Why is my bench press so low?

[kimbro15]

I'm 16, 5'6, 205 and I cannot seem to increase my bench... I've been at 4 sets of 5 reps of 135 lbs for about 2 month now and I've been lifting for 4 months. Based on these Individual exercises should I be able to bench more:
Tricep bar pulldown- 62.5, 8 reps
Tricep pushdown- 150, 8 reps
Flyes- 30, 8 reps
Dumbbell shoulder press- 40, 6 reps

All these I assure I do w/ proper form so ismy bench what you'd think it is or lower.. Also in general I feel like I haven't been gettin stronger for like a month, should i increase my protein intake? I probably have about 1,200 grams of protein a weak. Thanks for help

[BOOGADA]

Do you only do 4 sets of 135x5?

[kanis999]

How many pulleys do you have on your tricep pushdown? 150lb sounds way too heavy compared to your bench. I bench 225 for reps, but on the cables at my gym, I only do 80-90 lbs for pushdown.

[Ruz4life]

Umm because you are weak and just started lifting weights. 4 months is nothing.

[kimbro15]

It's 150 on a tricep pushdown machine, I think it's actually called pressdown I'm not sure its the one where your sitting it's same movement as dip. And the fact that I'm weak and just started doesn't mean I shouldn't be improving. I don't just do bench my routine looks like this
Day 1- chest, tris, calves
Day 2- back, bis, abs
Day 3- complete rest
Day 4- shoulders, traps, calves
Day 5- legs, abs
Day 6 & 7- active rest
(I do about 3 or 4 exercises and 8-14 sets per muscle group)

[Icebrah]

What were your lifts when you started? How much are you eating per day? Do you have any videos of yourself benching?

[Get-n-fit]

Don't put too much faith in the weight says on machines. If there are multiple pulleys the weight will be wrong. Try a dumbell and work tricep extensions, you may see a huge difference in the amount of weight you can do then when using a real weight. In regards to the bench, just keep working on it. Make sure your form is right, the weight will improve over time.

[Icebrah]

Don't put too much faith in the weight says on machines. If there are multiple pulleys the weight will be wrong. Try a dumbell and work tricep extensions, you may see a huge difference in the amount of weight you can do then when using a real weight. In regards to the bench, just keep working on it. Make sure your form is right, the weight will improve over time.

If he's a beginner and he has been at a plateau for 2 months then waiting for it to increase over time is not the right move. He definitely has some kind of issue with his training that needs fixing.

[RelentlessFocus]

Ah the benchpress, like the rollin' stormy sea shes a cruel mistress... i oft wonder as i gaze into her depths what mysteries she holds deep within. Like a pot fix'n to boil she never gives up her secrets without what seems like an endless toil. Good luck be to those who seek her treasure ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[sharpieblet]

stop doing a Bodybuilder type split OP. there's a big issue right there, you're a noob and lifting with a split that advanced BBers use. you should be hitting all the major muscle groups 2-3x a week. preferably 3x a week at this level.

[Hockey16z]

Are you doing enough chest exercises? If you're only doing 4 sets + flys, then that's obviously not enough. Also might wanna try some db presses..

[VICTORV1990]

I'm 16, 5'6, 205 and I cannot seem to increase my bench... I've been at 4 sets of 5 reps of 135 lbs for about 2 month now and I've been lifting for 4 months. Based on these Individual exercises should I be able to bench more:
Tricep bar pulldown- 62.5, 8 reps
Tricep pushdown- 150, 8 reps
Flyes- 30, 8 reps
Dumbbell shoulder press- 40, 6 reps

All these I assure I do w/ proper form so ismy bench what you'd think it is or lower.. Also in general I feel like I haven't been gettin stronger for like a month, should i increase my protein intake? I probably have about 1,200 grams of protein a weak. Thanks for help

Well for starters do not just do 135....warm up with a light 115lbs and work your way up to as heavy as you can do and drop to medium weight after. Also, Make sure your working your back as well!! Back and shoulders will help increase your bench more than you think as do tris. If your still having difficulty increasing bench after doing these things then instead of doing barbell chest presses use dumbells!! The dumbell press will definitely increase your bench.

[mustangjay559]

stop doing a Bodybuilder type split OP. there's a big issue right there, you're a noob and lifting with a split that advanced BBers use. you should be hitting all the major muscle groups 2-3x a week. preferably 3x a week at this level.

2-3x a week that is WAY to much. As a noob he needs to have more time to recover then vets would.

You need to hit your major muscles hard. Bench Squats and Dead Lift. My bench all ways jumps when I get gains with my squats. When I squat big I bench HUGE. Form is a huge aspect of benching a well. Look up proper lifting procedures to optimize your lifts.

