What to do if stalling on max lifts ??

[SirDingo]

I have been doing this routine for the whole Summer;


DAY 2 � PUSH

- Barbell Flat Bench Press 5x5
- Military Barbell Press 5x5
- Dumbbell Incline Press 4x10
- Weighted Dips 4x10

It takes me approx 45-60 minutes to workout each time

DAY 1 � PULL

- Deadlifts 5x5
- Barbell Rows, 5x5
- Dumbbell Rows, 4x10
- Chin Ups 3x8
- Hammer Curls ?? reps/sets ??

I do my main compunds lifts in 5x5 = low reps but heavy weight, and then later in the workout I am switching to a higher rep lighter weight, to give my body a full workout rep range hoping that will help get me bulked up faster, plus I take ONs Whey Protien mix after each workout, and now drinking Muscle Milk before bed to gain weight. Currently I weight 177lbs and am 5'10", when first started lifting in late Spring was 165lbs.

Anyways my point is, I seem to be stuck on two lifts, my Barbell Bench Press, I first could only max 150lbs a few months ago now it is up to 190lbs, but the last two weeks I can't make any gains on it, just kills me. Same with Military Barbell Press started only maxing 70lbs now up to 100lbs but can't get past this barrier to heavier weight.

Opinions please, and what do you think of my workout, I switch off between PUSH and PULL every other day = one day on, one day off......Thank's

 

[SirDingo]

My question is I can't continue to do the 5x5 all year, because if my max Bench today is almost 200lbs, then adding 5lbs to the bar just once a week is not that much, but for an entire full year that adds up to 250lbs added and makes a total of 450lbs BenchPress which I won't be doing in a year.

So when ya max out on the 5x5 what do I change to that still makes the muscles grow bigger and bulk me up still, but when you can no longer continue to keep adding weight to the bar every week ??

 

[captainahole]

Mix up your routine. Change it each time you workout. Flat bench one day incline next shoulder press next time. It keeps the muscles in a state of shock.

by the time you get back to your bench you will find both reps and weight will increase.

 

[artificialaspirations]

if you want your bench to go up do declines. You can handle much more weight and get used to what it feels like. Then go back to flat after a month and see how much you progressed.

To go up on the military press do some incline bench for a while, same principle. Dumbells may also be just the change to push you through the plateau.

 

[SirDingo]

I guess my main questions is what do life long BodyBuilder's do to keep getting bigger and bulk up more, and not just for a few months of working out, but what about years ?? I mean ya can't stay on the 5x5 forever, and let's say curling 40lbs dumbbells to start what ya going to do, keep adding weights and what, get to 150lb single arm curls, thats never going to happen.

So what happens to BB's when you hit your top max, what do you do to keep growing, I mean let's say my bench max now is 200lbs so what in two years that max should be 600lbs to keep growing which will never ever happen. Please enlighten me

 

[Tweakle]

you should just stop doing the 5x5 if you dont like it.

here's how it is. If you have any serious potential for growth then you'll notice it in the first year of training. After 3-5 years of hard training & eating you still don't look like you work out, then you are unlikely to ever make any real progress beyond that.

genetics are absolutely everything & the only thing you have control over is trying to get stronger.

starting in your 30's, small, obsessed with big arms & looking like brad pitt, you are 99% certainly never going to look like a bodybuilder.. unless you have some ungodly affinity to juice.

starting in your teens, naturally big and athletic, obsessed with getting big numbers and benching 315 after a few months, chances are you will look like a bber.

Some guys have low natural potential but blow up when on cycle. But it's not likely to be the case for you.

 

[Tweakle]

the point is there is no secret magic routine you're missing out on. ^^

 

[artificialaspirations]

Right but when you stall you change something. For example; less rest time, different sets/rep scheme, diet, supplements, training split, exercises, and ultimatly steroids when you've exhausted all options.

Try changing the exercises with a different rep scheme since your bodyis used to the 5x5 by now. Do 4x10 for a couple weeks, followed by some triples for week, pyramids after that and test your new max. YOur muscles are getting bored. Eating a bit more will help, don't go overboard! If you notice yourself getting fat cut the cals a bit.

You are correct that your bench will not be 600 lbs in one year because gains are not linear, they occur more in an exponential curve. You will get really stong very quickly and notice radical changes in your body the first 6 months. after that the gains slow down and you have to start working harder for every pound.

 

[TSO]

What is your diet like? Has it changed recently? Diet can effect your gains big time.

Try adding to your diet if nothing has changed, add some clean calories and see if this helps.

 

[Illuminati]

I guess my main questions is what do life long BodyBuilder's do to keep getting bigger and bulk up more, and not just for a few months of working out, but what about years ?? I mean ya can't stay on the 5x5 forever, and let's say curling 40lbs dumbbells to start what ya going to do, keep adding weights and what, get to 150lb single arm curls, thats never going to happen.

