I've been working out for a little over 2 years now and I STILL can't fucking bench 2 pl8 for reps. This fucking board has led me to believe you are supposed to reach 2pl8 within a fucking year of lifting.
I know I have shit genetics, herniated disks, minor scoliosis, one leg longer than the other etc... But my other lifts are not as shitty.
My one rep maxes for squat and OHP are 355 and 165 respectively. Its just my goddamn bench. I have a ton of willpower, I never miss a day at the gym but this is driving me crazy.
I've watched so many bench tutorials but without someone watching me I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. I also have gross ass man tits even though I'm not that overweight so it's really damn discouraging.
PLEASE SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME ENCOURAGEMENT OR GOOD ADVICE I NEED FUCKING HELP
Also help others who need bench advice in this thread.
Jeremiah Brown
Start doing dips to make your chest semiaesthetic.
Dips > any other chest exercise
Caleb Jones
That's a hell of an OHP compared to your squat and bench. You sure that's not a push press?
Well, form is obviously gonna be an issue, and there's nothing we can do without a video. Even with a video, we're not as good as working with someone IRL, so get some coaching IRL.
Otherwise: >wrist wraps and try a belt >volume, volume, volume >gain some weight and get stronger on everything else too
Colton Hughes
Try harder and/or eat more.
Jeremiah Roberts
Can't post tits on Veeky Forums, enjoy the ban
Levi Rivera
How would I incorporate dips into my current routine? I'm doing Candido's 6 week program. I used to do SS for a year before.
Its not a push press. I just have decent shoulder genetics I guess. I'm 6'4 260 lbs, I don't really wanna gain more weight. I used to be 160 before I bulked. There's a PT guy at my gym who i've seen bench 2.5 pl8 before. Maybe I'll ask him for help.
Jonathan Cook
>I'm doing candito's 6 week program There's your problem. It is not good for bench.
Angel Butler
That so? What program would you suggest for a strong bench then? I'm willing to put my other lifts on hold for a while until I get my bench up.
Camden Mitchell
I have a bench problem too I did 100kg for 3x3 and am now stuck on 102,5kg. I can do 5x2 with that weight quite easily but I can't get a single set of triples. What do I do now? Some singles at 105 and then come down again to 102,5? Pure volume? This is the third week I've failed it
Aiden Gray
Do you have long arms? If so bring your grip closer.
Also db bench at 8-12 reps
Liam Harris
Doesn't close grip make it focus less on the chest?
Kayden Baker
I'm putting my pinky fingers on the ring on the bar if you can visualize how that grip looks. I don't think my arms are particularly long. I think it's about the average length of someone who is 6'4.
So should I just replace the barbell with db's? How would I do that with my current program that tells me exactly what to lift in barbell terms each week?
Jace Russell
Not close-grip closer but between the ring and close grip
Logan Anderson
Just use db bench as a high rep assistance exercise. Imo it is easier to work the chest and also I like how its that bit more unstable works when you go for the tricep lock out
Ymmv
Nicholas Kelly
Two years training here, failed 80kg x 5 I guess we need more time OP
Aaron Hughes
Someone tell me what to do please I'll kms if I fail it again
Oliver Gray
Warm up your lats before bench
Connor Smith
started doing weighted dips bench went from 80 to 2pl8
Isaac James
Wish I could help you bro. Just take encouragement in the fact that you can still bench more than most of the human race.
I'll try that thanks.
I have been.
Not sure if I even can do weighted dips atm. I'm pretty heavy. I would have to do it before any bench and shoulder exercises because I would be too tired after.
Angel Carter
>never miss a day at the gym So what, you train 7 days a week every week? Have you heard of overtraining? De-load weeks? >have gross ass man tits That just is what it is. But your lack of chest strength doesn't help the cause. >pls help Um, I mean how aggressive are you with progressive overload? Are you using a full range of motion? If you can do 8-10 reps with say, 170 lbs, then you can absolutely add 5 on each side for 180 and get at least some reps in. I'm gonna call that your on a stupid routine or that you aren't using full rom.
Jacob Reyes
not OP, but dips cause pretty severe pain in my shoulders/elbow. amidoingitwrong?
I could have latent injuries the rest of my body kinda trashed already. Getting an MRI in a few weeks actually.
Since they hurt (as in joint pain not the muscle burning sensation) I just stopped doing them. I feel like they are as important as chins/pulls.
Aiden Ward
IDK shiet about how much 2pl8 is. Ive been lifting for 10 months and I ve only managed to go from 12kg bar + 5 in each side : aka 22 kg to 12kg bar + 20 in each side : aka 52kg. Its low as fuq but fuq it. And I can only make about 4-5 reps with such kg.
By the way friendly advice dont come in here posting results. Theres always people who do nothing else but plan a diet and go to the gym twice a day in order to make their body. Most ppl have jobs/uni/priorities and cant be 100% determined. Stick to yourself and notice your progress and only yours.
YOU GONNA MAKE IT BRAH. Chest already looking 10 times better (at least)
James Mitchell
I hate everything about your post, and I hope you die cold and alone in the very near future.
Jose Johnson
>I NEED FUCKING HELP
Try any or all of the following:
>Bench more often Do you bench less than 2 times per week? Add a session, even if it is only working up to a couple singles at 85% to grease the groove.
>Add more volume Volume drives progress. If one of your sessions isn't at least 5x5 @ 70%, then it should be.
>Strengthen your back and arms How strong are your lats? They help stabilize the lift, and give some strength off the bottom. Also, if you aren't pulling as often as you're pressing, you're probably going to mess yo shit up at some point.
Camden Fisher
Are you a woman too ? Coz they seem to hate everything about me as well. Explain dude. Are you h8in reality ?
Ryan Smith
How do you do them? Do you keep your back straight? How much weight did you use when you had an 80kg bench?
Noah Williams
No as in I follow my program without missing a day. Its obviously not every day.
I know, bad genetics.
I was on SS before canditos 6 week so yes I did progressive overload. Only got up to about 185 5x5 before I switched program. I'm stalling now on about 195 5x5.
Keep eating brah. From those numbers i'm assuming you're a skeleton. Thanks for encouragement.
Work up to it via 5x5 lifts. 5x5 help you build strength and grow mass, maybe you need bigger muscles, or a weiner
Parker Phillips
Look up candito's six week program if you want to see exactly what I do now. I don't deadlift though due to herniated disks and scoliosis. The program mixes strength and volume.
Christopher Mitchell
any program that focuses on bench? did you even read the sticky?
Jaxon Lewis
Im not skelly :/ got sme fat in the belly that makes me feel sad If I it a lot. Thinking of counseling with a real dietologist for psychological reasons (I was fat younger and I dont wanna go that way again).
To be fair. I really lift far lower than I should. Considering Ive had far better progress in all my other muscle groups , when it comes to weights.
Camden Bennett
De-load weeks aren't a meme, if you aren't doing one at least every 8 weeks, for natty recovery. Are you too pussy to ask for a spotter and go for 195/200? Even if you're failing at going up, and they have to lightly assist you on the up, you're still going to be getting gains that should help you push past the stall. Do you ever switch up routines, because bodies will adapt and stall out and you do need to change up every so often unless you juice. is your diet on point because if it isn't, fuck off with this whole thread and get your macros in order.
Robert Gray
Of course I read the sticky years ago. There is nothing there that gives a specific program to focus on a specific lift. Just beginner and intermediate general programs.
Jose Russell
Sorry bro. Not everyone is so obsessed with this shiet to look up american weight systems to try and compare themselves with the others. Some of us are happy with small but continuous progress so that no cut is needed later on. It might take me 4 years to reach your 2 year lifts. But Im sure it won't feel like it lasted as much as your 6 month cut.
Lincoln Ramirez
I've done 200 x 3 and 215 x 2 before. Just can't get past this point. I've been eating at maintenance because like I said in an earlier post, I don't wanna gain any more weight at 6'4 260 lbs. I eat a ton of protein so I'm good on that front. I'm all ears if someone has a program that has a better focus on bench.
Ian Anderson
>candito's six week program if you want to see exactly what I do now
Which is 2x per week IIRC? Which means you have plenty of recovery to apply towards another day of pressing, whether it is bench, OHP, Incline, etc. Good reps at a challenging percentage.
More frequency can = more strength as you build efficiency in the movement.
Jeremiah Walker
Gg
Luis Gomez
>I've been working out for a little over 2 years now and I STILL can't fucking bench 2 pl8 for reps
Dawg, I'm at 3 years of lifting and I still can't even max 2 plates. To be fair, not all three years were dedicated to increasing my 1RM or force output (is that the word?) in general, but I spend a lot of time following powerlifting protocols. At the top of a bulk I was just under 170, and right now I'm at 157.5 pounds.
Angel Martin
I had this too, its the tendons grinding against each other, i tried moving back tje shoulder blades and it solved the issue on benching, didnt try it for dips yet
Ryan Mitchell
Smolov bench program, try that, helped me start hitting prs every session
Caleb Moore
It's 3x a week for the first 2 weeks of the program focusing on volume. Then as it gets into heavy weight it becomes 2x a week for the last 3 weeks.
Robert Gray
I just looked it up, it looks like just what I wanted to focus on bench. Thanks.
Austin Ross
>There is nothing there that gives a specific program to focus on a specific lift. Just beginner and intermediate general programs.
That's because there is no such thing as "advanced programming" unless you have a coach.
You're going to have to bench more. And you're going to have to do a little reading on strength to figure out the details, if you really need to.
When it comes down to it, use this chart and pick low intensity, medium intensity, and high intensity and do that every week.
Ex:
>Mon 4x6@65-70%
>Wed 5x3@80%
>Fri 4x1@90%
Or on Friday, AMRAP approximately 80-90% every month or so, and calculate a new working max.
Owen Turner
Ask a big guy at the gym to check your form during a heavy set. Even if you know the proper technique in theory, it's very easy to slip up when you get near your 1rm. If you do decide to work on technique, dont just practice with 1 pl8 and expect the results to carry over to your heavy set; slipping up on form is really only an issue during heavy sets, so that's where you need to practice.
Also, if you're not already, do cg, spoto press, and even cg spoto
Aaron Brown
If you can't bench 2 paltes at 260 lbs bw after 2 years of training you are a failure. There's no advice to give.
Ethan Watson
>start lifting with fiend >do everything same >he lifts 2pl8 bench for reps after 0.5year >I can't lift it after a year
it's genetics man, you are fucked like me, I'm considering test injections
Cameron Sanders
Genetics are rough man. I'm convinced I have unfavorable genes for leg strength.
>Lifting for a little over a year >Squat for reps only lel 205 lb >Can only diddly 255 >Meanwhile I can pendlay row 195 >At 165 bodyweight
Justin Roberts
Posted this in another bench thread but w.e:
Bench more OP. Bench in all rep ranges. Have a designated hypertrophy, power, and strength day. Lifting is a skill. More frequency will make you better at the lift and motor recruitment is going to be commanded by adding in another day or two per week of bench. Works with all lifts really. Read up on DUP
