Not getting stronger on bench press

[lestat1510]

I have a question and if anybody could answer it for me id appreciate it. I just started lifting seriously for the 1st time and im trying to lose weight. Since ive been working out all the exercises have moved up in weight except for bench press which is really low. What could be the cause of not moving up in weight on the bench press. Im having a hard time with mind/muscle connection of my chest. Could this be the cause of not moving up in weight? Is there anything i can do to get stronger on my chest exercises? Thanks for the help.

[That70sShowDude]

If you just started, push ups will probably help you a lot at this point.
You should do whatever you feel works best.
Try alternating rep counts, dumbbell benching, barbell benching ......

[Antz1980]

First up u gotta make sure your form is spot on.

Secondly, you need to spend the same amount of effort working on the supporting muscles ie: Tri's, Delts, Lats, Core, Grip etc to improve your Bench.

Thirdly variety is important - every 6 weeks change up all your routines, from BB to DB, change angles etc.

GL

[cheebman]

I have a question and if anybody could answer it for me id appreciate it. I just started lifting seriously for the 1st time and im trying to lose weight. Since ive been working out all the exercises have moved up in weight except for bench press which is really low. What could be the cause of not moving up in weight on the bench press. Im having a hard time with mind/muscle connection of my chest. Could this be the cause of not moving up in weight? Is there anything i can do to get stronger on my chest exercises? Thanks for the help.

You shouldn't expect to put on much strength, if any, while dieting.

There are a ton of things you can do to improve your bench. Singles, doubles, triples, rest pause, negatives, take a week off, chains, bands, up your calories, switch up your rep schemes, focus on training supporting muscles, train variations of the bench (incline, decline, etc.) and so forth.

Post your chest routine--we need more info.

[lestat1510]

2 sets 5-7 reps flat barbell bench, 2 sets 5-7 reps incline barbell bench, 2 sets 5-7 reps dumbell flyes, 2 sets 5-7 reps close grip bench press

[im2manly]

I have a question and if anybody could answer it for me id appreciate it. I just started lifting seriously for the 1st time and im trying to lose weight. Since ive been working out all the exercises have moved up in weight except for bench press which is really low. What could be the cause of not moving up in weight on the bench press. Im having a hard time with mind/muscle connection of my chest. Could this be the cause of not moving up in weight? Is there anything i can do to get stronger on my chest exercises? Thanks for the help.

if you are losing weight, all lower body lifts will almost instantly go up. Always happens when I cut.

If you just started, push ups will probably help you a lot at this point.

No.

Secondly, you need to spend the same amount of effort working on the supporting muscles ie: Tri's, Delts, Lats, Core, Grip etc to improve your Bench.

Yes.

Thirdly variety is important - every 6 weeks change up all your routines, from BB to DB, change angles etc.

No.

You shouldn't expect to put on much strength, if any, while dieting.

Lie.

There are a ton of things you can do to improve your bench. Singles, doubles, triples, rest pause, negatives, take a week off, chains, bands, up your calories, switch up your rep schemes, focus on training supporting muscles, train variations of the bench (incline, decline, etc.) and so forth.

Post your chest routine--we need more info.

On this though you are 100% correct.

2 sets 5-7 reps flat barbell bench, 2 sets 5-7 reps incline barbell bench, 2 sets 5-7 reps dumbell flyes, 2 sets 5-7 reps close grip bench press

No. OP you need to bench between 2-3x a week, heavy weight, with reps btw 2-5. Then you should be incorporating a lot of back work and make sure you bench w/ an arch.

[lestat1510]

if you are losing weight, all lower body lifts will almost instantly go up. Always happens when I cut.



No.



Yes.



No.



Lie.



On this though you are 100% correct.


No. OP you need to bench between 2-3x a week, heavy weight, with reps btw 2-5. Then you should be incorporating a lot of back work and make sure you bench w/ an arch.

i thought your back has to be flat while doing bench press. So i should be doing a full body routine using heavy weight?

[im2manly]

i thought your back has to be flat while doing bench press. So i should be doing a full body routine using heavy weight?

Well for the OP no. When you are trying to bench to increase as much weight as possible, you should be arching. In fact, arching is 10x safer than keeping your back flat...your back is not naturally flat and benching w/ a flat back actually compromises your rotator cuff. In fact, I don't even think you should bench like BBers do. The bench isn't as much as a chest exercise as it is a mass exercise...you can add a lot of mass w/ the bench w/o necessarily targetting your chest. a lot of other exercises will hit your chest harder than BB bench. So my theory is bench as much weight as you can on the bench, while using the safest form for your RC and then use isolations (D.B. Bench, flyes, pec deck, etc.) to isolate your chest.

And no, you do not have to do a full body routine...even though if you are just starting it might help to do a full body 3x a week.

[lestat1510]

thanks for all your help.

[shaneee]

Make sure you're progressing every week
I do that, even if it's by 1 rep a week, it ends up being alot over time

like for example something like this:

135x12
155x10
185x6(failure)
155x10(failure)

next week, 135x12, 155x10, 185x7 or 8(failure) 155x10(failure)

and keep going like that for example
failure sets to really help the mass gains, and a good progression routine to move up in reps/weight
when you get the 185 to like 10 reps up all the weights

[Trip0d]

Secondly, you need to spend the same amount of effort working on the supporting muscles ie: Tri's, Delts, Lats, Core, Grip etc to improve your Bench.

GL

^^This. I think this gets overlooked a lot.

[chokwow]

You could also try focusing on a longer eccentric portion of the lift. I do this whenever I plateau and after a week or two I usually see/feel results.

[jeremyacox]

Make sure your form is down and starting working more volume. Bench always progresses slowly unless noob gains as well. If you don't already, bench first in your workout.