Next Training Cycle Help

[miked8c]

So I am on my deload week for the 5/3/1 program. For the near future I have two goals, get my bench up and my deadlift up. The deadlift is easy, thats not a problem. However my bench press is stubborn and only goes up if I gain weight which I really don't want to do at this point.

Last time my bench got stuck I switched to floor pressing and that added another 15-20lbs. So I was thinking since I got stuck again I should either do floor presses or board presses.

Any suggestions?

 

[ExtraMile]

a video of you benching would help a tonne...

 

[miked8c]

Really? I use an arched back, shoulderblades pinched together. Very tight.

You probably want to see where I am weakest during the lift. Whether its off the chest, or the lock out.

If I had to say it would be the lockout, I think I should doing some board presses with heavy weight, 300+ and maybe do this with singles, doubles and triples?

Agree/ Disagree? All my other lifts are going up besides my bench which I attribute to the fact that the 5/3/1 technically has you on a single working set of bench press per week which can not be nearly enough volume. You can use a single working set per week with squats and dead because many more muscles are used and they exhaust your whole body, but not for a smaller lift like the bench.

I know I am partially answering my own question but really any input is appreciated.


I guess what I am trying to do is make a special bench day, a day thats independent from the program I am following currently. A workout dedicated solely to increasing my bench. I already deadlift and squat heavy, and I have my OHP day.

 

[jiggagold]

get a swiss bar and your bench will increase, Elite Fitness Systems

 

[Tblock1]

lol bro dont take this the wrong way, but 3 guys in sailor hats with there tops off on a steroid forum looks kinda..............

i think its cute though

yeah i was thinking it looks kind of like the cover of a gay porno or something

 

[ExtraMile]

yeah i was thinking it looks kind of like the cover of a gay porno or something

i thought that too haha

mike I wasnt talking about a video to see where your sticking point is, I was going to say its easy to say you get stuck at lockout or midpoint and so you need to do triceps work, but in actual fact the properly performed powerlifting style benchpress is a full body lift, there are loads of other things that could be wrong with your form that causes you to stick at the midpoint or lockout of the rep.

eg you could loose tightness after the first few reps causing leg drive to be less effecient and so power off the chest suffers causing you to stick at the midpoint.

I wouldnt reccomend board presses. But if you just want to solve this with assistance exercises then flat DB presses and floor presses may well help you out if you are getting stuck at the midpoint of the ROM.

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Mike have you ever tired increasing the frequency of your chest? I have been doing chest on monday but then DB incline on thursdays. I dropped the volume down and I AM on cycle but it is helping. Kinda like the 5x5, i made great strength gains on that brotha

 

[miked8c]

Maybe I shouldnt put it on facebook then. People may get the wrong idea.

 

[Roxy722]

It does have a certain YMCA feel to it ... just teasin ya