WS stagnant bench

[leatherface]

I've been doing WS for 6 weeks now and I've had great gains in all areas except my bench. Infact it has been pretty much stagnant for these 6 weeks. I'm following the routine, switching exercises every week for my main ME move, I cycle bands and all that good stuff but it doesn't seem to be helping my bench press. My squat and GM and just about everything else has went up dramatically though. Anyhow, I had great gains on 5x5 previous to WS, but I want to stick with WS right now b/c I love the setup and ideas behind it, so I was thinking maybe changing my ME bench movement to just 5x5 or 4x4 flat bench or something? Any ideas or input? I hate not being able to put up higher numbers every month. thanks

 

[spatts]

Where are you stalling and how do you know if you have made progress? Are you comparing 4 board to 4 board, etc...?

 

[leatherface]

The first week of WS i used a regular flat bench as my main ME move, now from then to now(6 weeks), ive been doing different board presses(1,3,4), and close grip stuff as well. Just today I did a regular flat bench again to compare, and Although I had trouble in a different area this time, I still didn't make much gains in this department. Before it seemed that my weakness was out of the bottom, now it seems to be about 3-4 inches off my chest.

 

[t3c]

question...do you bench raw?

If so I found that doing direct chest work will help your bench while doing westside. All those moves focus alot of the lockout, what about the bottom? you have no shirt aiding you with that

 

[Liftbig]

post what you have been doing for your ME and DE workouts leatherface

 

[PlatnumKowboy]

Before it seemed that my weakness was out of the bottom, now it seems to be about 3-4 inches off my chest.

Maybe some speed benching would help push past your sticking point?

 

[spatts]

How can you be doing "westside" and not be doing speed workouts?

 

[Liftbig]

The first week of WS i used a regular flat bench as my main ME move, now from then to now(6 weeks), ive been doing different board presses(1,3,4), and close grip stuff as well. Just today I did a regular flat bench again to compare, and Although I had trouble in a different area this time, I still didn't make much gains in this department. Before it seemed that my weakness was out of the bottom, now it seems to be about 3-4 inches off my chest.

i guess i didnt see this post, i must be a little retarded today

dont use flat bench as a me move, unless you use some type of accomadating resistance(bands, chains, etc.) flat benching is not the best way to build the bench press.

what are you doing for speed work? what have your board press numbers been in comparison to your max off your chest.

 

[leatherface]

I do speedwork, and I don't usually do flat bench work as my ME move, just week 1 and 6 I did to compare. Um, ill post what my workouts looked like for a couple weeks. And yes, I do bench raw. I was thinking About adding some kind of direct chest exercises as well.

Week 4 - current weakness bench = inch off lat/bar speed box squat = form/explosivness
Monday (ME squat)
Goodmorning: work up to one rep max.
Box Squats 3 sets, 3 reps, 3 min rest
Reverse Hypers 3sets 10 reps, 2 min rest(I don’t have weights to do these though so i just use bands, but I don’t really like the feeling and I dont think these are doing much without weights)
Abs 4-6sets of various exercises

Tuesday(DE bench)
Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 reps 55% of 1RM pause at bottom 1 min rest using 3 grips
Supported Incline Barbell Lat Row 3sets 3 reps 2 min rest
Lat Pull Down(bench plane) w/ blue band 3sets, 5 reps, 2 min rest
JM Press 5 sets, 3 reps + 2Negatives 2 min rest
Hang Snatch 3sets, 3 reps, 2 min rest

Thursday(DE squat)
Box Squat: 8 sets 2 reps 65% of 1RM 1 min rest
( “)Low Box Squat 3 sets 3reps + drop set(3drops), 3 min rest
RDL + calf raise 3sets 3rep, 2 min rest
Glute Ham Raise 3 sets 4 reps, 1 min rest
Abs, 4 -6sets

Friday(ME bench)
1 Board Press: work up to one rep max
Barbell Row 5 sets 3 reps, 2 min rest / superset / Close supinated Pull Ups ME
Speed Seated Overhead Press (50% 1RM..estimate) 6 sets 2 reps, 1 min rest
Close Grip Pin Press (few inches above chest) 5 sets 3reps, 2 min rest

usually I dont do negatives/drop sets/ supersets this much at all(infact i rarely do them), but this was right before my week off so I just threw them in

Week 6 - current weakness bench = inch off lat/bar speed box squat = form/explosivness
Monday (ME squat)
(38 “) Suspended Goodmorning: work up to one rep max.
(6”)Low Box Squats 3 sets, 2 reps, 3 min rest
Pull Throughs 2sets 10 reps, 2 min rest
Glute ham raise 2 sets 6 reps, 2 min rest
Abs 4-6sets
Grip work - plate pinch

Tuesday(DE bench)
Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 reps 40% of 1RM + minis pause at bottom 1 min rest using 3 grips
Supported Incline Dumbbell Row 3sets 8 reps 2 min rest
Lat Pull Down(bench plane) 3sets, 5 reps, 2 min rest
Incline Close Grip Bench Press 4 sets, 3 reps 2 min rest
Clean 3sets, 3 reps, 2 min rest
Plyos - 5 sets total

