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Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => Training Q&A => Topic started by: OlRedRooster on November 21, 2007, 02:59:35 PM
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I have tried several workouts to strengthen my chest and triceps, so that my bench would improve. Yes, I also do use the bench at least 2-3 times per week. I dont understand why I cant gain anymore strength. Anybody got any tips. My bench max is stuck at around 270-280 lbs.
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What is your training split like? How many set of sets and what are the rep ranges on your chest routines? My first guess would be like over training. To many times a week..............
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Try dropping down to using the bench once a week and see how that works. 2 - 3 times is too much if you're hitting it really hard. You may not be recuperating enough between workouts. Remember, more is not always better.
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1 set warmup 135x10
1st set 185x10
2nd set 205x10
3rd set 225x6-8
Usually then I'll try between 1 and 3 1 rep maxes
250, 260, 270
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5x5 is a good program. The higher your reps the harder it will be to up the weight. JM press and Push presses have been upping my pressing power.
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your doing everything wrong, next
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Looks like you are fatiguing your muscle before it gets to overload.
Try 2 warm up sets at the same weight, a second set with 3 reps at higher weight, then 2 working sets at max weight 4-6 reps.
And unless you are on the juice anything more than twice a week on chest is nearing overtraining, unless you recoup abnormally.
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my bench really improved when i stopped BB benching for about a month doing only DB bench and DB inclines. Also, there have been some really good threads on here about the proper bench set up (arched back, elbows in, etc.) One I recall with some good info was from Trab, try searching it and you'll be good. BTW, i don't know your bodyweight but 280 ain't nothing to sneeze at.
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how about this?
2 warmup sets
1st set 135x8
2nd set 185x6
3rd set 225x6
4th set 275x2-4, grab a spotter
2 sets of heavy low incline dumbbells
2 sets of flat flyes
all of it once a week
on a triceps day, 3-4 days later, do heavy close grip presses, one set where you can press a weight some 6-8 times, then 2 sets with 4 reps
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id hit the chest only once or twice a week and do weighted dips to help with the tris and delts screw declines they dont really do much id also add in inclines perhaps before flat's for a month or so and when you go back to flat's first you should be doin 315 for a max pretty easy...dont forget to do heavy back movements...deads, bent over rows, pull ups and db rows they help more than you think in bench's...you might wanna try negatives to if you can get a spotter
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5x5 is a good program. The higher your reps the harder it will be to up the weight. JM press and Push presses have been upping my pressing power.
Agreed on the 5x5. I've only used it a handful of times over the years but always had great results from it. The 3x3 method also works great, esp. for upping the squat poundages. 3x3 is obviously not great for mass gains, and the 5x5 really isn't ideal for that either, but the 3x3, done short-term, is great for strength gains.
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my best strength increases have come from either one set to failure around 4-6 reps or DC style with one set and 2 rest pause.
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1 set warmup 135x10
1st set 185x10
2nd set 205x10
3rd set 225x6-8
Usually then I'll try between 1 and 3 1 rep maxes
250, 260, 270
Triple pickle advice isn't bad... try it or something like it...
2 warm up sets (don't worry about reps just get them warmed up). 2 or 3 worksets, I'd work in the 3 to 6 rep range
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3 X 3 is awesome for deads, i havent tried it on bench.
But i went from 210kg for 3 to 225kg for 3 in 6 weeks on deads.
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3x3 on Olympic Cleans has brought up my strength and body size. 5x5 and 3x3 can build size with good diet. It is certainly not hypertrophy specific but football players and Olympic lifters are certainly not small and often build up quickly rotating through 10x10, 5x5 and 3x3 (as JPM has stated).
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Thanks for the tips fellas. Yesterday I did 2 warmup sets 135 x10, 3 work sets 185x6, 205x6, 225x2-4, I really had trouble on the 225, didnt finish my set. Guess I'll go a little lighter next week.
I did arms today
z-bar curls 3x8 85lbs
straight bar curls 3x8 95lbs
db hammer curls 3x8 40 lbs
lastly, one arm concentration curls 3x8 30 lbs.
How does that sound? Good routine or too much?
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Try dropping down to using the bench once a week and see how that works. 2 - 3 times is too much if you're hitting it really hard. You may not be recuperating enough between workouts. Remember, more is not always better.
