My bench sucks

[BigOiron]

Ok guys....when I was powerlifting competitively all my lifts were respectable. My raw lifts were as follows: squat - 510 bench - 315 deadlift - 475


And now.... I can still pull 455. Not every week but at least once a month. I can squat 440-455. Depends on the day. Now my bench.... I'm embarrassed to admit this but it has gone to complete shit. 260 on a good day....why the hell did it continue to fall off!? I can't get it back. Fellas I'm embarrassed and I could use some help. Please don't make fun of me I'm sensitive about this lol sounds dumb but it's true.

 

[Gone]

whats your routine...maybe you are training chest too often

 

[BigOiron]

Once a week, I hit chest and triceps together. It's crazy bc all my other lifts are doing fine and I'm really not even pushing them! I'm bigger and more tone than I think I've ever been. (Shameless plug to the D-Line gear I run!) Just that bench. Makes me think I'm missing something or doing something wrong? Maybe I need to do more shoulders? I kind of cheat them with short workouts due to injury risk and past experience.

 

[Kins]

I find that bench goes down much quicker than dead lift or squats when you take time off. Do you have a coach or did you?. Maybe get back in touch with the guys you knew when you were competing.

 

[BigOiron]

Well..I had one of the best coaches in the world. The guy is truly a legend now may he RIP. Our team is kind of scattered to the winds if you will so that sucks! I haven't had a team environment in a long time. Maybe that's part of the problem!?

 

[01dragonslayer]

Have you been restricting your diet? Caloric intake? Maybe change up your routine?

 

[01dragonslayer]

BTW....sorry to hear about your mentor.

 

[Kins]

Well..I had one of the best coaches in the world. The guy is truly a legend now may he RIP. Our team is kind of scattered to the winds if you will so that sucks! I haven't had a team environment in a long time. Maybe that's part of the problem!?

I'd say that's possible. Maybe look for a local meet or something and just go to watch and possibly find a coach or some personal help. Networking so to speak.

 

[The Beef]

Well..I had one of the best coaches in the world. The guy is truly a legend now may he RIP. Our team is kind of scattered to the winds if you will so that sucks! I haven't had a team environment in a long time. Maybe that's part of the problem!?

I knew his coach, one of the best. When I competed my bench was my weakest lifts. When I really focused on triceps and lats my bench went up. You plan on competing again?

 

[Stretchdoeswork]

Ok guys....when I was powerlifting competitively all my lifts were respectable. My raw lifts were as follows: squat - 510 bench - 315 deadlift - 475


And now.... I can still pull 455. Not every week but at least once a month. I can squat 440-455. Depends on the day. Now my bench.... I'm embarrassed to admit this but it has gone to complete shit. 260 on a good day....why the hell did it continue to fall off!? I can't get it back. Fellas I'm embarrassed and I could use some help. Please don't make fun of me I'm sensitive about this lol sounds dumb but it's true.

Try switching up the routine. Go from bar work to all DB work for a while. I haven’t touched a flat bench with a BB in years. Shoulders are shot. But from doing different incline presses with DB my flat dB went up pretty well. Also a string back makes a good press. And vice versa. Like everyone else said too make sure the diet is solid. ESP after hardcore leg days. I’ve noticed that my lifts are shit the next day after a Quality leg day.


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[BigOiron]

I'd say that's possible. Maybe look for a local meet or something and just go to watch and possibly find a coach or some personal help. Networking so to speak.

Great idea thanks pal!

 

[BigOiron]

I'm really considering competing again but if definitely need a team to lift with. Thank you to everyone who took the time to drop in here!

 

[Anon44]

Before I injured my shoulder I would do just dumbbell work for a couple months at a time when I'd hit a sticking point on my bench. I would always be significantly stronger when I would go back to flat bar. My days of heavy lifting are over.

 

[Rot-Iron66]

Work on sticking points. If weak on lockout, use boards or slingshot. Heavy Tricep work helps. (JM Press, Close Grip Bench, floor press, etc).
Also heavy delt work helps as well.
If weak off of chest, try some different things, like start your bench exercises off the chest (in a Power rack). So starting position would be off chest (rack pins), not off normal uprights.
Do a rep, explode off chest, lower it and stop. Do more reps this way, explode off chest, lower it, stop. (Builds dynamic strength from pause position).

Maybe try Wendlers (5/3/1) for chest day? (Or something different) just to see if you improve. Things like that might help...
Arcidi tells me he got his strongest when his behind the neck presses went up into the 315 lb. area. He also had surgery on both recently, so you need to be careful if you do those.

 

[Donkeykong]

my bench isnt great but I had made my best gains when i started implementing some west side ideas..what helped for me was doing it 2x week but one day JUST dynamic work and possibly either heavy or ligh tri/delt assistance... Louie Simmons has a RAW BENCH article and I used his routine as it was simple. Some of the westside stuff gets so complicated like I dont have every single band made and wanna be sitting there calculating 72.3345 % of 90% max with 20% band tension LOL. Its not really that bad but it does get confusing sometimes.
https://www.westside-barbell.com/blogs/2013-articles/raw-benching

So doing a 3rm every week but start 20lbs or so lighter than actual 3rm cause you cant start rigjht at MAX or you wont have time to get stronger. Then he does wave sets of 3x6(till plateu then 3x8 then 3x10 etc) directly after. You can probably do light tricep and delt work after heavy benching. about 2-3 days later youll do 10x2 with roughly 60% of 1rm as fast as possible and do some high rep incline dumbells after then maybe do heavy tricep and delts like I do Military press and weighted dips for say 3x5... Then thats IT youll recover by heavy bench day... Dynamic or 'speed bench" basically makes my bench shoot up with in a week or two seriously.

 

[BigOiron]

Thanks for the article I'll look into it!!!