Question on overcoming a plateau on bench

[dAMvN]

My chest routine usually looks like this:
- Flat bench press
- Dumbbell bench press
- Dumbbell flies
(2-3 sets each)

... no Incline? thats not a very good chest routine at all. I hit chest like this..
- Flat bench press 4sets with dropset
- Incline DB press 3sets
- Flat DB press 3sets
-Flat DB Flies 3sets

no overtraining what so ever, and trust me your chest will be sore the next day. unless A. Your not going heavy enough or B. Your not performing the exercises correctly.

 

[KentDog]

Whoops.. I meant:

My chest routine usually looks like this:
- Flat bench press
- Dumbbell INCLINE bench press
- Dumbbell flies
(2-3 sets each)

 

[LexusGS]

I have similar problem, well I've been getting decent gains on my bench press, but nothing to brag about.

My weakest point feels like its more towards the middle of the movement all the way down to the bottom when the bar is really close to the chest. Just all of a sudden i feel much much weker at that point.

What should I do to overcome this?

 

[KentDog]

Switch up your routine. Perhaps drop the weight and go more reps. Work with a spotter.

One thing I have done is doing partial reps, mainly focusing on your sticking point. Try this out.

 

[LexusGS]

what do you mean by sticking points? and by partial, you mean going down half way?

 

[LexusGS]

what do you mean by sticking points? and by partial, you mean going down half way?

 

[motionman04]

... no Incline? thats not a very good chest routine at all. I hit chest like this..
- Flat bench press 4sets with dropset
- Incline DB press 3sets
- Flat DB press 3sets
-Flat DB Flies 3sets

no overtraining what so ever, and trust me your chest will be sore the next day. unless A. Your not going heavy enough or B. Your not performing the exercises correctly.

I do incline, forgot to mention that, along with the flat. I've started doing incline not too long ago, would that have any kind of effect??

 

[motionman04]

CowPimp is doing a good job answering your questions so far, but I gotta wonder, why do you do both flat barbell bench press and flat dumbbell bench press on the same day? Don't you think maybe you are over doing it? More certainly does not mean better. In fact, overtraining could very well be the problem here. My chest routine usually looks like this:

- Flat bench press
- Dumbbell bench press
- Dumbbell flies
(2-3 sets each)

And CowPimp is right, don't do leg and back together on the same day. It's good that you're even doing leg and back workouts, but just don't do them on the same day, it's too much. Try to break down your full body routine to four separate days (I find this is what works best for me). My training split looks like this:

Legs, Abs
Back
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Biceps, Forearms

Some people don't like to do back day the day immediately following leg day, because a lot of lifts use the same muscles -- but I have found it to be fine for me, since I don't deadlift heavy on leg day, nor do I do hyperextensions until back day. It's really a matter of opinion and what you feel works best for yourself.

Do you suggest doing the bench workout mentioned, except on incline, on a seperate day??

 

[KentDog]

My routine is my suggestion. And yes, I meant INCLINE Dumbbell Bench Press instead of flat dumbbell bench press. Don't do too many sets, it won't benefit you. *Lift heavy, but with proper form.

Lexus - By sticking points, I mean the point at which you are having trouble bringing the bar all the way up (the point at which when you are normally doing reps, the bar starts going back down without completing a full rep). Partial reps is exactly what it sounds like.. I would start a little below your sticking point and go to the end of a normal rep.. repeat.

 

[KentDog]

Lexus, when rereading your problem, it sounds like you get to the bottom of a rep and can't push it back up. In your case, I would bring the bar down to your chest, do partial reps to slightly above the midway point (which is where you are saying you are having trouble).. repeat.

*It is important that you do these reps with proper form. Not too quickly, and don't flap the elbows.

 

[CowPimp]

Lexus - By sticking points, I mean the point at which you are having trouble bringing the bar all the way up (the point at which when you are normally doing reps, the bar starts going back down without completing a full rep). Partial reps is exactly what it sounds like.. I would start a little below your sticking point and go to the end of a normal rep.. repeat.

If he's getting stuck down low, then partials don't apply quite the same. It's usually only during lockout that you are able to actually move more weight.

If you're getting stuck down low, then bench press in a rack. Set the pins so the bar is brushing against your chest. You start the movement with the bar on the pins. This causes you to improve the rate of force generation and increases strength at the beginning of the bench press. Lat and shoulder strength is also really important down low, so some rowing would be a good idea. Speed training would also help in this regard.

 

[KentDog]

I've actually found that partials do help me even at low sticking points, but maybe mix it up.. do several low partials, then a full rep or two, partials, a full rep, continue...

 

[CowPimp]

I've actually found that partials do help me even at low sticking points, but maybe mix it up.. do several low partials, then a full rep or two, partials, a full rep, continue...

Well, the whole idea behind partials is to use really heavy weights that you could only complete a repetition or two with, or maybe even heavier than your 1RM. Hey, if it worked for you though, then it worked. Perhaps I'll try it sometime.

 

[motionman04]

- Flat bench press
- incline dumbell bench press
- Dumbbell flies

This is the routine you would suggest? Does it matter if its dumbell on the incline, or if its barbell?

 

[motionman04]

hmm, I just came back from my workout, and for some reason, I was only able to go 4x on 135 lbs on the flat , I'm thinking that it might be because I worked on my triceps 2 days ago, but they felt fine today. I did more lateral work than I usually do on friday, but they weren't really feeling sore today. What could be the reason for this??? Could my weight be a factor as well? I weighed in today at 138.5 Lbs. I should also mention that I did incline as well, but there were no real problems there, and I did some machine work as well.

 

[StevieMac]

Drop sets, drop sets, dropsets.....
I go up the ladder, down the ladder....with drop sets on 4th set. flat bench looks like:
Set 1: Warm up with 135 lbs flat bench, 12-14 reps.
Set 2: 175 for 10reps.
Set 3: 245 for 2 reps (my max bench is only 255 or 260)
Set 4: 225 for 5 reps, drop to 175 and do 5-7 reps, drop to 135 for 8 reps. No rest in between! Rest for only 60 seconds after set 4, then:
Set 5: 125 lbs for 12 to 15 reps.
I then do only 2 or 3 sets of dumbell inclines and 2 or 3 sets flyes. About 11 or 12 sets in all for chest (counting the drop set as one set). Pushups at the end of the workout is a test for how well you hit the muscle. Right after resting for a few minutes after bench I will hit as many pushups as I can...If I can do too many then I have to question my intensity. If I find even doing 10 to 15 pushups hard, then I know I did well. Oh and try to flex-out at the end.....flex your chest and hold it as long and hard as you can.
Drop sets are great for most any body part and can help with plateus. And yes, Eat, eat, eat!

 

[KentDog]

- Flat bench press
- incline dumbell bench press
- Dumbbell flies

This is the routine you would suggest? Does it matter if its dumbell on the incline, or if its barbell?

Yes, this is the routine I suggest. I would start doing flat bench with the barbell, incline with the dumbbells. You may switch it up as you'd like. Do whatever works best for you, and if you need a change, then change.

 

[KentDog]

hmm, I just came back from my workout, and for some reason, I was only able to go 4x on 135 lbs on the flat , I'm thinking that it might be because I worked on my triceps 2 days ago

Do not do triceps days before doing chest, do them on the same day. Chest workouts utilize the triceps as well; no point in working the triceps twice a week.

 

[KentDog]

Here are some more ideas:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/betteru13.htm