Bench press getting weaker?

[NovaFlex]

I wasn't sure where to put this, so this seemed like the best spot...

I've only been working out again for 3 weeks now, but I worked my way up to 160lbs (3x10) on the bench. Today I could barely press 145 for an entire set... Am I doing something wrong?

Can a lack of sleep for the past few nights cause this? Or am I over-training this particular exercise? I do upper body twice a week.

 

[Oregongearhead]

I wasn't sure where to put this, so this seemed like the best spot...

I've only been working out again for 3 weeks now, but I worked my way up to 160lbs (3x10) on the bench. Today I could barely press 145 for an entire set... Am I doing something wrong?

Can a lack of sleep for the past few nights cause this? Or am I over-training this particular exercise? I do upper body twice a week.

Have you ever worked fullbody workouts 2 or 3 times a week ?
At your entry level you should really be working fullbody workouts. It will develop your body as a whole and you"ll be more complete. Later on you can split up muscle groups , but not until your mid level .



<Fullbody workout>

Only 3 sets of each exercise / 8-10 reps on all sets
2x week -Mon&Thurs /75% of 1 rep-max on all exercises to start / then add 5lbs every week
After a month add an extra set to all exercises every month until you reach 5 sets for all exercises

Legs first -squats
Then back --Bent over barbell row or chins
Then chest--Flat bench press or incline bench
Then shoulders - barbell or dumbbell presses
Last biceps - barbell or dumbbell curls

I did this same workout for my first 5 years and I still go back to an advanced version of this sometimes .Its very simple but very effective , especially in the beginning. The secret is you are working the largest muscle groups first , the legs , then back then chest and so forth .
And you are working them all on the same day so all the muscles recover at the same time . Goodluck ~Ogh

 

[NovaFlex]

@Oregongearhead That looks almost exactly like my routine. Except I do:

Mon: Upper
Tues: Lower
Wed: Off
Thurs: Upper
Fri: Lower
Sat: Off
Sun: Off



This is how I have mine setup:

Day 1, Upper Body:

Bench: 3 sets of 8-10. --- I had it setup so that I was doing 160lbs for 3 sets. By the end of the third set, I'd get to 7 or 8 and fail.

Shoulder Presses: 3 x 10
Ben over Barbell Rows: 3 x 10 (I usually only make it through half of the third set)
Tri extensions: 3 x 10

I finish off with 15 lb curls to failure

Day 2, Lower Body / core:

Squats: 3 x 10
Stiff leg deadlifts: 3 x 10
Calf extensions, with DBs: to failure
Leg press: 3 x 10
Crunches: 3 x 20


I took the plan from here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/go-from-zero-to-hero-in-one-year.htm


Is there anything I should change?

 

[NovaFlex]

Oh, and thanks for the info about adding sets and weights bro.

 

[jaymaximus]

Listen to ogh

But it could be a lot of things. Could be sleep. Muscles could be tired. You mightve just not have been focused. We all have our good and bad days in the gym. Just keep at it.

 

[insertnamehere]

I wasn't sure where to put this, so this seemed like the best spot...

I've only been working out again for 3 weeks now, but I worked my way up to 160lbs (3x10) on the bench. Today I could barely press 145 for an entire set... Am I doing something wrong?

Can a lack of sleep for the past few nights cause this? Or am I over-training this particular exercise? I do upper body twice a week.

Yes, lack of sleep can certainly have a negative effect on your training. Another key factor in continuously gaining strength over a period of time is calorie intake.

What is your current stats and calorie intake?

 

[Ozzy619]

I wasn't sure where to put this, so this seemed like the best spot...

I've only been working out again for 3 weeks now, but I worked my way up to 160lbs (3x10) on the bench. Today I could barely press 145 for an entire set... Am I doing something wrong?

Can a lack of sleep for the past few nights cause this? Or am I over-training this particular exercise? I do upper body twice a week.

Ogh is spot on about full body when youre starting out. It could be alot of things, but three weeks in I wouldnt be concerned. I would say to not try and max out every single upper body day. I dont know how long its been since you were in the gym before that, but take it easy and progressively add weight. And like mentioned above, make sure youre diet is dialed in.

 

[Whoremoans]

Yeah don't stress about it too much man. Personally I would just keep working with a lighter weight for high reps and after a couple weeks of that add 10lbs and so on. Slow steady progression.

 

[Whoremoans]

A lot of guys like to count reps but what's always worked for me is going till failure. The set isn't done till you can't get another rep. Great way to grow when you're starting out.

 

[insertnamehere]

Another thing - going to failure every bench session is not helping your cause.

