Bench dilemma......HELP

[Steve18]

Here is my situation and progress over the years in benching, I just turned 18 and graduated from highschool, and had never taken steroids or even creatine until 2 weeks ago. I started lifting hard in 8th grade, and by the end of the freshman year I maxed out at 255, weighing 220 pounds. I got much more serious about lifting my sophomore, and put up 340 weighing 235 pounds. I had always been fat, but my junior year I decided to take a year off of playing football and get into shape, so i trimmed down to 190 and was obsessed with lifting. I changed my grip from narrow to wide and my max was 420 by the end of the year. I gained about 10 pounds of muscle and played football my senior year, I was weaker during the season because I couldn't lift as much, but in the 34weeks after it I got my benchpress max up to 455, and weighed about 215, while staying lean. I normally only did football and track, but the wrestling coach begged me to come out my a few weeks in to the season my senior year. I got more ripped and down to 205, but was always too tired to lift.
This is where the problem began....after wrestling season I hit the weights hard, but I couldn't bench for shit. It always seemed like something was wrong, either my grip or I just never had any power, regardless of my preparation. All of my other lifts have went up significantly, even my decline skyrocketed, which makes no sense,but for some reason just my bench has not recovered since. In the summer now it is starting to go up again. I am even better at repping, but when it comes to going 4 reps or under my bench is still not where it used to be. After getting so much stronger every year I don't know how I could suddenly not get any stronger benchwise.

Because of the frustration I gave up, and finally decided to roid, hoping that roiding for a month would at least bring my bench to where it used to be. All I could get is Depo testosterone, so I took 400mg the last 2 weeks, but so far not much has happened at all, in appearance or strength. I always imagined that I would feel so powerful and everything would be perfect if I ever took steroids, but so far nothing has happened at all. Why? Most people say that they always immeadiately feel great when on a cycle, so what is wrong with me? Should i expect a big burst in the next couple weeks or what? I would appreciate any advice, thank you.

 

[FarBeyondDriven]

Injected1 is right in a sense. In my opinion you are too young. I stay conservative and say not till you are 24. Let your body run it's course on its own. And when you do, study hard, learn, and plan. It goes much further than poking yourself with a needle.

 

[usersatch]

My story was very similar to yours. I benched 320 as a sophomore, 400 as a senior. In college I benched 505. I am now at 560, but I am 29 years old. Periodically, I ran into those brickwalls such as you describe, but you gotta have patience my man. Your strength just doesn't increase exponentially. You will have highs and lows. You can't look at it from week to week, but rather month to month and year to year. You are far too young to even worry about juice for your strength. You are blessed with it--enjoy the ride while it lasts!! When you truly hit your "brick wall" then worry about the roids. I just started my first cycle ever a couple of weeks ago. Mainly because of cutting, but I would also like to push my bench over 600. But I swore to myself I would try as hard and as long as I could naturally before I juiced. For me, I feel its time.

Throw that shit away and keep working out. Your bench will work itself back up in due time. Patience!!!

 

[Tombstonealley]

I am not a powerlifter, but I have followed some of the powerlifting programs in the past. As a question-Do you follow a progression or just try to bench more all the time? Rusty Jones (the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Buffalo Bills) swears that his athletes never reach a plateau if they follow his nutrition and strength training progression. For most guys his program means slower gains, but for almost everyone it means predictable gains over the long haul. Just a thought for you-try a zig-zag periodization program with a 2.5% progession pattern every 3 to 4 weeks. I am not familiar with his entire program, but I know that he is very willing to share information.

 

[enzymus]

Same problem

I ran into this issue after my natural test levels began to diminish after high school. At 21 I noticed a significant reduction in libido and strength.


If all you want to do is bench more weight try to get your hands on some Ananvar. Sounds to me like all you need is a little help. I believe test only cycles suck and your strength will go back to normal about 12 weeks after the test leaves the system. If your chest is stubborn shock it a bit with some high rep chest movements like flys and light presses to get the slow twitch muscle fibres to react better. Then go heavy at least once a week on chest.

 

[Steve18]

When I had my most success I used to go 8,5,3,2. I tried to stick to that reprange when I began to struggle, but I coulnd't do the last 2 sets at all. I would get 330 8 times, then 350 ones, instead of 5 times like I used to. Then I tried going more reppy for a while but didn't help at all. I used to work mmy chest for 3 hours, doing every kind of cable flye, and dumbbell fly at every angle, but The last 4months I have been on a program called Max-Ot developed by a company called AST, that highly favors only training 45 minutes with more intensity, and going 4-6 reps on every lift. with this program I only do 3 sets of 4-6, and with better form(oing down slower) So far I have went up the past 4 weeks but am still about 15 pounds off,starting weight eise, where I was at my peak. I am bigger, more lean, and in better shape than I was when I benhed more so I am still trying to figure out what the problem is.

 

[Deathspell Omega]

Steve18,

Since I've always been a bad bencher, I can't really offer much in the way of information that has 'worked' for me, however, I would advise you to consider 3x3 training for a few weeks. The 3x3 is one of the best ways to build strength in problem areas or lifts, and while it may not sound like much, if you do it with minimal rest between sets and as much weight possible (always within 85% of your max, add weight every set, and never go back to a weight that you have previously lifted), it becomes very difficult to complete.

To tell you the truth, I never bothered much with my bench, and I have not applied 3x3 or any other specialized training techniques to it. The chest's range of movement in the Bench is very small, and most people usually just push with their anterior delts, leading to posture and back problems. Dumbell presses or (*gasp*) flyes are, in my opinion, a better way to build chest size and strength, especially since the main function of the chest is to pull the arms inward (as in a flye) and if it isn't doing that, it isn't getting a total workout...

 

[MrMuscle]

i didnt read your whole post...but doing drugs just becasue you want to up your bench sounds rather..well..off