Stuck Bench.. :(

[iron_worker]

I've been workin out all this school year and started the 5x5 program right after xmas. Deadlifts have been comin up nicely, squats have come a long way ( started pitifully ), military press is increasing slower but still increasing. However! bench press has made very little progress on this program and its really starting to aggrivate me a bit...

I'm ~ 6' and 160lbs or so at the young age of 20. So keep in mind I'm one of the smaller guys at the gym but hey, thats why I'm there. I work out 3 times a week.

So far this is what my lifts look like :

Deadlift - 95kg 5x5
Military Press - 95lbs - 5x5
Squats (tryin to get below paralell) - 165lbs 5x5
Rows - 155lbs - 5x5
Bench 160lbs 5x5 (can't finish this)
Dips - BW + 10lbs 3x10

I know these numbers are not impressive but I'm puttin my heart into it here and its really startin to bug me when my buddies make gains and I stay the same...or at least on bench. On monday I switched down to a 5x3 to see if I could push past and I couldn't even finish that. I had a cold so that could have been a contributing factor as well (I'm hoping it was)...

Just wondering if you knowledgable lifters out there have any tips or even just a little motivation ha! I'm gonna hit up the bench again on friday and try the 5x3 again and hopefully I can push past this sticky point. I just feel like I have alot more potential then this.

Thanks for you time.

Steve

[widdoes2504]

First of all do not get discouraged and keep on pushing hard. Second what does your routine look like: full-body, split, days, exercises, sets, reps and diet. With this information we can give out better advice, but remember do not give up. When I first started at 19 I was 6' and 152 lbs and could barely bench more than the bar so I know it can be done.

[iron_worker]

Monday and Friday are as follows:

Squats, Bench, Rows, Dips, abs

All done 5x5 except for Dips and abs are 3x10

Wednesdays:

Squats, MP, DL, Pull-ups, bicep accessory

All done 5x5 again except for the bicep accessory is 3x10

I haven't been concentrating on my diet alot lately but I try to get a good breakfast before I hit the gym aka some oatmeal and a shake after the gym.

I was on a cutting type diet to get a little shredded for mexico. Thats part of the reason I'm so light right now.

I'm gonna start a new "diet" except this time its gonna focus on slowly dropping fat till sumemr and hopefully still being able to make some muscle gains.

Come first semester next year I'm doing a full on bulk till at least xmas. Pretty pumped for that but I just dont wanna be a chunk for summer.

[TALO]

One thing I can suggest is to eat more. Strength gains do come from food. Being 6' 160lbs isn't fat at all, don't worry about cutting up right now.Get the calories in, it helps alot.

Also maybe you should drop the weight (10-20%) and take another run at it.

Atleast your benching your body weight....

[Eric3237]

Still don't know enough about your routine. Is this an advanced routine? Is Friday the same as Monday? Are the MP'a also 5x5? What is the progression based on? Weekly loading? 3 to 4 week loading and unloading? you get the gist I hope.

[Darkvision]

Same is sort of happening to me, my bench isn't going up! I'm stuck at 100 lbs, can barely complete that. Should I just sit at 100 for a week or so until it gets better?

[Kane]

Originally Posted by iron_worker

Monday and Friday are as follows:

Squats, Bench, Rows, Dips, abs

All done 5x5 except for Dips and abs are 3x10

Wednesdays:

Squats, MP, DL, Pull-ups, bicep accessory

All done 5x5 again except for the bicep accessory is 3x10

That answers a couple of your questions Eric I agree with Eric that we also need to know how you have set up your progression.

This scheme resembles the exercise layout of the 5x5 that I'm doing, but the progression you use and the progression I use could mean we're doing completely different routines.

I also agree with TALO, 6' 160lbs is skinny, eat all you can.

[Eric3237]

Well it sounds like that but I wanted more specifics because it sounds like he's been stuck on bench for some extended period whereas with your routine doesn't have you "progressing" so long you can really consider yourself "stuck". And when I say progressing I mean 5x5 PRs.

I'd say either this is the advanced version (so-called dual factor) and he has it set up wrong or it needs to be redesigned to incorporate more recovery within the week. It's going to be hard to progress in a week to week way doing 5x5 (sets accross) on MON and FRI. Although I'd say this IS possible except that the wednesday volume is pretty high for that.

[triqqey]

Maybe I got the wrong idea somewhere, but if you get stuck on a lift aren't you supposed to then switch to a 5x3 and progress until you can progress no further, then go back to the weight on the 5x5 you got stuck on?

[Kane]

Originally Posted by Eric3237

Well it sounds like that but I wanted more specifics because it sounds like he's been stuck on bench for some extended period whereas with your routine doesn't have you "progressing" so long you can really consider yourself "stuck". And when I say progressing I mean 5x5 PRs.

I'd say either this is the advanced version (so-called dual factor) and he has it set up wrong or it needs to be redesigned to incorporate more recovery within the week. It's going to be hard to progress in a week to week way doing 5x5 (sets accross) on MON and FRI. Although I'd say this IS possible except that the wednesday volume is pretty high for that.

Agreed. I'd say that bench and rows should be a 1x5 or 3x5 one day and then the 5x5 on the other day with squats being a 1x5 on the bench/row 5x5 day. Or the MP should be a 3x5 or 3x3 and wednesdays squat with reduced intensity. Still need more info from the OP but out of the gate those would be my suggestions.