Need Quick Help w/Bench

[Rotty]

Whats up bros. I am eight weeks into a 13 week training program for a meet in March. It is a local meet and it is my first. Anyway my squat and deadlift are good. My strength has been going up everyone week. Usually 5 -10 pounds a week a week for the squat and a little more for the deadlift. My bench has been the same for a year or more. I changed my training from bodybuilding bench to powerlifting bench, ie, going from 8-12 reps to 5 sets of 5. Anyway I can't get past 315 Pds for one as my bench max. Today, I barely got 295 for one. I did not even try 315pds. It is ambarssing. My squat and deadlift are somewhat respectible.

My weekly program consists of

Off on Monday and Tueday (usually)

Wed= Squats and assistance for legs.

Thurs= Shoulders and biceps. I do smith machine overhead presses 5x5 reps, then I do either front plate raises for 8-12 reps x 5 sets or behind the neck presses with preset weight barbells for 8-12 reps x 4 sets, Then I do two excersices for biceps. ( I will give that info if needed)

Friday = Off

Sat = Deadlift and back assistance work

Sun= Chest. I do 2 X10 w/ 135, 1X5-8 with 225, 1X 5 w/ 275 pounds, 1X3 w/295 and 1x1 w/315. All sets are paused at the bottom for a second. Now today, I could barely do 295 never mind 315. I need some help. I ordered some mini bands last week so they should be here soon. I am five weeks out for the meet and would like to max 325. I have an inzer blast shirt and the new Inzer Phenom. I have not used the shirts yet.

 

[Rotty]

I forgot the ramainder of Sundays chest workout. After flat bench I do incline bench for 4 sets. Usually 1x10 @135, 1X10 @ 225, 1x3-5 @275, and 1 x5 reps @250. . Then I do two excercies for triceps. I mix it up, but they are close grip benchs 5x5 reps, tricep cable extentions for 4 sets of 8-15 reps. Thanx for any help.

 

[Hannibal]

Since you are only benching once a week, heavy, I would guess that your bar speed is pretty low.

What are the rules to the comp...classes by bodyweight. If all you want to do is bench 325...then GAIN WEIGHT. If the shirts are allowed then you need some practice with them and you should get enough of a carryover to break 325.

 

[1-dawg]

Are you doing the same weight rep scheme every week? If so, that would beyoru biggest problem. I don't like the way you workout is setup -- conventional progressive overload, but that's another story. First, stop doing the same thing every workout, add 5 lbs a week to each of your worksets. Have you even tried 320, or are you stopping at 315 every week? ALso, don't worry about the occaisional shitty workout -- they happen.

 

[Rotty]

Hannibal. I am competing in the 181 pound weight class. I just make that class, so adding weight is not good for me. I am starting the shirts this week, but I was hoping to be able to bench 315 x 3 now before using a shirt, but I have not been able to break 315 x 1 with a puse, and today, I barely got 295 x 1 with a pause. Any idea how I should work my chest for my final 5 weeks of training before the meet. Is it worth adding the mini bands now, or is it too late. Anything else you can add would be great.

 

[Rotty]

Whats up bros. Not that this has to do with benching, but I used me champion suit for the firdt time since I bought it and it helped me max 30 pounds over my max. I felt like I could do it for a second rep, but I did not want to chance it. I wanted to break the suit in. Anyways, I will be using the suit for deadlifts on the weekend and I hope i can break 500 pounds. I will also be using my Phenom shirt for the first time. I have a blast shirt that I used a few years ago, but never really broke it in. I hope I get the bench to 325. Soon see. Any other feedback on the benchpressing, any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[Rotty]

Whats up bros. Not that this has to do with benching, but I used me champion suit for the firdt time since I bought it and it helped me max 30 pounds over my max. I felt like I could do it for a second rep, but I did not want to chance it. I wanted to break the suit in. Anyways, I will be using the suit for deadlifts on the weekend and I hope i can break 500 pounds. I will also be using my Phenom shirt for the first time. I have a blast shirt that I used a few years ago, but never really broke it in. I hope I get the bench to 325. Soon see. Any other feedback on the benchpressing, any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[Rotty]

