How do you avoid plateaus in the Incline BB bench?

[InTraining]

This is probably the #1 exercise where it is really hard to increase the weight for me...I proitized it on my chest day and it initially went up greatly...but now I am just kind of stuck...last workout I did 210 for 6 reps, 6 reps, and 4 reps..I think I can get all sets next time...but it seems like I have been hovering around the 210-215 mark forever...

Eating has been good...and I have been gaining strength on a lot of other exercises...

 

[Clean]

decrease the reps to 3 in a set. and go heavier.

 

[Clean]

or you could not proritize it for a week or 2 and you could actually increase this way.

 

[view]

A couple forced reps with a spotter aint a bad idea IMO.

 

[Lord_Suston]

show your whole routine, where do you get stuck the bottom, the top. Just tire??? ect... break it al the way down

 

[AAP]

switch it around. do incline BB presses with a pause at the bottom. sort of like power lifter style.

Or up the reps.

or do flat bench presses to the throat in order to hit the upper chest area from a new angle.

Who cares if the poundage is not going up? Just get that chest to growing.

 

[InTraining]

show your whole routine, where do you get stuck the bottom, the top. Just tire??? ect... break it al the way down

Chest Routine

Incline BB or DB (usually BB)
3x6-did 3x8 before


Flat DB
2-3x8-10

Dips\decline\other chest movement

I am getting stuck about 2-3 inches off the chest and I'm pretty sure it is from weakness in the chest\front delts...I can always lock out and I don't think upper back is much of an issue...though maybe my traps are playing some role as they are one of my weaker parts...


Thanks for all the responses.

 

[WalkingBeast]

You might want to try building more acceleration and explosive power by incorporating speed benching into your routine. Ive been using about 45% of my one rep max for the speed bench. I do them on the flat bench with 160lbs for 3 sets of 10 reps, 30 seconds rest between sets. Basically, try to blast the bar and throw it through the ceiling completing 3 reps in around 3 seconds. Its easy to incorporate and seems to condition the fast twitch fibers for explosiveness. Maybe its just mental, but seems to help me alot. I havent tried it on inclines, but I figure it would work either way. Hope that helps!!

 

[InTraining]

You might want to try building more acceleration and explosive power by incorporating speed benching into your routine. Ive been using about 45% of my one rep max for the speed bench. I do them on the flat bench with 160lbs for 3 sets of 10 reps, 30 seconds rest between sets. Basically, try to blast the bar and throw it through the ceiling completing 3 reps in around 3 seconds. Its easy to incorporate and seems to condition the fast twitch fibers for explosiveness. Maybe its just mental, but seems to help me alot. I havent tried it on inclines, but I figure it would work either way. Hope that helps!!

I will definitely use this....do you think I could still do it at the end of my chest routine when I am done with all my work sets?

Interestingly enough one of the strongest inc. benchers in my gym does something like this...after he is done with his worksets he puts 135 on the bar and does about 20 reps with as much speed and explosiveness as he can...

 

[PumpingIronInCancun]

Smith machine Incline 2x135
incline BB press 1x205,1x220 with spotter at hand
I almost garuante you'l get stronger