Why is my upper body lagging and my lower body growing big?

[OzStriker]

Hi guys,

I do the following routine:

Flat bench 3x 6-8
Squat 3x 6-8
Military press 3x 6-8
Dumbell rows 3x 6-8
Deadlift 3x 6-8

I have been making huge gains in my back and legs, both in size and in strength over the past month but I am really struggling to make any gains in my bench and military press.

I basically have not improved and my bench is 150lbs 3x6, my press 105lbs 3x6 (pretty stagnant for a month) whilst my squats and deadlifts have nearly doubled and my rows are improving steadily as well.

I think I may have been trying to much weight on the bench and not lowering the bar all the way down to my chest, is this likely to help improve or does anyone have any other suggestions?

I am also finding it hard to find the right place to hang the bar for the military press, should I lift the bar from the rack with the bar resting on my chest or raise the bar by squatting under the bar and raising it that way?

I find it stresses my back and arms if I try to lift the weight off the rack with the bar sitting above my chest.

[comebakthursday]

The routines not bad but i think it shoudl be split up between two full body workouts. Like deadlifts and military press one day(with some abbs and maybe calfs). Rows, bench, and squats another. If your plateuing, chang it up some, maybe the number of sets, exerciser order, something like that. You've been making huge gains in your legs becasue deadlifts and squats are both the two number one mass building exercises. As for your back, your probably getting stronger in there from deadlifts which is helping your rows. Defiently touch your chest with the bar, or come within half an inch. Yes range of motion could be an issue. If you cant do 6-8 solid reps without failure, touching your chest with the bar, yes its probably a little too much(depending on your goals of course). As for lifting the bar into bottom pressing position, it doesnt matter, that doesnt have an effect on the exercise, just whatever is most comfortable. Also dont go to failure.

[ArchDukeOfTops]

Is this the routine you do every time you go in the gym? How often do you do this. You actually have a good exercise selection, but if you do the same thing every day, you're not gonna get optimal results.

[MiketheSwede]

Could be genetics. My legs grew easily at the start too and if I wanted I could probably get away with not even training my calves!