Frustrated with bench. Help?

[NovaFlex]

Hey guys, getting really frustrated over here.

Since January my squat and DL have shot up from 405x2 to 475, nearing 500 for squat... and 495 struggling, to 550 for DL... that's all well and good, except m bench has gone from 265 to 275 in a year...

This makes no sense to me. My reps with 225 have gone up from 2 to 8 in the same time. I can do 4x5 with 225, but can't max more than 275.

I throw in heavy tricep work after EVERY workout. (4x a week).. I do DB flyes in all weight ranges. I've corrected my bar path, bracing, leg drive, etc. realistically, I should be reping 315 for at least 2-3 by now.

My only thought is that my right tendon is weak, because it aches for DAYS after I go over 245ish with any sort of rep work.



Any advice on this? I feel like 3 plates is forever away.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Hard to say without you laying out what your sessions look like and your training cycles look like. Are you running a program or just winging it?

Personally I pretty much just bench to get better at bench. I do three to five sets of dips once a week, but no other triceps work and no chest work besides bench and bench variations to improve my bench and it works much better than when I used to do all the extras.

 

[Ironlord]

As mentioned unless we see your training protocol, maybe bench videos... It's hard to say. If you're working triceps as much as you say, it might be too much.
Where is your weak point? Lockout, mid or off the chest?
You need strong lats and delts for strong pressing as well. Flyes don't do shit for a strong bench Imo.. They're just a shaping movement.

Provide more info and we can help im sure

 

[NovaFlex]

I just started adding in the tricep work like 6 weeks ago because I'm weak off my chest.

And yeah @Perrin Aybara I've cut down accessories a LOT. I do incline bench, flyes and tri work, and that's it. Mostly benching tho.


I've been running The Cube for the last 4-6 months, with slight tweaks to fit my training style. I'll post up some of my sessions once I'm out of work. I write everything.


I don't do a lot of shoulder work, except OHP. My back, I believe, is my strength point. I can bent over row 315 for reps. So idk.

 

[Ironlord]

If you're weak off the chest, your lats are weak. They fire first to blast the bar up.
Rowing strength isn't indicative of strong lats.
I row 225@180bodyweight, but bench 350...

 

[Ironlord]

Try pause benching and focus on flexing the lats, or hardening the arm pit, with each press

 

[Ironlord]

Could even be weakness in the rear delts as well.....

 

[Perrin Aybara]

If you're weak off the chest, your lats are weak. They fire first to blast the bar up.
Rowing strength isn't indicative of strong lats.
I row 225@180bodyweight, but bench 350...

I'm right on the verge of a 2x bodyweight bench, too. You also a follower of RTS principles?

 

[Masters Power]

If you're weak off the chest, your lats are weak. They fire first to blast the bar up.
Rowing strength isn't indicative of strong lats.
I row 225@180bodyweight, but bench 350...

Weak off the chest could also be form issues or lack of leg drive.

I think rowing strength is indicative of strong lats but I hear what you are saying. The reality is most guys bent rows aren't really bent rows as they end up with their backs at closer to a 90 degree angle to the floor instead of parallel with it.

I'm the first to admit I used to be guilty of this. When I wrote down or logged my workouts it would say something like bent rows 12x225, 8x275, 6x295. The reality was I hadn't done more than a couple of actual bent rows.

Now my weights look a lot more like you use with my top sets being at 225 but looking more like what a row should look like.

Got sort of off topic there. OP post some bench video. I'm guessing there are improvements to be made.

I've been 400+ in competition at 194 and hit 385 at 179 at a meet as well. Not the greatest bencher in the world but not bad either at 50+ years old.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I've hit 405lbs at 210-215lbs and I generally don't even do rows. I can get down on some very heavy weighted chin ups though.

 

[NovaFlex]

Yeah iron, I hear what you're saying. Weak lats just didn't make sense since I pull nearly 600, and obv lats play a part in that. However, you could very well be right.

And the pause bench seems like a good idea, I've never really utilized it, but I will.

Anyway, these are my bench sessions for the pst 1-2 months.

The 265 for high reps is w slingshot. Same thing for 225 for 8/9 mid set.

 

[Demondosage]

I know this is going to sound crazy, but maybe try higher reps for awhile? You may respond better to growing from higher reps, and a bigger chest is usually a stronger chest. And ditch that stupid slingshot

 

[NovaFlex]

Thanks MP, I'll post up a vid tonight, since I'm benching today.

@ DD what's wrong with the slingshot? It's helped me dramatically improve my form and keep my elbows tucked. However, added strength, not so much. But for $50 I'll take the form improvement lol.

U may be right about higher reps. In fact, I think you are. I've been doing mostly -6 for the better part of a year and haven't grown much at all.


@ PA I feel like I should know this, buts what's RTS?

Weak off the chest could also be form issues or lack of leg drive.

I think rowing strength is indicative of strong lats but I hear what you are saying. The reality is most guys bent rows aren't really bent rows as they end up with their backs at closer to a 90 degree angle to the floor instead of parallel with it.

