Tired of being stuck

[Bobert]

So I would say I'm an intermediate lifter. I've seen good gains on squats, deads, and shoulder press but the one place I am at stand still seems to be bench. I've heard everything from "front delts and tris aren't strong enough" to long arms. It's pretty crappy being able to squat and dead more than 2xs my weight but I can barely throw my body weight up on the bench press. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[OnionKnight]

how does your progression plan look?

small progress is still progress. that is usually key with the bench press

 

[Bobert]

Ultimately I wanna get to 200lbs but right now my max is 185, on a good day that is and has been for some time.

 

[rob112]

Watch so you think you can bench would be a start. It's a YouTube series.


Posting a video for critique from the vets here would be best.

 

[OnionKnight]

thats just a goal, i want what your progression looks like. read about the popular routines like 5/3/1 or 5x5

for example, every week on 5x5 you increase your bench by 5lbs (2.5 each side). thats the progression

if you havnt tried one aready, look into starting a proven strength routine. to name a few, look into stronglifts 5x5, madcow 5x5, or 5/3/1 by wendler

 

[Bobert]

Ultimately I wanna get to 200lbs but right now my max is 185, and that's on a good day. And that's were I've been for months.

 

[Bobert]

I've heard a lot about 5/3/1 but haven't taken the time to look into it. Would you recommend grabbing the book or is there enough material floating around online to get the gist of it?

 

[OnionKnight]

I've heard a lot about 5/3/1 but haven't taken the time to look into it. Would you recommend grabbing the book or is there enough material floating around online to get the gist of it?

theres enough out there to learn about it on your own, but youll get a much better understanding of it if you read the book. imo, 5x5 is simpler (especially madcows) and there are articles and websites that explain it perfectly.

i said simpler, not better. theyre all really good well balanced strength oriented routines. if youre into bodybuilding routines, look into phat or something else aimed at hypertrophy

 

[PaulBlack]

A few things...

If your BW is #160ish @ 6'1", then you are pretty much in line with the average ratios between a deadlift, and a BP, especially for a longer limbed guy being more built for pulling.
Adding strength and mass all over the body, is more than likely going to produce a higher BP eventually, but if you are not eating enough to elicit heavier weight, you will most likely adapt and stay more in those averages.
Lower rep multi sets also aid in single strength max reps, so without seeing any of your routine/program layouts , is hard to get specific.
It may be helpful too, to let in the understanding that you will most likely always have those ratios lifting raw and DF.
I would also give another vote for a proven 5x5 routine and staying with a steady diet of compound exercises and good food.

 

[Bobert]

I do

Warmup
135-8xs
155-6xs
165-4xs
135-failure
Then incline db and then I do shoulders the same day. I do this twice a week one day chest intensive the other shoulder intensive. I stick to compound lifts for the most part across the board. I THINK I'm eating enough, typically 3000 cals a day and not garbage.

 

[Sean1332]

If you're gaining, you're eating enough. If you aren't, then eat more. Simple as that. I agree with Onion and Paul. You have to get on a proven routine. No offense, but you may not be knowledgable to program you're own stuff. I'm not. I'm partial to 5/3/1, Onion 5x5. Both will be better than what you are doing. I'd strongly recommend getting material written directly by Wendler or Madcow, as there is a lot of misinformation spread around the forums and Internet.

My advice:
1) Perfect technique above everything. Bench press is not a chest movement, it's a full body movement
2) Get on a proven program
3) Develope your triceps and upper back.
4) Eat.
5) Rest

 

[PaulBlack]

I do

Warmup
135-8xs
155-6xs
165-4xs
135-failure
Then incline db and then I do shoulders the same day. I do this twice a week one day chest intensive the other shoulder intensive. I stick to compound lifts for the most part across the board. I THINK I'm eating enough, typically 3000 cals a day and not garbage.