When lifting your negative is the most important part of the movement. If you just drop the weight you are only getting 1/2 the movement. Strict and controlled form and explode up. Lift to failure every time and do not over train. Walk away from the bench for a month and go to dumb bells. Goal your self that you want to lift the 50lbs db if your using the 40lb for the same reps. I do not use this routine any more but it worked GREAT for me when I was a noob. Here is an example of my original bench program go me benching 115-250 in one year.

105 x8
115 x 6
125 x 4
135 x 4
145 x f
110 x 10

give that weight and program a shot. If you hit your F set for 4 reps bump every thing up equally 10lbs and stick to that new weight until you can complete it. This will ensure you hit failure every time doing bench. Then hit your incline and flys and you should be good.

[Kingzay]

I'm 16, 5'6, 205 and I cannot seem to increase my bench... I've been at 4 sets of 5 reps of 135 lbs for about 2 month now and I've been lifting for 4 months. Based on these Individual exercises should I be able to bench more:
Tricep bar pulldown- 62.5, 8 reps
Tricep pushdown- 150, 8 reps
Flyes- 30, 8 reps
Dumbbell shoulder press- 40, 6 reps

All these I assure I do w/ proper form so ismy bench what you'd think it is or lower.. Also in general I feel like I haven't been gettin stronger for like a month, should i increase my protein intake? I probably have about 1,200 grams of protein a weak. Thanks for help

Work on triceps more and change grip while bench pressing...what i found out is my triceps are 3x stronger than chest so i can skull crusher 45's on each side of ez curl but my bench was low... doing a wider grip will emphasis that your chest becomes stronger increasing your bench

[TigerStealth]

you are only 16 so do not worry so much about the weight you lift, i was not doing 135 until i was 21!! Focus more on your form and be sure to use nice, controlled negatives too

[ChrisJones999]

Umm because you are weak and just started lifting weights. 4 months is nothing.

I just started lifting weights 4 months ago and have made huge progress!

OP,
Eat as much clean food as you can 1.5x your body weight in protein etc etc.....

You can lift more you just afraid to add weight to the bar! Get your self a set of 2.5, 5, 10 lbs plates. Stop thinking 135 is your max and add 5 lbs you'll be ok.

Do you have a partner or do you work out alone?

[Farley1324]

If he's a beginner and he has been at a plateau for 2 months then waiting for it to increase over time is not the right move. He definitely has some kind of issue with his training that needs fixing.

If he's a beginner, he is not at a plateau. He simply never had a clue how to train properly and is unable to progress because he is doing something wrong.

Or, at 15-16 years old, he's just a boy and needs to grow up a little bit to get stronger.

[Yodums]

Everyone thinks their form is perfect, but there is always room for improvement. You should post up a video and see what the board thinks. I've been training for almost 2 years now and small changes to my form make a big difference in how my lifts go for the day.

[MyronLatsBrah]

just follow a basic strength program.

that will literally solve ALL of your problems.

[SIG4]

Too bad you are not taller, then you could just blame it on your height and call it a day.

[Drakken682]

EDITED OUT. Non sequitur, wrong thread.

[Anthony21]

2-3x a week that is WAY to much. As a noob he needs to have more time to recover then vets would.

You need to hit your major muscles hard. Bench Squats and Dead Lift. My bench all ways jumps when I get gains with my squats. When I squat big I bench HUGE. Form is a huge aspect of benching a well. Look up proper lifting procedures to optimize your lifts.

When lifting your negative is the most important part of the movement. If you just drop the weight you are only getting 1/2 the movement. Strict and controlled form and explode up. Lift to failure every time and do not over train. Walk away from the bench for a month and go to dumb bells. Goal your self that you want to lift the 50lbs db if your using the 40lb for the same reps. I do not use this routine any more but it worked GREAT for me when I was a noob. Here is an example of my original bench program go me benching 115-250 in one year.

105 x8
115 x 6
125 x 4
135 x 4
145 x f
110 x 10

give that weight and program a shot. If you hit your F set for 4 reps bump every thing up equally 10lbs and stick to that new weight until you can complete it. This will ensure you hit failure every time doing bench. Then hit your incline and flys and you should be good.

That's some bad advice IMO

[Yodums]

If you are really at 18% bodyfat do a slight cut to decrease to 15-16% (so that you enter the fit/average category), then clean bulk away.

Also, do not rely on your weight balance for bf% measurements, these ain't worth **** and usually make you underestimate your bodyfat range. I remember when I started I thought I was at 21% bodyfat because these readings, and turned out I was at 27.4%.

Have a trainer or a certified nutritionist take a 7-point caliper measurement at a regular interval, and even then keep in mind that it's a tracker, and it can variate from 1-4% depending on the taker's method and general ability.

Oh, and hi. New to the forum here.

Did you even read the original post (OP)? He's not asking for weight loss advice. He's asking why his lift has stalled.

[Drakken682]

Did you even read the original post (OP)? He's not asking for weight loss advice. He's asking why his lift has stalled.

