Trying to push past a hump

Gearloose · 10-Dec-05, 11:07 PM

Ok, Ive been trying to push my bench press numbers higher, but I've got a hump I can't get over.

I start out with 135 lb. I do an easy 10 reps. It's just a warmup.

Next, after a 2 or 3 minute rest, I add a pair of 25 lb plates and take it up to 185 lb. I can do 8 reps at 185. When I first started using 185 lb on the second set I was only getting 4 or 5 reps, so I'm progressing, albiet slowly.

For my third set I add a pair of 10 lb plates to bring it up to 205 lb. I cannot seem to get more than 3 reps out of 205. I've been holding at 3 reps for a few weeks and am not seeing any progress.

Any suggestions?

smm3 · 10-Dec-05, 11:19 PM

I had the same thing with 315 in college, sort of a mental block.

If you have a training partner, do some negatives. You can gain a lot of strength working the eccentric movement plus its probably a change from the usual routine. If you don't have a partner, you can do this with 135 and get some benefit from a different perspective. Take it slow.

Also, you need a spot with this one. Since, I believe ALOT of lifting is mental, you may have the mental block on doing more. You feel the weight and think in the back of your mind, "I'll never get 5 of these". Here's what you do, put 225, or hell go for 250, on the bar. Get a lift off and just hold it in the extended position. Only 15-20 seconds or so. And rerack it. 2-3 sets. You'll get the feel of the heavier weight and then when you go to pick up 205 on your next chest day, you've got it beat in your mind. It doesn't feel sooo damn heavy anymore.

I have seen many powerlifters prepare for meets this way. Load the weight on. Its all a mind game....

Good Luck

Bearbait · 11-Dec-05, 03:47 PM

If I were you I would skip the 185 and go right to the 205 for a few workouts and see what happens. I have done this in the past and seems to work for me. Good luck.

**Firehawk** · 11-Dec-05, 04:09 PM

I'm not a fan of doing those lockouts on the bench. Your routine isn't geared at all towards strength. If you aren't going anywhere then you need to change your routine. I also do'nt like negatives either.

I don't think you need anything complicated to get your bench moving again. It sounds like you are going to an 8RM with the 185? That could be burning you out.

I'd try something like a 3 x 3 routine if you are going for strength, or go for 3 x 5 for awhile, adding 5 lbs a week on. When warming up, do minimal reps on the way up, no max rep sets.

It definitely is all mental. If you think it's heavy it's gonna be.

Khaine · 11-Dec-05, 04:58 PM

Do your heaviest sets when you are the freshest... No reason to do the 185 first...

3x3 like Firehawk said, or at least, lower reps... You need to improve your CNS' ability to recruit MUs for heavy lifts, and the best way to do that is to lift heavier weights... Lower reps allows this... Simple...

Personally, I think heavy partials and heavy negatives are great for pushing through plateus too...

And, take a 4 minute break between sets... Heavier sets are increasingly neural and require more rest for CNS recovery...

Gearloose · 11-Dec-05, 07:08 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys!

My goals are to build physique as much as I can at my age. I also want to increase strength as much as I can. My goals are not the same as powerlifters, but I would like to eventually see myself benching 315. Is that a realistic goal within the next 12 months for a 53 yr old guy like myself?

**.V.** · 11-Dec-05, 07:41 PM

I know a guy older than you who does it. I don't know how long it took him to get there but he does it. I do know that most of his life, he was into fitness but not bodybuilding or getting big. Being a Navy Seal, he did lots of body weight stuff - kind of like a perini gone psycho. Then after retirement, he was into mountain climbing - being big would have worked against him on that one too. Then when he hit middle age he got into bodybuilding (middle age is what he called 52).

Besides, I've seen your before picture and you've by far surpassed me on strength - and I'm almost 20 years younger. So sure you can do it.

**threenorns** · 11-Dec-05, 08:01 PM

gearloose, please - there's a dude kicking around the net who started bodybuilding when he was 72. he looks wierd now - an 80yr old face on a 40yr old body.

Gearloose · 12-Dec-05, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a_welch503

I know a guy older than you who does it. I don't know how long it took him to get there but he does it. I do know that most of his life, he was into fitness but not bodybuilding or getting big. Being a Navy Seal, he did lots of body weight stuff - kind of like a perini gone psycho. Then after retirement, he was into mountain climbing - being big would have worked against him on that one too. Then when he hit middle age he got into bodybuilding (middle age is what he called 52).

