poor start/progress on bench press

[Mitai]

I seem to have an imbalance between chest and back, or upper body push and pull. For example, I can do 8 strict overhand grip pullups, but 0 dips. I figured I was very weak across the board and that I would even out naturally through strength training.

I've been doing Starting Strength for 8 weeks. I was new to bench press and it started low, and still the progress was terrible compared to other lifts. Now it's progressing much slower than my press. I can't even make 1.25lb increases consistently. I hit a wall and reset a little, grow slowly again, then 2.5-5lbs over previous max I stall again.

The gap between my back and my chest strength seems to have widened:
bench: 90->112.5 @5 reps
pullups: 3->8
lat pulldown: 150->185 @5 reps (I don't do them, just measured once for reference).

I know my numbers are very weak compared to most novice trainees, but I've been making steady linear progress on all the other lifts, even the press. I am very happy with the program results aside from the bench, and hopefully I will keep growing for a while. I am worried that I must be doing something wrong with the bench press, as it's falling farther behind. Since my chest/push was the weakest, it should have been improving at the fastest rate.

Should I change something?

I welcome comments from anybody who has known a trainee with a similar issue.

-Andy

details, in case they are relevant:
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age: 29, male

training
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8 weeks of modified SS without power cleans

squat 3x5 105->195 lbs
deadlift 1x5 135->220 lbs
press 3x5 62.5->87.5 lbs
bench press 3x5 90->112.5
pullups 4xfailure 3reps->8reps

I am not doing any other assistance lifts.

weight/food
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I'm tall, light and weak with long legs and short torso, 6'1" and 176 lbs. At the start of the program, I started eating more and increased the fats and meat in my diet. My weight increased from 164 to 176 over the 8 weeks of SS. The floor scale says body fat went 13->19%. (Both numbers averaged out over several days). Absolute numbers are probably worthless, but the relative increase is true just by looking at my face and skinfold thickness on my gut.

I used to run 5 to 6 miles 3 times a week at 7:20 per mile. I completely stopped cardio when I started SS. I just do 5 min of rowing machine as a warmup.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The floor scale is bullshit. You have to gain weight for this to work. You are not eating enough, the classic presentation for a stuck skinny novice. Why are you not drinking GOMAD? Are you doing any other conditioning?

http://startingstrength.com/articles...n_rippetoe.pdf

[stef]

I am worried that I must be doing something wrong with the bench press, as it's falling farther behind.

Quite possibly, especially given that this is not happening with your press. Video?

[Mitai]

OK, I will try drinking a gallon a day. I drink 1.5-2 L currently. I was wondering if gaining 12lbs over 8 weeks was enough. I will aim for a faster rate.

I'm not doing any conditioning now, unless I should count occasional 10-15mi day hike on the weekends. I did a lot of recreational trail running and backpacking, and some long-distance kayaking and swimming (bad technique, self-taught), and in the winter I ran and did intervals on elliptical and bike to stay in endurance "shape". I stopped all that when I started the program.

Anyway, I'll post in a few weeks if I've seen positive change or not. Thank you for the feedback.

[Mitai]

I'll work on making one. It will probably take two or three days since I'm inept at this stuff Bench press seems technically the simplest of the lifts, and much less psychologically challenging than squats and DL. I've pushed myself to failure more on BP than on all other lifts combined, so it's not like I fear it or give it less effort.

[halbritt]

I'll work on making one. It will probably take two or three days since I'm inept at this stuff Bench press seems technically the simplest of the lifts, and much less psychologically challenging than squats and DL. I've pushed myself to failure more on BP than on all other lifts combined, so it's not like I fear it or give it less effort.

It may seem that way to you, but it isn't, which leads me to believe that your form is probably suboptimal. If you don't already have it, get the DVD. Alternately, go search youtube for videos where Rip teaches form. The Dave Tate videos might help as well, but the form he advocates is more oriented towards powerlifting competition.