How to program a stuck press?

[Martin Bavngaard]

Hello.

So, a short overview:
I'm 22, 182lbs, 6'0", and I've trained for 2 years with low success, even on (a suboptimal version of) SSLP. I've also been injured a couple of times in that period, which halted progression.


My worst lift is the press - I've trained it for those 2 whole years, and it's only at 112 lbs, and have been stuck there for 9 months.
I have 1lb plates which I use to microload, but still my press will not progress.

When I go to the gym to press I give it everything I've got and still miss reps every single press workout when trying to get past 112lbs. I haven't had a completed 5x3 press workout for 6+ months.
After my press work sets, I also do two backoff sets for 8 reps @ 80% of my work set weight.


I am currently doing SSLP to get my lifts back up after a back injury - how can I program the press into the SS program and make progress?



Other lifts for reference:
- Squat: 320 (before current injury, now 285 and progressing)
- DL: 245
- Bench: 198lbs
(- Chins: 10 reps x 3 sets @ 182lbs bodyweight)

[Royce Nichols]

Throw up a video to iron out technique. You could get some more volume and you could gain weight. You’re quite a bit underweight and upper body lifts respond well to weight gain

[Brian Goldstein]

1- go see an SSC, post haste. 1A - post a form check (after reading the sticky on how to film them). Dollars to donuts your technique is jacked up.
2- commit to gaining body weight.
3- get your head right. Missing reps is in your head.
Not the answer you want to hear, I’m sure, but that’s where you’re at.

[Martin Bavngaard]

Thanks for replying.

1. I'm not really able to at the moment - I live in Denmark.
1a. I'll record and post a form check the next time I press.

2. I am currently gaining bodyweight, between ½-1lb of bodyweight per week @ 3300cal.

3. I must say that I disagree with this. Missing reps is definitely not in my head - it's in my muscles capacity to produce force against the bar or my technique. I have been grinding out reps many times, sometimes grinding for a solid 3-4 seconds, so I'm pretty confident that I'm not just going "better let this one go, it feels heavy".

[Royce Nichols]

You can be much more aggressive with the weight gain. Slow it down when you need to but right now you’re not at that point and it is impeding your progress

[Martin Bavngaard]

You can be much more aggressive with the weight gain. Slow it down when you need to but right now you’re not at that point and it is impeding your progress

I got recommended a slower weight gain by Jordan, as I'm already at around 20% BF.
This is not my first run at LP, for the record. In my first run at SSLP I gained 25 lbs of bodyweight, as the more aggressive weight gain is recommended by the book.

I'm not aiming for the same rate of added bodyweight because that would put me at a waaayyy too high BF, both in terms of future gainz and for my own liking.

[poser]

Your bench press continues to make consistent progress?

[MichaelHupfer]

Check out Andy Baker's article on training the press.

I'm thinking that missing reps reps every workout is part of the problem. If you're constantly missing reps, you're not actually training. You could try doing 5x3 at a weight you can complete all the reps, or maybe 5x3 is not the rep scheme you need. Try something else.

I feel you feel your pain. I too was stuck right around 112.5 on the press for months, and I didn't break past it until I did rep/set schemes other than 5x3.

[timelinex]

I think you are showing a combination of problems.

1. Programming: You should not be missing reps every workout. Did you read the book? You miss 3x and you reset. At this point your just training to learn to fail.

2. Technique: If you are always grinding and going to failure, as a novice your technique is probably shit by now. It takes time to ingrain good technique. Perfect practice makes perfect technique. Grinding reps and failed reps is bad practice and causes bad technique to be learned..... This is all even assuming that you know what good technique is and performed it correctly with lighter weights.

3. Weight: Your a little on the lighter side for 6ft, but its probably still fine compared to your press weight.

You really have to make sure your doing the press right. There are so many subtleties that could mean alot of pounds on the bar. Make sure your arms are shoulder width, elbows in front of the bar at the bottom, and that you have a vertical bar path that nearly hits your nose.

On the other hand, what else I see is that your actually not THAT far off from your bench press weight. The Press should be about 60% of your bench press. You are at 56.5%. Thats not a strong press, but its also not that bad. Bench Press drives the Press much more than the press drives the Bench Press. So maybe what you need to actually focus on is the bench press. Drive those numbers up and the press will follow.

I read your post as meaning that you come in and do 112 or close to it every time in the last few months. If you actually do reset, and you just get stuck at 112 every time then my first bullets points don't apply.

[Dlk93]

1) Take some weight off the bar such that you can hit 5 reps with at least 2 more in the tank.
2) Get a form check up ASAP.
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Do those things first. I'd also like to know
3) How do you know you're 20%bf?
4) What kind of injuries do you have?
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Lastly, just know that once you exhaust your novice gainzZz for the press and bench, you're going to have to choose one to prioritize. As your bench goes up, your press will go up slightly as a by product, but to have a really big press, technique is key so you'll have to press frequently. Considering you're here asking, you seem to want to prioritize the press, which puts you pressing at least twice per week. Read the aforementioned article by Baker.