re: Need help increasing Bench Press numbers.

reduce your volume on the warm up sets 3-5 reps
now if you want to do 10-15 reps id recommend that with the bar
with your strength level id go
45lbs always start with bar in my opinion, 10-12 reps
135 5 reps
165 5 reps
195 3 reps
205 1-3 reps

then 225

do you get stalled right off the chest or lockout?

what does your shoulder routine look like? and what do you do for triceps?

there so many questions and so much to cover, but at the same time there are plenty of answers that are right.

what i can tell you is that if you keep this caloric content at 1800 you may still lose weight but you will not see the muscle tone or change in physique that you are desiring.

add in some healthy fats especially coconout or use extra virgin coconut oil to cook.

what does your conditioning look like? have you started any box jumps (i wouldnt recommend anything higher than 20 inches at this time). id also see if your facility has any kettlebells, sandbags, tires, etc.

id also recommend doing farmers walks with dumbells or kettlebells.

Much more all knowing people here, but to chime in with my journey. I started this year lifting again and used Stronglifts 5x5 to get my foundation solid. I actually started empty bar since I have not lifted in several years. I rode it up to 225 5x5 in bench. Basically was adding 15lbs to bench every 2 weeks (5lbs every bench workout).

Felt like a pansy lifting that light, but it goes up quick and my body adapted easily.

After around 6 months, switched over to 5/3/1 BBB (last 2 months). Knocked out 225 x 11 in my last AMRAP.

Besides empty bar or AMRAP set, I never do more than 5 reps per set.

Check out the program thread listed and stick with one program for 3 months at least.

DIPS

Dips and CG Bench are the keys

quote:

---

started this year lifting again and used Stronglifts 5x5 to get my foundation solid. I actually started empty bar since I have not lifted in several years. I rode it up to 225 5x5 in bench. Basically was adding 15lbs to bench every 2 weeks (5lbs every bench workout).

---

Kind of where I am. I used to lift a good bit 2-3 years ago, but kind of fell of the real routine and compound movement wagon.

Started this up a few weeks ago. So far so good and haven't been close to failing sets yet, but it is one of those things where you have to be willing to not care what other people think, and trust that soon enough you'll be lifting heavy. I'm almost back up to 135 on squats

quote:

---

They followed it up with a bunch of sets of sit on the incline bench

---

10-9 update

*Tried to lower starting reps as suggested

135 - 10 reps
165 - 5 reps
185 - 3 reps
205 - 1 rep
225 AMRAP - 5 full non assisted reps

for reference my 5' 6" 165 pound beast of a partner pushed up 9.

Still low for the Big beasts on this board and any progress is good progress.

Thanks for the advice guys.

Nice job! What are your plans past 5 reps? Keep doing 225 or moving up? I would move up 5 or 10 lbs and do less reps and see how that progresses. I haven't done high reps in a long time but tried out how many times I could do 225 the other day because I was bet against that I couldn't do 20 of them. He said I wasn't conditioned to do it but I said I don't have to be, I'm stronger than that and the movement at that weight is way more efficient.

Point is that if you want more reps, get stronger.

So the plan is to go 4 weeks at the same weight

Week 5 is one rep max on the big three Bench, Squat, Deadlift.

after that we go up on weights accordingly. We are kinda off pace right now because both of us have had to deal with some real life stuff We plan on doing our ORM in two weeks.