Problems with Bench Press.

[Rabid_Goose]

I'm having a problem once the bar gets to my chest, it seems it is way to hard for me to press up on it and I have no idea why. I think I'm not firing off a certain muscle group but not sure which one. I can put 205 on the bar and go down to mid-point and press it back up, I know it has nothing to do with my triceps. At work we have something called a hog-ring gun and it weighs around 5 pounds, but the air hose connected to it takes 2 pounds off of it. But every day, sometimes twice a day I press the gun down and up 600 some odd times.

Is it my shoulders? Am I not pressing with something on my back or shoulder? I could do 135 around 12 times, then do it again and again. BUt once I get to the higher weight's I fail.

 

[BiggT]

It is just as simple as you're not strong enough to press the weights you fail at, my man......with a sub-205 bench press, you're a pile of untapped potential, so don't get caught up in weak areas and all kinds of specialized crap.....just get stronger, plain and simple.....use a weight that allows you 5 reps in good form, and add to it from there, it'll move in the right direction for a long time.

 

[Protobuilder]

once I get to the higher weight's I fail.

First off, everyone fails with higher weights. LoL Question is, how much higher are you jumping from your 12x135 set? You might not be able to get 205 even if you can get 12x135. No biggie. It's normal. Pressing strength can be finicky and EVERYBODY has loaded the bar and thought, "I should be able to get that" and then get stapled. LoL It's normal. If you were getting stapled with 165, there'd be a problem. With time, you'll get better at the lift: practice makes perfect, and you need to hone the neurological groove that is the bench press. It takes time. You have no unusual weaknesses. Just keep working and stop stapling yourself every workout. LoL

 

[Rabid_Goose]

The system I go by is I'll start at 95, 115, 135, 155, 175. I mean, I'm even having problems with 175 somedays. But other days I can press 185 for 5 reps. I was just making sure it wasn't some other muscle in my body that I should use to help press kind of like how the tricep works for bench.

Maybe I'll start off at 85 and work up to 165.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

yeah it sucks having a shitty bench... i'm there with ya buddy

I've formed a support group with AL... you can join if you want.

 

[Rabid_Goose]

Hah, I'll defintly sign up. It just aggrivates the piss out of me after I saw how fast I gained on my shoulders with shrugs and DB Presses. And then my back seems to take to weights real well and keep up with an intense pace.

I want 275 1RM by Christmas, looks like I'm going to have to push that up a few more months.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

Yeah, bench I think from what I've been reading and by my own experience... stalls out the first.

My personal goal and timeline... I'm giving myself a few years and it'll be up to par (I'm not even throwing out a number, but better than it is for damn sure). I just know it'll take time... Stick with it

 

[Protobuilder]

What week of the intermediate 5x5 are you in? You shouldn't be struggling w/ that top set until maybe week 4.

 

[BiggT]

It just sounds like you were a little too ambitious with your weight selection......I'd just scale back to 155 for a top set and go from there.....long-term, it will pay off.

 

[Skoalbrother]

one thing u might want to look at bro is that a common mistake lifters make is to bow their elbows out when the weight is heavy, instead u should strive to keep ur elbows in tight to your body because thats where ur power is derived, if u bow the elbows it puts too much pressure on your shoulders and of course you cant lift a heavier weight

 

[fortunatesun]

When you have trouble getting the bar moving up off you chest then you are said to have weak starting strength.
One way to improve starting strength is to use pause presses. To my own point of view, this doesn't go against biggt's admonition to stay focused on the basics of improving your lift. (biggt, let me know if you disagree.
A pause press is the same as a bench press except you pause the bar on your chest for a minimum of 2 sec. This full stop takes the reflex reaction out makes it even harder to get the bar back up.
In practise, you can do these after your regular sets as a form of back off set. You get in a little more volume and you work strengthening your weak link. Just be sure to take some of the weight off the bar before you begin.

 

[perp69]

The system I go by is I'll start at 95, 115, 135, 155, 175. I mean, I'm even having problems with 175 somedays. But other days I can press 185 for 5 reps. I was just making sure it wasn't some other muscle in my body that I should use to help press kind of like how the tricep works for bench.

Maybe I'll start off at 85 and work up to 165.

Don't sweat it. Everyone has days like that where you are more focused, stronger, less fatiqued, etc than other days. Sounds like you would do really well with the 5x5 strength training. It will make you focus on adding weight to the bar every time around. If you do that and keep your diet and cals in check you should do great with it.

