Chest lagging...

[ANTIVNM]

I recently ( 2 mos ago ) started lifting weights again, and while I'm making good gains everywhere else, it seems as if my bench is stalled.

I can't seem to get over 180lbs 1RM ( I know, I'm weak :P ), and the last two weeks, benching has seemed harder.

For what it's worth, here's what I do on my chest/tri day:

Bench Press
Incline Press
DB Flyes
Triceps Extensions
Triceps Pulldowns

All working sets are 3 per exercise, pyramided 65/75/85% of 1RM, although every now and again I'll touch on 90% for kicks. I only do this one day a week, so as to not overtrain.

Anyway, some of you guys on here seem to be pretty knowledgeable about weight-lifting, and I was looking for some ideas to kick the slump.

Any help/input would be greatly appreciated.

-Allen

[TylerW]

If you've been lifting that for awhile I would go up to twice per week. Just allow at least three days in between upper body workouts. You should not overtrain at this interval.

[militarymustang88gt]

If you've been lifting that for awhile I would go up to twice per week. Just allow at least three days in between upper body workouts. You should not overtrain at this interval.


i know when i have hit my limit in the past go to incline dumbbells. get a partner to go with you get more than what you can push up and get your friend to help you get it up and just guide you down while you let your muscles not just let it fall. it is a reverse workout and can gain you ten maybe more quick on your normal average bench. basically they help you get it up since it is more than you can lift then you let it down slow on your own. then they help you get it back up and you let it down slow.

try that and see how it works

[ANTIVNM]

If you've been lifting that for awhile I would go up to twice per week. Just allow at least three days in between upper body workouts. You should not overtrain at this interval.

I haven't been lifting all five exercises for more than two weeks. Before that for three weeks, my chest day consisted of Flat Bench, DB Flyes, and Tricep Extensions. Before that, I exercised Chest, Arms, and Shoulders twice a week, and ignored Legs and Back.

I'm almost wondering if it's a form issue or if my other muscles ( tris, delts ) are just fatiguing too fast. My tris always burn more than my pecs do. I've tried to take what makes the most sense to me away from all the online "advice" I can find, but I still wonder if my form is up to snuff.

Here's what I do, just FYI:

- Feet flat on floor, knees bent slightly less than 90*
- Ass on bench, slight curve in lower back, shoulders on bench
- Forearms vertical at bottom of press, elbows held about 45* out from body
- I touch the bar gently ( or sometimes just hover an inch above ), just below my nipple line and press it back up as hard and fast as I can, then lower slowly

Does any of this seem wrong to anyone?

Also, before anyone asks, I get 1g of protein per lb of lean bodyweight daily, and try to get as much of it as possible from whole food, rather than from just Muscle Milk, and I don't think it's a calorie issue, because all my other muscles are growing and responding very well.

My all time best was 230 for 2 strict reps, way back in High School. I'd like to hit that again by the end of the year. I just don't understand why I'm not progressing as I'd like...

know when i have hit my limit in the past go to incline dumbbells. get a partner to go with you get more than what you can push up and get your friend to help you get it up and just guide you down while you let your muscles not just let it fall. it is a reverse workout and can gain you ten maybe more quick on your normal average bench. basically they help you get it up since it is more than you can lift then you let it down slow on your own. then they help you get it back up and you let it down slow.

try that and see how it works

Man, I wish I could do that, but I don't think my wife could support 155lbs if I couldn't. I work out at home, so I don't always have a competent spotter. I had one to get my 1RM of 185 two weeks ago, but that's it. I don't have the $$$ right now to join a gym, but I have a weight bench and weights.

[1.8t]

Your routine for it seems fine. Start doing chest/tri twice a week, you will be fine. I split it up into barbell work and dumbell work. First time you work chest, use barbell flat/incline. Second time use dumbell flat/incline. The following is my routine for chest(I do chest/bi on the same day)

First session of the week
Barbell Bench
1x10
1x8
1x6

Barbell Incline
3x10

Second session of the week
Dumbell Bench
3x10

Incline Dumbell
3x10

If your shoulders start bothering you, cut out incline barbell and substitute incline dumbell for it.

[ANTIVNM]

Alright, after doing some thinking, I've decided to change up my routine ( once again :P ). I'm gonna stick with this for at least four weeks though, to see what kind of growth I can get.

Submitted for the weight-lifters approval:

Monday: Chest/Shoulders/Arms - Strength
Flat Bench: 3 x 4-6reps
Incline Bench: ""
Upright Row: ""
Military Press: ""
Bicep Curl: 4 x 4-6 reps
Tricep Ext: ""

Tuesday: Legs/Back - Hypertrophy
Squat: 3 x 8-10
Deadlift: ""
Calf Raise: ""
Bentover BB Row: ""
Lat Pulldown: ""

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: Chest/Shoulders/Arms - Hypertrophy
DB Flat Bench: 3 x 8-10
DB Flyes: ""
DB Upright Rows: ""
DB Military Press: ""
DB Bicep Curl: 4 x 8-10
DB Tricep Ext: ""

Friday: Legs/Back - Strength
Squat: 3 x 4-6
Deadlift: ""
Calf Raise: ""
Bentover BB Row: ""
Lat Pulldown: ""

Saturday & Sunday: OFF

Thoughts? I'm gonna start this Monday. It ought to get my volume up.

[militarymustang88gt]

i would change and do 1 day of med weight at 10 reps 1 day of 3 reps high weight and then 1 day of low weight high reps like 30. that way you get size and endurance in.

[militarymustang88gt]

and i meant per set. not jsut for the day. proly shoulda put that

[ANTIVNM]

Just an update:

Seems as if my bench has turned around. I should be pressing for over a 200lb 1RM, hopefully in the next month or so. I'm progressing again.

End goal for the year is going to be a 270 1RM, so long as my bodyweight is 180 ( it's 207 now ), that'll be 1.5 bodyweight. I dunno if I'll hit it, but that'll be something to shoot for.

One thing I found really helped me, to grip the bar harder. Apparently I wasn't gripping it hard enough, and when I really bore down on that bitch, the weight just flew up.

Seems that it helps muscle activation or some such thing...

[1.8t]

Muscle cell activation is trainable, so it is likely that your reaping the rewards from the training that has occurred over the past few months. Plateaus are created by lack of nutrition or an improper change in routine as one strengthens. Many falsely identify "stangnent" progress as a plateau because they "don't go up in weight" over an amount of time. Just because the load hasn't increased doesn't mean you haven't gotten stronger.

[ANTIVNM]

I must be doing something right. My calculated 1RM for flat bench went up 20lbs after last night's workout. From 167 to 187. For reference, it was 174 when I actually lifted 185, so I might be able to get 200 lbs up soon. That's getting close to my bodyweight...

In fact, all my calculated 1RM's went up for upper body last night. It was just a good workout, I suppose.

[1.8t]

Classic example of a falsely identified plateau :). Keep up the good work

[ANTIVNM]

Upper Body Strength Day, and I'm tearing it up again.

Last set of flat-bench, I went 150x10. That's a 200lb calculated 1RM.

Everything else is coming along as well...

Maybe starting to train my legs and back harder brought everything else in line...