can't increase weights

[worldknown]

No matter what the hell i do cant increase my weights, i look like i can bench alot more than 165 but i thats all i can god **** do. I need help people, i dont know what im doing wrong. Im 5'10, 160, maybe i need to reweork my bench excersise, maybe i have bad form but i dont think i do.

[qccat]

there is a lot more to the "bench press" than the movement itself. You have to make sure your overall workout is in check. I see guys all the time that just hit the gym and bench bench bench. Its not that they dont want it, or that they arent working hard, they just dont understand why their bench wont go up when they are doing it so often. you should only bench heavy once a week. Look into doing dumbells, inclines on the other chest day. Also muscles like your shoulders, tris, traps, lats have to be up to par to post a big bench. Get to work on these other small factors and youll find that 165 will be very far in your past. Best of luck man

[worldknown]

bro i have tried it all man, i tried dumbells tonight and i really didnt feel them that much def not as much as the flys, and i do incline and decline every night, i try to stay off the bench cause i know its more of an ego booster than anything, i just have trouble getting my strenght up there, i look like i can bench more than i can. my tris are the strongest thign in my body, so the only thing i cant htink of is maybe its my delts.

[znak]

bro i have tried it all man, i tried dumbells tonight and i really didnt feel them that much def not as much as the flys, and i do incline and decline every night, i try to stay off the bench cause i know its more of an ego booster than anything, i just have trouble getting my strenght up there, i look like i can bench more than i can. my tris are the strongest thign in my body, so the only thing i cant htink of is maybe its my delts.

Do you work out with a partner? If you do, I can get you off the slump. Right now you are at 160. Do a warm up set of 15 with say 120, then with 130 and then with 140. Then put 180 on the bar. Have your partner spot you really close as you lower the bar to your chest. He helps you back up (takes about 40 pounds). Do ten reps. Drop down to 170, so the same.

Lower the bar in a slow controlled with your breath. Concentrate on the negative. Do this on Monday and Friday for a month.

End of your slump, you can now press 180 at least three times.

[StevePJC]

When you say you do incline and decline every night do you mean that literally??? If you're working chest everynight you probably know that's overtraining bigtime.

I've been back with weights now for going on 3 months after several years out of the gym. I've got my bench from 185 to 315 by increasing weight every workout. Yeah alot of this is probably muscle memory but it's up.

IMHO you should always increase the previous week's numbers by even the smallest of amounts in order to gain quickly. Even if it's just a 5 pounds for one rep. It's something. I do chest twice per week. Once on Monday with bench press and Thursday without bench even though I probably could.

Just my two cents.

[worldknown]

i only do chest once a week, back a few months ago when i use to do chest 2x a week i went up 20lbs on the bench in a month, but i have plateaued it seems, and yes i work out with a partner

znak: youw atn em to work chest monday and friday and just do negatives? or should i do others too? i have tried negatives and it really hasnt helped that much, thanks for all of the advice guys!

[znak]

i only do chest once a week, back a few months ago when i use to do chest 2x a week i went up 20lbs on the bench in a month, but i have plateaued it seems, and yes i work out with a partner

znak: youw atn em to work chest monday and friday and just do negatives? or should i do others too? i have tried negatives and it really hasnt helped that much, thanks for all of the advice guys!

Do a full chest work out say on Monday and add the negatives to your split on Friday.

If the negatives have not helped, add weight!

Go to 190 instead of 180. Your chest should be screaming the next day, you are moving almost 20% more than your max. Put as much on the bar as you and your partner can safely handle. I don't know how you move 160, so I can't say what that number is, but when you lift off, you will know, when it is too much, you will not want to lower it. Rack it and take off 5 pounds and then for it.

[Soldier of Misfortune]

Dude, dont worry about your bench so much. Bench isnt the only exercise there is. Pound the hell out of your shoulders, tris, traps and shoulders. They will grow and your chest will grow to accomodate the rest of your upper body. Speaking of that, pound the hell out of your legs so more testosterone is released naturally. As swolecat says, "legs=teacher, upper body=student."

[birsling]

NIU is absolutely correct. Take the focus off of your chest! Right now your problems are probably just as much mental as physical. Build for balance. What is your split, diet, workout times, etc.? There is no way to get past this issue without examining the whole issue. Also, post a clear, good quality pic so we can see your build.

