n2199211
Profile: Male 34 years old 220-230 lbs5'10"
Current Stats: Squat: 435x3x3 Press: 197.5x3x3 Bench: 312.5x3x3 Deadlift: 520x1x5 (closer to 5x1 in practice -- I reset between reps after a bad back injury scared me, so I want to ensure my form is perfect on each rep)
Books: Blue Book - Read it Grey Book - Read it
Programming:
Monday Squat ~85% 3x5 Heavy Bench for a PR 3x3 Chin-Ups (bodyweight, 10 reps working up to 15 before adding weight -- after reading the grey book, I realized I jumped the gun on adding weight)
Wednesday Light Squat ~65% 3x5 Heavy Press for a PR 3x3 Deadlift 1x5 always adding weight for a PR
Friday Heavy Squat for a PR 3x3 Light Press ~85% 3x5 Light Bench ~85% 3x5
Note: I do not program the clean due to a Latarjet-Bristow procedure. I am uncomfortable placing a barbell on my anterior delt. In other words, I have two 34mm screws in the front of my shoulder and they sawed off and relocated my coracoid process.
I was hoping someone could help me out. I am currently stuck on bench press. I have attempted 315x3x3 three times and failed on my last set every time. Sometimes I fail on the third rep, sometimes on the second or first -- but I am hitting a wall. I tried adding a second press day, as you can see from my programming, but it has not helped my bench, though I do think it assisted my OHP. I am not sure if I am benching too little, too much, or if my programming is all messed up. If someone can help me figure out why I cannot break through this plateau and offer any advice, I would be grateful.
Rip, I did read the books. Both of them. It is likely I missed something as both are very dense, but I did read them. My favorite part of the grey book was "Sorry, we can't have multiple orgasms."
Mark Rippetoe
How long did you rest between these sets?
Maybach
Why don't you try to get your first set of 3 to 330x3. Then I imagine you will have no problem hitting 315x3 for your third set.
I use an app called FitNotes which has a built in timer, and I rest 5 minutes in between sets. However, sometimes it takes me a minute to get someone I trust to spot me, so on occasion I've rested 6-7 minutes.
I sleep 8+ hours a night.
I eat as much as I possibly can of clean calories.
Try 8-10 minutes and see if that makes a difference.
TalEphrat
I started pause squatting a while ago due to an injury, and it works great at the moment. Will soon be slowly switching back to regular squats.
Anyway, I was wondering - how much time one should spend at the bottom without a vertical movement, in order for it to be considered a succesful pause squat / competitive bench? I mean, mechanically, a regular squat and a regular bench, have 2 points in time that the bar is stationary, by definition (during the switch from "down" to "up").
Do you have an empirical cut-off to what should be considered "paused" rep, when the pause is between the descending phase and the ascending phase?
I guess it would (or should) be related to the stretch reflex, but still, how shall a judge make the call?
A judge will not be involved. Count "one thousand" while motionless and you're good.
Would do that.
How do you think the bench should be judged in that case? Of course without a "press" command, what shall the judge look for in order to give a white light?
I see no reason to pause your bench press unless you are satisfying an arbitrary rule for competition.
My question is, what do you think should be that arbitrary rule in competitions?
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