I'm the first to admit I used to be guilty of this. When I wrote down or logged my workouts it would say something like bent rows 12x225, 8x275, 6x295. The reality was I hadn't done more than a couple of actual bent rows.

Now my weights look a lot more like you use with my top sets being at 225 but looking more like what a row should look like.

Got sort of off topic there. OP post some bench video. I'm guessing there are improvements to be made.

I've been 400+ in competition at 194 and hit 385 at 179 at a meet as well. Not the greatest bencher in the world but not bad either at 50+ years old.

 

[theprodgicalson]

Thanks MP, I'll post up a vid tonight, since I'm benching today.

@ DD what's wrong with the slingshot? It's helped me dramatically improve my form and keep my elbows tucked. However, added strength, not so much. But for $50 I'll take the form improvement lol.

U may be right about higher reps. In fact, I think you are. I've been doing mostly -6 for the better part of a year and haven't grown much at all.


@ PA I feel like I should know this, buts what's RTS?

RTS = Reactive Training Systems

its a method of training that uses the RPE system.

do not get rid of or ditch the "stupid" slingshot. it has a purpose for strength training. how you utilize in your training is whats imperative.

also, you mention youre running the cube method with slight tweaks for your training style. not to be brash, but youre not running the cube method them. youre running your own program. most programs are very well thought out, executed programs. especially coming from someone of the likes of brandon lilly.

personal, i dont think "higher reps" will help your bench grow. VOLUME will help your bench grow. two completely different things.

 

[NovaFlex]

I guess you're right about The Cube. However, I've gained tons of strength in other areas... just not bench. Then again, I may need more volume on bench than I do for squat / DL.

Idk. I'm fucking lost for what to do, honestly. That comes out of frustration.

RTS = Reactive Training Systems

its a method of training that uses the RPE system.

do not get rid of or ditch the "stupid" slingshot. it has a purpose for strength training. how you utilize in your training is whats imperative.

also, you mention youre running the cube method with slight tweaks for your training style. not to be brash, but youre not running the cube method them. youre running your own program. most programs are very well thought out, executed programs. especially coming from someone of the likes of brandon lilly.

personal, i dont think "higher reps" will help your bench grow. VOLUME will help your bench grow. two completely different things.

 

[theprodgicalson]

I guess you're right about The Cube. However, I've gained tons of strength in other areas... just not bench. Then again, I may need more volume on bench than I do for squat / DL.

Idk. I'm fucking lost for what to do, honestly. That comes out of frustration.

how many times a week are you benching? or pressing?

 

[JC456]

Idk. I'm fucking lost for what to do, honestly. That comes out of frustration.

The obvious stand out here is that you seem to be benching once a week for 3 work sets (correct me if I'm wrong).

That's just nowhere near enough work.

 

[Eman]

Yeah iron, I hear what you're saying. Weak lats just didn't make sense since I pull nearly 600, and obv lats play a part in that. However, you could very well be right.

You might be having trouble activating your lats when benching. I like doing a few reps of pullups in between bench sets... Just enough for a small pump to get them warm, makes it easier for me to engage them.

There is nothing stupid about a slingshot, I believe it was a pretty key component for me to break past a 400lb bench. It will be a very important component of breaking a 500lb bench.
I'd ditch all that tricep work. Include it only on days you bench and only at the end of the session, you shouldn't need much and it doesn't need to be very heavy.

My favorite program of all time is Smolov. The Jr version fit perfectly for me, I only use it for twice a week sessions. I used to use it three times a week but I've changed it back to two now. Pick a conservative rep max that you could hit within ten minutes of getting out of bed in the AM. I saw profound changes in my bench ability with that program, I prefer a lot of volume though... All assistance lifts I do afterwards are designed to get me bigger as much as they are to get me stronger.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I'd scrap that whole routine. Doesn't look anything like a strength training program to me and you said yourself it's not working at all. You need more bench volume, more bench frequency and you need to be addressing your weak points.

 

[Eman]

You might be having trouble activating your lats when benching. I like doing a few reps of pullups in between bench sets... Just enough for a small pump to get them warm, makes it easier for me to engage them.

There is nothing stupid about a slingshot, I believe it was a pretty key component for me to break past a 400lb bench. It will be a very important component of breaking a 500lb bench.
I'd ditch all that tricep work. Include it only on days you bench and only at the end of the session, you shouldn't need much and it doesn't need to be very heavy.

My favorite program of all time is Smolov. The Jr version fit perfectly for me, I only use it for twice a week sessions. I used to use it three times a week but I've changed it back to two now. Pick a conservative rep max that you could hit within ten minutes of getting out of bed in the AM. I saw profound changes in my bench ability with that program, I prefer a lot of volume though... All assistance lifts I do afterwards are designed to get me bigger as much as they are to get me stronger.

Ditch the flyes too. I personally see no purpose for them if strength is the goal. They're really not that great for size either, IMO.