Tips on Breaking Through Plateaus From: aleck@hydrogen.ecn.purdue.edu (Aleck Alexopoulos) Subject: Re: Peaking on bench Date: 13 Jul 91 16:19:49 GMT gt7601a@prism.gatech.EDU (CROWDER,GLEN SACHIO) writes: >After 3 years of working out I have finally hit a peak. I no longer >seem to be able to make any gains on bench and incline. I have tried >just about everything I can think of (changing my routine, working out >more, working out less, eating more, eating less). Does anyone have >any suggestions on what to do? Thanks. Try the powerlifting approach and start a new cycle. Cut back on the weight you are using and do sets with 60% of you max for reps. Over a period of two to three months, gradually increase the weight and reduce the number of sets. In theory you should hit a new peak at the end of this cycle that will be higher than your current peak. If you're like me and you don't have the patience to cut back on training poundages for so long try "mini-cycles" of 3 to 4 weeks. They will definately work if your problem was overtraining. >-- >Glen >gt7601a@prism.gatech.edu From: RICK@ysub.ysu.edu (Rick Marsico) Subject: Re: Bench press Date: 2 Aug 91 12:49:26 GMT In article <1991Aug1.180838.3031@bigsur.uucp>, Reg Foulkes says: > >I've been idol for at least 3 years in bench which is my weakest exercise. No >matter what I do I just don't improve. I've tried everything, pyramids, >reverse >pyramids, forced reps, high reps, low reps, pauses, low sets, high sets, >periodic training and even resting. Nothing works. Anyone else have the same >problem? > >Back, however, is another story. I rarely work my back and it impoves almost >weekly. > You've just described my experiences to date. Bench is my least responsive exercise. However, try this one if you haven't already: First set: 6 reps (if you can do a seventh rep add weight) Second set: 20 reps (if you can only do nineteen reps decrease wgt) Third set: 6 reps using heavy weights again Fourth set: 20 reps again with the light weight Fifth set: as many reps ** as you can do using weight used in first and third set ** once you are able to do 6 reps on the fifth set, add five pounds to the 1st, 3rd, and 5th sets next time around. I do this routine twice a week and start with two very light warm-up sets. I follow the bench routine with inclince barbell presses (4 sets x 10 reps), cable cross-overs (3 sets x 12 reps), and bent-over cable flyes ( 3 sets x 10 reps). Too soon to tell you the results, but it finally feels like more than my triceps are getting a work out. From: krw@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (keith.r.smith) Subject: Re: Bench press question Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 21:47:50 GMT >When you bench press very heavy weights, i.e. near your maximum lift weight, >there is a "stick point" which impeeds the motion of the bar. Once this >point is overcome, the bench press action becomes easier. On myself, >this stick-point is a couple of inches above my chest. On a friend, it is >directly at the point of contact of the bar to her chest. > >Are there any exercises that may help to reduce the stick-point effect? My >friend was told that doing all sorts of shoulder exercises would help. I >don't believe this because if you examine the layout of the arm bones and >the shoulder, the only muscles are the ones in your chest (mainly pecs) that >have any affect on the upward motion of the arm. The shoulders have no >mechanical advantage. This is simply not true! Try this experiment: Lay back on your bench with an empty bar, as if you were about to do a bench press. Take your usual grip, and lower the bar to your body, as per usual. If the bar lands near the lower edge of your pecs, rather than near your collarbone, you can rest assured that your anterior delts are heavily involved. They might not have the best mechanical advantage, but they're in there! I believe that it is actually the delts that move the bar those first coupla' inches offa' the chest, after that, once your upper arms "line-up" parallel to the bar, that is when the load shifts to the pecs and triceps. Anyway, back to your original question.... There are two ways that I have found to be effective in getting past the "sticking point". Both of these techniques involve isometrics. 1) When Chuck Sipes was training to make a 500 lb. bench press, he trained on a "power rack". He would set the pins to limit his range of motion to that range that included his "sticking point" and little else. He would press and _hold_ for a few seconds, as much weight as he could handle, against the top pair of pins. 2) A similar technique, that I have used personally, is to have a particulary sadistic spotter/training-partner _prevent_ you from pressing the bar beyond your "sticking point" for several seconds, and then release, so that you can finish the lift. (I say "particularly sadistic", as my training partner was not content to simply _stop_ the bar, but felt the need to apply some "down pressure" as well :-)) This technique will _definately_ shift your "sticking point". Keith R From: aleck@athena.mit.edu (Aleck H Alexopoulos) Subject: Re: Bench press question Date: 1 Feb 1993 04:15:44 GMT In article <1993Jan28.181001.24038@rchland.ibm.com>, alter@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Eric Alter) writes: |> When you bench press very heavy weights, i.e. near your maximum lift weight, |> there is a "stick point" which impeeds the motion of the bar. Once this |> point is overcome, the bench press action becomes easier. On myself, |> this stick-point is a couple of inches above my chest. On a friend, it is |> directly at the point of contact of the bar to her chest. |> |> Are there any exercises that may help to reduce the stick-point effect? My Yep. You can go to a power rack and set the pins a little above and a little below your sticking point. You then do reps within this small range. OR. You can just do some partial reps around your sticking point with a lighter weight. |> friend was told that doing all sorts of shoulder exercises would help. That depends on WHERE your sticking point is. If it is very low to your chest then even lat-exercises may help. If its higher up then shoulder exercises will help. Apart from "assist" exercises you can also do sets with different techniques: hand spacing, speed, etc |> I |> don't believe this because if you examine the layout of the arm bones and |> the shoulder, the only muscles are the ones in your chest (mainly pecs) that |> have any affect on the upward motion of the arm. The shoulders have no |> mechanical advantage. The shoulder are a major assist muscle group in the bench press. Any shoulder exercise you do will help to some degree. Aleck H Alexopoulos From: haas@intermec.com (John Haas) Subject: Re: Embarrassingly fundamental bench-press question Date: 19 Apr 93 16:35:11 GMT In article fahy@ee.ualberta.ca (Jason Patrick Fahy) writes: > >Any other closet bench weaklings out there? What have you tried >to bring the bench press groupies flocking to you? Any magical >plateau-busting techniques you'd like to share with fellow >chasers of the 300-pound grail? > > Give me your thoughts... > Jason F. Well Jason, I'm about the same weight as you (192), and am almost there (300lbs). I've gotten 295 for one rep. I tried 300 over the weekend, but I wasn't happy with the rep. My spotter said he barley touched it, but he DID touch the bar, and I'm not sure if I would have gotten it if he hadn't. I go for the single rep max about once a month. Anyway, what has gotten me past a couple of plateaus is the Cybergenics chest routine. A guy I work with got the kit about a year ago, and I tried the workout and it was a nice change, and it broke me through the plateau. I'm not sure which kit he had, I'm not real "up" on the Cybergenics product line. Here is the chest portion of the workout with the weight that I used. Flat Bench Flyes with 50 lb dumbells until failure. Dumbell Press the same dumbells until failure. Barbell Press w/ 115 until failure. Flyes with 25 or 30 lb dumbells until failure. Dumbell Press the same dumbells until failure. Do this with no rest between. Do this three times with only one minute rest between each giant set. Then do two supersets of dips w/ inclined bench presses. It really helps to have a partner for this. Its a killer! I've done this for six weeks on two seperate occassions, and each time my flat bench has increased on the first workout when I return to straight sets. Maybe because I go six weeks without benching more than 115 lbs which give my connective tissue time to recover. I wouldn't expect such a workout to add a lot of strength, but it seemed to for me. It takes less time than my straight set routine too! Has anyone else out there tried this cybergenics workout? What kind of results did you have? From: silver@macbeth.umd.edu (Adam