Whats up bros. Not that this has to do with benching, but I used me champion suit for the firdt time since I bought it and it helped me max 30 pounds over my max. I felt like I could do it for a second rep, but I did not want to chance it. I wanted to break the suit in. Anyways, I will be using the suit for deadlifts on the weekend and I hope i can break 500 pounds. I will also be using my Phenom shirt for the first time. I have a blast shirt that I used a few years ago, but never really broke it in. I hope I get the bench to 325. Soon see. Any other feedback on the benchpressing, any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[rsnoble]

benching & Peaking

Hi, I am by no means a powerlifter but I pressed in the area of your goals in recent years and have since not done shit. I am however just recently building my strenght back up and have got back to just about 300lbs in 3 weeks-it's easier to get there when you've been there before. In my experience your workout wouldn't work for me because you are peaking way to early. In other words I dont think its good to be doing 1rm's only 8 weeks into a 13 week program. And whoever made the comment of dont worry about bad workouts is absolutely right. You will invariable experience gains or losses from week to week due to many factors: overtraining, motivation(every bust a nut for 5 reps and then a really cool song comes on and your 2nd set you get 7 reps?)what you had for breakfast, and who knows what else. I had a partner that was stuck at 330x3 for months. Every monday was heavy day, and every monday 330 was on the bar. And every monday he made no improvement. I however switched things up and was right up there with him before we went our separate ways. This was like 13 years ago. This was basically an all out effort on his part, you just cant do that every week and make gains. I also think prescribed charts are the most worthless fucking thing ever conceived of. While the idea behind them is good, for me they just dont work. Plus they are hell on your mind set. "Ok, this week the chart calls for the same reps as last week but add 20lbs." Knowing full well I barely got my lift last week I try anyways. And guess what, I only get 2 reps. Where was the problem? The problem was I just dont have the ability for that increase in that amount of time and recognizing that instead of getting discouraged is a real benefit. I wont even look at charts anymore. I have also had better strength gains from all out 3x5 vs. 5x5. And I also have had good gains from eleminating most assitance work and doing only bench, one exercise for shoulders, tris, bi's heavy twice a week-which im sure would really blow some minds. Like right now I do that workout m-w-f except I use anywhere from 3 reps to 12 reps. Just until I get some strength back. Hopefully you will reach your goal. But if you dont, scrap the 1rms 8 weeks into your program. I woudnt do anything less than 5, maybe getting to 3 reps around your 11th week of 13. This may also sound wrong, but I wouldnt max totally either your last week. If it were me I would select a heavy poundage but one I had pretty confident feelings about. Then instead of missing your lift you can attempt an amount you think you might have a chance of. You'll know if adding another 25lbs is possible or not. I then like to wait 4 days with no weight training at all before attempting a max. Also the last few weeks I seriously cut down on all assistance exercises. These are just things that work for me personally. Basically I do what I feel like doing, if I feel like going for it I do and if im a bit weak that day I might just fuck it and go home. Its probably to late in the program to change up but since your not making gains you need to do something fast. If I were in your situation I would drop virtually all assistance and do 3x5 with one shoulder exercise and one tri exercise twice weekly heavy and train HARD. Try to come close to duplicating your poundages the 2nd workout(increase if possible but probably not) and attempt an increase(after warmup) on your first set of 5 the following week instead of working up to it. Your last week 3x3 with your heaviest first, no assistance, and try getting 4 days off before the meet. Im sure some would want to argue this but I have personally done this and it works for me. Good luck.

 

[rsnoble]

workout order

Also if your other lifts are good Id look into just maintaining them and changing up your routine. If your busting your ass on deadlifts the day before your bench, your bench will suffer. I would make sure I had a least 2-3 days of nothing before heavy bench day, and work everything else around it. And also if your other lifts are good and with such short time you can drop some of the assistance on them also which may give you some extra energy. What the hell, only a suggestion you need a quick fix.