Bad week or bad bench press?

[DerickVonD]

It seems I still can not progress on the bench press and seem to decrease in reps. Idk if it's because I had a bad week, because I went down by one rep on the tricep extension also, or because of the pinched nerve in my back from my flat feet or if I'm just not benching correctly. About 2 weeks ago I tried benching 160 I got 10, 8, 6, so I decided to drop the weight to keep it in the 8-12 rep range. The next week at 150 I got 12,10,7 and this week at 150 I got 12,11,5. It doesn't seem to matter what I try to do I always hear this click in my left shoulder. I have a shoulder muscle imbalance and I'm wondering if that's what is preventing me from progressing on the bench, or if my technique is just bad. I do squeeze my shoulder blades together but no matter what I hear that click, except sometimes when I do bench pressing with a close grip. Could I just have my arms out too wide, or could this have something to do with my shoulder imbalance?

[DerickVonD]

Should I just stick with a close grip, or is the bar still too high. I have the bar over nipple lever. Should I try lowing the bar to just below my pecs?

[R1balla]

check form...how have you eaten this week? diet effects that big time. also, you can lay off of BB bench and go to DB for a while or floor presses to change it up.

[DerickVonD]

check form...how have you eaten this week? diet effects that big time. also, you can lay off of BB bench and go to DB for a while or floor presses to change it up.

I've been eating more than ever. Maybe it has something to do with my back this week because i felt wore out today and I really need to see the foot doctor and get custom insoles, because my upper back is killing me.

[swollen87]

It seems I still can not progress on the bench press and seem to decrease in reps. Idk if it's because I had a bad week, because I went down by one rep on the tricep extension also, or because of the pinched nerve in my back from my flat feet or if I'm just not benching correctly. About 2 weeks ago I tried benching 160 I got 10, 8, 6, so I decided to drop the weight to keep it in the 8-12 rep range. The next week at 150 I got 12,10,7 and this week at 150 I got 12,11,5. It doesn't seem to matter what I try to do I always hear this click in my left shoulder. I have a shoulder muscle imbalance and I'm wondering if that's what is preventing me from progressing on the bench, or if my technique is just bad. I do squeeze my shoulder blades together but no matter what I hear that click, except sometimes when I do bench pressing with a close grip. Could I just have my arms out too wide, or could this have something to do with my shoulder imbalance?

1. sometimes people have a bad week due to sleep/overtraining/poor diet/stress... if i deadlift 550 pounds on a friday night, i certainly cant expect to have a tremendous workout saturday or sunday

2. you have a pinched nerve, see a doctor please

3. youre form could be off.. have your feet firmly planted wide on the floor, with your back flat on the bench(dont arch) bring the bar to just below your pec as youre breathing in, and exhale on the way up.. your arms should be just past shoulder width

4. your shoulder clicks, check form... see doctor

5. shoulder muscle imbalance? again.. see doctor.. then find what muscles are out of wack, and train them

6. sometimes a good week off is needed for recovery and healing...

make sure you warm up properly before your workouts... i too have a shoulder with some issues.... ice, rest, sleep, and warming up seem to keep it from getting any worse

[DerickVonD]

1. sometimes people have a bad week due to sleep/overtraining/poor diet/stress... if i deadlift 550 pounds on a friday night, i certainly cant expect to have a tremendous workout saturday or sunday

2. you have a pinched nerve, see a doctor please

3. youre form could be off.. have your feet firmly planted wide on the floor, with your back flat on the bench(dont arch) bring the bar to just below your pec as youre breathing in, and exhale on the way up.. your arms should be just past shoulder width

4. your shoulder clicks, check form... see doctor

5. shoulder muscle imbalance? again.. see doctor.. then find what muscles are out of wack, and train them

6. sometimes a good week off is needed for recovery and healing...

make sure you warm up properly before your workouts... i too have a shoulder with some issues.... ice, rest, sleep, and warming up seem to keep it from getting any worse

I did see a doctor. I'm going to see the foot doctor hopefully soon I'll make an appointment tomorrow. THe pain goes away when I have insoles but gets bad again because the insoles wear down.

[R1balla]

you can be eating all you want, but if you arent eating right it can give u a terrible workout. go see a doc and report back

[EasyEJL]

I sort of hate to say it, but derick, have you ever considered that maybe weight training isn't for you? If you want to stay and be in share, maybe a bodyweight exercise routine would give you less issues.

