Starting Strength Flaw: Bench Press

[quote]Webbykun wrote:

But perhaps your squat didn’t go up as much as it could? I suppose everyone is different though. My Bench aint gone up at all in like 4 weeks. I rest maybe two minutes between each set. A workout takes me between 40 minutes and an hour but I do feel absolutely physically drained and exhausted afterwards. I mean don’t get me wrong I’m pretty much a total beginner and I’m only 16, but I know there’s something wrong when my benchpress isn’t going up. And like I said out of the entire program Benchpress, Squats and Deadlifts are probably the most taxing of them all and they’re in the same workout. It just doesn’t make sense!
[/quote]

Putting squats after the pressing movement did not affect my squat. Went from front squatting 205 to 285. Again, in 8 weeks.

I was doing my deadlifts before benchpress. Today I switched them around and I increased my benchpress by 2.5kg and got every rep and I also increased my deadlift 5kg. Happy days.

[quote]daraz wrote:
If hard exercises tire you out before bench pressing, why don’t you press first then do the fun stuff after?[/quote]

You want to do 3 sets of squats setting a new PR, and then move straight onto a single heavy deadlift set, where a new PR is also to be obtained…?

It’s Squat, Bench, Dead for a reason

You just gotta eat more bro, and get better/more rest.

[quote]Jereth127 wrote:
daraz wrote:
If hard exercises tire you out before bench pressing, why don’t you press first then do the fun stuff after?

You want to do 3 sets of squats setting a new PR, and then move straight onto a single heavy deadlift set, where a new PR is also to be obtained…?

It’s Squat, Bench, Dead for a reason[/quote]

Nice critical thinking there, champ.

switching the order seems like it worked. great. A few extra ideas-next time look at what your activity is like outside the gym? are you doing anything extra that’s taxing? Are you sleeping enough. Also, others mentioned it, but don’t neglect eating enough. Are you gaining weight? If not, eat more and see if that helps. Lastly, some recommend switching out the exercise if it has stalled (more than just one workout like yours did). So maybe if bench stalled try incline or decline, etc… Get that lift to go up, and once it stalls try switching back. At least you are focused on the right thing-constant progression. If you eat enough, and keep shooting for more weight on the bar, you will get bigger.

ive never done the westside method yet- but i shall be soon. one thing that i have done that has worked for me- is to only do bench one time per week— like every saturday. in HS i did a 405 bench, now, im 30 yrs old, and just hit 525 (all raw). so it has taken me 12 years to move up 120lbs(on my max). another thing that i do-- after i hit 3-5 sets of flat, i do SLOW reps on incline. For example, i will put 225 on, and go 6 sec down, 1 sec pause, and 3-6 sec up. like i said, i have YET to incorporate a real “powerlifting” type routine- and i am gonna start this weekend :-). i always change the pace of my reps- fast, med, slow, really slow- etc- and it seems to be working.

I did not notice there had been more replies, my apologies! Well, honestly… my diet is okay but definitely not getting enough calories in. However I will be soon as I start college as I’ll have more money to buy food with. Secondly, my sleeping habits have become terrible… BUT I did manage to increase my Squat, Bench and Deadlift today. I think this winter will be very interesting for me as soon as I get my diet and sleeping in order… :D.