platuea from hell!

[OmarJackson]

I have been stuck at 205 on flat bench for weeks. (very sad... i know). I peaked at 205x7, then regressed to 205x6 and finally 205x5 which have been unable to top for 3 weeks. Basically i figured i was overtraining so i cut down my frequency and my volume to the point where i was doing only 2 sets for chest every week, while before i was doing something like 6-8 sets every 4 days.

still no progress. I have no idea what my problem is and why i can't get this lift to go up, maybe its weak shoulders, maybe its time to step away from barbell benching for a while, maybe now that i'm off creatine my body can't produce its own anymore. This is really frustrating the hell out of me. Please help, and also would someone be able to show me where i find some rotater cuff excercises for weak shoulders.

thanks.

 

[CowPimp]

It could also be your lats. If the bar gets stuck pretty close to your chest, then your lats are most likely your limited muscle.

 

[atherjen]

cut back on the reps for a while. more sets, less reps. that will help with strength.

I also agree with cowpimp, focus more on your back as well.

" Against popular belief, if the bar gets stuck on your chest or right off it by 2 or 3 inches, it is your lats holding you back, not your chest. The primary responsibility of the chest muscles is arm adduction, or pulling you arm across your body. This is why the pec deck and crossovers work so well to isolate the chest. Most all pressing is performed by triceps extension and shoulder rotation. Shoulder rotation is the result or the implementation of the muscles of the upper back, known as the rotator cuff muscles. These muscles together with the lats act to stabilize and move the bar through the proper groove, which happens to be a straight line, not a "J" (pushing back toward the rack), as advocated by many. What is the shortest distance between two points, a straight line or a J? The best exercise for the lats are those that work on a horizontal plane. We all bench on a horizontal plane so the lats should be trained the same way. These exercises include any type of rows such as dumbbell rows, barbell rows, and chest-supported rows"

quoted from Westside Powerlifting:Westside Barbell Style by Dave Tate

 

[SJ69]

I agree with the above comments. Low reps is definately the way to go and try forced reps also if you have a partner. For strength I found that 2-5 reps plus a forced rep seems to produce good results, then do a couple lighter sets (8-12 reps) AFTER hitting your heavy sets, but don't forget to use warm up sets prior to going heavy mabe 135 then 155 X 10 or so. Don't kill yourself on warm ups, don't count them as sets either.
Another thing you may try is using 5 feet of 5/8 drapped over each side of the bar, I've been meaning to buy a set of these myself.
Also half of this is mental shit, i bet you could do at least 3 reps or 10 more pounds if you were in the right state of mind.

 

[Todd Bostrom]

2 sets per week? Way too little.

You should drop the weight down to something like 170. Perform 5 sets of 5 reps. Add 5lbs per week to all the sets. By the time you get to 205, you will be much stronger and should past it up. When you peak again, drop the weight back and start over

 

[Todd Bostrom]

You can do this workout twice a week. Only add weight every week though not every workout.

Don't do any other chest exercise.

 

[plouffe]

Dude, jump it to about 12-16 sets, go to failure each set.

 

[CowPimp]

You should try all kinds of stuff. One thing that got me past my recent plateau was alternating between low repititions and higher repititions a la Gopro's workout. I do 3-6 reptitions for 2 weeks, then 8-12 the next 2 weeks. As well, I use a very slow tempo for the higher repitition weeks (3 down, 3 up or 4 down, 2 up).

Try some burnouts too. Setup the bar with a lot of small weights that equal up to your lifting weight. Lift enough so that you would consider it a working set, but leave a couple of reps left over. Quickly get up and remove some of the weight. Without resting, do more reps at the lower weight. Keep dropping the weight until you get to the bar and go to failure.

Make sure your form is correct. Your shoulder blades should be pulled together for the entire movement, and your back should be slightly arched. It will naturally arch a little if you keep your shoulder blades pulled in properly.

Try all kinds of different things. Maybe even rotate out bench press from your routine and do some dumbell bench press instead for a little while.

 

[Todd Bostrom]

Do not go to failure for strength!

