bench plateau

well i used to do 185 3x5 and that  was the most i could ever do for 3x5 but then i screwed up my back squating and now i cant squat ever again. But after taking 2 months off my 3x5 max was 155. But now after 3 months i am  back to 185 but seem to be stuck again at the same weight. This is my current routine
 
monday
bench 3x5
military press 3x5
then some tricep isos.
abs
 
tuesday
Deadlift 3x5
power clean 3x5
bent over rows 3x5
leg press lunges 3x8
calf raises 3x 10
chin ups 3x10
barbell curls 3x10
 
wednesday off
 
thursday (same as monday but 3x10-8)
 
friday(same as tuesday but 3x10-8 on everything)
 
this has been working but my bench seems to have stalled. How can i break through this plateau? maybe 5x3 with heavier weight for a little bit? by the way im 17 and 149lbs. Thanks

i think i should re word the "i cant squat ever again" part becuz i kno how important u all kno squatting is. I could possibly do squats again but i think it is a bad idea seeing how the place where the bar rests is the part i hurt so i think im gonna start doing front squats instead.

Increase the frequency of your bench press, bench press on Monday for 3 X 5 then on Friday for 3 x 3. Increase your calories and add more weight with 3 X 3. You cannot gain more muscle without gaining weight, so increase your calories to give your body something to build muscle from.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Day 1 - Heavy Push  3X8
squat, bench, OH press, Dips

Day 2 - light pull   4X12
Deadlift, BB row, Pull up, DB curl

Day 3 - Light push  4X12
Same as day 1

Day 4 - Heavy Pull   3X8
Same as day 2

... Feel free to add some isolations and/or abdominal work on any of these days.

i do the 3x 8-10 of thursday tho becuz i thought that those reps were better for size than 3 or 5. I wanna get big and strong. Will i still grown bigger if i do 3x3 on thurs or fri instead of 3 x 8-10?

8-12 reps for size is a myth, size is determined by calories and progress. Whether that progress be weight, reps, sets, rest between sets, etc.. workout to workout progression and a high calorie/clean diet is what builds muscle- There's nothing magical about 8-12 reps, if people feel that is so magical then what's the use in even adding weight to the bar?

Reps are a preference, 8-12 reps work, 4-6 reps, 8-10 reps work.. they all do, as long as you're eating in a surplus you'll gain weight and muscle.

The routine above ^ light/heavy push/pull is great. Try if you want to.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

i kinda wanna stick with my routine for a bit but ill do 3x5 on monday and 3x3  on thursday. or would friday be better? thanks man. Also could u tell me what ur numbers are? you seem like u kno ur stuff.

My numbers aren't very impressive at all. The only one I've actually tested was bench press at 275lbs.. my squat personal best with good form was 315 X 3 and deadlift was 315 X 3 X 3. My overhead press I workout with 135 for 5 X 5 and when I do pullups I normally do something called bridges. I'm currently taking the ACE certification course and in late August I'll be taking the exam and hopefully getting certified, but thanks for the compliments.

Try the heavy/light push/pull routine and just reverse the principles and do 3 X 3 push and 3 X 3 pull to bring your numbers up.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

jkenosky88


well i used to do 185 3x5 and that  was the most i could ever do for 3x5 but then i screwed up my back squating and now i cant squat ever again. But after taking 2 months off my 3x5 max was 155. But now after 3 months i am  back to 185 but seem to be stuck again at the same weight. This is my current routine
 
monday
bench 3x5
military press 3x5
then some tricep isos.
abs
 
tuesday
Deadlift 3x5
power clean 3x5
bent over rows 3x5
leg press lunges 3x8
calf raises 3x 10
chin ups 3x10
barbell curls 3x10
 
wednesday off
 
thursday (same as monday but 3x10-8)
 
friday(same as tuesday but 3x10-8 on everything)
 
this has been working but my bench seems to have stalled. How can i break through this plateau? maybe 5x3 with heavier weight for a little bit? by the way im 17 and 149lbs. Thanks

I would work some dumbbell bench into your routine, flat and incline. Cut triceps isos and do weighted dips and close grip bench press. I am guessing your chest is strong enough but your supporting muscles in the movement are the weakest link. I think your rep ranges are fine just make sure you are doing as much weight as you can at those ranges.

actually my arms are improportional to the rest of me haha i started doin bis and tris for like a half a year b4 every thing else. Im 150 lbs and have 15 1/4 inch arms. but yea thanks for your guys help.

jkenosky88


actually my arms are improportional to the rest of me haha i started doin bis and tris for like a half a year b4 every thing else. Im 150 lbs and have 15 1/4 inch arms. but yea thanks for your guys help.

Like I said, stop doing isolations... and start doing dumbbell work for your chest.

jkenosky88


actually my arms are improportional to the rest of me haha i started doin bis and tris for like a half a year b4 every thing else. Im 150 lbs and have 15 1/4 inch arms. but yea thanks for your guys help.

