How do I get my bench up?

[Armin Blazevic]

I weigh 150 lbs and am 5"11 inches tall. A few years ago I only dreamed of being able to rep the bar with a plate on each side. Now I dream of being able to rep two plates.

I go in every week and destroy my chest, I do three sets of about 155lbs ( I can only do like 5-6 without breaking form ) on the flat bench, then on the incline, and the decline. I honestly go until I can't anymore, and then usually I do a few more with my spotter. I really kill my chest every week, its sore as hell the next day. Still though I go in every week and the 155 weight bar does not seem to get any lighter.. I also do many other chest exercises once I am done with the flat, incline and decline; I will usually do some dumb bells presses, then some machine or push ups or ropes when I am too weak to continue free weight. I just don't know what I am doing wrong. I thought about putting on more weight, but I can only do like 5-6 reps as it is, and putting on more weight will only hurt my form I feel. I don't know! HELP!

[Rosco901]

do negative reps with a buddy to spot you and then slowly you will be able to lift heavier and heavier, i train my chest on mon and thurs but when i go in i dont destroy it i do enough until i reach fail point and then i have time to recover by thursday and do it all again. it all takes time i went from benching 60kg to 140kg but it has taken me nearly 2 years!

[baseline_9]

You need to grow buddy...

Eating more is the way forward for you...

Head over to the diet section and post up a proposed eating plan...

[apacheman75]

I was a weak bencher for years also! Lots of food and I hit it twice a week also once I go light with high reps then Friday heavy with negatives.

[bodybuilder]

It doesn't matter how much you bench. Its all about how much you look like you can bench.

[Rosco901]

I find that benching with dumbbells you can then bench more on flat bench with bar as less control is needed, if that makes sense. i.e. i can bench 140kg with the bar on flat and 60kg either hand on dumbbells.

[awms]

80% is diet/20% is how you train. if your only 150lbs then you need to be eating alot more calories! 3500-4000cals split into 6-7 meals and shakes through the day...eat clean but eat alot! Your body can only grow and get stonger if you feed it to do so.

As for training one thing you need to realize is that some guys can bench heavy and others cant....this doesnt mean you wont ever be able to bench 225 but what is you real goal? is it to be a powerlifter or to be big? most guys only want to have a big bench because of ego but also want to look like a bodybuilder...well the body doesnt work that way. If I were you I would stick to the 6-10 rep range, focus on control and working the muscle and with time it will come as long as you diet is good...ass weight or reps every week and you will grow.

If you have been stuck at the same weight for a long time you prob are either not eating enouph or not workint your body type properly...I personaly respond much better to reps in the 6-12 reps range than I do in the 3-5, I grow much faster this way and my strength goes up much faster....I might not ever be able to bench 405lbs for one but I can rep 275lbs with perfect form at 195lbs

[956Vette]

Eat (as others are saying) and train the larger muscles - LEGS

Your bench strength etc will improve after focus on squats, deads and/or sled. Lift heavy and eat well. Good luck!

[awms]

yeah deads really helped everything! I do alot of still leg deads and they helped alot! so does close grip bench on arms day.

[Braveone]

Light weights can bench too you know. I weigh 175 and bench 340 raw. But I compete also. I train westside for meets but don't recommend that for a beginner. Google pyramid bench routine and use that for two months and see where you're at. Keep the volume down. A big bench is about low reps and heavy weights (after you've built a base strength) the number of sets in the pyramid is plenty to start. Flyes and declines have little carryover to your bench, drop em. Lastly benching is mostly triceps. Bomb the shit out of them. Close grips, board work, dips and skulls are the bread and butter for them. No cable junk. And depending on your genetics you can lift big and look big too. The only limits to a big bench are in your mind. Nobody ever asks how much do you wrist curl lol. Good luck and smash some weights!

[Gucks]

when i started a year ago my max was only 30kg (thats like 70 lbs), now ive gotten 100kg+ (225lbs+). u just gotta get bigger and eat much better. 150lbs is tiny, ur not gonna be hiting 225lbs at 150lbs any time soon. like every1 else has already said, sort ur diet out.

[Gucks]

also ment to add, doing flats inclines AND declines is excessive. u could be voertraining ur chest and not giving it time to recover. stick to flats and inclines, maybe a dumbell press aswell and add in flys & pec dec etc. chest workouts shouldn't be all pushing movements.

[mani_bono]

Eat (as others are saying) and train the larger muscles - LEGS

Your bench strength etc will improve after focus on squats, deads and/or sled. Lift heavy and eat well. Good luck!

^^ Great Advice!

- Shut up and Squat!
- Try to Adjust your diet.
- Don't do chest training more that once every 5 days and try to use HIT style training. short intense smart training is the way to go.