Perp

 

[bignate73]

work your lats more. working some pauses into it arent a bad idea. but it sounds like you are weak off your chest and your lats can help you get moving.

 

[fortunatesun]

Right Nate, lats. Speaking of the basics....

 

[Rabid_Goose]

Well, I've been benching since around March/April. I was doing it 3 days a week and horribly bad. Wrong form, bouncing it off of me and that was if I would let it come all the way down to my chest. My Bench Jockey Partner held me back quite a bit on stuff until I decided I wanted to do squats. He said screw legs and was wanting to focus more on his bench. I'll back it off down to 155 and make 175 my 3 Rep Max and do a 2 second pause on all my benches.

Also, I do bring my elbows inward toward my body when I bring the bar down, I watch peoples video's on bench and the critiques, also the stickies too.

Just glad tomorrow is dead lifts. Love 'em and they keep my confidence up.

 

[perp69]

Well, I've been benching since around March/April. I was doing it 3 days a week and horribly bad. Wrong form, bouncing it off of me and that was if I would let it come all the way down to my chest. My Bench Jockey Partner held me back quite a bit on stuff until I decided I wanted to do squats. He said screw legs and was wanting to focus more on his bench. I'll back it off down to 155 and make 175 my 3 Rep Max and do a 2 second pause on all my benches.

Also, I do bring my elbows inward toward my body when I bring the bar down, I watch peoples video's on bench and the critiques, also the stickies too.

Just glad tomorrow is dead lifts. Love 'em and they keep my confidence up.

That is nuts about your friend only focusing on bench. I have found that when squatting, deadlifting, benching, rows, chins, etc. all my lifts continue to go up. The body works together as a whole unit so those other lifts actually care over to help increase all the lifts so to speak. Sounds you are working on your form so that will help tremendously.
Personally I think the 1 rep maxes are important to do every so often because mentally it helps build confidence. For example, if my 1 rep ATG squat is 465 then I am thinking shit I should be able to sets with 405 if that makes sense. Maybe you can get someone to spot you on the squats and try the lower reps or possible max. I know a squat spotter looks kinda of gay but it will at least give you an idea of what you are capable of. Just a thought.

Perp

 

[Rabid_Goose]

They have bars that come out and are adjustable. I set them right two holes before parallel so all I have to do is just slide the bar down my back and put it onto the bars. But my squats are increasing more and more, and very rapidly because I'm trusting myself more and learning things I'm doing wrong. Today I found out I am pulling the bar down HARD onto my shoulders instead of just holding it still. I was struggling on one squat and noticed I was pulling the bar very tight down onto my body and eased up on it to where my hands just held it and I flew up.

Ya, that is all my friend does. He does Bench, Incline, Decline every M-W-F. T-Thurs he does some shoulder shrugs, Back Rows on the machine and curls. And everyday is ab day too.

 

[gettnlarge01]

Practice your form.Start using bumbells instead of a barbell for bench.

 

[bignate73]

Today I found out I am pulling the bar down HARD onto my shoulders instead of just holding it still. I was struggling on one squat and noticed I was pulling the bar very tight down onto my body and eased up on it to where my hands just held it and I flew up.

I actually do the opposite. I do pull the bar into my traps. it activates my lats which gives me more stability through my core.

 

[Rabid_Goose]

I hold it on there and balance it with just enough pressure. What I was doing was like I was trying to do a pull up.

 

[bignate73]

I hold it on there and balance it with just enough pressure. What I was doing was like I was trying to do a pull up.

when it gets heavier...you'll switch back. the last thing you want it doing is teetering, you have to actually force/hold it steady.

 

[fortunatesun]

Perhaps part of the problem is in the actual placement of the bar on your traps. If you've ever seen a clip of a powerlifter setting up for a heavy squat, he'll often take a great deal of time to make sure the bar is positioned just right to the smallest fraction of an inch. Your back is then best aligned to support your load and you shouldn't notice the pressure you're applying to balance the bar. If anything, as Nate says, it should help keep everything tight and working as one unit. This is where that old saying that squats aren't just a lower body exercise comes into play. It may also be that you hands are too far apart. Your shoulder blades should be slightly drawn together with the pressure on the bar keeping them in place.