Why am I puny and WEAK?

[get456]

Generally... Im annoyed at life right now...

I dont post much anymore, but im SO aggravated that I literally NEED to post and get this out...

I learned about the joys and successes of the intermediate 5x5 just about one full year ago now... Despite a few pains/strains/pulls I finished about 6 weeks of a program and got pretty good results... I then took those gains to a HST program and had some success but the nagging issues prevented me from really seeing it through...

However, I did end up around the following numbers:
10RM
Squat 275
Bench 225
Row 205
OHP 135

I got through the HST program till about the start of the 5RM weeks, and basically my bicep hurt, my back hurt my knees hurt, so I just stopped all together... took about 2-3 months, sat on my ass, ate snickers and watched oprah...

I got back into it and started up with the 5x5 again as I thought that would be the best transition in...

And that worked great.. no problems... I finish up the 5x5, 8 full weeks at the following:
Squat 315x 3
OHP 145 x 5
Bench 247x 3 (should have been x5 but ... thats my problem)

So I bring my gains into the HST program again... and im fucking CRUISING along...
15's end up at 110% of max
Squat 245x 15
OHP 126x 15
Bench 192x 15
Row185x 15

10's... same deal... Im fucking Killing it:
Squat 305x 10
OHP 141x 10
Bench 230x 9
Row 205x 10

BUUUUTTT

now I get into the 5's and everything is fine EXCEPT my bench... my bench fucking SUCKS complete transsexual cock and I am tired of it...

Im fucking Struggling right now to get 245x3

I have NO idea wtf the problem is... I was having the same issue in my last 5x5 run, but when I went into the HST program and did my 15 rep weeks... and then my 10 rep weeks my bench was golden... now im back to 5's again and im dead... I mean I go from 225x10 EASY to barely doing 245x3???? WTF is that??? Everything else is FINE, my OHP, Row, Squat etc etc...

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???

I just put it down to shitty genetics?? something? I dunno, but something aint working.

 

[H_T_]

give it time and train smart. seems the less i worry/care, the easier it gets...

 

[needtogetaas]

why not stick with 5x5 longer. It seems to work well for you. Do 8 weeks then start over.

 

[H_T_]

who cares what your bp is, it's a worthless measure of strength anyway....concentrate on pulling heavy and squatting.........and eat....

 

[dsar]

Bench press doesn't always make sense to me, I've seen people who can do only 350x5 and then do 485x1 it does'nt make alot of sense. The only way i can work it out is if you train with single reps nearer to 100% all the time then you're going to be very good at single reps, if you train with 10 reps all the time then you're going to be very good at 10 reps but if you never/rarely go past your 10 rep max then why do you expect to do a higher weight easily. I'm sure theres alot of science behind this, i remember seeing an article on here a while ago about a bodybuilders strength vs a powerlifters strength i guess its a similar sort of thing.

If the bench is a big deal to you then why don't you do more single rep maxes or stick to a strength programme that will probably improve your bench given the right amount of time and effort. Myself i never feel stronger in everyday life just because my bench has gone up i only ever feel stronger when my squat/deadlift/standing ohp have gone up.

 

[get456]

who cares what your bp is, it's a worthless measure of strength anyway....concentrate on pulling heavy and squatting.........and eat....

Its not that I even "care" as in -- "Look what I can do!"

Its more just frustration that it doesnt make sense to me... And it literally affects the way I look at my overall strength... In addition I also think my chest development suffers... I dunno, I guess I should just stick with higher rep workouts for chest... but that doesnt really fit with the whole 5x5 thing either...

Anyway, like I said im just frustrated... squatting 305x10 i feel great.. but then laying down on a bench and barely getting 3 reps with 245 makes me feel like a fucking pussy

 

[H_T_]

Its not that I even "care" as in -- "Look what I can do!"

Its more just frustration that it doesnt make sense to me... And it literally affects the way I look at my overall strength... In addition I also think my chest development suffers... I dunno, I guess I should just stick with higher rep workouts for chest... but that doesnt really fit with the whole 5x5 thing either...

Anyway, like I said im just frustrated... squatting 305x10 i feel great.. but then laying down on a bench and barely getting 3 reps with 245 makes me feel like a fucking pussy

i don't see how that is possible. there's got to be some serious form flaws or something. anyway, trying is all you can do. and don't let it stop being fun, cuz that's when it's the worse......

 

[fortunatesun]

I mean I go from 225x10 EASY to barey doing 245x3???? WTF is that???

People are genetically different in the amount of reps they can do as a % of 1 rep max. In other words, if 2 lifters can each bench 250 for 1 rep, there may still be a difference in how many reps they can do at 90% of that and a genetic difference again at 75%.

Obviously you are one of those people without a dramatic jump in range to maximum rep(s). As was posted, coming up with a way to increase your absolute strength (meaning 1 rep) maybe an answer.

What's helpful to me (I have a similar genetic disposition) is some sort of volume training. Instead of working up to a single maximum set, I do 3-4 sets in the 'heavy' range where I'm lifting +80% for 3-5 reps. This way I've increased the actual number of lifts I've done on the high end. It's helped me bring me numbers up. But then again, we may be genetically different and this approach won't work so well for you as something else.

 

[Hybridtheory2o]

Let me ask you something. Why are you so worried about bench press? Its not really the best measure of strength by any means. The squats and deadlifts are the true measures but the bench press is socially acceptable as in omfg this guy benches 400lbs DO NOT FUCK WITH HIM OR UR DEAD. Ive been asked countless times soo.. howmuchyabench? they could care less what ur other lifts are. I say to you just focus on being well rounded and most importantly you wanna get bigger and more ripped right? You dont always need to pound heavy weight all the damn time to get bigger....i dont use that much weight and i make size gains all the time.

What exactly are you going for?

 

[silver_shadow]

what are your stats? ht/wt/bf?

my advice is to just stick with it.... i hate the bench for the same reasons as you. it used to frustrate me but it doesn't anymore. i'm quite happy plugging away at it and making slower gains by training smart because it is squats and especially deadlift gains which really bring a smile to my face.