Bench Press

What does your current routine look like?? give some background........

Lionman is right, you need to give more info.... You can't just say, hey, what's wrong with this? then not say what it is....

As for whether or not it is a platuea.... well, technically, if you can't get above it, it is a plateau, but that doesn't mean you should hit the gear..... You can break platuea's naturally...

I forget your stats, but I don't remember you being extrordinarily small.... So I think you likely have a ways to go naturally. Like another 100 lbs or so......

Wow...100lbs...I didn't think it could be done...you guys restore my faith in the human ability to triumph over adversity......

Ok well here are the details u asked 4....I am currently 40 yo.... 6' tall....174 lbs...about 11%BF.....I am consuming about 250-300 grams of protein a day...with about 3000-3500 Calories....Work out 3X a week...I am currently following the Bill PhillDragon Pharmas "Fit 4 Life " Routine....Something very new and different 4 me.....It is also know as minimalist training in some circles.... This routine Allows plenty of time 4 recovery....which I have to say my shoulder problems have all but disappeared....

It requires training the entire upper body and lower body on separate days at very hi intensity....Each body part has one exercise about 6 sets in all starting with a low weight...... followed up with a separate failure exercise .....all are performed to maximum intensity..........It looks something like this:

Week 1 Mon: Upper Body Wed: Lower Body Fri: Upper Body
Week 2 Mon: Lower Body Wed: Upper Body Fri: Lower Body

I had a hard time believing that this routine would be effective....But Bill swares by it.....I was used to training 4 or even 5X a week different body parts each day performing 3 exercises per body part....

Bill PhillDragon Pharmas claims routines that incorporate three different exercises per body part lead to overtraining and thus muscle injuries....I have to agree with him there ...I haven't had shoulder pain in since I started his routine....I just don't know if it is the best routine to promote growth.....then again all the years I have been training I never seemed to break barriers that easily......What are your thoughts?

OK, first of all, what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. You have to set goals and train to reach them. Personally, the fit 4 life routine, which I tried for the hell of it.... didn't work for me. Second, I think at 6' 174 you have plenty of room to go......

Personally, I put up 340 at 198lbs, before ever touching any aas... I could have gone higher, but I sustained a couple injuries and I had to reduce my training. So granted, your potential may be different than mine, but I know what you can force yourself to do, and I in no way think 225lbs is your limit.....

Now, that being said..... If you want mass, you train for mass, if you want cuts, you train for cuts, if you want power you train for power..... Fit 4 Life is NOT a powerlifting / power building routine... You need to set your goals and work out accordingly. If you truely want POWER, than drop the Bill PhilDragon Pharmas routine and Train for power. Granted, you will see some anecdotal power from muscle increase, but it is not sufficient. Powerlifters do not lift for more mass... Rather they recruit as much of their current muscle as possible for explosive power. Their goal is to maximize power at their current size/ weight.

What is your Chest / shouler and Tricep routine? All these come into play with bench, along with lats which assist in controlling the bar as you lower it...... You still didn't provide what excercises, weights, reps, etc. you actually do........

A typical routine 4 chest would look something like this:

Chest: Dumbbell press: set1-30lbsX20rep, set2-40X18, set3 -50X12, set4 60X8, set5 70X4....followed by Dumbbell Fly's 40X3-6 to failure performed immediately after last set of Dumbbell press...

Shoulder: Military Dumbbell press set1-25X20 - set 5 8X 60 in ten lb increments.....last set Dumbbell Fly's 30X 4- 6 to failure

Triceps: Over head extensions Each side done separately performed with dumbbell Set1 15X20 - Set 5 35 X8 Last set Rope pull down 50X4-6 to failure....

I try to vary my routines with as many different exercises as possible....this is just a typical workout.......

