Old 06-4-2009, 03:42 PM   #1
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Default Weightlifting

Alright, so on the days that I'm off work and I don't have the car, instead of just bumming around watching TV or playing FFR/guitar, I've decided to start working out again during the summer...something to do, right?

I've got a pretty decent workout schedule going on, but I can't seem to improve my bench, no matter what I do.

I'm 5'11", 145 lbs, and can barely bench 160, and only for around two reps max. I've looked **** up on other sites, and just got the usual "well if you do pec flyes and other chest exercises, etc., your bench will improve", but mine hasn't improved that much. I've also figured that if I weighed a bit more, I'd probably have an easier time benching more weight, but apparently it's fuggin' impossible for me to put on any weight regardless of how much I eat (stupid fuggin' metabolism ). Ideally, I'd like to be able to bench 200 lbs somewhat comfortably by the end of summer.

So if any of you guys on FFR know anything I could do (different exercises with sets/reps etc.), any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Old 06-4-2009, 04:07 PM   #2
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Default Re: Weightlifting

I would say do more reps with a slightly lower weight until you get used to it then move up. idk if this works, but it couldn't hurt, right?
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Old 06-4-2009, 04:37 PM   #3
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Default Re: Weightlifting

You can't expect to shoot up weight very fast at the beginning. Especially if you're already doing more than your body weight, you'll improve very slowly unless you're simply blessed genetically for the muscle type that can do that.

It took me a month to go up 10 pounds on my bench when I was weight training.


Of course, it wasn't like that all the time, but you can do all the chest you want and you'll mostly just burn out on it and make it even harder to improve if that's all you do.
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Old 06-4-2009, 04:51 PM   #4
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Default Re: Weightlifting

I've been doing chest twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. Arms on Tuesdays, legs on Wednesdays, abs and back on Fridays. I've been able to up the weight I curl to about 105 lbs, and increase my weight on leg curls/presses and cable rows/lat pulldowns. But my bench has been frozen at 160 for a long ass time. The only reason I'm doing chest twice a week now is to try and up my bench, I'm not overworking chest by any means :/
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Old 06-4-2009, 04:52 PM   #5
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Default Re: Weightlifting

Weightlifting is ok i guess for some pplz
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Old 06-4-2009, 05:11 PM   #6
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Default Re: Weightlifting

Do you do close or wide gripped bench? If you do wide, your triceps will do more work and you can do more. There's all sorts of exercises you could do, but really your best bet is to do almost maximum weight sets that will push you to do more.

You could push your shoulders under like you were throwing out your chest, and push your knees at a slightly less than 90 degree angle like you were going to bridge (but dont actually do it), or build up your back so that you're closer to the bar.

But for the most part, you'll just want to do decline bench at heavy weight, and keep doing heavy sets.
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Old 06-4-2009, 05:21 PM   #7
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Default Re: Weightlifting

Pm me more about this OWA. im too lazy to type everything out in this thread.
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Old 06-4-2009, 05:22 PM   #8
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Default Re: Weightlifting

Yeah, wobblin around is worthless. It's why it's laughable that you see guys curling heavy weight but their back is move with it, that's a back work out.

You could try 1 arm bench, that's pretty good for targeting all the muscles, and if you do it on a ball, it'll get you an ab work out too.
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Old 06-4-2009, 05:23 PM   #9
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Default Re: Weightlifting

I'd say I'm using more of a narrow-grip, although when I'm about to grip the bar, I lie down with my elbows out level with my chest and point my arms up toward the ceiling; then I just move my arms up and grab wherever that might be. But it's definitely not a wide grip.

And I've been trying to keep perfect form; once I start feeling forced into 'cheating', I'll stop. So I guess it's alright to cheat a bit in this case? I haven't been doing any decline/incline sets at all, so I'll do decline for a couple weeks and see if there's any improvement. Thanks guy

edit: @KgZ, I have some generic whey protein shake I've been taking post-workout...doesn't seem to be doing a hell of a lot, but it's got 30-something grams of protein in one shake, so eh

When I'm working chest, I'm doing about 5 exercises: freeweight bench press, mechanical chest press, pec flyes, dumbbell flyes, and then pushups at the end. Should I cut two of those out of my regiment and just focus on three? I try to pick more isolation exercises so that I'm using at least 90% of that muscle when I'm performing the exercise.
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Old 06-4-2009, 05:28 PM   #10
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Default Re: Weightlifting

well, you aren't cheating, bench is more than a "chest" work out. If you bridge up (lift your ass up) then you're cheating, but you can use your legs otherwise. :P
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Old 06-4-2009, 07:46 PM   #11
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Default Re: Weightlifting

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/

Have a search through / make an account and post the same thing there. Reply pretty quick and lots of helpful tips
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Old 06-4-2009, 10:55 PM   #12
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Default Re: Weightlifting

160 and two reps? Pretty good for your weight.


Im 195 and Im benching about 225 2 reps.

When i started weightlifting I was at about 150 and 1 rep... Still about 185 lbs.


What you should do is Get a stopwatch or something to record time. Usually start at about 5-10 mins and bench about 125. For the time.

Keep doing that.

Do it about once or twice daily.

Your bench WILL improve no matter what.


