Can't progress past 135lbs on reverse grip bench.

[Shiznown]

I injured myself years ago benching 290 flat. Then I injured myself close grip benching 215 close grip bench. So for about 2 years I've done dumbbell bench and hit 80 pound dumbbells. Then I switch to reverse bench. Well it's been a month and Im still at 135. I did dumbbell bench with 85 pound dumbbells after and got 4 out of the normal 6-8 reps I usually do for two sets. I'm going up on literally every other exercise but reverse bench. Any advice? Should I buy a swiss bar, or stick to dumbbells?

 

[NGtrains]

Before anything I’d look at 3 things, your bench form, your programming, and your eating. No piece of equipment is going to be some magic pill. Guarantee it’s one of those three things, if not a combo of all three.

 

[Aleksandar37]

When you say you're using dumbbells, is that for regular, pronated grip or reverse?

 

[Hyde]

Is there some medical/physical reason you cannot return to a traditional bench grip with some significant technical & mobility work? (Torn labrum, etc)

When you say you keep injuring yourself so you change methods completely, that makes me think there was just a lack of technical knowledge and you’re wrongly assuming it’s the problem instead of your execution.

For example, I cannot hold as much Hookgrip as I used to be able to over-under. Is it really the case that Hookgrip is inferior for me? Highly unlikely - there are just things with the execution I most likely need to keep working on. You have to be willing to seek out knowledge, experiment, and be persistent. I don’t mean load the bar to 290 and if it doesn’t go then too bad, I mean start with the empty bar and start practicing and relearning, better. Weightlifting is a skill.

 

[Ptlhains]

Do pin pull rows and one arm dumbbell rows and focus contracting your mid and upper back. You don't build a big bench from the front...

 

[Shiznown]

When you say you're using dumbbells, is that for regular, pronated grip or reverse?

Neutral grip

 

[Shiznown]

Is there some medical/physical reason you cannot return to a traditional bench grip with some significant technical & mobility work? (Torn labrum, etc)

When you say you keep injuring yourself so you change methods completely, that makes me think there was just a lack of technical knowledge and you’re wrongly assuming it’s the problem instead of your execution.

For example, I cannot hold as much Hookgrip as I used to be able to over-under. Is it really the case that Hookgrip is inferior for me? Highly unlikely - there are just things with the execution I most likely need to keep working on. You have to be willing to seek out knowledge, experiment, and be persistent. I don’t mean load the bar to 290 and if it doesn’t go then too bad, I mean start with the empty bar and start practicing and relearning, better. Weightlifting is a skill.

I've injured my shoulders in the past from ego lifting in my early 20s. I am now 31. I have never had an x-ray of my shoulders. My insurance isn't the best and they make you run through all these hoops, so I never got them xrayed. I did go to PT before when I first injured them. Then later with lighter weight, I injured them again, twice. I was going slow and controlled, with a close grip with light weight. What I think is an issue is, I think I just caused so much damage) inside my shoulders, plus having long forearms; my body is very disadvantaged when it comes to bench pressing. I can bench with a neutral grip fine, as long as I warm up and don't do a weight I can't do at least 6 reps with. Last time I benched with a close pronated grip, my shoulders hurt so bad I could barely move them and the day after that I felt my shoulders pop so hard, it felt like they broke. That was about 5 years ago. And yes, I was using light weight. I used to be able to bench normally before I did ego lifting.

 

[Hyde]

If neutral grip is painless and you enjoy benching itself then I would say invest in a Swiss bar. Do what you enjoy that doesn’t hurt, right?

That being said it may be worth getting x-rays to better understand what you are working with, damage-wise.