can't increase my bench

[Duncans Donuts]

thanks guys. i used to lift almost evryday except sunday. also my sleep time around 5 to 6hrs. only and sometime i go for a jog early morning and lift evening with some short cardio. i really dont like to gain so much mass that my bf% would increase. i really like the body o those models or should i say a little bigger than brad pit

No wonder you're not very big or strong.

 

[Mudge]

Gaining muscle doesn't increase bodyfat, having a shitty diet does.

 

[pampotch]

yep, but i know i have to be in a singe degit bf if i wanna see my abs. but also love to increase my bench. in 150 i have to call i spotter for it. want to behnch even 150 without anyaid of a spotter

 

[P-funk]

i really dont like to gain so much mass that my bf% would increase.

since when is high levels of BF been know to be performance enhancing??

 

[Squaggleboggin]

I thought that higher levels of BF typically meant more strength. I'm not saying that the fat pushes the bar or anything, but look at powerlifters... not exactly the most cut you know? Maybe the extra weight being carried all day contributes to stronger muscles (Someone with an extra 50 pounds to carry will probably have stronger legs than someone lighter, right?).

 

[SuperFlex]

ive been lifting 6years 165lbs 5'7" 4years a go cant do 150lbs flat bemch press, still can only do 6reps same weight. can u give some real advice on increasing strenght in bench press? wish to bench 200lbs no spotter.

Negatives (you'll need a spot for these puppies...)

 

[Mudge]

Being above 6% bodyfat or so for most people will make it easier to be and feel strong, sure. But there are plenty of powerlifters who have actually competed as bodybuilders and are still low bodyfat during competition, only the superheavyweights and the 308s can typically afford to be bloated. Andy Fiedler has abs all the time and has benched over 810 @ 269, Greg McVicar has competed as a bodybuilder and normally competes in 198/220 powerlifting competitions.

What do you do for your back and tripeps training? Even with a crappy diet I am supprised your lifting is not better. But when you dont have monsterous genetics you need all the help you can get, which means brains.

 

[Mudge]

This is just about how Andy looks year round

 

[SJ69]

I didn't read all the posts, but are you training HARD? You need to force it, add weight, make yourself do the reps, add more once you get the reps, use a spotter and forced reps.

 

[SJ69]

btw, just add 5 lbs at a time (2 1/2 X 2 plates)
heck they even make 1 1/4 pound plates.
Ever hear of the guy who lifted the same calf every day and got stronger as the calf got heavier?

 

[pampotch]

also im planing to have a day off today not even cardio. but plan to do some stiff leg dead lift, leg curl, standing calf raise with smith machine and seated salf raise. and abs. tomorrow do sqaut, leg press and leg extention. what you think? or should all the led exercise tomorrow?

 

[pampotch]

should i do hamsting today and tomorrow all quads or better do all legs tomorrow? and today would be my rest day. what you guys think?

 

[pampotch]

yeah my diet sucks, its expensive clean food here not like in your country, youre tuna taste great, our are loaded with salt.

 

[SJ69]

dessing your split however you like, whatever works for you. Just make sure you train hard, eat well, and rest.
For me it's Day 1 Chest, shoulders and Tris. Day 2 Back and Bi's Day 3 Legs (quads, hams, calfs all on leg day)

 

[WilliamB]

When Duncan says you only need 4-6 sets this somewhat confuses me. So lets say I do 5 sets of flat and 4 sets of incline does for a total of 9 sets (once a week) would that under this defintion mean I am overtraining?

 

[Duncans Donuts]

I didn't give a definition of overtraining. Overtraining would be training more than one's physiological capacity could keep up with. That is, training too often before the body is able to supercompensate, and reaching a stage beyond the alarm and resistance phase (exhaustion) of the GAS which could cause a regression of that which was gained.

