Bench Just Won't Move

Hi guys,

New here to T-Nation. My names mike and im 5’9, 180. For the last year or so, my bench max has not increased at all (stuck at 255). When I first noticed I wasnt increasing, I switched to a basic westside template for about 4 months, and still nothing. After that I tried sheiko #29. That did absolutley nothing for my bench, I actually regressed and went down to 240. I am currently on WS4SB and am still not noticing any gains.

Ive been getting atleast 8 hours sleep everynight, and have been stuffing my face for the past 3 months (before that my diet was OK). I starting to get annoyed with the whole situation, any ideas?

Ive actually been thinking about doing low pin presses for an entire month, and then see how my bench is.

Perhaps do more hypertrophy work to add more muscle? A bigger muscle has more potential to be stronger.

I’ve found that adding more pushups and heavy upper back work has really helped my bench the last couple of months, I would suggest giving that a try especially since you seem to really have been focusing hard on the bench itself and you may just be psyching yourself out.

[quote]DjSm28 wrote:
Perhaps do more hypertrophy work to add more muscle? A bigger muscle has more potential to be stronger.[/quote]

Interesting. I have never done any kind of bodybuilding before.

[quote]andRaga wrote:
I’ve found that adding more pushups and heavy upper back work has really helped my bench the last couple of months, I would suggest giving that a try especially since you seem to really have been focusing hard on the bench itself and you may just be psyching yourself out.[/quote]

Ive actually been hitting the upper back pretty damn hard the last few months. Rows, rows and more rows!

Where do you add in your pushups?

have you had anyone look at your technique (set-up, use of lats, leg drive, etc)? this may be a major factor in your bench not moving.

Right now i’m doing them twice a week, both on non-benching days when I’m doing total body work, but I’ve really made in effort to fit them into my program over the last couple of months and I think it helps.

[quote]thephantom wrote:
have you had anyone look at your technique (set-up, use of lats, leg drive, etc)? this may be a major factor in your bench not moving. [/quote]

Ive recentley been using the leg drive, but it doesnt seem to help much.

How do I use more lats in my bench?

And what do you mean by set-up?

[quote]Food wrote:
thephantom wrote:
have you had anyone look at your technique (set-up, use of lats, leg drive, etc)? this may be a major factor in your bench not moving.

Ive recentley been using the leg drive, but it doesnt seem to help much.

How do I use more lats in my bench?

And what do you mean by set-up?[/quote]

There’s your problem.

Watch and learn:

Also, rows do not work your upper back. They work your lats. Face pulls, band pullaparts, shrugs, db cleans, etc. are for upper back work.

Why all the focus on the bench press?

If you are doing all low-rep work recently, then do some high volume. You can’t expect to hit singles over and over and continue to get stronger.

How are you in the pull-up department??

TNT

You have to work your back (upper, mid, lower, all around) to get your bench up.

Your body will only get so strong in one area if you don’t keep the rest up to par with it.

Make sure your feet are set on the ground, your elbows are tucked along your sides and you have an arch (think: shoulder blades pinched).

Vary both your set/rep range as well as your lifts. Don’t do 5x5 bench every week and expect to progress. Do some high rep, med and low rep. Do some incline, decline, db, floor press, rack press and a host of other chest things to get your tits up to par.

This was way too much of a response for such a beginner question, use the f*cking search function next time.

your welcome.

They don’t only work your lats. Also since when are lats not upperback?

[quote]Steel Nation wrote:
Food wrote:
thephantom wrote:
have you had anyone look at your technique (set-up, use of lats, leg drive, etc)? this may be a major factor in your bench not moving.

Ive recentley been using the leg drive, but it doesnt seem to help much.

How do I use more lats in my bench?

And what do you mean by set-up?

There’s your problem.

Watch and learn:

Also, rows do not work your upper back. They work your lats. Face pulls, band pullaparts, shrugs, db cleans, etc. are for upper back work.

Why all the focus on the bench press?[/quote]

Oh alright, it seems I have alot to learn.

And the reason for the focus on the bench, is because my squat and deadlift have been coming along nicely. I almost always have steady gains.

[quote]TNT-CDN wrote:
How are you in the pull-up department??

TNT[/quote]

I can do around 3. Yea I know its horrible.

[quote]B rocK wrote:
You have to work your back (upper, mid, lower, all around) to get your bench up.

Your body will only get so strong in one area if you don’t keep the rest up to par with it.

Make sure your feet are set on the ground, your elbows are tucked along your sides and you have an arch (think: shoulder blades pinched).

Vary both your set/rep range as well as your lifts. Don’t do 5x5 bench every week and expect to progress. Do some high rep, med and low rep. Do some incline, decline, db, floor press, rack press and a host of other chest things to get your tits up to par.

This was way too much of a response for such a beginner question, use the f*cking search function next time.

your welcome.[/quote]

What is the “sarch fonction”?

[quote]Food wrote:
B rocK wrote:
You have to work your back (upper, mid, lower, all around) to get your bench up.

Your body will only get so strong in one area if you don’t keep the rest up to par with it.

Make sure your feet are set on the ground, your elbows are tucked along your sides and you have an arch (think: shoulder blades pinched).

Vary both your set/rep range as well as your lifts. Don’t do 5x5 bench every week and expect to progress. Do some high rep, med and low rep. Do some incline, decline, db, floor press, rack press and a host of other chest things to get your tits up to par.

This was way too much of a response for such a beginner question, use the f*cking search function next time.

your welcome.

What is the “sarch fonction”?
[/quote]

The “sarch function” is what helps you with spelling. (just kidding)

I think it was Mike Boyle that said, “if you can’t do 10 fat-boy pull-ups, touching your chest to the bar, expect shoulder problems”. I would check that out next time you’re in the gym.

TNT

[quote]Food wrote:
TNT-CDN wrote:
How are you in the pull-up department??

TNT

I can do around 3. Yea I know its horrible.[/quote]

Three fucking pullups? The reason you can’t increase your bench is because your general body strength is terrible. You don’t need WESTSIYEEDE, or SHAKE-O, you need to do a bunch of reps of shit. Start out easy and add small amounts of weight consistently week by week.

[quote]TNT-CDN wrote:
Food wrote:
B rocK wrote:
You have to work your back (upper, mid, lower, all around) to get your bench up.

Your body will only get so strong in one area if you don’t keep the rest up to par with it.

Make sure your feet are set on the ground, your elbows are tucked along your sides and you have an arch (think: shoulder blades pinched).

Vary both your set/rep range as well as your lifts. Don’t do 5x5 bench every week and expect to progress. Do some high rep, med and low rep. Do some incline, decline, db, floor press, rack press and a host of other chest things to get your tits up to par.

This was way too much of a response for such a beginner question, use the f*cking search function next time.

your welcome.

What is the “sarch fonction”?

The “sarch function” is what helps you with spelling. (just kidding)

I think it was Mike Boyle that said, “if you can’t do 10 fat-boy pull-ups, touching your chest to the bar, expect shoulder problems”. I would check that out next time you’re in the gym.

TNT

[/quote]

Ok, you should use the search bar, and find out how to incorporate more pullups in your routine.