I agree...I think u are overtraining...I hit the olympic bar bench press only about once every two weeks...all the other times I just use heavy dumbbells (90-100 lbs) in order to strengthen the ligaments and tendons so that they will grow stronger along with my muscles (I train chest about twice a week)...muscle strength doesn't matter if the ligaments won't support the huge weights you are trying to push...you will wind up sore and your poundages will actually decrease...so use heavy dumbbells to get a greater stretch and to strengthen ligaments...my lifts have gone up in six months from 135lbs to 265 max...aiming for 315 by february...also you have to push yourself psychologically and don't be afraid of the bar...get under that bar and load up as much as you can...during the week I also build up my triceps...shoulders...wr ists...back..to support the weight when you push up
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How To Increase Your Bench Press
by Tim Wescott
In this article I am going to outline a simple, but effective short term plan, that will enable you to add some pretty impressive weight to your bench press in a relatively short period of time. I have used this training protocol for many years, at various times, when I needed to add some poundage to my benching...so far, it has never failed me!!
First of all, let me say that while performing bench presses, you should always use a spotter, for safety's sake. Too many people get hurt every year, for attempting to go too heavy without a spot...play it safe, and don't be shy, or afraid to ask for a spot if you train alone...you will not regret it, as rolling a heavy weight down the ribcage to the thighs, and then sitting up with the weight in your lap, can leave some pretty mean tracks!!
The basic premise of the routine is progressive overload...meaning that every week you are putting greater amounts of stress on the muscles used in bench pressing...by adding small amounts of weight to the bar on a weekly basis.
This progressive overload, forces the body to grow, so it can adapt to the ever increasing amount of stress you are creating weekly, even though you are not quite training to failure, except for on the last few sets...in most cases anyway...if ,of course you are performing the routine correctly.
When benching the eyes should be right below the bar, shoulder blades squeezed together, chest held high, and inflated, a slightly arched back, and feet should be placed firmly on the floor...which gives you a good base of power to push off from.
Slowly bring the bar down to nipple level, touching the chest, and "hyper explode" pushing the bar upward and backward in kind of a small arc.
Of course where you touch your chest with the bar will vary from person to person...the key is to just make sure it feels natural, and doesn't place too much unwanted stress on the shoulders.
How it Works
There are no fancy formulas, graphs or charts involved in this setup, it's just 5 sets of 5 reps on the bench press...after a warm-up set or two to avoid injury, and to prepare the body for the heavier sets to follow.
The whole key to doing this program effectively, is to start out with a much lighter weight than you would normally use for benching.
For example, if you can bench press 225 pounds for a hard set of 5 reps, then you should start the program using only 185 pounds for the 5 sets of 5 reps.
The reasons for this are, that if you let your ego take over and begin the program using a weight that is too heavy, you will plateau, or burn out very quickly, and using the lighter weights to start with, will help you to perfect your form, while increasing poundage weekly.
End result, heavier reps with textbook form, which is imperative if you want to avoid injury, and work the target muscles involved in performing the exercise.
OK, lets assume that you begin the program using 185 pounds, this is all hypothetical, but no matter what you are benching presently, start off using considerably less weight...very important for long term progress, and to make this program work effectively for you.
If you do all 5 sets of 5 reps with the 185 pounds, then you will add 5 pounds to the bar the next time you bench.
You should only be benching once a week, and although the first few weeks will feel easy for you, by the time you get to week # 3 or 4 you will be hard pressed to get all the reps on the latter sets.
That is 2 1/2 pounds to each side of the bar just to clarify!!
You keep adding this 5 total pounds weekly, until you hit a sticking point and begin to plateau.
If at any time you do not complete all of the sets and reps, stay at this weight until you succeed ,then continue on by adding the 5 pounds on the following bench day, after you have succeeded with the weight that gave you trouble.
Warm-up sufficiently by doing a lighter set or two, but do not overextend yourself on these sets...just make sure it prepares you for the heavier 5 work sets to come later.
Obviously, if you are benching in the neighborhood of 300-400 pounds for sets of 5 reps, you will have to do progressive jumps in poundage to warm-up good enough ,but still, do not go overboard...save power for the hard stuff!
After a time, you will eventually hit a wall, and will be able to progress no further, just as you would on any program...this is where I recommend warming up, and performing either 3 sets of 3 reps or, 5 sets of 3 reps with a heavier poundage of course.
