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Thread: Bench Press Help

  1. #1
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    Default Bench Press Help

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    im 90kg and have worked up to 102.5kg on the bench press.

    i do bench press twice a week and aim for 3 sets of 5. However, i cant hit 3 sets of 5 at that weight and the number of reps fluctuates from session to session. the most i have done is 5 5 4 and have been stuck on this weight for a few weeks now. i can bench 100kg for 3 sets of 5 no problem. recently, i added in an extra high volume low weight set on my second bench press day which seems to have helped a little but i just seems to fluctuate too much. for example today i could only do 4 4 3.

    do i just need to be patient here or could i do with getting micro plates at this stage?

  2. #2
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  3. #3
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    Yes, you are correct that you need micro plates.

    As stated in "The First Three Questions," 2.5kg increases are not sustainable: "Likewise, 5-pound jumps don’t work very long on the press, bench press, and power clean, so you have to obtain the equipment necessary to take smaller jumps."

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by DMC85 View Post
    the number of reps fluctuates from session to session.
    Microweights won't solve this problem. Even without microplates, if you failed to get in all your reps during one workout, you should be able to get them next workout. You've got something else going on.

  5. #5
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    This is bullshit, DD. The workout with the missed reps is the workout that should have had less weight on the bar, facilitated by the fractional plates.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    The workout with the missed reps is the workout that should have had less weight on the bar, facilitated by the fractional plates.
    I've made lots of progress by adding 5 and getting only 3 reps, followed by the next workout getting 4, and the next workout getting 5. Maybe that's not possible within the SS A/B schedule--I only bench once per week, so I have a lot of recovery time and have never failed to get another rep. But this simple programming took me from 230 to a 300 lb bench and I was satisfied with adding 5 pounds per month.

  7. #7
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    Then I'm obviously wrong. Carry on.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dust Devil View Post
    I've made lots of progress by adding 5 and getting only 3 reps, followed by the next workout getting 4, and the next workout getting 5. Maybe that's not possible within the SS A/B schedule--I only bench once per week, so I have a lot of recovery time and have never failed to get another rep. But this simple programming took me from 230 to a 300 lb bench and I was satisfied with adding 5 pounds per month.

    and this is generally what was happening with me until now. i did bench press yesterday evening and got 5 4 4. i found bench pressing once a week useless after i got to about 80kg on it. since i have started doing it twice per week ive gone up to 101.5kg. not sure how accurate one rep max calculators are but going by that im in the intermediate category for bench press at my bodyweight so maybe its time to look at how im programming the bench press though. also i notice i feel stronger on bench press after deadlifting than if i do it after squats.

    im going to invest in some microplates and see how that goes. also i started incorporating more direct tricep work in case thats holding me back it feels like my arms are possibly letting me down. i was doing sets of narrow bench press. was doing tricep extensions but i dont have access to an ez bar and feel like using a standard bar causes elbow pain.

    thanks for the responses everyone.

  9. #9
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    Sep 2020
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    I've gotten 5,5,4 four weeks in a row. I think it's because I have a bad knot or something in my arm so my bench form is inconsistent. I should probably just drop 2 pounds but that 5th rep in set 3 is so close so I'm being stubborn. Of course if I had done it 3 weeks ago I'd be further along at this point.

  10. #10
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    Sep 2020
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    starting strength coach development program
    finally hit 3 sets of 5 at 102.5kg yesterday.

    should i increase weight now?

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