IMO, people looking to get stronger need to stay away from failure. It unnecessarily taxes your CNS. Save that CNS for some heavy deads.

 

[Oregongearhead]

Nova - I would also look into a 5x5 type workout . Mark Rippetoe 5x5 (< my man) , Mancow 5x5 , Stronglifts 5x5 . They all work very well and this is what I still use sometimes. Cant beat a 5x5 as a beginner and even when your advanced ...

 

[insertnamehere]

^^^^ Yep. Lots of good linear progressive overload programs out there, Nova. Look into it them.

 

[NovaFlex]

Ogh is spot on about full body when youre starting out. It could be alot of things, but three weeks in I wouldnt be concerned. I would say to not try and max out every single upper body day. I dont know how long its been since you were in the gym before that, but take it easy and progressively add weight. And like mentioned above, make sure youre diet is dialed in.

It's been a little over 2 years since I've been in the gym. I was off and on before that.

My diet has come a long way from the junk I was eating before I started lifting again, but it's still not perfect. I just started counting cals today. I'm on a deficit to lose weight, and I read that can mess with muscle mass, so it might be that as well.

Another thing - going to failure every bench session is not helping your cause.

IMO, people looking to get stronger need to stay away from failure. It unnecessarily taxes your CNS. Save that CNS for some heavy deads.

Ahh, thanks for the info, man... I didn't know that. I had it in my head that if I wasn't going to failure, I wasn't working hard enough.

Nova - I would also look into a 5x5 type workout . Mark Rippetoe 5x5 (< my man) , Mancow 5x5 , Stronglifts 5x5 . They all work very well and this is what I still use sometimes. Cant beat a 5x5 as a beginner and even when your advanced ...

I was doing Stronglifts 5x5 when I was training for the Marines. I'll look back into that and try to change what I'm doing now.


Thanks for all the help, guys. This community is fucking awesome.

 

[insertnamehere]

If you're on a deficit, you can expect you strength to stall and even decrease at some point. If you plan well and stick to a small deficit, you can usually maintain strength but increasing it can be a challenge.

What are you stats? Age, height, weight, aprx body fat

 

[NovaFlex]

@insertnamehere That's what I was reading today. Makes sense.

I'm 26, 5' 11", 267lbs. my bf% was at 38%, I believe. I know it's a bit lower now.

I started dieting at 285, and started working out again at 272.

 

[Blacken]

As everybody else said full body for starters. It builds a foundation for later on. I didn't make any progress as a teen because I tried bodybuilding splits from flex magazine. If I could only beat myself for that mistake. Once I did Bill Starrs 5x5 I blew up.

I eventually tried bodybuilding splits again and it was crap no offense to the people that brosplits works for it just doesn't for me. I think a big issue is people do way to much volume. Volume has it's place but it is very often misunderstood. More is not always better.

I've found for me that I tend to be a more a low volume guy. My goal is almost always to surpass my personal best from the previous session. Once I have passed my goal I will keep going but I don't kill myself to complete failure. I find it just ends up taxing me with little to no results for an extra rep. Steady progress is key. That being said I will take it to failure if need be to progress. I can get into my training beliefs all day but I don't have hours to type so I'll end it here for now.

Lack of sleep can impact strength also since you are in a transition for losing a high percentage of fat this can also play a role in sudden strength drops. Don't worry about it.

 

[FuriousWO]

When I first started out I did this program and it got me to the point where I was ready to really hit the gym in 12 weeks.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/lee-labrada-12-week-lean-body-trainer.html
I liked it for what it was you can increase the set count if you want

 

[insertnamehere]

@insertnamehere That's what I was reading today. Makes sense.

I'm 26, 5' 11", 267lbs. my bf% was at 38%, I believe. I know it's a bit lower now.

I started dieting at 285, and started working out again at 272.

Sounds like you're making some great progress so far.

I should have asked you this in my previous post but what are your goals? Do you have a specific body weight range you would like to be?

 

[NovaFlex]

@insertnamehere Thanks, man. It's slow, but I'm working on it.

I'm not sure exactly what my end goal will be. I know I wanna get big. More-so than that, I want to be strong without being fat... I've never felt 'good' about my body, and I decided I want that to change. So when I like what I see, I'll probably push a little further haha.

After some research I saw that 185 is my 'ideal' body weight. I'd probably like to be around 200 with abs.


Is it possible for an ex-fatty to have abs?

 

[NovaFlex]

@Oregongearhead I was wondering why Mark Ripetoe sounded so familiar... I'm in the middle of reading Starting Strength right now.