So what happens to BB's when you hit your top max, what do you do to keep growing, I mean let's say my bench max now is 200lbs so what in two years that max should be 600lbs to keep growing which will never ever happen. Please enlighten me

Eat more calories. this is the only was to get bigger. you have to feed yourself in order to get bigger. lifting is the easy part. eating enough, and getting enough recovery time is the hard part

 

[coreyb]

buy practical programming. It shows you how to keep your lifts going for YEARS.

 

[2raptors]

Nelsons books BBTruth and Bottom line have some great tricks....even PAVEL'S: POWER TO THE PEOPLE and BEYOND BODYBUILDING has a bunch of FANTASTIC exercises that you can incorporate into your current program to help you bust those problems. You can switch to EDT for a short run too...(Escalative Density Training) or serious supersetting for reps within a time limit....my bench went from 225 (seriously stuck) to 265 after a 4 week run of EDT.

Mixing it up is HUGE. Planning is huge too... GOOD POST!

 

[u418936]

My question is I can't continue to do the 5x5 all year, because if my max Bench today is almost 200lbs, then adding 5lbs to the bar just once a week is not that much, but for an entire full year that adds up to 250lbs added and makes a total of 450lbs BenchPress which I won't be doing in a year.

So when ya max out on the 5x5 what do I change to that still makes the muscles grow bigger and bulk me up still, but when you can no longer continue to keep adding weight to the bar every week ??

When you can't add 5 lbs per week anymore, you should buy microplates so that you can add 1-2.5 lbs per week. When you're stalling on most of your lifts even with microplates, reset the program with your new 5-rep maxes.

Sometimes, it also helps to drop one or two of the heavier warm-up sets before doing your work set.

 

[mm107]

i think you need to consume more food =]

microplates

or even taking a week off, and coming back stronger...

But im still with the food..

"you cant overtrain, only under eating"

 

[SirDingo]

i think you need to consume more food =]

microplates

or even taking a week off, and coming back stronger...

But im still with the food..

"you cant overtrain, only under eating"

Last couple of weeks been really eating, and it is all healthy organic food, and now added Muscle Milk before bed every night, and plus Ons Whey after working out, but sometimes before bed I feel bloated or have a little belly don't want to get fat either

 

[mm107]

Last couple of weeks been really eating, and it is all healthy organic food, and now added Muscle Milk before bed every night, and plus Ons Whey after working out, but sometimes before bed I feel bloated or have a little belly don't want to get fat either

definaltey know what you mean, i dont like the muslcle milk pre bed, too many calories i feel, and like you said i feel bloated.

Do you have Pre-Workout and a Post Workout Shake? Great fuel for lifting...

How is your food consumption in the day?

If i knew more about your diet then i can say eat more, but it looks like your on the right track...I know when i need my lifts to go up, i just convince myself im in 'bulking phase' so a little belly doesnt matter, when summer comes its ECA/Cardio time to loose any extra fat.

Im like you tho, very concious about my weight....

If you eat ALOT of healthy food you should stay lean, but dont be afraid of carbs either, carbs are the lifters best freind.

Have you tried a bowl of oatmeal? or sweet potato 1hr before workout?

 

[s8nlilhlpr2]

I love how he ignored the best post in the whole thread.

 

[2raptors]

which was???

 

[SirDingo]

I love how he ignored the best post in the whole thread.

How bout helping me out by pointing it out again

 

[fallingeggs]

How bout helping me out by pointing it out again

6 and 7

 

[2raptors]

yeah, well, I dunno....6&7 we OK answers...but he's stalling on his maxy life...so,... yeah, the 5x5? Time to hang it up mabye and try something new. There are many ways to break plateaus....and I don't care to look like brad pitt (did he say that he did?) but I do want to be (and look) strong like BULL. So yeah, genetics is everything...but ANYONE can break a plateau.

 

[s8nlilhlpr2]

How bout helping me out by pointing it out again

nope sorry, wasted enough time typing stuff out for you already. Now I just sit back and enjoy the trainwreck. Lemme know how much OMEGA charges you for "teh ultimate mass secretzz".

 

[ProtienFiend]

Lots of options:

Eat more.
Rest more. (week or so off - just dont lose your motivation)
Switch up workout.
Supplement/juice more.

Id start with one modification and see how it works.

 

[SirDingo]

Lots of options:

Eat more.
Rest more. (week or so off - just dont lose your motivation)
Switch up workout.
Supplement/juice more.

Id start with one modification and see how it works.

Taking a little time off may be good, I have been working out every other day for months, one day off, one day on. I recently seemed to hurt an upper arm muscle over the weekend arm wrestling my older and bigger Brother, where it hurts like a b!tch. I feel a slight stinging pain up and down the whole right arm, starting at top of shoulder down to fingers almost, and lifting single dumbbells is not even possible with right arm, can't even hold it up, where left arm can bust art 50 curls like nothing. Need to heel the arm for a bit