I'm a weak bencher. Why?

**Trelaboon** · 08-03-2007, 06:27 AM

I don't understand why i'm so bad at benching, I weigh 165lb and 11% BF and have been working out around 8 months, I think I do exceptionally well with other exercises, I can do alot of pullups, and can add a 25lb weight to my belt and still pull in a few sets of 10-15 if I want...Basically all of my other exercises are really great for my size, i'm impressed with what I can do, but when it comes to benching, I can barely bench my body weight....Could I be doing something wrong? or just not training it hard enough?

**MesoPeaks** · 08-03-2007, 06:32 AM

height?

and your previous bench press weight..

**napoleon_b** · 08-03-2007, 06:36 AM

it can genetics man!

and if you want a bigger bench you should work your shoulder, triceps and chest hard!

**psychowolverine** · 08-03-2007, 06:40 AM

what does your chest and tricep workouts look like?

How much shoulder pressing do you do?

**MesoPeaks** · 08-03-2007, 06:40 AM

Do you eat enough foods? what's your diet like? your goals etc..

**Pounderr** · 08-03-2007, 06:48 AM

i'm a crap bencher also..my arms are really long and i'm tall..not the optimal bencher build..hell not optimal for alot of weight movements..just go out with the goal of stimulating the muscle and not putting big numbers up..that's what I do..

**Firepower** · 08-03-2007, 07:07 AM

have you tried switching to db's?

**MesoPeaks** · 08-03-2007, 07:09 AM

lol i think he don't mind answering our questions..maybe he is busy,idk..

**brenderson** · 08-03-2007, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by Firepower

have you tried switching to db's?

i know some tall guys that have had better luck with DB's.. try doing them for awhile then switching back to bench to try it again

a few guys at my gym say it's best to only come down to 90 degrees (or a bit lower) at the elbows when doing bench press... you can definitely do more weight that way, but what about results? what do you guys think?

**Firepower** · 08-03-2007, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by brenderson

i know some tall guys that have had better luck with DB's.. try doing them for awhile then switching back to bench to try it again

a few guys at my gym say it's best to only come down to 90 degrees (or a bit lower) at the elbows when doing bench press... you can definitely do more weight that way, but what about results? what do you guys think?

i always use a full ROM..that's just my preference...

**brenderson** · 08-03-2007, 07:19 AM

i usually bring the bar down 2-3 inches from my chest, but i'm thinking about decreasing weight and going all the way...
it will make me sad to move down from 2 plates to 205 or 215lbs... just doesnt look as cool hahah

**GoJu** · 08-03-2007, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by Pounderr

i'm a crap bencher also..my arms are really long and i'm tall..not the optimal bencher build..hell not optimal for alot of weight movements..just go out with the goal of stimulating the muscle and not putting big numbers up..that's what I do..

boo!

anywho, to the OP, answering the questions psychowolverine asked would help.

**Pounderr** · 08-03-2007, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by GoJu

boo!

anywho, to the OP, answering the questions psychowolverine asked would help.

lol so..I should go out and lift way more than I should be (ego lift) and sacrifice form? sounds like great advice..

**brenderson** · 08-03-2007, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by Pounderr

lol so..I should go out and lift way more than I should be (ego lift) and sacrifice form? sounds like great advice..

there's only one way to get bigger, and thats to bump.. use a spotter and if you need a little help on your last couple reps, so be it. staying in your "comfort zone" won't help your progress.

**Starz** · 08-03-2007, 07:44 AM

dude you didnt tell us anything about what you're doing for your chest, or tris, or shoulders. give us your workout details along with what weights you're using, and what you started with. also, be sure to include your name, social security number, and your address.

**MesoPeaks** · 08-03-2007, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by Starz

dude you didnt tell us anything about what you're doing for your chest, or tris, or shoulders. give us your workout details along with what weights you're using, and what you started with. also, be sure to include your name, social security number, and your address.

hahahahahahahahaha

**Pounderr** · 08-03-2007, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by brenderson

there's only one way to get bigger, and thats to bump.. use a spotter and if you need a little help on your last couple reps, so be it. staying in your "comfort zone" won't help your progress.

trust me..I lift hard and always push..I never said anything about a comfort zone..what I said was stimulate the muscle..aka..lift smarter not harder..using better form and making sure you work the muscle will get you farther than putting up big weight without doing it properly..

