Slow and frustrating upper body progress on SS

[alphagamma]

Hi there, its me again.
Height: 6 ft 2
Weight: 255 lbs
shoulder joint to bar length: 26 inches
BP:around 180 lbs
OHP: 125 lbs

Basically, I have always been struggling in progressing my upper body lifts, which is absolutely embarrassing and terrible for my current body weight. I am even microloading at 2.5 lb increments and being very particular at my rest. I rest at least 8-10+ minutes.

Usually i take around 2-3 workouts to get that 2.5 lb increment, and when I do, its just barely. Usually it goes like this:
5/5/5 (BARELY made last rep)
3-4/1-3/1-3
...and so on

I never had any problem at all with my squat/dl progression, so it is very weird. I film myself and nothing seems terribly amiss. Any ideas?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

You probably need coaching. Have you submitted a video upstairs?

You may need to use a "leader set." This is a concept I did not invent, but I am going to introduce when I get back to article writing. You need to force weight onto the bar every week on your bench and press. Essentially the leader set will be one max set between 2-5 reps. You will follow that with 2-3x5 back off sets for your volume.

[alphagamma]

That concept sounds interesting, can't wait to read about it. Isn't it similar to the TM?

I did form checks on them some time ago and they didn't have anything bad to say. I don't think my form has deviated too much if at all, though, from that time. I'll try to post another soon. One on one coaching is completely out of the question, unfortunately. It is a 12+ hour plane flight away.

Is there anything I can do in the meantime? Maybe 3x3 ?

[madmaxaus]

You probably need coaching. Have you submitted a video upstairs?

You may need to use a "leader set." This is a concept I did not invent, but I am going to introduce when I get back to article writing. You need to force weight onto the bar every week on your bench and press. Essentially the leader set will be one max set between 2-5 reps. You will follow that with 2-3x5 back off sets for your volume.

I'd be interested to read your thoughts, I've been doing similar things with the press lately and it seems to be working pretty well. Almost like combining intensity day with volume day, though less intense.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

That concept sounds interesting, can't wait to read about it. Isn't it similar to the TM?

I did form checks on them some time ago and they didn't have anything bad to say. I don't think my form has deviated too much if at all, though, from that time. I'll try to post another soon. One on one coaching is completely out of the question, unfortunately. It is a 12+ hour plane flight away.

Is there anything I can do in the meantime? Maybe 3x3 ?

Try this, painfully slow, but should work.

Each time you make 3x5 (3 sets of 5 reps), bump the weight up 2.5 lbs for the next workout and do it for 5x3. The next workout repeat the weight again for 4x4. The next workout do it for 3x5. Bump up 2.5 lbs and repeat. See if that works.