Need help getting over my bench press plateau

[JCballin88]

So back in December I finally hit that tantalizing bench number of 225 pounds. I got about 4 solid reps in.

Now it's 10.5 months later, and that's still as much as I usually can get on a normal day.

This is the kind of set I do:

Set 1: 135 lbs, 10-12 reps
Set 2: 185 lbs, 6-8 reps
Set 3: 205 lbs, 4-6 reps
Set 4: 225 lbs, 3-4 reps - sometimes with a little nudge from the spotter

This is pretty much what I do every time when I work on my chest day. Is there any way I should try to adjust these sets so that I can keep increasing? I've been doing other things like push-ups on off days, weighted dips, etc, but I really would like to push on past 225 lbs. I currently weigh about 195 if that's any reference.

 

[Colossus]

This is pretty much what I do every time when I work on my chest day.

That's why your bench hasnt gone anywhere.

Start doing all your benching from the bottom in the power rack. Set up the pins so the bar just grazes your chest when you are in bench form. Then simply take a deep breath and press. Start with the most weight you can do for 3 stop-and-go reps. Add 5 lb per week the bar and get those three reps on your last set. If it is less than your regular bench don't be discouraged. It should be. You have to check your ego for a while.

Also add in heavy tricep pressdowns, rolling tricep extensions, and unilateral (one-arm) DB presses with heavy weight. Train your lats with BB rows and chins for assistance.

Do this for 4 weeks (no regular benching!!), and at the end of 4 weeks hit a new max on the regular bench press. After you hit a new personal record take a week off from your routine and just do light sets of 20 reps with 40-45% of your max, NOT to failure.

 

[cdy4261]

one simple mistake many people make when doing bench is something called "bouncing" or getting the weight too low to push up .

do you go all the way down to your chest??

when you grab the bar..make sure your arms are slightly, SLIGHTLY, wider than your shoulders.

when you start your descent down....only and only go parallel with your elbows...so that your elbows do not go past your shoulders.

if your elbows go past your shoulders, your putting alot of strain on your shoulders and cutting off all power with your chest and biceps,triceps. etc.

only go parallel and push up....after learning this technique..i went from weighing 170 and pressing usually 225 as a max to weighing 170 pressing up 275! im all natural too, so dont think you need steroids. i promise you'll feel great.

you will probably be able to lift around 230 235 your first time you try this. try it out

 

[Colossus]

when you grab the bar..make sure your arms are slightly, SLIGHTLY, wider than your shoulders.

when you start your descent down....only and only go parallel with your elbows...so that your elbows do not go past your shoulders.

if your elbows go past your shoulders, your putting alot of strain on your shoulders and cutting off all power with your chest and biceps,triceps. etc.

only go parallel and push up....after learning this technique..i went from weighing 170 and pressing usually 225 as a max to weighing 170 pressing up 275! im all natural too, so dont think you need steroids. i promise you'll feel great.

you will probably be able to lift around 230 235 your first time you try this. try it out

This is good advice. 275 is a great bench for a bodyweight of 170!

I use a fairly narrow grip (thumbs on the edge of the knurling), and keep my elbows tight in to my sides. I bring the bar down to the lower edge of my pecs. Shirted lifters bring the bar down to their upper abs, but this is because of shirt mechanics.

 

[SamoJednom]

So back in December I finally hit that tantalizing bench number of 225 pounds. I got about 4 solid reps in.

Now it's 10.5 months later, and that's still as much as I usually can get on a normal day.

This is the kind of set I do:

Set 1: 135 lbs, 10-12 reps
Set 2: 185 lbs, 6-8 reps
Set 3: 205 lbs, 4-6 reps
Set 4: 225 lbs, 3-4 reps - sometimes with a little nudge from the spotter

This is pretty much what I do every time when I work on my chest day. Is there any way I should try to adjust these sets so that I can keep increasing? I've been doing other things like push-ups on off days, weighted dips, etc, but I really would like to push on past 225 lbs. I currently weigh about 195 if that's any reference.

Well first off you are over-warming up. You are doing too many reps and by the time you come to your actual work-set you are already worn out.

Example Warm up 1:

Pre-Set: Bar: 1x12
Set 1: 1x8 @ 95
Set 2: 1x6 @ 115
Set 3: 1x5@ 135
Set 4: 1x4 @ 155
Set 5: 1x3 @ 170
Set 6: 1x2 @ 190
Set 7: 1x1 @ 205
Set : Work Set

Example Warm up 2

Pre-Set: Bar: 1x12
Set 1: 1x8 @ 115
Set 2: 1x5@ 135
Set 3: 1x4 @ 155
Set 4: 1x3 @ 170
Set 5: 1x2 @ 190
Set 6: 1x1 @ 205
Set : Work Set

The key is not to try and jump over 20lbs or so on every warm up. Rest between every warm up set you do by 1:30-2 mins...The most important aspect as well is only do 1x1 warm up set right before your main weight, in your case 1x1 @205...

Another thing you could do is put a board on your chest 1" and see if this is the sticking point for you. For some people, if they go down to the chest they can't get it up after 3rd or 4th rep. But if they stop 1" above their chest they can get it no problem. Experiment with something like this for a bit and see how it goes.

Edit: The key of warm ups is not to jump too much in weight, go up by 15-20lbs, don't do too many reps at high weight for warp up since it wears you out a lot...In my examples the higher weights above 155, you can even do 1x1's or 1x2's but the main warp up weight before work set should be 1x1

 

[Quiksilver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh3t6T-nqP0

 

[mrRuckus]

It's probably as simple as doing something like 5x5 for bench and being patient enough to only add 2-5 lbs a week depending on what is sustainable even if it's only like 1 lb if necessary.

Try the simple stuff first before screwing around.

1 lb a week is still 52 lbs in a year.
2 is 104.

That's quite a bit for bench.

Slow, steady progress is the way to go. Big spurts of progress followed by long plateaus is silly.

 

[Fengshui]

My advice is to do stop doing benchpresses for a month, and do a variation of it instead. For the next three weeks, do floor presses instead of benchpresses. Floor press, you lay on the floor and press the bar. Youtube has good demonstrations of it. From weeks 4-5 and 6, swich from a floor press to a 1-board press. That is a benchpress with a two to twree inch elevation from your chest. If you train alone, just stick a waterbottle under your shirt. Youtube has good demonstrations of this exercise aswell. Work your way up to a 3 rep max set. From week seven to nine, you can go back to regular bench presses.

For great info, google up Westside Barbell Training