Help! Plateu!

[Lestat]

I started lifiting last January... I worked out with sets of 95lbs on bench... I know can do a solid 4-5 sets of 135 on the bench.. with my one rep max at 185. (to start my one rep max was 125)...

But now I seem stuck in a rut.. my chest routine is 4 sets of flat bench, 3 sets of incline, 3 sets of decline. sometimes i use dumbells, sometimes i use the bar and bench. I don't seem to be increasing my weight much anymore.. I can do a few reps of 155 .. but not many.,. its been this way for 3 months or so. How do I get out of this.. I want to keep progressing and eventually get to 225+

Any and all advice would help me!

 

[Lord_Suston]

Give me your stats, and I can help also what other body parts are you doing. Just post you whole regiment....

 

[Grantsdu]

One thing to remember if your just getting started getting stronger takes time. Don't rush it, it will come if you keep it up. Some weeks your bench will go up 20 pounds and then it might be 3 or 4 months before you see any improvement. When your working out, work out hard, don't quit when you have 2 or 3 more reps in you. Make your muscles hurt. One thing I have learned is to make sure you just don't do bench. Work your whole body!! Give it time, if you keep at it it will improve, I can promise you that.

 

[Lestat]

stats - plateu

I am 6'2" 180lbs. Was 6'2" 162lbs a year ago. Before that I was an unfit 175lbs. I have been a runner most of my life and now am trying to add weight. My body fat % is 5.9 Has been below 5% when I was training hard for running. At my worst it was around 9%.

I workout 3-5 days per week. I always do chest on Mondays. Now I do Chest and Bicepts Mondays.. then Back and Tricepts Tuesdays.. Wed is off because I have class.. Then Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun I try to get another round of chest/back/bi's/tri's in .. on different days not all 4 at once. I also try to to shoulders once a week if possible but I do not do them nearly as comprehensive as Chest/Back/Bi's/Tri's. When I workout a muscle group I try to do 9 sets for each muscle.. usually 3 different exercises.. 3 different sets.

I don't do legs, I've had some hamstring problems, I bike/hike/run to keep them toned.. I naturally have largers legs and a smaller upper body.. im trying to change that.

I eat a healthy diet... lots of protein.. not too much fat. I try to eat as often and as much as possible.

I am not sure how much detail you wanted so I am just going to put as much as possible.

Monday: 4 sets flat bench.. starting with 135 then pyramiding to 155.

3 sets of incline starting at 95 and pyramiding up.

3 sets of decline starting at 125 or 135 and pyramiding up

When I pyramid up its usually 5-10lbs more weight each new set.

For bi's i mix it up. I do preacher curls with a wide grip and a narrow grip.. between 55 and 75lbs.

Hammer curls and standing dumbells curls.. between 20-30lbs a set.

Sometimes concentration curls with 20-25lbs.

For back I do 4 sets of Lat pulldown... 70, 80, and 90lbs.. finish with 75 or 80lbs.

Seated rows with 100-120lbs..

Dumbell rows with 45lbs

Triceps I do this tricept push machine with 70-90lbs.

Tricep rope pulldown with 40-50lbs

dips (as many as I can do.. between 8-15) per set

For shoulders I do dumbless presses with 45lbs or so. and shrugs with 115lbs (using the bench press bar)

 

[beastboy]

Drop sets have helped me in the past to break plateaus....

 

[Lord_Suston]

you might not like what I'm gonna say...... but.... you are training those body parts too much...

if you want to get really big you're gonna need more time to grow hitting a body part twice a week with good intensity is hard work and often makes your body overtrain and not put weight on...

Also you need some core exercises like Dead Lifts and Squats, and military press. Unless your leg injury TRULY prevent you from these then you need to do these to add mass and strength.

 

[Lord_Suston]

you might not like what I'm gonna say...... but.... you are training those body parts too much...

if you want to get really big you're gonna need more time to grow hitting a body part twice a week with good intensity is hard work and often makes your body overtrain and not put weight on...

Also you need some core exercises like Dead Lifts and Squats, and military press. Unless your leg injury TRULY prevent you from these then you need to do these to add mass and strength.

Also you need to find how many calories you are burning, and trey to add more, if you are that low of a Bf% you need to eat a lot more...

 

[Thaibox]

Also you need some core exercises like Dead Lifts and Squats, and military press. Unless your leg injury TRULY prevent you from these then you need to do these to add mass and strength.

That was the most important peice of advice given here. Find a way to overcome your ham problem then squat, dead, military, bench, etc. If you truly want to grow, this is how it happens.

 

[Phenotype X]

Change your routine. Heavy weight low rep, for flat, and lighter weight, more reps for incline. Add in some heavy military presses, dips, close grip bench and you should be set.

 

[Big Jroy]

Check out this thread..... it should help


http://ea.prohosting.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=trainingmen;action=display;num=1014580247;start=0