[AandF6969]

Check your diet too bro... up the calories and maybe youre weights will go up

[Fame]

and make sure your triceps are strong enough

[RoNNy THe BuLL]

Take 10 days off and eat whatever the hell you want when you want. Give your body a break and I guarantee you when you go back, you'll be throwing up some serious, serious weight.

The 10 days isn't so much for your muscles to get a rest they deserved, but to give your CNS a break from all the training. Take the 10 days off and when you come back to the gym, watch the results and power just rake in.

[SwoleCat]

Start squatting and deadlifting w/a vengeance.

Watch that bench soar.

~SC~

[brian11]

Yea im with SC on that one, they really do increase strenght in the rest of your body. Why is that anyway?

[worldknown]

Take 10 days off and eat whatever the hell you want when you want. Give your body a break and I guarantee you when you go back, you'll be throwing up some serious, serious weight.

The 10 days isn't so much for your muscles to get a rest they deserved, but to give your CNS a break from all the training. Take the 10 days off and when you come back to the gym, watch the results and power just rake in.

i did take 10 days off, when iw etn to rome, and i just started working out again and it seems as if im even weaker!!! Thanks though for the suggestions guys, it might be becuase im not eating enough calories


SC: Thanks bro i really have never deadlifted and i rarely squat, so maybe that would help a lot im gonna try that, Thanks !!

[Hypertrophy]

Your weights will increase, don't worry about it. Just work hard!!

[Quake]

Feel all around you pecs when tense and locate any weak spots. If you find any try out all exercises until you find one that targets your weakness. Blast hell out of it for a while until you've got your weak spot up to speed, then go back to normal routine, your chest should flourish!

[worldknown]

My lower pecs are pretty soft when flexed, i always try to nail them but i can never get them its always the side of the pecs that i get soar, very rarily the lower pecs.

[worldknown]

so any other suggestions?
/bump

[Quake]

My lower pecs are pretty soft when flexed, i always try to nail them but i can never get them its always the side of the pecs that i get soar, very rarily the lower pecs.

You should be hammering out decline presses in that case, both DB and BB, also pullovers I find hit my lower pecs too.

[znak]

You should be hammering out decline presses in that case, both DB and BB, also pullovers I find hit my lower pecs too.

Just a word of caution-- before you start hammering out declines, make sure you have your form right and USE a SPOTTER. If you fail without one, you are really SOL.

[scriptfactory]

Just a word of caution-- before you start hammering out declines, make sure you have your form right and USE a SPOTTER. If you fail without one, you are really SOL.

That reminds me of my friend Josh. He got a 250lbs weight set from the local fitness store and decides to try and lift 200lbs. He was alone in his bedroom... Josh weighs 150lbs soaking wet and hadn't trained in like a year so needless to say he couldn't lift that weight. I come to visit him and he had been sitting under that weight for like 15 minutes. LMAO He just couldn't seem to roll the bar to the side.

Anyways to answer the topic question: you probably need some variation to your lifting scheme. If you want to do chest two times a week try lighter weight for more reps on Monday, then heavy weight for shorter reps on Thursday. I'm talking something like:

Monday:
110lbs for 12
125lbs for 10
125lbs for 10
135lbs for 8

Thursday:
140lbs for 6
150lbs for 4
160lbs for whatever the hell you can do.

You will need to adjust the weights, of course, and also make sure to do your dumbell flys, etc. with a similar scheme. Using this kind of method I went from 225lbs max. to 305lbs x 2 in 3 weeks. I haven't lifted weights in 4 years but you get the picture. My case is extreme and I guess I have good genetics but it should work for you. You have to lift heavy to lift heavier. You can also cycle back down on the lighter workout days.

Also, make sure you eat mad protein. Most of the people that I know who don't make gains are not eating near enough protein/calories. Use the "1.5g to 2g per every pound of lean body weight" method.

[Fame]

SC: Thanks bro i really have never deadlifted and i rarely squat, so maybe that would help a lot im gonna try that, Thanks !!

::sigh::....START!

[worldknown]

::sigh::....START!

i am!

[ImmmtheIceman]

Try negatives, they work for me when i want to increase weight