15 inch arms are pretty good for your size- What is your weakest point in bench presses? Have you attempted 190 3 X 5 yet? I remember I was stuck at 210 x 3 x 5 at bench for a while and didn't think I could move up, then I just tried 220 one day and it felt lighter than I expected, I completed it too and the next week moved on to 225. Sometimes you just have to try it; but increase your calories and RedJeep gave you a good suggestion with dumbells, a lot of people break plateaus easily with dumbell incline presses.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

In addtion to what has been said, which I agree with.   I find that a good spotter will do wonders, everyone has a mental aspect that has to be overcome when going heavier than you ever have in the past.   A good spotter will allow you to do throw on more weight, thus allowing yourself to get "comfortable" with poundage.   In addtion, don't be afraid to do some negatives.   Just yesterday I watched a co-worker of mine get 225x5, I've watched him for months come in and do 135x8, 185x6, 205x4 forever! I walked over and said 'brother try 225".   He banged it out and was stoked.   Not saying you will be able to do it that easy, but if you don't throw the additional weights on you will won't force you muscles to grow.
 
Just my two cents.

Height 5' 8" Weight  200 lbs Body Fat 16%
Bench 315-Squat 365-Dead 405
Chest-46"/Bicep-16.5"/Waist-37"...UGGH
Thigh-24.5"/Calves 16"

    

i did 185 3x5 yesterday and just barely got it(dont think i would have if my spotter wasnt screamin at me like you said haha) so i think im gonna do 3x3 with 190 on thursday and if i can ill do 195 for the 3rd set. maybe like you guys said if i push heavier weight up a couple times i will break past my plateau.
 
id say my weak point is my shoulders are my weak point. i military press 115 3x5 only.

"Military press" refers to overhead pressing with the feet together. If that's what you're doing and shoulder development is the goal I'd recommend dropping that and adding just conventional overhead presses, anterior delts are antagonists in the bench press, so working them would result in strengthening the bench press. You should be overhead pressing for 3 X 5 at least 125.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

your military/OH press is going to be your lowest compound lift because of the mechanics of the lift. I would question your chest/tri's before going to the shoulders as a problem area.

6'3"  @213

Squat 1x20x275

press:200, Deadlift:475, Bench:300, P.clean:235, Squat:385

"The only failure that is final is to stop trying to improve"

by military press i meant seated shoulder press i guess. I sit and do it.

Military press cannot be preformed seated, it means with your feet standing together (like a soldier) hence "military" press. It involves more core stability, for maximal force generated standing overhead presses with a wider feet stance is better. I wouldn't recommend someone do seated overhead presses, standing overhead presses require a lot of core stability and anytime your core gets stronger, so does your other compound lifts.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

yea mvp i think im gonna do the heavy push light pull light push heavy pull routine. ill do 3x3 for the heavy and 3x8 for the light days. I think squatting(front squats since i screwed up my back)  b4 benching will help me out becuz when i did the Starting strength routine and i squated first, my benching was always better. so what days do you do heavy and what days do you do light? thanks

I do it in either two variations.

Example One:

Heavy Push:
Squat: 3 X 5
Flat Bench: 3 X 5
Press: 3 X 5
Dips: 3 X 5

Light Pull:
Deadlift: 3 X 10
BB Row: 3 X 10
Pullup: 3 X 10
Curls: 3 X 10

Light Push:
Squat: 3 X 10
Flat Bench: 3 X 10
Incline Bench: 3 X 10
Dips: 3 X 10

Heavy Pull:
Deadlift: 3 X 5
BB Row: 3 X 5
Pullup: 3 X 5
Face Pulls: 3 X 5

Example Two:

Heavy Push:
Squat: 3 X 3
Bench: 3 X 3
Press: 3 X 3
Dips: 3 X 3

Light Pull:
Deadlift: 3 X 5
BB Row: 3 X 5
Pullup: 3 X 5
Curls: 3 X 10

Light Push:
Squat: 3 X 5
Flat Bench: 3 X 5
Press: 3 X 5
Dips: 3 X 5

Heavy Pull:
Deadlift: 3 X 3
BB Row: 3 X 3
Pullup: 3 X 3
Curls: 3 X 5

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP you told him to be doing OH presses with 125 pounds; is that really that proportional? 

Before cutting weight i was able to do 245 on bench pretty easily (might of been able to get 255) yet i could only OH press 125x6 maybe 7.

Just wondering maybe im lagging in that area; sorry dont mean to jack the thread.

If he works out with 185 for 3 X 5 on flat bench, the overhead press (which involves shoulder extension instead of shoulder flexsion in a vertical position) would be about proportional. Of course, there's no exact % of what you should be lifting if one lift is a certain number, but speaking from experience, when 3 X 5 @ 185lbs was what I used, 3 X 5 @ 125lbs for standing overhead press.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

what days of the week are best for each tho? thanks

I don't understand your question. Don't switch  back and forth between them weekly, give them time to work. Do barbell until you completely plateau and dumbell until you completely plateau. For optimal bodybuilding results, you'd need to use both, just not in the same cycle.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

i mean which days of the week do you do each workout?

like monday heavy push
tuesday light pull
wed
thurs
etc.?

Sunday- Off
Monday- Heavy Push
Tuesday- Light Pull
Wednesday- Cardio/abs
Thursday- Light Push
Friday- Heavy Pull
Saturday- Cardio/abs

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

You could try looking for a training partner or someone who can support you while benching.

Lately I train with a training partner. It allows me to push myself very hard to get an intense workout.  Also, with a training partner you could add a little more weight to what you usually put on, and focus on the negative movement. I bet you it will help you a ton.

Train your triceps! Your triceps cant be overlooked. Don't waste your time on the cables etc. Just do heavy close grip benches and skull crushers.

5'8.1"
Age = 20 
started in February 16th 2007: 58kg (127.6lbs)
current : around 79-80kg (173.8lb-176lb)