I personally would recommend opting for the former scenario for most trainees, but if you can handle 5 sets, then by all means go for it!!
You'll soon be repping out with way more weight in no time flat...remember to throw away your ego, and intentionally start out at lighter weights...I can't stress the importance of this strongly enough .
Good assistance exercises to use are barbell inclines, and weighted parallel bar dips, along with some lat work, and tricep training to aid in pushing power.
A good exercise to help strengthen the front deltoid... which is heavily involved during benching, is to do front raises while holding an Olympic plate...to face level only is sufficient... using two hands.
Jim Williams, who was one of the first men to bench press 700 pounds, did a lot of these "plate raises", and this was in the 1970`s... long before bench shirts were invented.
You can also do this type of training regimen using any one of the big compound exercises or a combination of a few at a time... it works great on squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, inclines, etc. etc.
Give it a shot... I've added 20-30 pounds to my bench in 8-12 weeks at various times using this system!!
STAY PUMPED!
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I agree with the above article...I have used the progressive overload principle with dumbbells whereby I was adding five lbs each workout....I went from 50's to 90's in dumbbells pretty quickly and that enabled me to lift more on the olympic bar and to have the confiddence to lift heavier poundages...I don't use a spotter so I actually have to pick up the heavy dumbbells myself, hoist them up onto my chest, lift them for reps, then put them back down....this helps to strengthen my ligaments and tendons and helps them to get stronger as well.....before, when I was just doing the olympic bar without the dumbbells, I was always sore (especially in my shoulder joints) and I would often find myself having trouble making gains and would actually have to lift a little lighter, which frustrated me..
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I agree with the above article...I have used the progressive overload principle with dumbbells whereby I was adding five lbs each workout....I went from 50's to 90's in dumbbells pretty quickly and that enabled me to lift more on the olympic bar and to have the confiddence to lift heavier poundages...I don't use a spotter so I actually have to pick up the heavy dumbbells myself, hoist them up onto my chest, lift them for reps, then put them back down....this helps to strengthen my ligaments and tendons and helps them to get stronger as well.....before, when I was just doing the olympic bar without the dumbbells, I was always sore (especially in my shoulder joints) and I would often find myself having trouble making gains and would actually have to lift a little lighter, which frustrated me..
if your shoulders were sore then you probably more then likely are letting your elbows flare out too much and with doing that you recruit more shoulders to push the bar...if you make sure you bring the bar down to about the nipples should help keep them in a bit more and focus on pullingthem in while your pushing up...also if you are bringingthe bar down to touch your chest try stopping about an inch above the chest i know alotof guys say that saves their shoulders from being tore up due to stress on the joint...JMO
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if your shoulders were sore then you probably more then likely are letting your elbows flare out too much and with doing that you recruit more shoulders to push the bar...if you make sure you bring the bar down to about the nipples should help keep them in a bit more and focus on pullingthem in while your pushing up...also if you are bringingthe bar down to touch your chest try stopping about an inch above the chest i know alotof guys say that saves their shoulders from being tore up due to stress on the joint...JMO
I agree with your advice...my elbows do tend to flare out...I just can't help it...I don't feel comfortable pushing the weight up without my elbows being out...but I have stopped bring the bar to my neck and I have started to bring it down to the nipple....much less soreness in my shouldersand I can feel the muscle working better in my chest area
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Are you a powerlifter? If you're a bodybuilder, success isn't at all contigent on bench pressing. Still if you're fixated on this lift, try heavy weighted dips, and power rack partials to build up your strength.
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Nope...not a powerlifter...just a regular gym shmoe...I have also started much more inclines which has been a good exercise for me...I will start doing some dips soon also..thanks for the advice...
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intenceman is right, make sure you don't equate a heavier bench with a bigger chest. While it may be true, that's not the best route.
I think we should sticky this thread so we don't get every Monday bench whore and their workout bro's to keep asking the same question.
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intenceman is right, make sure you don't equate a heavier bench with a bigger chest. While it may be true, that's not the best route.
I think we should sticky this thread so we don't get every Monday bench whore and their workout bro's to keep asking the same question.
hahahaa bench whore...
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use heavier weights, ur max should go up
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flat bench to the neck for a month. go back to standard after that month and you'll be able to press more.