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Thread: Nick Delgadillo SSC: Getting the Bench and the Press Unstuck

  1. #1
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    Default Nick Delgadillo SSC: Getting the Bench and the Press Unstuck

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  2. #2
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    Thank you Coach Rip and Coach Nick for this interesting and informative video. I am a 51 year old lifter ramping back up after a couple of months off due to the covid gym closures. Currently: squat is 275 lbs, deadlift is 355 lbs, press is 145 lbs and close grip bench is 195 lbs. I am also chinning with 27.5 lbs on a belt for 3x5. I weigh about 187 currently, up from 158 at the start of my LP. I have been using the post novice Monday/Thursday program for older adults on p. 235 of PPST 3rd edition. My problem is and has always been the bench. Due to my old, beat up shoulders, I cannot bench with a standard grip without substantial pain during and after the workout. Close grip has solved that problem, but I tend to consistently stall around 195-200 lbs. As directed in PPST 3rd edition, I am benching one set of 3-5 reps using a rep progression, followed by 2 back-off sets at a 10% reduction in weight. Should I try to do singles to get up to 5 reps in my work set when I get stuck, followed by the back-offs, or try to get to 15 reps with the work weight, and forget the back-offs because I may not be getting enough stress to drive progress? My last bench workout was disappointing as I lost a rep in my bench work set, going from three reps in the previous w/o when I moved up 5 lbs, to two. As stated, stalling at, or around this weight is an ongoing issue for me that I would very much like to overcome. Thank you for your time and commitment to strength.

    Will

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Will Still View Post
    Thank you Coach Rip and Coach Nick for this interesting and informative video. I am a 51 year old lifter ramping back up after a couple of months off due to the covid gym closures. Currently: squat is 275 lbs, deadlift is 355 lbs, press is 145 lbs and close grip bench is 195 lbs. I am also chinning with 27.5 lbs on a belt for 3x5. I weigh about 187 currently, up from 158 at the start of my LP. I have been using the post novice Monday/Thursday program for older adults on p. 235 of PPST 3rd edition. My problem is and has always been the bench. Due to my old, beat up shoulders, I cannot bench with a standard grip without substantial pain during and after the workout. Close grip has solved that problem, but I tend to consistently stall around 195-200 lbs. As directed in PPST 3rd edition, I am benching one set of 3-5 reps using a rep progression, followed by 2 back-off sets at a 10% reduction in weight. Should I try to do singles to get up to 5 reps in my work set when I get stuck, followed by the back-offs, or try to get to 15 reps with the work weight, and forget the back-offs because I may not be getting enough stress to drive progress? My last bench workout was disappointing as I lost a rep in my bench work set, going from three reps in the previous w/o when I moved up 5 lbs, to two. As stated, stalling at, or around this weight is an ongoing issue for me that I would very much like to overcome. Thank you for your time and commitment to strength.

    Will
    If any variation of the bench causes substantial pain, I think all benching gets relegated to the status of assistance exercise for you. Maybe start with 3x5 one week and do 5x3 the following week and alternate on a weekly basis as heavy as you can without causing a bunch of pain. You're probably much better served focusing on adding 30 lbs to your press.

  4. #4
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    I have been working with a minimum numbers of reps per workout with a minimal amount of rest between makeup reps for a log time, so I was glad to see that someone whose opinion I value utilizes a similar approach.

    Another thing I like doing, which I believe was suggested by Andy Baker, is only increasing the weight on sets where I made the target number of reps. Since even monthly gains are limited at this point in my life, only adding weight to one or two sets each week was one way to add stress to my workouts.

    It's great that you took the time to answer so many lifters questions and I look forward to future articles or videos.

  5. #5
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    Thanks for your feedback, Coach Nick.

    I will try alternating between 3x5 and 5x3 as suggested. I appreciate that you stated what I have wondered for a while, that perhaps in my situation, the bench should be used as an assistance exercise, and the press should become my primary pressing movement. Before the shutdown, I was also dipping 3x5 with 40 lbs on the belt after benching without pain. Do you think that weighted dips might, in part, make up for my limitations on the bench? Thanks again for your good work!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Will Still View Post
    Thanks for your feedback, Coach Nick.

    I will try alternating between 3x5 and 5x3 as suggested. I appreciate that you stated what I have wondered for a while, that perhaps in my situation, the bench should be used as an assistance exercise, and the press should become my primary pressing movement. Before the shutdown, I was also dipping 3x5 with 40 lbs on the belt after benching without pain. Do you think that weighted dips might, in part, make up for my limitations on the bench? Thanks again for your good work!
    If the weighted dips don't hurt, carry on. But usually (****nocebo warning****), weighted dips and achy shoulders aren't a good mix.

  7. #7
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    Coach Nick,

    Your suggestion to do 15 reps, in whatever combination is possible, has helped me progress on the press, with increased physical stress and reduced mental stress. Sometimes I get anxious about trying to lift at exactly the right time of day, or think about taking an extra rest day, in order to avoid failure on my work sets. Now, I don't worry about that for the press, because 15 is doable, even if the third set of 5 is just out of reach. (And so far, 3 sets of 5 is still working...)

    Thank you!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by ICTRob View Post
    Coach Nick,

    Your suggestion to do 15 reps, in whatever combination is possible, has helped me progress on the press, with increased physical stress and reduced mental stress. Sometimes I get anxious about trying to lift at exactly the right time of day, or think about taking an extra rest day, in order to avoid failure on my work sets. Now, I don't worry about that for the press, because 15 is doable, even if the third set of 5 is just out of reach. (And so far, 3 sets of 5 is still working...)

    Thank you!
    I'm glad it helped.

  9. #9
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    starting strength coach development program
    This trainee can do pullups with added weight, dips and press. Isnt it sort of unusual that his shoulders be so fucked that he cant bench over 200 pounds? Why/how are his shoulders "beat up"? Does he have a diagnosis? Im not calling him a liar, Im just thinking that if his shoulders are otherwise in good enough shape, maybe its just a sort of soreness he needs to get past AND/OR a form issue? I say this as a 50 yo with pretty healthy shoulders, though.

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