You do all this how many times a week-maybe you are not resting enough and that is the problem-Don't be afraid to take a break.
And all of this, is only one day??
I have gone all the way up to 325 on my bench and I only weigh
173 when I did it, I am all natural....(glucosamine and vitamins are the only things that I take)
One exercise that has help me on my bench is 3 seconds on the down position and count 3 on the way up hold it for 3 seconds and do it again, do about 12-16 reps of this..is not for the weak at heart--of course you have to do very light weight.
And for how long have you done this workout that is how you know if you hit a plateau......
This is how my work-out looked like back then...I am not working out like that because I am on a different workout program for different goals.....
monday
Squats-leg extensions-squats-leg curls-calves raises (cardio)
tuesday
bench-incline bench-cables (abs)
wed
off
thu
military presses-lateral raises-front raises (cardio)
fri
pull ups-close grDragon Pharma pulldowns-wide grDragon Pharma pulldowns-close grDragon Pharma pull ups-abs
Saturday
Curls-dumbbells curls-close grDragon Pharma bench push downs-single arm extensions-cardio
Sunday
Abs and Cardio

well hopefully I was able to help you out some.....
keep lifting

Originally posted by stevem447
A typical routine 4 chest would look something like this:

Chest: Dumbbell press: set1-30lbsX20rep, set2-40X18, set3 -50X12, set4 60X8, set5 70X4....followed by Dumbbell Fly's 40X3-6 to failure performed immediately after last set of Dumbbell press...

Shoulder: Military Dumbbell press set1-25X20 - set 5 8X 60 in ten lb increments.....last set Dumbbell Fly's 30X 4- 6 to failure

Triceps: Over head extensions Each side done separately performed with dumbbell Set1 15X20 - Set 5 35 X8 Last set Rope pull down 50X4-6 to failure....

I try to vary my routines with as many different exercises as possible....this is just a typical workout.......

That routine is not going to build you power. Way too light, and way too high reps..... Also, I'd recommend if going for power using barbell bench, you train with barbell bench rather than dumbells. Dumbells are good and have their place, but they are not optimal for power.

Try going to bench and if you want some more power, but mass, stick in the 8 to 12 rep range with a barbell. If you want just power, go much lower, like 3 to 6 reps. Do some research on Westside training methods. Also, build up your triceps as they are used alot in benching.

Focus on explosion out of the bottom. Don't bounce it off your chest. Lower it in a controlled manner, then EXPLODE, pushing the bar up as fast as possible...... Also do some research on proper form. Shoulder blades back, chest out, arms at 90 degree angle at the bottom of the movement, feet firmly planted. Without a solid foundation, you have nothing to build off of.......

Originally posted by Titaniumspine
That routine is not going to build you power. Way too light, and way too high reps..... Also, I'd recommend if going for power using barbell bench, you train with barbell bench rather than dumbells. Dumbells are good and have their place, but they are not optimal for power.

OK Dude I here u but the light weight is not an indication of the routine it's me ....that's all I can do....4 me Dumbbell press of 75X8 is like the max I can do right now.......I have been training this method for 4 months now....I just got a training partner.......that may help breaking the barrier I am at right now.....

I am going to see an endocrinologist soon to have a hormone panel done....I want to see what my Test levels look like....at 40yo I may need some supplementation ......

Originally posted by stevem447

OK Dude I here u but the light weight is not an indication of the routine it's me ....that's all I can do....4 me Dumbbell press of 75X8 is like the max I can do right now.......I have been training this method for 4 months now....I just got a training partner.......that may help breaking the barrier I am at right now.....

By Light Weight, I was talking in relative terms, not absolute terms..... What is light for me, could be heavy for you...... You need to do some reading on some powerlifting sites.... I've posted plenty on the board. You sound like you don't have an basic understanding of what power is and how to build it. If you can do a set of 18 reps, that is light for you.... in the realm of building Your power......

Originally posted by Titaniumspine

By Light Weight, I was talking in relative terms, not absolute terms..... What is light for me, could be heavy for you...... You need to do some reading on some powerlifting sites.... I've posted plenty on the board. You sound like you don't have an basic understanding of what power is and how to build it. If you can do a set of 18 reps, that is light for you.... in the realm of building Your power......

Sounds about right....that's why I come to u guys .....I have been dabbling 4 a long time so I have some knowledge but I have a lot to learn as well....where can I find those sites....do a search?

http://www.elitefts.com/

http://www.deepsquatter.com/

www.drsquat.com

These should get you started...... But, yes, run a search....

I work out alone most of the time and found that this works well for me.
Bench: 3 will get me 1 by that I mean if I get stuck at 225 ill drop that max to 215 and work at getting 3 solid at that weight when I hit that strict I add 5 lbs then work to 3 soild reps agian .then once i got that bam i was able to do 230 and my sticking point was gone I have gotten up to 295 using this method it seems to work well for me . Good luck

Good job Grasshopper (titanium)- you have certainly listened my friend...... now get that damn back better and put it to work !!!!!!!!!