[MM11]

You do want an arch in your back when benching. If your back is flat it is a similar position as standing with a slouch. Your traps should be well planted and feet where you feel comfortable. I tore Mu shoulder benching with my back flat. My Doctor (sports med doc) during PT corrected the way I benched. I took 18 months off flat bench. Now I have no shoulder issues and maces out at 365 last week at 195 lbs.

You can check out Tates so you think you can bench. Lots of good advice from the guru

[MM11]

I was unable to finish my post being at work. Above only stressed form. If you have an injury of any sort please see a doctor and be open and honest with him. When my doc said I couldn't bench I told him never doing flat bench was not an option. Of
course I did what was needed to recover but I didn't lie to him.

Over training may also be a concern. Take a few days off the gym and see oif you notice a difference.

[R1balla]

i had shoulder issues doing flat bench. switched to smith, no problems but didnt see any progress. now i do DB flat and floor presses and no problems with shoulder. try that.

[DerickVonD]

I sort of hate to say it, but derick, have you ever considered that maybe weight training isn't for you? If you want to stay and be in share, maybe a bodyweight exercise routine would give you less issues.

Don't tell me that man I'll get depressed. I'm taking afew days off and I'm going to lower the weight and focus on form. I don't seem to hear the click with the close grip bench and I noticed that the bar is alittle lower, so next time I wide bench I'm going to have the bar lower, because the bar being higher up I think is putting pressure on my shoulders. This would explain why I'm progressing on the close grip bench but not the wide grip bench. I'll let you guys know next week how it goes.

[DerickVonD]

Tested the bench today. I did lighter weight and I did it more controlled and slow. I fixed my technique and I didn't feel pressure on my shoulder or pain, but I still got the click. Now I know I need to do some rotary cuff work and I have been doing scaptions and I am unable to do shoulder dislocation stretches. Is that click ok, if there is no pain or still not good? I know how to stop the shoulder pain now but not the click. The click doesnt happen in my injured shoulder either, it happens in my left shoulder. I should point out that I have minor scoliosis and my right shoulder used to be visible higher than my left.

[CaponeCEO]

Are you trying to bulk? If so why so many reps?

[monsterbox]

stop caring so much about bench. I have overdeveloped pecs, almost disproportional and my weakest lift is bench press. Do deadlifts, squats, dips, incline db press, or flat db presses, and do some fly's. You dont need to be good at benching to be a big/strong. Its all an ego show.

When people ask me how much i bench, i reply 135 for 40 reps. Its the most obscessed lift in the world and it pisses me off. I think its one of the least productive chest builders, and the prob the most dangerous lift if the form isn't perfect.

Grab some DB's man.

[CaponeCEO]

stop caring so much about bench. I have overdeveloped pecs, almost disproportional and my weakest lift is bench press. Do deadlifts, squats, dips, incline db press, or flat db presses, and do some fly's. You dont need to be good at benching to be a big/strong. Its all an ego show.

I somewhat agree. Incline should be your main chest exercise. To the OP What other ways do you train chest? It could be that your auxillary muscles that are causing a low bench.

[DerickVonD]

I somewhat agree. Incline should be your main chest exercise. To the OP What other ways do you train chest? It could be that your auxillary muscles that are causing a low bench.

My chest is big, not huge, but it sticks out. I have a 44" chest. Also I do close grip bench for triceps along with laying tricep extensions. The click doesn't happen as much with close grip. I train chest with triceps.

[CaponeCEO]

My chest is big, not huge, but it sticks out. I have a 44" chest. Also I do close grip bench for triceps along with laying tricep extensions. The click doesn't happen as much with close grip. I train chest with triceps.

Ok. What are your other chest routines?

[waynaferd]

I think decline is best for chest and easiest on the shoulders......

As far as grip width, stand up straight, close your eyes, and push your arms straight out....that should be the most "naturalist" width for ya. Keep elbows close as to not strain the shoulders....squeeze blades, push with feet...breath...I think that's how you do it

But I would try some decline or incline, see how that feels.

And nobody is going to gain EVERY week....if that were so we'd be benching dump trucks.

[DerickVonD]

Ok. What are your other chest routines?

Set 1 - Back and Bis
Barbell Row
Deadlift
curls
Hammer curls


Set 2 - Chest and Tris

Bench
Db Lying Triceps Extension
close grip bench

Set 3 - Legs

front squat
calf raises
stiff leg deadlift


Set 4 - Shoulders
scaption
lateral raises
rear delt flys
shrugs



Day 1: back/bi's
Day 2: chest/tri's
Day 3: off
Day 4: legs
Day 5: shoulders
Day 6: off
Day 7: off