Please help me, what am I doing wrong?

[marshmallow man]

My bench press sucks. Really sucks.

Me:
5'-10"
181 pounds
34" waist
Reformed fatbody.

Most important thing first:
My diet is good. Healthy fats, low-moderate carb, high protein, 2500-2800 cals.

Typical Routine(I vary every 4-6 weeks):
Flat Bench
Incline Dumbbell
Cable or Machine Flies
Pullovers or Machine Press
Pushups

I've tried 5 sets of 5, 5 sets of 3, 3 sets of 10, 4 sets of 10, drop sets, and something like 10 reps, 8 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps.

My one rep max bench press: 205lb, yep.

Cable row: I can do 145lbs 3 sets of 10.
Pullups: 5 unassisted(perhaps that isn't much, but more than some)

I work out with another dude, we are very close on everything but bench. He put up 300 the other day and I can't get but 205? I don't get it.

Help.:sigh1:

 

[Pain Eater]

Your lucky. My max is only 185.... But it was only 85 about 10 months ago...

Try doing isolation exercises for your triceps such as skull-crushers, close grip bench etc... And also for shoulders like OH press, or side/front raises.

It looks like your killing your chest, and not really focusing on the rest of the muscles involved in the bench press.

 

[marshmallow man]

I didn't include the rest of my week, just chest day and some cliffnotes to compare what I think is a lack of proportionality.

I do tris on chest day.
Back and bis
shoulders and legs

I run every "off" day.

 

[hvylifter]

How often do you hit a bodypart? Where's your grip on bench, do you arch your back and or tuck your shoulders. How do you feel your form is. Do you do squats and or deads etc, whats the rest of your workout, not just the grouping. There's alot that combines to form progress. What about supplements?

 

[marshmallow man]

How often do you hit a bodypart?

Weekly.

Where's your grip on bench, do you arch your back and or tuck your shoulders. How do you feel your form is.

Grip puts my arms at 90*, i don't arch my back and I try to tuck my shoulders.

Do you do squats and or deads etc, whats the rest of your workout, not just the grouping.

Back/Bicep:
Pullups or lat pulldowns
Low Rows(narrow or wide grip)
DB rows or bent over rows
Hi Row(hammer strength)
Bent over flies
Preacher Curls
Barbell Curls
Dumbbell curls

Shoulders/Legs:
Overhead dumbbell press
Front and side raises
Shrugs
Upright rows
Leg press
Leg extension
Hamstring Curls
Seated Calf Raises
Standing calf raises

What about supplements?

Just protein, lycine, glutamine, multivitamin, additional B12 and creatine.

 

[Muscledad]

When I started working out I couldn't lift 135. Then I started to do a pyramid scheme of 8 reps, add 5lbs, 6reps, add 5 lbs, 5 reps, add, 4 add, 3 add, 2 add, 1 rep, then drop to starting weight and burnout.

I got up to lifting 275lb doing this. I jumped in bench pretty fast.

Squats and Deads would be beneficial as well they are in the top 3 or 4 exercises that should be done. IMO

Maybe sticking with one routine as opposed to trying so many different things will help as well.

Just some ideas for ya.

 

[mikemd21289]

Yeah I would agree with doing pyramid sets, Something like 135x12 155x8 185x6 205x2 185x6 155x8 135x12.... you know just something to work up to your max then back down to get those extra reps, be sure not to over train after doing 7 sets on the bench though

 

[marshmallow man]

Thanks guys.

 

[EasyEJL]

I would just say "do something different". switching your routine around frequently (every 6-12 weeks) makes a difference. switch dumbbells for bb, change rep range + number of sets, do one exercise at the end for 20 reps.

 

[b18cyaaa]

205 isn't bad. I am much stronger in my arms than my chest. your stronger in your back than chest. I agree with pyramid sets. Also, try some heavy negatives. I was reading an article recently about doing pushups 3 x failure a few days a week on off days between chest workouts and claimsi it increased gains rapidly. Seems simplistic but it's an idea.

 

[shortstop1616]

Work on your supporting muscles for bench... like your front delts and your triceps... you should see an increase in your bench... my bench has gone up 40 lbs in 2 weeks following this workout porgram

 

[madds87]

One way that could def. help you on your bench is that you might not realize it, but alot of people have terrible form on bench, but they just dont realize it. It can very easily be thought to have mastered the lift. When i first started working out i thought i had it down pat for about a year and a half. When i had a personal trainer workout with me one day i realized that day that i had a terrible form. Once i corrected these points my bench went up 20 lbs. I had alot more streangth in my lift and felt alot more confident in balancing.
The main points i would note would be to arch your back so that it would look like you had a two-by-four under neith your lower back. Never fully lock out your arms. Breath in during the downward motion, exhale as you push. Dont bounce off your chest. When you finish the lift the bar should look on the side kinda like your about to rack the bar, this is only slightly moving towards the rack, maybe one or two degrees. The middle of your upper back should be flexed and tight during the whole lift. Elbows should not be along side of you but kinda of in the middle of 90 and elbows being side by side.
Now for the lifting i would recommend using dumbells, smith machine for bench and maybe even working your triceps on a different day, 2 to 3 days after working chest.
Hope this helps.

 

[marshmallow man]

Work on your supporting muscles for bench... like your front delts and your triceps... you should see an increase in your bench... my bench has gone up 40 lbs in 2 weeks following this workout porgram

That site is blocked from work can you just post it?


Thanks.

 

[hvylifter]

I would deff do more tricep work, you do too much chest and basically not enough tris. Arch your back and bury your shoulders. there is a groove to follow. its a slight arch from top the bar should move slightly forward and hit your chest just below your nips, the blast it up very slowly moving bar back toward rack. Try the exercises listed above for tris, esp. close grip bench. Your traps are part of your back, and imo should be done on back day. I saw no lower back work. i also saw leg press as your big lower body movement. Unless you have health reasons such as you will die and burn in hell, you should be doing at least some form of squat and dead. They incorporate so many muscle groups it helps your whole body grow, and raise your nat gh and test levels. yea they are harder than anything you have listed, learn to enjoy the pain.

 

[hvylifter]

your front delts are a big part of bench as well. if they are still worn from shoulder day, your bench will suffer. I do shoulders on bench day. Im a powerlifter thou and base everything around the main lifts. Your lats also provide a launch pad out of the bottom, so work them good. when you start the press, drive into your arch with your legs, but don't raise your azz, thats gay.

 

[crazyfool405]

DIPS!

Start with incline bench

Evaluate your form!

 

[allstar504448]

go heavy in the 4-6 rep range
use this you will be out of the gym in 45 minutes and will get a great workout
3x6 incline barbell bench
2x6 flat dumbbell bench
2x6 decline dumbbell bench
2x6 overhead tricep extensions
2x6 skullcrushers
heavy heavy heavy and dont do forced reps