Besides, I've seen your before picture and you've by far surpassed me on strength - and I'm almost 20 years younger. So sure you can do it.

Thanks Andy, but don't sell yourself short. In my eyes you have gone way beyond me. I was pretty big already, just badly out of shape. I was in excellent physical shape 25 to 30 years ago. I was a hard core bicyclist and backpacker and also trained with weights. I weighed around 195 lb and had a 32 inch waist. So, I had a pretty good base to come back from this time.

You, on the other hand, started with a higher body weight than me and have lost more total weight. Your current BF % is way lower than mine too. And to top it off, you are battling MS! So I push a few more pounds? So what? You, sir, have surpassed most of us here just by doing what you have done.

: I'm hoping to catch up to you on the fat loss. I've got a few more percentage points of BF I'd like to shed.

**.V.** · 12-Dec-05, 10:04 AM

Thanks. I'm not selling myself short though, just giving props where they are due. And yes, you can do it. I don't know how long it'll take, but you can do it.

**Firehawk** · 12-Dec-05, 10:05 AM

I don't know if 315 is possible in 1 yr from benching 205 at your age. You'd have to eat big the entire time and be very consistent to get there. 1 1/2 - 2 yrs is much more doable. But hey, prove me wrong and get it!

315 is alot of weight. That's what cracks me up about people that i hear talking about hwo they used to bench 300+ and all this, then they are 150 lbs and not a muscle to be found. A 315 bench requires muscle and it requires strength.

I been working my ass off for a while now and i got as high as 285, with baby steps, and i'm young and a big boy. It just takes time and consistency.

CF-OC_gal · 12-Dec-05, 06:06 PM

Hey Gear, why not just give any of those ideas a try (as long as you do them safely of course).

I like the idea of skipping the 185 and just going to 205. As long as you are working in the 4-8 range you are still doing a strength building set. Warm up a little heavier too.

If you are stuck on a 20lb increase why not cut it in half with a 10lb increase at first (girls do it all the time). Heck I've read about people who even use those 1 lb magnetic weights that get them over sticking points.

A change in routine is good too.

Gearloose · 12-Dec-05, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brat

Hey Gear, why not just give any of those ideas a try (as long as you do them safely of course).

I like the idea of skipping the 185 and just going to 205. As long as you are working in the 4-8 range you are still doing a strength building set. Warm up a little heavier too.

If you are stuck on a 20lb increase why not cut it in half with a 10lb increase at first (girls do it all the time). Heck I've read about people who even use those 1 lb magnetic weights that get them over sticking points.

A change in routine is good too.

Oh, I intend to try them all!

I did recently change my chest routine. I abandoned the seated leverage chest press machine and went to free weight incline and decline bench presses. I'm making good progress in both of those. In fact, my incline just took a surprising (to me) jump a couple of days ago (Saturday) and went from a 105-115 lb max to 135 lbs! I do the incline and decline sets later in the workout on my upper body days. I usually put 2 or 3 upper & lower back exercises between the flat bench press (done first) and the angled presses.

I must be doing something right, because for the last month I've been getting very good DOMS in my pecs, which I never really got before.

**Firehawk** · 12-Dec-05, 07:52 PM

Why not just incrase by 5 lbs each week until you get there? It's tough to throw 20 more lbs on and expect results, especiallyif you're going near failure with the current weight.

Gearloose · 12-Dec-05, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Why not just incrase by 5 lbs each week until you get there? It's tough to throw 20 more lbs on and expect results, especiallyif you're going near failure with the current weight.

Tonight is my lower body night at the gym, but here's my plan for tomorrow night:

This is just an experiment to find my one rep max, and get over the mental hurdle of 205.

I'll start my bench sets as usual after a good warmup. Once I raise the weight to 185, I intend to only do 1 rep. Then I will rest 3 min and add 10 lb and do one rep again. REst 3 and add 10, repeat. I will continue to at least 225 if possible.

If I can do one rep at 215 or 225 without a spotter's help, then I will change my routine next workout and reduce reps in the middle set to only 3 or4 reps and raise the weight on the middle set to 195 or 205. I'll raise the last set to something just under whatever my one rep max turns out to be.

Whadda ya think?