**brenderson** · 08-03-2007, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by Pounderr

trust me..I lift hard and always push..I never said anything about a comfort zone..what I said was stimulate the muscle..aka..lift smarter not harder..using better form and making sure you work the muscle will get you farther than putting up big weight without doing it properly..

yeah you're right of course, but i just meant you don't have to do every rep perfectly if you're trying to bump, use a little help on your last couple and try again next week.. that's worked best for me

**Pounderr** · 08-03-2007, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by brenderson

yeah you're right of course, but i just meant you don't have to do every rep perfectly if you're trying to bump, use a little help on your last couple and try again next week.. that's worked best for me

agreed..I am usually without a spotter though so I tend to do supersets with DB's..or drop to a lower weight to exhaust..

but again i'll never be a 300 lb bencher and i'm at peace with that..

**GoJu** · 08-03-2007, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by Pounderr

lol so..I should go out and lift way more than I should be (ego lift) and sacrifice form? sounds like great advice..

so trying to progress and getting to the point that you're lifting heavy, ie 300+lbs means you're going to lifting wrong? very smart.

oh and another thing, bodybuilding is ego lifting.

**Selode5** · 08-03-2007, 08:21 AM

i gave up on the benchpress and moved to dumbells

IMO it targets the chest a lot better, better pump/soreness/etc

**Pounderr** · 08-03-2007, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by GoJu

so trying to progress and getting to the point that you're lifting heavy, ie 300+lbs means you're going to lifting wrong? very smart.

oh and another thing, bodybuilding is ego lifting.

whatever..you totally misread everything I typed and molded it into something you could argue with..find someone else..i'm too old for it..

bb is not ego lifting..

**GoJu** · 08-03-2007, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Pounderr

whatever..you totally misread everything I typed and molded it into something you could argue with..find someone else..i'm too old for it..

bb is not ego lifting..

not everyone is content to say they're 'at peace' that they can't be strong, **** if I had that mentality I wouldn't have the small strength I do have now.

bb is the most ego-centrict sport on the planet.

**Pounderr** · 08-03-2007, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by GoJu

not everyone is content to say they're 'at peace' that they can't be strong, **** if I had that mentality I wouldn't have the small strength I do have now.

bb is the most ego-centrict sport on the planet.

well it's not for me..i'm gaining weight and strength the way I work out, so why change? trust me when you're tall you just cannot lift as much as someone that is short..it just doesn't work..

just because I can't bench 300 lbs doesn't mean i'm not strong where and when it counts..

**GoJu** · 08-03-2007, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by Pounderr

well it's not for me..i'm gaining weight and strength the way I work out, so why change? trust me when you're tall you just cannot lift as much as someone that is short..it just doesn't work..

just because I can't bench 300 lbs doesn't mean i'm not strong where and when it counts..

I'm not telling you to change, I'm saying trying to tell you that to progress in strength doesn't mean you're going to do the lift wrong, I will only call a lift a PR if it is done right with good form.

**Pounderr** · 08-03-2007, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by GoJu

I'm not telling you to change, I'm saying trying to tell you that to progress in strength doesn't mean you're going to do the lift wrong, I will only call a lift a PR if it is done right with good form.

I wasn't saying you're going to lift it wrong..if you can lift that much weight properly then all the power to you..what I said was that I wasn't going to push myself to injury just to put up a number..a bunch of youtube videos come to mind..

**de_barathrum** · 08-03-2007, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by GoJu

so trying to progress and getting to the point that you're lifting heavy, ie 300+lbs means you're going to lifting wrong? very smart.

oh and another thing, bodybuilding is ego lifting.

no

Originally Posted by Pounderr

whatever..you totally misread everything I typed and molded it into something you could argue with..find someone else..i'm too old for it..

bb is not ego lifting..

yes

bodybuilding is probably the most egocentric sport out there, but is it ego lifting? no. its not about how much weight you are putting up, its about good the weight you are putting up makes you look.

**vinnie85** · 08-03-2007, 10:59 AM

as stated before.. your bench has alot of factors that go into it but one of the main things is form and stabilizers. you could have a gigantic chest but if you have weak stabilizer muscles you won't be able to push up weight.

i've found the best way to work those stabilizers are db presses. it really helps out. before i could rep 185 but when it came to db's i could do 60 max for the month i've switched to DB flat bench instead of BB and i've jumped to 80 max so this is definitely something i'd look into... gl

**SandManTFC** · 08-03-2007, 01:04 PM

I could only manage 60kg all through my cut(5months), 3 weeks in to my clean bulk and I'm repping 85kg and luving it, my aim is to be repping 100kg by xmas.
I believe the right foods give the right strength. All through my cut my strength was up on everything else except bench.

**-Lucifer** · 08-03-2007, 03:00 PM

Hey I'm a weak bencher too.

Thread: I'm a weak bencher. Why?

Thread Tools

Search Thread

I'm a weak bencher. Why?

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions