How important is volume

[Darracq]

i am 57 just over 6 feet and about 190 slowly gaining.

I have been fighting sorness in pecs and shoulders, maybe its more in the tendion or conective tissue, but i think some of it is in the muscle.
i have cut back my 2nd bench day to very light, just a couple sets around 65 to 70 percent for 5s, i press heavy on this day, maybe a little bit of dumbell benching just to pump some blood in there.


my heavy day has been increasing, but i am wondering if the lack of volume is going to catch up to me and hault gains,
All i am doing on bench is a top set of 3 to 6 and one back off set of 5 or 6, and im smoked after that. i would have to space my benching out if i was to put a volume day in there, things are going good right now so dont know if i need to worry about it yet.

[Maybach]

things are going good right now so dont know if i need to worry about it yet.

Read this out loud.

If it's working, it's working. If it STOPS working, add some volume until it starts working again.

[Bill Anders]

i am 57 just over 6 feet and about 190 slowly gaining.

I have been fighting sorness in pecs and shoulders, maybe its more in the tendion or conective tissue, but i think some of it is in the muscle.
i have cut back my 2nd bench day to very light, just a couple sets around 65 to 70 percent for 5s, i press heavy on this day, maybe a little bit of dumbell benching just to pump some blood in there.


my heavy day has been increasing, but i am wondering if the lack of volume is going to catch up to me and hault gains,
All i am doing on bench is a top set of 3 to 6 and one back off set of 5 or 6, and im smoked after that. i would have to space my benching out if i was to put a volume day in there, things are going good right now so dont know if i need to worry about it yet.

Hate to say it, but a lot of these issues will clear up with another 30lbs on you, especially as you bench 240+ (which is where you were in September, how's that coming?). This is coming from someone on the other side of that hump - 55M, 6'00", 235lbs.

And, as Maybach mentioned, if it's working, what's the issue? The aches and pains will go away for a bit with more weight on you, but will probably return once you get close to three plates for the bench. I'm not there yet myself, but sneaking up on it.

re: volume and programming, review Nick's video on getting unstuck on the presses. You aren't stuck, but there are many great nuggets in there about working around these things.

Keep at it!

[Darracq]

i was at 240 x2 in september, its slowly moving up last heavy day was 247.5x3. i have always been very thin i was 156 about a year ago after being sick for awhile, I would love to gain 30 pounds, but i need to figure out how to get it somewhere besides my gut, i think i have watched about every vidieo from all the starting strength guys.