 

[plouffe]

Originally posted by Todd Bostrom
Do not go to failure for strength!

From how it sounds he isn't into bodybuilding enough from where it'll even matter. A.) He doesn't know what he's doing. B.) His diet is probally horibble. This isn't a true platuea, I'm if he changed his diet his max would jump. Going to failure is gonna help him just for the fact that he isn't doing anything else correct. For his case and others failure is great for building strength. Even if his diet and training was finely tuned, training to failure is a great technique.

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by OmarJackson
I have been stuck at 205 on flat bench for weeks. (very sad... i know). I peaked at 205x7, then regressed to 205x6 and finally 205x5 which have been unable to top for 3 weeks. Basically i figured i was overtraining so i cut down my frequency and my volume to the point where i was doing only 2 sets for chest every week, while before i was doing something like 6-8 sets every 4 days.

still no progress. I have no idea what my problem is and why i can't get this lift to go up, maybe its weak shoulders, maybe its time to step away from barbell benching for a while, maybe now that i'm off creatine my body can't produce its own anymore. This is really frustrating the hell out of me. Please help, and also would someone be able to show me where i find some rotater cuff excercises for weak shoulders.

thanks.

Simple solution. Get off the barbell for 6-8 weeks and use dumbells. Also, focus on incline presses and weighted dips. Your body (read CNS) is bored and needs a change.

 

[OmarJackson]

Originally posted by plouffe
From how it sounds he isn't into bodybuilding enough from where it'll even matter. A.) He doesn't know what he's doing. B.) His diet is probally horibble. This isn't a true platuea, I'm if he changed his diet his max would jump. Going to failure is gonna help him just for the fact that he isn't doing anything else correct. For his case and others failure is great for building strength. Even if his diet and training was finely tuned, training to failure is a great technique.

i don't know if you were directing this to me, but i have forgotten more about nutrition than you will ever known.

 

[OmarJackson]

Re: Re: platuea from hell!

Originally posted by gopro
Simple solution. Get off the barbell for 6-8 weeks and use dumbells. Also, focus on incline presses and weighted dips. Your body (read CNS) is bored and needs a change.

thanks, thats what i figured. I just hate moving away from a excercise i love.

 

[Vieope]

I bet that dieting is your problem here.

 

[gopro]

Re: Re: Re: platuea from hell!

Originally posted by OmarJackson
thanks, thats what i figured. I just hate moving away from a excercise i love.

I understand, but if you also love it to increase, get away from it for a while and it will treat you better when you return to it!

 

[CowPimp]

Originally posted by Todd Bostrom
Do not go to failure for strength!

Going to failure once in a while is a good tool to shock your muscles. If he is hitting a plateau, then incorporating a set or two of going to failure into his routine might be beneficial. I was not suggesting he do this every workout. Sorry for the lack of clarity.

 

[Saturday Fever]

Simple solution. Get off the barbell for 6-8 weeks and use dumbells. Also, focus on incline presses and weighted dips. Your body (read CNS) is bored and needs a change.

So true. Remember always that your CNS will fatigue much quicker than your body and it takes much longer to recover, and all will be well.

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by Saturday Fever
So true. Remember always that your CNS will fatigue much quicker than your body and it takes much longer to recover, and all will be well.

OMG...I may pass out! SNF agreed with me on something. Did hell just freeze over or something?

 

[Saturday Fever]

My friend, I do not seek to "do you one better." I only seek answers. I don't have them all, you don't have them all. Only with peaceful dialogue and debate can we better ourselves.

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by Saturday Fever
My friend, I do not seek to "do you one better." I only seek answers. I don't have them all, you don't have them all. Only with peaceful dialogue and debate can we better ourselves.

I didn't say that you attempted to do me one better, only that I was shocked that you agreed with something that I said.

 

[CowPimp]

An argument is already brewing between you two; the subject: you two agreeing on something. Does anyone else find this funny?

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by CowPimp
An argument is already brewing between you two; the subject: you two agreeing on something. Does anyone else find this funny?

I DO...I DO!

 

[Tank316]

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by Tank316

Team GP member in the hizzouse!!!!!!!!!!!