ryno
out
 
DAdams91982

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Okay, here is the low down. I have been training for about 3.5 years now, maybe a little more. About 2.5years seriously and I eat VERY VERY well, especially for a college student. (Yeah everyone is like wtf are you eating and why all the time) Right now I am 6'3" 233 at about 13ish% b/f (see top 4 abs well and next two faintly) and 20 y/o. My roommate, he is 21 and like 5'8" 158 pounds and he out benches me!

I doesnt sound like a huge deal, but it pissed me off cause he will rep about 10-15 pounds more than me on flat barbell bench presses. Also the same for incline or decline barbell. Now if we use dumbells, I am doing dumbells that are 10-15 pounds heaver EACH. Its just so weird, and everything lifting comes up around our friends it always gets thrown in that he "kills" me on bench day. Well thats the only exercise he really uses more weight for is a barbell press so whatever. I try and leave me ego at the door, and I never have the heart to tell the people (that my roommate says that too) that I deadlift over 200 pounds more than he does for reps, and parallel squat 150+ more than he does for reps.

All this has just got me determined to bring my chest up! In the last month I have put 20 pounds on my bench for equal reps of what i was doing before.

I guess my rant is over!

Ryno
out
Dont sweat it... if your pushing out the dumbells... why sweat the bench? I got hella long arms, and makes the bench really uncomfortable, and awkward... I do it at my pace, and just really wax the dumbells.


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rysigpi

rysigpi

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Same here....my arms are hella long...I gotta be careful racking it back as I can easily go right over the things!
 
DAdams91982

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Same here....my arms are hella long...I gotta be careful racking it back as I can easily go right over the things!
There you go... longer arms means you need a little more range of motion.... hence banking out the dumbells no problem.

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rysigpi

rysigpi

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Hey that what I'm thinking as well. Thanks.

Now why is it that when lifting ever comes up, people always ask, "ahhhh, what do ya bench dude"

It should be, "What do you squat and pull!!!":twisted:
 
DAdams91982

DAdams91982

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Hey that what I'm thinking as well. Thanks.

Now why is it that when lifting ever comes up, people always ask, "ahhhh, what do ya bench dude"

It should be, "What do you squat and pull!!!":twisted:
Hehe... or next time that come up... just let them know you could leg press a buick!!! :rofl:

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BIG NAP N.J.

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Hey man listen to what your actually saying?Come on bro your 20 years old.you gotta stop worrying what everyone else in the gym says or thinks.Who the hell cares?Take agood look in the mirror every day , worry about you and your physique, your muscle bellys, and muscle maturity.Mother fu#@!$&* the dam weight bro seriously.You need to use certian poundages to blast your body andmake you grow,someone else might need more or less to grow who cares.Start getting into the right mentality now because your young I wish someone could of told me the same at 20 years old.Good luck with everything train hard,eat big,and get big.hit me back anytime.
 
mab904

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Hey that what I'm thinking as well. Thanks.

Now why is it that when lifting ever comes up, people always ask, "ahhhh, what do ya bench dude"

It should be, "What do you squat and pull!!!":twisted:
Arm length can be a major factor. I have the same problem. At 5'7" I have a wingspan of 68":blink:. Maybe I should have played basketball.
Learning how to set up and get a really good arch has helped me tremendously. Shortened my stroke and put 40lbs on my bench in just a couple weeks. May not seem like much, but for a 135lb female who was stuck at 105, being able to get 145 is a big improvement. Plus now I get to put the big plates on there :woohoo:...lol. The reason nobody ever asks what you squat or pull is probably cause they don't. It's let's curl, let's bench, let's go for them. Ya never see those guys wearing shorts that don't go down past their knees for some reason...hhmmm.:D
 
Beelzebub

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what is your bench form and what is his? if he's tucking his elbows in and you're flaring yours, he has a greater advantage. like mab said about form, if you're benching with a flat back and he's benching with a arch, he has an even greater advantage. height is a major disadvantage but it sounds like you are already stronger than him so i don't see that being an issue. watch his form next time and compare it with yours.
 
rysigpi

rysigpi

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Yeah I get what you are all saying, and believe me I really don't let it get to me that much. It's just that last night he was ranting about it and it pissed me off.

I feel ya on the arm length mab... mine is over 80 inches.

On the form, yeah he arches his back and I really don't.

I know I will pass him in the next few months. I work a lot harder! :nutkick:

edit: Got bored and just measured my windspan as 82 inches :blink:
I'm like a damn gorilla!!! ahah
 

joshingyou

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5'8-5'10 seems to be a sweet spot in body mechanics that makes it more akin to the bench. Most likely if you two powerlifted he'll always have a strong edge on you.

But the real question is are you building for looks or strength. If you mix the two you'll always been in some sort of rut.
 

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