stuck at same bench for half a year

[Serpentarius]

Im determined!
I do flat barbell bench press, dips, and just dropped tricep extension stuff so i can use the chest press machine. I didnt want to use a machine, but its my last option at this point.
Why is everything getting stronger but bench? My dips go up, overhead dumbbell press, military press, etc...granted those last two arent chest exercises but shoulders are getting stronger.
Im not going to use dumbbells, thats not an option, i cant do cables either.
My form is good, i started using a powerlifting style form, though not EXTREME, and my "bad shoulder" doesnt feel bad anymore. I am touching the chest, not bouncing at all, imagine pulling the bar apart, am digging my toes into the ground and keeping my back tight....but nothing.
I definitely have a good arch and strict form, i had the worst form before and all it did was help stabilizing the weight and prevent injury for myself.
Its not even a good bench press, its 165 pounds, my bodyweight pretty much. Id be happy if i was stuck at 250 or 300, but not 165.

Im eating enough, i eat the same thing every day, and all my other lifts continually go up steadily...except bench.

Does the body REALLY get used to the same exercises? I doubt it because everything has gone up with the same routine, but this is starting to frustrate me.

[XtremeOCD]

How often are you working out? The reason I ask is because maybe your body just needs time recover and repair. I know when I was pounding it 6 days a week I thought I was doing myself a favour until I realized I was doping more harm than good. Allowing myself sufficient time to recover helped with increasing my previous bests.

Just a thought.

[Yodums]

You just do barbell flat bench? What about incline, decline, and flyes? How many chest exercises do you actually do, and for how many sets/reps?

In terms of breaking the plateau without knowing much about your training routine:

1. Try switching up the sets/reps. If you are doing low reps now, switch to high reps and lower weight.

2. Take a week off. Yes, that's not a typo. Your body needs sometimes to take a break from all that it's being hit with. It's not rare to see your lifts go up after being back after a week off.

3. Try slow and controlled negatives.

4. Hit the chest even harder---add a volume day.

[kelly.brandt]

Where are you getting stuck? At the bottom (when the bar is just off the chest), or midway (arms about 90 degrees).

Where you are sticking has a lot to do with what you need to change in order to break the plateau.

[Madbrad70]

Are you lifting the same weight each time you lift ? If so you need to progress in some way. Either add weight or add reps. If your working sets for bench are 100lbs and you complete all the reps, next time you do this lift you should be doing 105lbs, just keep progessing untill you fail. Once you fail try it the following week, if you fail again drop 10lbs and go at it again.

[TonySturch]

Are you gaining body weight? One thing I have noticed in myself is that bench was one of the quickest exercises in which I maxed out my neurological gains, and that may be the case with you too. Thats one reason it has always been my most consistent lift. If youre not gaining bodyweight still, you may need to simply eat more. You could also try changing your grip width and play with perfecting your form. The devil is in the details, but if you stick with it, you'll eventually progress and push forward.

[FlyingIllini]

Re. sticking point mentioned above, I have seen suggestions to do partial reps with heavier weights to strengthen certain portions of the movement. Its worth a try.

[Serpentarius]

Thanks for the replies, my routine for Monday is:

bench press 4 working sets, 4-6 reps to failure, when i hit 6 reps without a spotter i increase the weight.
weighted dips (these have gone up), 4 working sets, 4-6 reps to failure....when i hit 6 reps i increase the weight.
I also did a couple of sets of just tricep cable pushdown/press and could do the entire stack so i cant progress on there any longer.

On thursday i do shoulder stuff, overhead dumbbell press, military press, or dumbbell raises for the lateral head,. Do ab stuff but thats irrelevant.
When i get stuck its about 1/3 of the way up, i can always get it right off of my chest, my forearms are perpendicular to the floor then the bar is on my chest.

My routine is like this, and so far, it works for me, and i progress....except bench. M-F

bench press/dips/tricep cable extension
deadlift/shrugs
pendlay row/weighted chin ups/seated cable row
shoulders/abs
squats/calves


BTW my arms are long, i wonder if thats why in comparison my deadlift is so much higher because i hardly have to bend over and have little ROM to get it up.
I just got back from a week off, everything went up....except bench -__- Came back REALLY strong in every way except bench.
All i mainly do are compounds, i cant do decline bench because blood goes to my head and i get dizzy, i havent tried incline yet.

My weight has kinda been up and down, probably because of sodium intake. Eating 3400 calories a day, 3500 on squat and deadlift day, and 3900/4000 on days where i also run 3 miles (once a week). Based on my calorie intake from weight loss, 3400 should put me at around 1/2 lb gain per week if i didnt do any cardio.

I am lifting the same weight every time because i cannot hit 6 reps on my own, its just weird how everything else goes up steadily, and am beyond frustrated.



i eat this PLUS 1000 extra calories (one scoop of whey is replaced for something else)

1/2 cup oatmeal 150 5----27-------3
1 scoop whey 130 24----4--------2
omega 3 30 0----0--------3
5g creatine 0 0----0--------0
1 scoop whey 130 24----4--------2
5g creatine 0 0----0--------0
1/2 cup oatmeal 150 5----27-------3
peanuts 200 8----6-----17.5
2 tbsp peanut butter 200 9----5-------16
2 sticks celery 0 0----0--------0
lettuce 0 0----0--------0
olive oil 60 0----0--------7
balsamic vinegar 10 0----2--------0
6oz steak 375 52----0-----16.5
steak sauce 10 0----3--------0
300g potato 280 9----63-------0
butter 70 0----0--------8
sour cream 40 2----2------2.5
2 slices ezekiel bread 160 8----32-------1
1 large banana 105 1----27-------0
1 scoop whey 130 24----4--------2
6oz chicken 175 33----0-----2.25
180g broccoli 60 6----12-------0
2465 210--207----83.25

[R1balla]

Constantly change your reps and sets. try 5x5 or DC training. i LOVE DC. i was very skeptical at first. now i love it.

[lsiberian]

You just do barbell flat bench? What about incline, decline, and flyes? How many chest exercises do you actually do, and for how many sets/reps?

In terms of breaking the plateau without knowing much about your training routine:

1. Try switching up the sets/reps. If you are doing low reps now, switch to high reps and lower weight.

2. Take a week off. Yes, that's not a typo. Your body needs sometimes to take a break from all that it's being hit with. It's not rare to see your lifts go up after being back after a week off.

3. Try slow and controlled negatives.

4. Hit the chest even harder---add a volume day.

I definitely recommend trying incline and trying to increase the number of reps.

I also recommend a planned week off once every couple of months. You could also try adding a resistance band to the load for a little different challenge.

[R1balla]

i hit incline more than i do flat. works well for me.