chest

2 months ago my max was 195 and i maxed out yesterday and im still at 195. i havent done jus bench. i do incline bench and dumbbell bench press. how can i break past this plateau?

17 years old
5'7
165

Bench: 210
Bicep Curls: 40s 3 sets of 8
Skull Crunchers: Ez-curl bar (15 lbs) with 10 and 5 each side 3 sets of 8
Squat: 3 sets of 8 at 175
Military Press: 3 sets of 5 at 115

add more weight then you think you can handle...not much maybe like 5 pounds.  You may do less reps with that weight, but still 200 pounds is better than 195

One way that really worked for me to go up in weight is to increase the number of reps you do every workout (not set). So lets say this week you'd do 195 pounds 3 sets 8 reps; the next week you would do same weight (195 pounds) and 3 sets 9 reps. You can set how high in reps you want to go before you increase the weight and drop in reps. Personally, I picked 11 reps. So, in the above example when you reach 3 sets 11 reps with 195 pounds, add 5 pounds on each side which gives you 205 pounds and start again from 3 by 8, and I'll give you 95% chance that you will be able to do 8 reps the first and most likely second set, the last one will be 7 (may be 6 reps). Just make sure that on the day you decide to go up in weight you're not doing any heavy activies that will get your muscles tired before workout, otherwise your muscles will be too tired to perform.

Its not what you know, its what you can do that counts!

Age: 18
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 162 lb
Current Status: Strength Training (Max-OT)

ORIGINAL: rus_kid

One way that really worked for me to go up in weight is to increase the number of reps you do every workout (not set). So lets say this week you'd do 195 pounds 3 sets 8 reps; the next week you would do same weight (195 pounds) and 3 sets 9 reps. You can set how high in reps you want to go before you increase the weight and drop in reps. Personally, I picked 11 reps. So, in the above example when you reach 3 sets 11 reps with 195 pounds, add 5 pounds on each side which gives you 205 pounds and start again from 3 by 8, and I'll give you 95% chance that you will be able to do 8 reps the first and most likely second set, the last one will be 7 (may be 6 reps). Just make sure that on the day you decide to go up in weight you're not doing any heavy activies that will get your muscles tired before workout, otherwise your muscles will be too tired to perform.

that sounds like a good strategy.

Goals by end of 2009:
Bench 205
Squat 255 ATG
Squat Clean 185

"There is no elevator to success, you must take the stairs."