Thursday(DE squat)
Box Squat: 8 sets 2 reps 70% of 1RM 1 min rest
Dimel Deadlift + calf raise 2sets 10rep, 2 min rest
Glute Ham Raise 4 sets 6 reps, 2 min rest
Abs, 4 -6sets
Plyos - 8 sets total


Friday(ME bench)
Bench Press: work up to one rep max
Pull ups 2(Wide/out) 2(Medium/out) 1(close/in) 5 sets x reps, 2 min rest
Seated Overhead Press 5 sets 2 reps, 2 min rest
Supported Tricep kickback 5 sets 8reps, 2 min rest
Grip Work - Board Walking

Previous to week 4 i always did speed benching without a pause at the bottom, but i’ve been trying the pause lately to see if that will help me with my bottom sticking point, and I think it has.

Ok there is my stuff. Now, whats wrong!?!?!

 

[Liftbig]

alright, after you bench go straight into triceps, pick two exercises. dont do negatives.

as far as chest work, you can do dumbell presses, illegal wide benches, etc.

for speed work, when you lower the bar it should be a very controlled decent, your chest, shoulders, tris, everything must be held tight. when i lower the bar i try to think about starting to reverse the bar before it hits my chest. combined with staying ultra tight, the bar doesnt bounce off my chest, sometimes it just grazes my chest before i press it back up. you can also do something called "catching" this is wear you do everything the same except actually reverse the bar 2-3 inches off your chest. so you wont actually be touching your chest. this has helped my bottom range tremendously. also recenty i have been using a mini band around my wrists and it really helps you to learn to a squeeze the bar, this recruits the triceps more, and IMO is where staying tights starts.

 

[leatherface]

alright, after you bench go straight into triceps, pick two exercises. dont do negatives.

For the first 4 weeks of WS I did do that, but my weakness was about 1 inch off my chest so i tried to emphasize my lats more.

as far as chest work, you can do dumbell presses, illegal wide benches, etc.

Do you think just adding in a chest exercises every DE/ME bench day would be more beneficial than doing the 5x5 or 4x4 thing i mentioned?

Thanks for the input guys Keep it coming

 

[leatherface]

What about this for next week? I tried to use more reps on DE day, and i incorporated some chest exercises in there.

Week 7 - current weakness bench = 3-4 inches off chest
Monday (ME squat)
Deadlifts: work up to 1RM
Box Squats 3 sets, 3 reps, 3 min rest
Goodmorning 3sets, 3reps, 2 min
Glute ham raise 3sets 6 reps, 2 min rest
Abs 4-6sets
Grip work - plate pinch

Tuesday(DE bench)
Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 reps 40% of 1RM + minis pause at bottom 1 min rest using 3 grips
Incline Bench Press 3sets 5reps 2 min rest
Close Grip 3 Board Bench Press 3 sets, 5 reps 2 min rest
Reverse Barbell Row 3sets, 5 reps, 2 min rest
Snatch 3sets, 3 reps, 2 min rest
Plyos -

Thursday(DE squat)
Box Squat: 8 sets 2 reps 60% of 1RM 1 min rest
Speed Deadlift 6sets 2rep, 1 min rest
Glute Ham Raise 4 sets 6 reps, 2 min rest
Abs, 4 -6sets
Plyos -

Friday(ME bench)
Incline Bench Press: work up to one rep max
Flat Bench Press 2 sets 3 reps 2min rest
Pull ups close/in 3sets 3 reps 2 min rest
Dumbbell Overhead Press 3 sets 3 reps, 2 min rest
Wide Reverse grip 5 board Press 3 sets 3reps, 2 min rest
Grip Work - Board Walking

 

[leatherface]

bump, any opinions?

 

[Numani]

the thing that gets my attention straight away is:

1) up the volume on your back and triceps work. look for 5sets of 8reps. row to grow. same plane as your bench. drop the pull ups/pulldowns.

you seem to be concerned with only doing low reps. build some mass on the assistance exercise.

drop the negatives, drop sets and supersets.
the only place that you look to up the intensity or pace of the workout is on the assistance moves. there you can have 2minutes rest or 15 seconds whatever takes your fancy.

on DE/ME exercises the rest period is generally fixed obviously.

your squat day exercises look good as does the sets and rep ranges.

just my $0.02

 

[muscledog95]

why should he drop the pull ups? Pull ups are one of the best lifts for the back

 

[Numani]

why should he drop the pull ups? Pull ups are one of the best lifts for the back

pull ups are a great exercise. no doubt.

the key thing is his volume is too low. 3sets of 3reps...is not enough.
i do not know his strength levels..maybe he is developing it on this exercise...but if not...up it.get a total rep count near 40 reps.
though the original question relates to improving his bench press and the Westsiders do think that rows in the same plane as bench have more carry over. i think the same.

 

[Liftbig]

i like to train my lats from all different angles, often i end up doing pulldowns more than rowing. either way as long as my lats are strong is what im concerned with. find a bunch of lat exercises you like, and seem to work the best for you and rotate those. my favorites are, pulldowns with various bars, CS rows, camber bar rows on flat bench, standing lat pulls.