Thread: Finished 5x5 and 3x3 cycle...now what?

The question of the century: now what?

After being on a 5x5-type full body routine (madcow) on and off for the past 3 months, I've increased my 5x5 flat barbell bench press 40 pounds (155 to 195) and my 3-rep max a lot (to 215). I bench 2 times a week, monday and friday, and lift near my 1-rep max deadlift on wednesdays (I don't squat anymore).

I am now completely stuck on my bench. It's been 4 consecutive workouts where I've not been able to go past 3 reps at 215. I have spent all those workouts at the same weight and am not getting any stronger.

So I think I'm overtrained. My central nervous system feels fried and I have long-lasting pains in my left wrist, shoulders, and elbows. The best solution seems to be to take a week off, or at most 2.

That brings me, at last, to my original question: what now? What kind of program should I follow after I finish this rest period? My goal is to have a 275+ pound bench by the end of the summer. Can I do a program which calls for low-rep high-weight bench press, or should I do a less-stressful mass building type workout to let my central nervous system recover?

Also I stopped doing squats a while ago but enjoy deadlift and will keep training it (aiming for 500+ by end of August). Will this affect my bench goals?

Thanks a lot in advance

1. Old-school style benching is OK, but at some point IMO it becomes not good enough to press heavy weight. You're probably not using your triceps as much as you could with this style of benching and you're likely fatiguing your shoulders more than you should.

Also, with no arch and the weight being lowered to the pec, you're not moving the weight in a straight line and, thus, moving a heavy weight farther than you need to.

At least consider bringing your arms in a bit and lowering the weight to the lower pecs/upper abs. The best way to measure where to lower the bar is to find where your elbows fall when your arms are hanging at your sides.

2. If you're failing at the lockout of the lift, train the lockout of the lift. Dips are great but IMO they don't stimulate the triceps enough.

Pin presses are a good way to train the lockout portion of the lift. Also consider benching with bands or chains because it will help you lift explosively through the top of the lift. Bar speed is important to locking out heavy weight. JM presses or Tate presses are also good triceps pressing exercises.

3. I don't think there's a prescribed time for the pure deload phase of Starr's program. By dropping to 3x3 and progressing the weights you have deloaded a bit, but not fully IMO.

The pure deload phase Starr recommends usually lasts about 2 weeks. You drop the Friday workout and drop the volume of everything to 3 sets of 3 repetitions, keeping intensity the same.

I did a pure deload after 4 weeks of the 5x5 phase, then another 3 weeks of 5x5, then another pure deload. IMO it's a personal thing. If you're not progressing and your body is tired, de-load for a few weeks and you may be ready to jump in again and hit some new PRs.