Hitting a Wall - Help!

[dr.manhattan]

Hello,

I am 18, 150 lbs., about 8-10% bodyfat, and have been lifting for about 6 months now.

Basically, my issue is that I have hit a wall. When I first started, I was making tremendous gains in both weight, strength and size. I went from flat benching 20 lbs. (not including the bar) to almost bench 90 (not including bar) within I think 3-4 months.

Now, however, I have stopped gaining in everything, and have drastically dropped in the flat bench, and a little bit in triceps (for bench, I went from that almost 90 lbs. to now just barely being able to get 5 reps of 70).

Here are some of my stats real quick:

Flat Bench - 70 (not including bar)

Squat - 180 (not including bar)

That is all I'll put for now.


I don't think I will post my workout plan, unless I am asked to. I will just say that they usually last a little over an hour, four days a week, and consist as such:

- 5 minute warm up

- 4 workouts for main body part (e.g.: back)

- 3-4 workouts for secondary body part (e.g.: biceps)

Supplements:

- Creatine (when on cycle) + whey 1/2 hour before

- Same, but immediately after



One thing that I should say though is that I do the same workout, exactly the same routine, every week. Maybe this is the problem?

Or is my problem possibly my diet?

Any suggestions will be grateful!


EDIT:

Oh yeah, I forgot to say that my main goal for lifting is to gain a lot of strength, and be very fit in all areas. Some mass would be nice, but I do not want to get very big.

[Wavelength]

include the bar in the weight. Have you done a deload?

[dr.manhattan]

I don't even know what a deload is. Please explain?

Also, do you think it could be my diet and/or monotonous workout that is holding me back (or this deloading thing)?

[KeTcH3M17]

lol dont feel bad idk what that is either. but yeah i know what you mean, the first 3 months i started lifting i increased my bench 95lbs and i got stronger really fast but then i hit a huge plateau and i couldn't get 150 up for a month.

This is where you gotta start messing with technique and focus on the individual muscles that you can use in benchpress. Here's some things that can help you break your wall and get stronger

1. one workout day try benching with your lats. when the bar comes down, flex your lats hard while you push up
2. another day try benching with a closer grip so you're using mostly your triceps
3. make a new workout routine involving just your chest and triceps. work on chest flies, tricep extensions, and maybe some skullcrushers.
4. even though you take protein, you still need atleast a day break inbetween your benchpress workout. protein doesn'nt heal them up instantly, it just helps the muscle grow even more during your rest days.

Try this stuff out for a couple weeks and a garauntee you'll break your plateau

[tkc0mand3r]

deload is like a week off from lifting and just eating and resting.
maybe you've been overtraining, a lot of people love it..sometimes with proper rest and diet you can come back hell of a lot stronger

[dr.manhattan]

Some good suggestions. Thanks!


A friend of mine said that is might be because I do the same exact workout each week. Could that be it? Maybe if I switch the exercises for each workout, it would help?


Also, my workout involves a 4 day split that goes like this:

Day 1 - Chest and Tris
Day 2 - Back and Bis
Day 3 - Legs
Day 4 - Shoulders, Forearm