My bench press has increased about 35 lbs in last 6 weeks and I only do chest once a week.

[lifter65]

look up mark rippetoe and follow his beginner routine which is in his book, thank me later

[OhioVikings2]

You need to grow buddy...

Eating more is the way forward for you...

Head over to the diet section and post up a proposed eating plan...

Ok I will do that.

[OhioVikings2]

[QUOTE=Rosco901;5663947]do negative reps with a buddy to spot you and then slowly you will be able to lift heavier and heavier, i train my chest on mon and thurs but when i go in i dont destroy it i do enough until i reach fail point and then i have time to recover by thursday and do it all again. it all takes time i went from benching 60kg to 140kg but it has taken me nearly 2 years![/QUOTEC]

I am not familiar with negative reps, can you explain? Hmm I usually do once a week, but you think a lighter work-out spread out to twice a week is the way to go?

[OhioVikings2]

It doesn't matter how much you bench. Its all about how much you look like you can bench.

haha that I guess that is true, and I will admit I go to the gym 70% to look good 30% to be healthy.

[OhioVikings2]

80% is diet/20% is how you train. if your only 150lbs then you need to be eating alot more calories! 3500-4000cals split into 6-7 meals and shakes through the day...eat clean but eat alot! Your body can only grow and get stonger if you feed it to do so.

As for training one thing you need to realize is that some guys can bench heavy and others cant....this doesnt mean you wont ever be able to bench 225 but what is you real goal? is it to be a powerlifter or to be big? most guys only want to have a big bench because of ego but also want to look like a bodybuilder...well the body doesnt work that way. If I were you I would stick to the 6-10 rep range, focus on control and working the muscle and with time it will come as long as you diet is good...ass weight or reps every week and you will grow.

If you have been stuck at the same weight for a long time you prob are either not eating enouph or not workint your body type properly...I personaly respond much better to reps in the 6-12 reps range than I do in the 3-5, I grow much faster this way and my strength goes up much faster....I might not ever be able to bench 405lbs for one but I can rep 275lbs with perfect form at 195lbs

Very well put. I always knew my diet is my biggest problem, it's something I'm working on. I was 140 about a month ago so I have made some progress, but I really do need to eat much more and I know that. My goal is really to look good to be honest, I just want to be a beast at 180 lbs, that is my life goal. Key word life, I know it won't happen over night.

I also feel i respond better to 6-12 reps with perfect form then 3-5 with half broken form, wondering if I am going down far enough half the time... but then my peers always tell me well you need to put on more weight, you have been stuck on this much forever, and I have..

[OhioVikings2]

Light weights can bench too you know. I weigh 175 and bench 340 raw. But I compete also. I train westside for meets but don't recommend that for a beginner. Google pyramid bench routine and use that for two months and see where you're at. Keep the volume down. A big bench is about low reps and heavy weights (after you've built a base strength) the number of sets in the pyramid is plenty to start. Flyes and declines have little carryover to your bench, drop em. Lastly benching is mostly triceps. Bomb the shit out of them. Close grips, board work, dips and skulls are the bread and butter for them. No cable junk. And depending on your genetics you can lift big and look big too. The only limits to a big bench are in your mind. Nobody ever asks how much do you wrist curl lol. Good luck and smash some weights!

That was inspiring my friend! I will look into this pyramid and also make sure to kill my triceps, then maybe one day I can be where you are at; 180 solid is my life goal, is it lonely at the top mate?

[OhioVikings2]

look up mark rippetoe and follow his beginner routine which is in his book, thank me later

Very interesting, from the description sounds like exactly what I need " skinny teens looking to get big " lol!

But um can you tell me more on your results/ experience with this workout. It looks like a good workout I guess, 3 days a week. Four different exercises, at about 3 sets for each one. That doesn't sound all too bad, you think it will do the trick?

[OhioVikings2]

OhioVikings2 = Armin everyone must be confused!

[lifter65]

Very interesting, from the description sounds like exactly what I need " skinny teens looking to get big " lol!

But um can you tell me more on your results/ experience with this workout. It looks like a good workout I guess, 3 days a week. Four different exercises, at about 3 sets for each one. That doesn't sound all too bad, you think it will do the trick?

you need to understand that there are beginners, intermediates, and advanced people when it comes to training, beginners heal up fast and can progress fast "Newbie gains", seriously though mark rippetoe is one of the most respected ppl in the industry, his workouts arent fancy, but they get results plain and simple, but most importantly in his book "starting stength" you will learn that as a beginner you cant be afraid to put on weight, there is only a window for newbie gains once and im glad that i trained similar to the way described in his book because it got me strong quick

[baseline_9]

It doesn't matter how much you bench. Its all about how much you look like you can bench.

If you look like you bench a lot..... You probably do bench a lot

With strength increase will also come growth....

