Reply With QuoteYou seem to have posted this question in the wrong forum. I don't know anything about Stronglifts 5x5, so you'll have to ask the Dutch guy.
Member
Just realized why I've been having trouble with my bench press. What do I do next?
Hi Rip,
So all fall long, I trained early in the morning without anybody else around. For this reason, I got in the habit of doing my bench press in the power rack. I stalled and stalled all fall and didn't know why. I started out on stronglifts 5x5, and I did the volume decreases that that program suggests. But I couldn't help but notice how little progress I was making even with that.
Fast forward to now.
Now I've been working out in the early afternoon. College schedules change, and so does my workout schedule. When there are a lot of people around, I don't like to hog the rack, since there's only one of them. I started doing my bench press on a normal bench, and I'd grab a spotter from one of the many people in the room. I was doing 3 sets of 3 at this point, but seemed to be stalling at 155lbs. As soon as I switched to the normal bench, I passed that weight and 160lbs with no problem. I then realized that the bench I was using in the rack was too skinny to keep myself stable! That's why it took me so long to only add 50 pounds WITH decreases in volume along the way.
All my other lifts have been progressing perfectly fine. My squat work weight was 300 for 3 sets of 3 last week, OHP 125 3x3, Deadlift 320 for a triple. I'm at the point where switching to some version of texas method SHOULD be right around the corner, but my bench has a lot of catching up to do.
So where to I go from here? Should I do texas method, but return to 3x5 on bench and progress in a linear fashion with just that exercise? Or would you recommend something different? What's typical for someone at my bodyweight as far as when to switch to texas method? I know I'm not doing your program word for word, but everything I've done is pretty typical for a beginner non-the-less.
My body weight is 155.
TMPHBITEU
You seem to have posted this question in the wrong forum. I don't know anything about Stronglifts 5x5, so you'll have to ask the Dutch guy.
Member
Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe
I wasn't asking about stronglifts. I tried to give you as much context as possible. Oops.
✓ Member
I am sorry to hear this.
TMPHBITEU
Member
I started out at 138 in august. I'm not complaining.
Member
You wanting to jump on the Pain Train, Tom? I got your ticket right here...
Member
Its funny you post that. I am totally not the type of person that's describing. I've put on over 15 pounds, my max squat is 2x my body weight, and I'm not bitching about the results I'm getting. I didn't gain 50 pounds in the first 6 months, but my lifts are HIGHER than where that article predicts they will be DESPITE not gaining that much weight. I'm simply asking how I can catch my bench press up while switching to texas method for the other lifts that are hitting plateaus.
TMPHBITEU
Ah. Your other lifts are intermediate and your bench is still novice. Repetitive inquiry.
Member
Easy there buck-a-roo. Along with gaining physical strength, you will learn testicular fortitude here in what we call "The Community". Part of the process is giving each other the business - -for example: Jordan gets it for being a pretty boy, Hurling for several sordid trysts in a Washington DC hotel with Limbaugh back in the 80's . .and me. .well they give me shit because of the immense rolling pin like protruberance I call Mr. Nasty and my boyish charm. From here on out you will be known as "Pain Train". No offense intended, P-T. Not to be confused with M-T, who is a trip down the rabbit hole unto himself. Capiche?
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