Need help on bench, losing gainz!!!

[BigPaul0909]

So I had been using madcows and had hit 275x5 on it, this was roughly 1.5months ago, then stalled and stalled and rest and stalled at 275 again so I figured I was done with madcows, so I moved to 5/3/1, now I know people say it's bad for bench but it can be good and "build strength".

My issue is I hit 255x5 today on my 1+ set...that's a 20 lb loss... Is this because I'm not used to handling heavey weights or somthing? Or is it because 5/3/1 just isn't a good program for me and I should choose somthing that let's me hit heavey we weights more frequently?

Dl & SQ are moving up nicely but bench is in the ****ter right now.


-also cals have been the same even upped them by a bit accesory work is pretty much the same as I was doing only the rep schemes of the main lift have changed

[sheed30]

So I had been using madcows and had hit 275x5 on it, this was roughly 1.5months ago, then stalled and stalled and rest and stalled at 275 again so I figured I was done with madcows, so I moved to 5/3/1, now I know people say it's bad for bench but it can be good and "build strength".

My issue is I hit 255x5 today on my 1+ set...that's a 20 lb loss... Is this because I'm not used to handling heavey weights or somthing? Or is it because 5/3/1 just isn't a good program for me and I should choose somthing that let's me hit heavey we weights more frequently?

Dl & SQ are moving up nicely but bench is in the ****ter right now.


-also cals have been the same even upped them by a bit accesory work is pretty much the same as I was doing only the rep schemes of the main lift have changed

When you were on madcows, did you reset, or just start where you left off?

[BigPaul0909]

When you were on madcows, did you reset, or just start where you left off?

Reset 2 weeks back, it's been about 2 months off madcows now after I stalled again on 275x5, this wasn't my first stall either on madcows but it was my first time stalling 2-3 times on the same weight, I got like 275x3 but then on 275x5 id only get 3-4 couldn't get 5

[MillerTime07]

Same thing happened to me. What probably happened is that you peaked at 275x5 and your body wasn't able to sustain it. You will just have to build back up. I've personally found 5x5 to be more of a peaking routine than anything. 5/3/1 can be very bad for bench gains so you might want to consider something else.

[BigPaul0909]

Same thing happened to me. What probably happened is that you peaked at 275x5 and your body wasn't able to sustain it. You will just have to build back up. I've personally found 5x5 to be more of a peaking routine than anything. 5/3/1 can be very bad for bench gains so you might want to consider something else.

What would u reccomend for bench? I like 5/3/1 for DL and SQ but I wouldn't be apposed to running a different program for bench, somthing that let's me hit heavier weight often is what I like but kinda lost as to what I'd run

[Lukerus]

High frequency, high volume has worked a treat for me, benching 3x a week, working around the 80% range doing 6 sets of 2, 5 sets of 3 roughly like that, getting good quality volume is what will drive your bench up

[BigPaul0909]

High frequency, high volume has worked a treat for me, benching 3x a week, working around the 80% range doing 6 sets of 2, 5 sets of 3 roughly like that, getting good quality volume is what will drive your bench up

I was thinking of doing somthing like 5x3 do with like 3x5 and 3x3, but everyone preaches to be on a "program made that is proven to work" and I know I don't know enough to make my own lol

[musclehead09]

Damn 275x5 is huge at 165. I've been stuck at 185x4 now weighing 175 (weak I know). I've reset 3x and hit around that number every time. I've even gained 13 lbs in a couple months. My squat and Deadlift are skyrocketing but I know how you feel man.

Hardlifter9 layed of a bench routine for me. He's 177 and benches over 405. This is what I'm doing now:

Monday
Bench Press 3x3
Paused Close Grip Bench 3x5

Wednesday
Overhead press 2x5, 1x5+ (what I had been doing for bench and what I do for squat)

Friday
Bench press 1x1 (heavy single), 1x3, 1x5, 1x8, 1x10-12
Paused Close Grip Bench 3x5

Someone else stated its similar to Texas method in that it has a volume/recovery/intensity layout.

[BigPaul0909]

Damn 275x5 is huge at 165. I've been stuck at 185x4 now weighing 175 (weak I know). I've reset 3x and hit around that number every time. I've even gained 13 lbs in a couple months. My squat and Deadlift are skyrocketing but I know how you feel man.

Hardlifter9 layed of a bench routine for me. He's 177 and benches over 405. This is what I'm doing now:

Monday
Bench Press 3x3
Paused Close Grip Bench 3x5

Wednesday
Overhead press 2x5, 1x5+ (what I had been doing for bench and what I do for squat)

Friday
Bench press 1x1 (heavy single), 1x3, 1x5, 1x8, 1x10-12
Paused Close Grip Bench 3x5

Someone else stated its similar to Texas method in that it has a volume/recovery/intensity layout.

I actually weigh around 175 right now but yeh I like benching more than once per week.

I'm defiantly going to go back to benching 2x per week just a but lost as to the rep/% scheme to use. I'm not a heavey set first type of guy I'd rather ramp up to a heavey single

[musclehead09]

I actually weigh around 175 right now but yeh I like benching more than once per week.

I'm defiantly going to go back to benching 2x per week just a but lost as to the rep/% scheme to use. I'm not a heavey set first type of guy I'd rather ramp up to a heavey single

Right I'm ramping up to a heavy single by doing triples/doubles all the way up then doing the backoff sets. Either way is good IMO. But yeah benching 2x a week is a must for me. I really hope I can get to 225x5 and beyond doing this finally.

[InspecktaDeck]

but who was big paul's lost gains?

[BigPaul0909]

but who was big paul's lost gains?

I was able to hit 275x4 or 270x5 and I struggled with 255x5 using 5/3/1, while I should have progressed over the last 2 months

[MichBigGrizzly]

I am new to the forum, so just chiming in here. As far as benching goes I have also found the high frequency training works very well. I am 47 years old, 212 lbs. and had to rehab my labrum after surgery not too long ago . I recently benched 415 competition with a good pause - a gym lift but competition rules were followed.

I am saying that high frequency helped an old man like me who is not a genetic freak get his bench back to respectable numbers, the key was to stay in the 80 - 85 % range and never hit failure.

Just my 2 cents