Add weight to your bench each week and your chest will be growing...

[OhioVikings2]

you need to understand that there are beginners, intermediates, and advanced people when it comes to training, beginners heal up fast and can progress fast "Newbie gains", seriously though mark rippetoe is one of the most respected ppl in the industry, his workouts arent fancy, but they get results plain and simple, but most importantly in his book "starting stength" you will learn that as a beginner you cant be afraid to put on weight, there is only a window for newbie gains once and im glad that i trained similar to the way described in his book because it got me strong quick

Although I am small I'm past the "newbie gains" I have been hitting the gym on and off for years. I like the work-out and I am considering giving it a shot. The only thing that makes me raise an eyebrow is the 3 days a week, with only like four exercises each day. You really think with about three hours in the gym a week I can get the kind of results I am looking for?

[Bullseye Forever]

If you look like you bench a lot..... You probably do bench a lot

With strength increase will also come growth....

Add weight to your bench each week and your chest will be growing...

agreed,eat and grow and get some size and your bench will increase,good luck,also dont always depend on bench press only to get stronger,legs,triceps,shoulders,Lats has alot to do with increasing strength as well,plus some off the wall excercises to help you

[Cyclehard]

Also, change up your exercises. Shock the muscle. It gets used to the same old routine.

[lifter65]

Although I am small I'm past the "newbie gains" I have been hitting the gym on and off for years. I like the work-out and I am considering giving it a shot. The only thing that makes me raise an eyebrow is the 3 days a week, with only like four exercises each day. You really think with about three hours in the gym a week I can get the kind of results I am looking for?

yes, three hours is plenty

[Bigd89]

OhioVikings2 and the Armin are the same people!! He needs to be banned!

[sxxen]

edit- nevermind.

[awms]

Honestly just focus on building your body in proportion nad stick to major lifts.

chest/tris
Flate bench 6,6,6
Incline bench 8,8,8
Decline dumbell press 12,12,12
Incline smith machien press or hammer press 12,12,12
Skull crushers 10,10,10
Dips 10,10,10

Back/Bi's
Wide grip pull ups 6,6,6,6
Close grip pullups 8,8,8
dumbell rows 10,10,10
barbell rows 12,12,12
Reverse flys 12,12,12

Legs
Deep squats 10,10,10
Stiff leg dead lifts 8,8,8
Smith machien lunges 12,12,12
Ham string curls 12,12,12
Calf raise machien 15,15,15,15
Calf raise with no weight 25,25,25

Shoulders/traps
military shoulder press 8,8,8
Arnold press 12,12,12
side raises 15,15,15,15
Shrugs 15,15,15,15

Try this out

[choo9]

Big 3....Squat, Deads, Bench. And of course, Eat.

[awms]

control the weight on the way down and power hard on the way up...some will day 4 sec. down and power up but I think that a little to slow....I stick to around 2 sec. down and then power up as to just give me enouph time to focus on the muscle...focus on the muscle you want to work....in powerlifting your goal is not to focus but just move the weight from point A to point B and to do so you need to use many diffrent muscles but in bodybuilding its all about focus on the muscle and working the muscle you want to grow.

[powerliftmike]

You gotta learn your body. Very few people can bench more than twice per week and make much progress over time, and I dont care how much juice you take. It's all about recovery. I doubt you can recover from all the work you are currently doing, I know beginners can get away with this for a while but it will catch up and you will stall. You mentioned you cant do certain rep ranges because your form breaks down? You need to adjust the weight then. It does get harder and harder the more advanced you become, if everyone could continually make progress year after year guys would be benching 1000s of pounds and you most likely have long arms (like me) and wont ever be world class in bench, but 225 lbs can really be attainable by anyone who works hard and smart

[Bigd89]

There's no telling how many accounts the OP has and you people are still replying!!

[Granovich]

I find that benching with dumbbells you can then bench more on flat bench with bar as less control is needed, if that makes sense. i.e. i can bench 140kg with the bar on flat and 60kg either hand on dumbbells.

60KG dumbbell in each hand is really good weight thats like 140lbs thats nice bro... really nice

[Granovich]

There's no telling how many accounts the OP has and you people are still replying!!

how did u come up with that conclusion ?

[Bigd89]

how did u come up with that conclusion ?

Read the ENTIRE thread. Carefully.

[Granovich]

Read the ENTIRE thread. Carefully.

lol yeah its like 3 accounts not 2 u are right hahahaha

[powerliftmike]

60KG dumbbell in each hand is really good weight thats like 140lbs thats nice bro... really nice

Its 132lb. But yes very respectable.

[cro]

ive always been stronger on chest and i believe flat bench with barbell is key to strength building . if your tring to build strength on bench focus on flat bench on chest days. squat are key...