today i just got finished doing CW’s ABBH1 bench press/bent over row day 10x5, at 185 lbs for bench press and 150 lbs for bent over rows. I got all the reps for bench press, and am just curious if I should now be able to do 230-235 for a max. Most all of the sets except for the last one and maybe the 9th one I felt like I could have gotten at least 2 more reps out.
Why don’t you wait a few days and find out? You might surprise yourself and get more. Don’t worry about the amount of plates on the bar and just push. 315 always freaked me out but I recently got it when I told myself “fuck it.”
There’s only one way to know, now get under that bar and go for it! Seriously, try it if you get it and you probably will great if not just keep trying till you do it.
Now get to it,
D
Go for it! Don’t hurt yourself though.
2 and a half pound weights are not allowed. the smallest weight that exist as far as we’re consirned is a 10lb. So that puts you at 225 or 245, just do it while you can, they’re already thinking about discarding those and moving on to 25lb as the smallest.
[quote]tykemathis wrote:
2 and a half pound weights are not allowed. the smallest weight that exist as far as we’re consirned is a 10lb. So that puts you at 225 or 245, just do it while you can, they’re already thinking about discarding those and moving on to 25lb as the smallest.[/quote]
duh fugg??
[quote]tykemathis wrote:
2 and a half pound weights are not allowed. the smallest weight that exist as far as we’re consirned is a 10lb. So that puts you at 225 or 245, just do it while you can, they’re already thinking about discarding those and moving on to 25lb as the smallest.[/quote]
I know you’re being sarcastic, but that’s just stupid. I’ll take a 5 pound pr any day.
To the OP, give it a shot in a few days, I bet you’ll surprise yourself.
[quote]tykemathis wrote:
2 and a half pound weights are not allowed. the smallest weight that exist as far as we’re consirned is a 10lb. So that puts you at 225 or 245, just do it while you can, they’re already thinking about discarding those and moving on to 25lb as the smallest.[/quote]
We like our sense of humor to have a sense of humor around here.
okay WTF… do i seriously need a fucking bench specialization program for a while to get my shitty as fuck bench press to go up 1 damn pound? I am so sick of this, my deadlift is 405, squat is 335, and today I go to max out on bench with 235, and I can’t do that. so then i put 230 on, wait for a few minutes, give that a go, and it’s even worse!
the thing that pisses me off even more as well, is that back sophomore year of college, the first week, when I wasn’t even serious into lifting and weighed 150ish lbs, i benched something like 210. it wasn’t until december of soph year that I got serious about lifting, and then went on serious programs selected by this place, ate HUGE and super clean (i measure my foods and have been gaining solid weight), all for close to a year now, and i can’t even gain a measely 20 lbs on my bench press? BTW, my body weight went up from 150 to 180 in that time, and i am still lean looking at 5’10". Why the hell is this damn stupidass bench not going up?! It’s really annoying me.
the only thing i can figure is i’m doing too many stupid hypertrophy programs like hss-100 and abbh1. All of these programs allow me to do great of 3-5 rep stuff at a moderately low intensity weight, but it’s like i’m just increasing my endurance on the lifts, which is just stupid. is there a program that will actually get my damn bench press UP, instead of just going from being able to rep 185 3 tiems to 30 times, but not being able to do 200 once bassically?
Search the Net for the Bill Starr / Glenn Pendlay 5x5 program. Look for the one that is the periodized version for advanced lifters. AKA the Dual Factor Hypertrophy program which is outlined by Madcow2. I’m pretty sure this 9-week program will assist you in breaking through your plateau.
[quote]lifter85 wrote:
the only thing i can figure is i’m doing too many stupid hypertrophy programs like hss-100 and abbh1. All of these programs allow me to do great of 3-5 rep stuff at a moderately low intensity weight, but it’s like i’m just increasing my endurance on the lifts, which is just stupid. is there a program that will actually get my damn bench press UP, instead of just going from being able to rep 185 3 tiems to 30 times, but not being able to do 200 once bassically?[/quote]
I think you need to get used to the weight. Get a spotter and do some negatives with the 235. To me it sounds like your nerves have the 185 for reps nailed, but when you load the max weight they aren’t used to holding that weight and it crushes you. Once the nerves get a feel for firing on it you should be able to do it.
Give it a try,
D
I feel your pain w the bench. My squats and deads are decent and almost always seem to be improving, but I just cannot seem to get my bench to move. I hit close to the same #'s as you, around the same body weight.
I’ve actually begun to justify my crappy bench by wimping out on the “long arms” excuse…but I still feel like a big wuss.
[quote]tedro wrote:
tykemathis wrote:
2 and a half pound weights are not allowed. the smallest weight that exist as far as we’re consirned is a 10lb. So that puts you at 225 or 245, just do it while you can, they’re already thinking about discarding those and moving on to 25lb as the smallest.
I know you’re being sarcastic, but that’s just stupid. I’ll take a 5 pound pr any day.
To the OP, give it a shot in a few days, I bet you’ll surprise yourself.
[/quote]
I actually agree with this. I haven’t used a 2.5# in several years. I can’t say the same about 5# but I also can’t recall the last time I used one.
OP - I had a lot of sucess using the 10 sets of 3. I agree with whoever said that you probably just aren’t used to the weight, and don’t have the CNS firing efficiently. A 10x3 would help with that.
Did you have any type of progression before trying 235? If not, there’s no way you can go in cold and get a max.
Work up to 235 progressing from a lighter weight. Like…
135x6 (warm up set)
155x4
185x2
205x1
215x1
225x1
235x1
Instead of starting at your max and having to lower the weight, start low and work up.
I have a few things for you. As previously mentioned try working up to a higher weight. Your muscles need to get accustomed to the higher poundage, especially if you’ve been working with lower % routines recently.
I was having a similar problem (you can check out the thread here: http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1332085 , basically stuck in the 205x5 range and couldn’t understand why. Two things I’ll suggest: start doing some complementary exercises if you aren’t already (flyes are one, and I’ve also read–can’t remember where–external rotation work with cables helps with the bench), it won’t produce immediate help but over time it’ll prove beneficial. Also, check your benching technique, I found mine to be off in many ways: shoulders flaring out, not arching my back, not pressing down on my heels, grip issues.
Read this great article ( http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459808 ), Bench Press 600 lbs., it focuses on technique issues and helped–in my case–to add immediate weight to my bench. A few days after absorbing all the material I benched and got 225x5 for a few sets–rather easily, actually–then got a set of 245x4. Immediate results, and while benching correctly I noticed less stress on my shoulders and a better flex of the pecs.
Hope this helps!
what do you put up for close-grip bench? and dips? My sticking point has always been the lockout.
DON’T DO IT! It’s too much weight for your body to handle, your wrists will split in half and your body will be crushed under the weight. Man wasn’t mean to lift more than 200 pounds.
If your desire is to bench more, than any approach that focuses on benching more is more appropriate than a hypertrophy focused one.