One could potentially overreach over several weeks (thus generating very high demands on the body as a system) and garner huge gains (this technique was developed by Brian D. Johnson and assigned the term "blitz"). To continue doing it for a long period of time, beyond that which should be tolerated, would classify as overtraining, and eliminate all of the positive affects of the blitz. Once you reach a point (in accordance with the GAS) of exhaustion, you'll probably lose everything worked for (or at least cease progress which could remain for a while).

I would argue that any intermediate or beginner who doesn't progress in some way in every workout is either undertrained or overtrained. People tend to do things in excess.

Mike Mentzer HIT is probably the most obvious example, with Arnold's ultra HVT being the other. They either excessively overtrain or excessively undertrain. My observation typically suggests that intermediates who workout with high or moderate intensity and carefully adjust their frequency and volume to correlate with it (viz. moderate intensity, 3-4 sets per exercise, 5-7 exercises, 3-4 times a week / high intensity, 1-2 sets per exercises, 5-7 exercises, 2-3 times a week), depending on their genetics, make the fastest progress during this phase.

Guys like Mudge, LAM, Gopro, etc. (who are, as illustrations, very advanced) will have to be more careful in finding out what is affective for themselves as individuals. Once you near your genetic capacity, things get much more difficult..

That's when these "one-size-fits-all" programs become completely inapplicable, mainly because we all ARE individuals and must evaluate the measurements to correspond to our own physiology. Optimizing this process is probably the hardest thing a trainee will ever have to do, and if you employ a run of the mill personal trainer to help, you'll probably be lost within the span of a few weeks. My advice? Hire P-Funk...

 

[WilliamB]

Very informal thanks bud.

 

[WilliamB]

Your like...don't call me bud.

 

[Duncans Donuts]

 

[Kracin]

also im only 5'7" 165lbs. got a lot of fat maybe 18%. if i eat alot to gain muscle mass my body fat special in my stomach may increase. which i prefer a 6pack rather than lifting 250lbs bench

lol, OR you can change your bench and workout routine like stated above... eat more to gain muscle, and in the process you will lose bodyfat on the way to 250 lb bench.... and by the time you can bench 250, your bodyfat will be low enough taht it would only take a month to cut and get abs..... it would be harder for you to cut and get a 6 pack right now than it would be to eat right, workout right, and do it later with more muscle.

or you can actually cut first, then eat more, but if you get caught up in the 6 pack thing, you wont gain any kind of size it takes to do more than youve been doing for your workouts.

 

[Newt]

also im only 5'7" 165lbs. got a lot of fat maybe 18%. if i eat alot to gain muscle mass my body fat special in my stomach may increase. which i prefer a 6pack rather than lifting 250lbs bench

What the fuck does that have to do with not being able to increase your bench in four years. Ol' Donuts had some good info. You listen to that and what I told you about sticking to a program and you'll be alright. After reading all of these posts I'm starting to agree that there is something else going on here. You need to seriously look at what you are doing or just give up because you are not getting the job done. Find a place with the right amout of weights to make some gains or you are waisting your time. This 50lb db incline because that is all the weight they had shit is not going to cut it and you should know that if you've been lifting this long! If you are not willing to help yourself then anything we can tell you is not going to matter. I'm sure you're a bright guy, so use your head and do what everyone has suggested.

 

[pampotch]

i will have my chest/tricep today. plam to do incline barbell, flat bench barbell and decline barbell or dumbell, what do you suggest? our gym dont have dips. tricep skullcrusher, close grip, aand tricep extention. any advice?

 

[BiggerNstronger]

i will have my chest/tricep today. plam to do incline barbell, flat bench barbell and decline barbell or dumbell, what do you suggest? our gym dont have dips. tricep skullcrusher, close grip, aand tricep extention. any advice?

Yeah. Eat something before and after you lift. LOTS of protein, 1/2 as many carbs. No junk.

 

[pampotch]

by the way whats the purpose of pullover??? i included it everytime my chest routine. what about flys and cable crossover whats the purpose of these exercise?