Edit: You know that saying no pain no gain? Well its gonna hurt !!!
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Old 06-5-2009, 12:08 AM   #13
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Default Re: Weightlifting

Both of my roommates work at GNC, There are so many workout supplies around that I could probably tell you what half of the things in the store do. That being said, if you would like some information on pre-workout and post-workout stuff let me know and I'll yell at them until they give me a good answer.

also, running joke is NANOVapor - it works right away.
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Old 06-5-2009, 12:26 AM   #14
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Default Re: Weightlifting

mnnicol, I was debating making an account on a site revolving around weightlifting if FFR couldn't deliver any decent advice, but you guys are pretty helpful so

That benching for 5/10 minutes straight sounds nuts lmao...I'll try and see how long I can pump out reps on 120...might have to go down to 100 if I wanna last the full 5 minutes lol

And psycho, I'll probably have some questions for you tomorrow...I actually dug up my gold card last week and bought a pre-workout supplement that I haven't tried out yet....girl in the store said it was the best one there (it was called cyto-something or other, I'd go downstairs to check the name but I don't wanna wake my dad rofl) If your roomies could recommend the best product to help put on lean muscle mass (doesn't have to be a shake but it probably will be), that'd be sick.

You guys are fuggin' awesome
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Old 06-5-2009, 12:43 AM   #15
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mnnicol, I was debating making an account on a site revolving around weightlifting if FFR couldn't deliver any decent advice, but you guys are pretty helpful so

That benching for 5/10 minutes straight sounds nuts lmao...I'll try and see how long I can pump out reps on 120...might have to go down to 100 if I wanna last the full 5 minutes lol

And psycho, I'll probably have some questions for you tomorrow...I actually dug up my gold card last week and bought a pre-workout supplement that I haven't tried out yet....girl in the store said it was the best one there (it was called cyto-something or other, I'd go downstairs to check the name but I don't wanna wake my dad rofl) If your roomies could recommend the best product to help put on lean muscle mass (doesn't have to be a shake but it probably will be), that'd be sick.

You guys are fuggin' awesome
Good luck with the 5-10 minute bench I only did 1 5 minute today... I should go out now but... Its 10:42 where im at..
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Old 06-5-2009, 12:48 AM   #16
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Default Re: Weightlifting

Just don't get anything like creatine.

Get protein shakes, not fake muscle builders.
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Old 06-5-2009, 10:30 PM   #17
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Just don't get anything like creatine.

Get protein shakes, not fake muscle builders.
creatine actually worked quite well for me, although it does cause you to bloat etc, i took it for 3 weeks and put a good 10-20 pounds on my bench. then i stopped taking it and i did lose a little size, but i kept the strength. defianetely a good thing to cycle because it doesnt cost much.

oh and ps. if you want any serious help just pm me like i said earlier OWA, ive been a member of Bodybuilding.com for over 2 years and have an array of info on health, workout programs, supps etc.
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Old 06-5-2009, 10:42 PM   #18
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creatine actually worked quite well for me, although it does cause you to bloat etc, i took it for 3 weeks and put a good 10-20 pounds on my bench. then i stopped taking it and i did lose a little size, but i kept the strength. defianetely a good thing to cycle because it doesnt cost much.
You got lucky, then. I know guys who bulked up a lot from creatine, but as soon as they stopped taking it it all turned into fat.

Creatine's like steroids, in that regard, you have to keep taking it to keep getting the benefit.
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Old 06-6-2009, 09:27 AM   #19
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I've been doing chest twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. Arms on Tuesdays, legs on Wednesdays, abs and back on Fridays. I've been able to up the weight I curl to about 105 lbs, and increase my weight on leg curls/presses and cable rows/lat pulldowns. But my bench has been frozen at 160 for a long ass time. The only reason I'm doing chest twice a week now is to try and up my bench, I'm not overworking chest by any means :/
You can curl 105 pounds? But can only bench 160?

Well, that doesn't make any sense.

Your bench is already quite good for your weight though. Most people can't bench more than their own weight. It can improve, though.


I used to body build. I don't know much about this 5/10 minute bench thing, but I can almost guarantee it won't give you the gains you're looking for. Some people have suggested less weights and more reps, but no, that's not what you want to do. You want to find the sweet spot in terms of reps/weight, which is about 10 reps. You're wasting your time with lots of reps. You gain muscle mass by lifting big, not doing reps.

I'd sit down with a spotter and find the amount of weight you can bench around 9-11 reps with. Once you find that weight, do 3 sets in a row with the spotter, always. Always go to failure on sets - that is, until you can't finish and the spotter has to help you finish. This will lead to maximal gains.

When you're finished benching, jump right into another chest exercise until you...essentially break. After that you can call it quits on the chest for the day.

Continue using the weight you chose for the bench until you can do like 13-15 reps,and then add 5 pounds onto the bar. Also, you don't need to work your chest two days in a row using this method. 2-3 times a week is plenty.

I don't know anyone that strictly follows this method that doesn't get gains.

Other than that, what's your diet like? You'll probably going to want to stock up on protein and carbs etc after your workout. You can do this in whatever way works for you. You'll want to keep protein and carbs high throughout the day anyway. This will probably lead to some degree of weight gain, but that's good. It allows you to lift heavier, which is going to lead to larger gains in muscle mass.

I mean, if the workout isn't leading to gains and you fix the workout, the only answer is the diet. A lot of people try to make gains without eating enough. You really need to stock up and your problem right now could be your weight. If you want to look cut, it's easier to bulk up and then cut down and lose fat later. It leads to much better results.
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Old 06-6-2009, 09:41 AM   #20
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if you bench is under 200 you've got committment issues
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