This does not tell me a whole lot. Only an outline as to what you are doing.
What I mean is, you may possibly be going to failure too much with repping and not building momentum to add weight in a building phase thru say, volume at first and cycling into lower reps to hit a higher single.
I also liken this to chins, where guys reach a certain point and cannot get stronger since they are constantly going to failure without building a volume base, adding some mass, then moving that new mass to a higher PR single.
I still think a cycle/program where you'd start with very manageable rather easy weights ie: 5x5 with say #125 (I know it might sound easy with 70% at first, just like the Russian Percent program did to me) then as you add maybe #5 a week, (check the ego at door...!) then as it slowly over the weeks gets tougher, drop to #2 1/2, taking it up over 8-12 weeks perhaps, it builds you towards a higher level of repping strength, then moves you too lower reps ie; maybe 2-3's instead of hitting higher repping failure every week, week in week out. 90%+ of the best strength programs out there, deal in some type of linear progression. I think this is a reason why HIT only goes so far and does not work very well.

Lastly, if you are eating, that is one thing, but if you are not slowly, slowly gaining overall Bweight, your body will most likely adapt to the stimulus you are hitting it with and stagnate at that BW.

Sometimes a few steps back to get quite a few forward, is the better approach and someone who is less built for the BP. may have to take different steps than following a routine a guy built for the BP, could follow.

 

[Doss]

Someone else sort of mentioned it, but if you're not following a proven program you're just gambling against the odds. No offense, but there's no way you could craft a program as effective as some of the ones recommended above.

That said, if you do get onto a solid program and make good progress for a while but stall, you might want to look at your diet. I've found that a stubborn strength plateau can sometimes be broken by a week or two of high calorie eating. This may not work for everyone, but if I start stalling on a program the first thing I do is increase my healthy fat and carbs and try again. My 2¢.

60% of the time it works every time.

 

[Doss]

Also, my biggest gains on both the bench and overhead press came from doing very heavy dips. I put ~40lbs onto my max OH Press by putting 60lbs on my dip 10RM.

Might be worth trying if you continue to stagnate.

 

[Jiigzz]

5/3/1 gets my vote if you are an experienced lifter or struggle to make gains. The reason is that progression on 5/3/1 is very slow and when you begin you first take a step backward (lighter weights) but progression is almost guaranteed when programmed as written.

5x5 is weekly progression which is near impossible for a experienced lifter but makes for perfect early gains in less experienced lifters.

 

[Bobert]

Thanks for all advice and input gents

 

[PaulBlack]

60% of the time it works every time.

Ha ha, is that like 90% of it is half mental??? I think I know what you're saying

As far as 5x5 being only for less advanced guys, I disagree. 5x5 reps schemes are in many advanced programs. Now I think I know what you mean by standard 5x5 programs and maybe certain progression layouts using 5x5 rep schemes are more geared for less advanced guys. But I know quite a few guys who use 5x5 type multi set up routines or linear progression over months cycles, that are quite advanced. 5x5's or those type rep counts/sets are great for building power and mass in the biggest compound exercises and can be used thru out a trainees career IMO.

 

[Doss]

Ha ha, is that like 90% of it is half mental??? I think I know what you're saying

As far as 5x5 being only for less advanced guys, I disagree.

I'm with you, man. I wouldn't say I'm exactly advanced, but I follow Madcows 5x5 and it has taken me from 275 to 545 in the squat over the course of a few cycles interspersed with some bodybuilding style splits. I've just had to adjust the progression as I've adapted. And EAT EAT EAT.

 

[PaulBlack]

I'm with you, man. I wouldn't say I'm exactly advanced, but I follow Madcows 5x5 and it has taken me from 275 to 545 in the squat over the course of a few cycles interspersed with some bodybuilding style splits. I've just had to adjust the progression as I've adapted. And EAT EAT EAT.

NOICE work on the squat dude...! Jeez
Yes, I have been at this game for over 25 years and cycles of x5's in squatting, deads, BP's have ecked my PR's higher.
Sure there is a break in point if you are focusing down to singles, but more than a few times, x5's and or multi sets of x5's have built a good strong foundation of mass/power to get me to those higher singles.