I bench once a week onmy chest day and my progress seems to be lagging witht he becnh press, i dont seem to be making any improvements, i warm up with no weights just the bar, then like 8 reps of 40kg (not training to failure) then 10 reps of 50kg near to failure) then failure with 60kg which is about 10 with a bit of help on last few.

I go in the next week n i just do the same.

Why not try doing less reps but with a heavier weight (after warming up well).

Sounds like you are just in a rut and need a change to kickstart you. Try set of 5-6. Why not try going for a 1RM every couple of weeks, just pushing yourself a bit more each time. You might need a spotter or to use the Smith machine

On the road with JB - a progress log Rippetoe started and finished in one day

is your MAIN goal to have a bigger chest or bigger bench press?

My bench isnt great. But high reps like 10 aint the way or pyrammyding the weights. Just get a weight u can do 6 for and stick to that, try and increase weight every wk or 2.

read my thrad about it

http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_2749275/tm.htm

it helped me

What's your aim? A big bench press or a big chest? there is a distinction.

ORIGINAL: wolverine198324

But high reps like 10 aint the way or pyrammyding the weights.

Ain't the way to what?

I seem to be finally improving my bench since following Frankies second routine. It's 5x5 , 2 warm up sets 50% and 75% then 3 work sets. with this routing you do bench twice every other week and once in between. Try using dumbels if you don't have a spotter too.

Also I recently read a good mental trick to improve bench and that is to think of you pushing your body away from the bar/dbs rather than them away from you. This actually seems to work!

ORIGINAL: stephen77

is your MAIN goal to have a bigger chest or bigger bench press?

Both realy, but i want to focus on lifting more at the moment because i feel stuck on the same weights.

ORIGINAL: mental_vibe

ORIGINAL: stephen77

is your MAIN goal to have a bigger chest or bigger bench press?

Both realy, but i want to focus on lifting more at the moment because i feel stuck on the same weights.

what exercises and reps are you doing for tri`s and delts ?

journal http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_1219780/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm

I've always stuggled with Bench relative to my other lifts such as Squat and Dead.
A good way I like to try and break the rut is to drop BP and do weighted Dips in it's place - you need to work it hard though, and lean forwards so that it hits your chest too.

Do this for a good 10-12 weeks then swap back to bench at 10% lower than you are now. Add weight each week and you'll find you go PAST where you are now.

Worth a try?

Jing

fah_gedda_boudit: "At the end of the day I don't think it really matters what it tastes like. If the liquid stuff is what you can get, well ger'it down yer neck & cowboy up"

can never understand if that if you have a weak bench then why would you change to a different exercise, analize where you are struggling in the bench and bring up the weak ares that need addressing, simple as, there is no need to change exercise at all. to many people make things to complicated... when a simple approach is the best approach...

journal http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_1219780/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm

i am with you scruffy.
if you want to get better at exercise x you have do that exercise.
though assistance exercise can help with your weak points.

where abouts do you fial on your lift? top / middle / lower part?

Anyone think that goin to free weight bench from smith machine bench is like a whole new exercise, and as a result ur weights will be down? do u think there's much carryover?

ORIGINAL: stephen77

i am with you scruffy.
if you want to get better at exercise x you have do that exercise.
though assistance exercise can help with your weak points.

where abouts do you fial on your lift? top / middle / lower part?

Me? I get it off my chest then it sticks in the middle of the movement. If I can get it just a little higher I have no problems with the lock out.
I did try lock outs to fix it and can easily lock-out 120Kg!

What can I do to fix this Middle/Beginning sticking problem?

fah_gedda_boudit: "At the end of the day I don't think it really matters what it tastes like. If the liquid stuff is what you can get, well ger'it down yer neck & cowboy up"

ORIGINAL: JingPuerh

ORIGINAL: stephen77

i am with you scruffy.
if you want to get better at exercise x you have do that exercise.
though assistance exercise can help with your weak points.

where abouts do you fial on your lift? top / middle / lower part?

Me? I get it off my chest then it sticks in the middle of the movement. If I can get it just a little higher I have no problems with the lock out.
I did try lock outs to fix it and can easily lock-out 120Kg!

What can I do to fix this Middle/Beginning sticking problem?

try bottom position benching, set yourself with a bench in a squat rack, put the pins so when you lay on the bench that the bar is on the chest, then push......you will find that unless you learn to contract the lats then you will not push a very heavy poundage...this will help with the beginning and as you drive will help the middle...

journal http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_1219780/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm

ORIGINAL: wolverine198324

Anyone think that goin to free weight bench from smith machine bench is like a whole new exercise, and as a result ur weights will be down? do u think there's much carryover?

i found in my early days that decline smith machine benching gave me enourmaous power in the delts and tri`s, the change over for me was not to bad, but the carryover was great

journal http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_1219780/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm

try bottom position benching, set yourself with a bench in a squat rack, put the pins so when you lay on the bench that the bar is on the chest, then push......you will find that unless you learn to contract the lats then you will not push a very heavy poundage...this will help with the beginning and as you drive will help the middle...

I found this very hard on my shoulders, so much so I stopped doing it.

My
Applied Nutriceuticals RPM Log

ORIGINAL: JingPuerh

ORIGINAL: stephen77

i am with you scruffy.
if you want to get better at exercise x you have do that exercise.
though assistance exercise can help with your weak points.

where abouts do you fial on your lift? top / middle / lower part?

Me? I get it off my chest then it sticks in the middle of the movement. If I can get it just a little higher I have no problems with the lock out.
I did try lock outs to fix it and can easily lock-out 120Kg!

What can I do to fix this Middle/Beginning sticking problem?

I've been getting help from a really strong bencher lately, and he told me mid-point is usually a shoulder weakness.

Strength - Power - Hate

Success breeds success

ORIGINAL: cricket_fire

I've been getting help from a really strong bencher lately, and he told me mid-point is usually a shoulder weakness.

That figures. I smashed one of mine mountain biking about a year ago!
Likely to be a weakness for a while yet.

Any suggestions from the really strong bencher on how to bring the shoulders up to par?
Overhead/Military press?

fah_gedda_boudit: "At the end of the day I don't think it really matters what it tastes like. If the liquid stuff is what you can get, well ger'it down yer neck & cowboy up"

For me military press really improved my bench. I was struggling mid range, because I was scared that I would drop it, as well as the weight being too heavy . But when my military press improved, my bench did as well, and the initial part of lifting up the weight was a lot easier, and also felt a lot more stable.