[quote]Pibbz wrote:
[quote]goochadamg wrote:
OP, here’s what I recommend. Stop whatever training you’re doing for your bench. It’s NOT working. Madcow’s 5x5 intermediate followed by advanced (search the web for it!), strictly followed, should add 40-60 lbs or MORE to your bench, in 4 months. Maybe you don’t want to squat and deadlift (You really should!), or do a third upper body workout on Wednesday (highly recommended), but at least follow the Monday & Friday bench sessions.
This is assuming you’re going to gain some weight (MUSCLE!) too. You’re 18. You’re old enough to get a job, buy your own food, and eat it. Buy protein powder, chicken, steak, ground beef, tuna (one sandwhich, two cans!). Eat a ton of it. Seriously. Strive to DOUBLE what you eat in a day. You’re young, and a 185 bench at a bodyweight of 140 says to me that you’re probably very lean, and likely to easily stay that way.[/quote]
+1
I’ve just gone through my first week of Madcow’s 5x5 intermediate. I always hear good things about it so I had to start doing it as well.
@ goochadamg: are you suggesting to do the advanced routine as soon as you start to plateau from the intermediate routine?[/quote]
Yes. I would take a week deload after you’ve plateaud, and start the advanced the following week. You can try to run madcow’s 5x5 again, but my own personal experience vs. the experience of a friend who’s training I managed (who after a year, at 180 lbs, has a 270 bench, 405 squat, and > 405 deadlift [I don’t recall where this ended up.]), show’d that running the advanced right after the beginner works better.