Seems I have posted in the wrong thread. My bad. Will edit it out.

As for stalling, it can be because he's being doing his bench press with the same routine for too long, and should switch it out the sets and reps a little bit to work on strength and explosive power.

Something that I like, with a minute's rest max between each set:

-135 x 3
-140 x 3
-145 x 3
-135 x 3
-140 x 3
-145 x 3
-135 x 5 (if he feels he can do more than 5 here, increase all the weights by 5lbs in the next workout).

[LukeCooper01]

I was running into this same problem about 8 months ago, I could not seem to break past 225x5 reps or so. I began to work bent-over rows really hard as well as doing decline bench for just a couple months. Afterwards I started back on flat bench press with something similar to wendlers 5-3-1 routine and fairly quickly from laying off bench press I saw a big jump in my bench press gains. It's super hard to believe because I remember when I was 15 I too would never have listened to anyone who told me to actually lay off of the exercise I was trying to grow for any period of time. But it worked extremely well at breaking me out of a ceiling. Before going on a cut 2.5 months ago I had improved up to 275x4 reps. I am back around 260x6 now. Another to keep in mind is doing Squats and Deadlifts on those other days as these major compound exercises will naturally increase your testosterone (which is already skyrocketing I bet). Hope this helps.

[BombDonald]

Umm because you are weak and just started lifting weights. 4 months is nothing.

Game, set, match.

That's some bad advice IMO

He's benching 135x5. Going to failure is not going to hurt him in the least. He needs to establish a work ethic and learn how to push his body.

ANYTHING that has him working hard on his upper body will create gains at this point. He could solely do a set of dips to failure everyday and get his bench way past that.

[gashcader]

your benching once a week as a beginner. look at any beginner program and you train far more often than that. don't train like someone who's lifting 400lbs. it takes a body longer to recover from 400lbs than it would from 135lbs. at the weight your lifting your body is capable of benching far more often. bench at least twice a week. and squat at least twice a week. and then eat.

low volume, low frequency = low results

[Faust24]

What is the order of your workout, if you do those tricep pushdowns before you will lose some strength.

When you do you bench what fails first chest or tris. If your chest is weak then you need to hit those, if your tris are weak hit those.

I do

Military Press
Bench Press
Lateral Raise
Incline Press

You can and should hit your triceps IF they are weak, but doing compund movements will work them out. Also do compunds first if your not already. If your chest is the weak link then add some dumbell flyes and some cable cross overs, or incline press.

Also, do you take a pre workout, what about warm ups do you do a little cardio first get you blood pumping. I heard (don't know actual science) that doing leg movements gets your testoerone up, so maybe do a few squats or lunges before you workout.

How is your back? Even though your doing chest if you build up your back you have a solid fondation to lay on.
How are your abs? You need those to keep your body stable.
How are legs? I can some times feel in my legs while benching cause I am pushing hard on the floor.

[carrnage23]

I'm 16, 5'6, 205 and I cannot seem to increase my bench... I've been at 4 sets of 5 reps of 135 lbs for about 2 month now and I've been lifting for 4 months. Based on these Individual exercises should I be able to bench more:
Tricep bar pulldown- 62.5, 8 reps
Tricep pushdown- 150, 8 reps
Flyes- 30, 8 reps
Dumbbell shoulder press- 40, 6 reps

All these I assure I do w/ proper form so ismy bench what you'd think it is or lower.. Also in general I feel like I haven't been gettin stronger for like a month, should i increase my protein intake? I probably have about 1,200 grams of protein a weak. Thanks for help

Read up on Christian Thibadeau's work, you can find alot of his articles on tnation! Theirs alot on cns training which is the key for getting stronger.

[carrnage23]

2-3x a week that is WAY to much. As a noob he needs to have more time to recover then vets would.

You need to hit your major muscles hard. Bench Squats and Dead Lift. My bench all ways jumps when I get gains with my squats. When I squat big I bench HUGE. Form is a huge aspect of benching a well. Look up proper lifting procedures to optimize your lifts.

When lifting your negative is the most important part of the movement. If you just drop the weight you are only getting 1/2 the movement. Strict and controlled form and explode up. Lift to failure every time and do not over train. Walk away from the bench for a month and go to dumb bells. Goal your self that you want to lift the 50lbs db if your using the 40lb for the same reps. I do not use this routine any more but it worked GREAT for me when I was a noob. Here is an example of my original bench program go me benching 115-250 in one year.

105 x8
115 x 6
125 x 4
135 x 4
145 x f
110 x 10

give that weight and program a shot. If you hit your F set for 4 reps bump every thing up equally 10lbs and stick to that new weight until you can complete it. This will ensure you hit failure every time doing bench. Then hit your incline and flys and you should be good.

Lift to failure everytime but do not overtrain?!

lol.

Go overtrain your central nervous system but don't overtrain it. haha

Bad bad advice.