Silver) Subject: Re: Combining Power-lifting and Olympic-Lifting Date: 7 Jun 93 17:11:03 GMT In article <1uvoq7$ge9@usenet.rpi.edu> cecchinr@hornsby.cs.rpi.edu (Ron Cecchini) writes: [stuff deleted] > >I tried maxing out on the bench for the first time in over a year. >Needless to say, I missed my attempt of 300. But my spotter only had to >help me get out of the bottom position (I was pausing). Once the weight >got going, I was fine. He said he thinks its a technique problem, and that >I'm probably actually capable of doing 315. This could be true. I can't see how you are benching because I'm here in Maryland, and you're not. You didn't get to see me bench when I saw you in Boston, but I wasn't using the same form either. I generally set my grip to where my pinky or 4th finger are touching the rings on the bar (a bench bar). My butt and shoulders are flat, but I have an arch in my back. No, this is not cheating. It's actuall competition style. You also have to use your legs a little bit in the bench press. You should be set up very tight, and your legs should have a good deal of tension on them, so that if you let go of the bar, they will push you back. They should drive your shoulders into the back rest. Touch the highest point on your chest and arc the bar back over your eyes. That's my technique. >I believe my form was very good - I just kept getting stuck. I've >heard about powerlifters doing "lock-outs" to strengthen their tendons/ >ligaments, 'cause this is sometimes the limiting factor. However, would >you recommend doing partial-reps (and only the bottom portion of the >rep) on a Smith machine? Maybe it was just a bad day - and boy do my >shoulders feel it today... Do partial reps in a power rack. You can do it two ways. If the rack is bolted down, set the pins in the rack around your sticking point. Then push the bar against the pins and after touching go to maximum force for 5 seconds. Do this for 5 sets of 5 reps and only on a day where you won't be doing any heavy benching or any benching at all. This is very stressful and should only be performed once every one or two weeks. If you trouble at lockout, then set the pins so that the bar is at the hardest part for you to lock out. This time put a lot of weight on the bar (for you maybe 330) and lock it out for 5 sets of 5. From: rbowers@csusb (Cosmo) Newsgroups: misc.fitness Subject: Re: Getting out of a plateau (LONG) Date: 30 Sep 93 11:14:52 GMT bill@bhhome.ci.net (Bill Heiser) writes: > > Is the correct way to do this to lift the "heavier" weight to failure, > then finish out your sets & reps at a lower more managable weight? > > For building bulk, is sticking with 8 reps (3 sets) OK? Someone told > me that as you develop strength at a certain weight, you should increase > the number of reps (up to 12 or so). Is this true, or should you increase > the weight and remain at the low reps? Again, this is for a relatively > thin body-type person trying to build some muscle mass. > > Bill Heiser bill@bhhome.ci.net heiser@world.std.com The sad fact is, Bill, that though I have a technique that works for me, it may not work for everybody. Physiological/genetic barriers exhist within each one of us, and depending on your state of health and biological condition, your muscles will respond very differently than mine. I can only tell you what works for *me*, and what I have learned. Your post suggests that you may be ectomorphic, while I, myself lean towards mesomorphic(sp?). The ectomorph, usually having a high metabolism, has a much harder time than most in building quality muscle 'mass'. Intensity and a *very* healthy diet (protein, carbs, and yes, in the ectomorphs case, even FAT). I myself have to watch my diet very strictly. As to technique: I follow the following. NOTE: I know that there are many different ways to tackle bodybuilding, this is not for *everyone*, but for some, myself included, this has worked *VERY* good for me). I subscribe to the 3 times-per-week method of bodybuilding. I work out Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Using Saturday and Sun for light areobic exercise only. I prefer to do 5 sets of 8 reps when possible. When I find that I am doing an inordinate amount of reps, I increase the weight *regardless* of whether I 'feel' that I can do 5X8 sets with this weight. When my muscles can no longer do another rep, I quickly strip 5-10lbs and force-out a few more reps. The object is to fully exhaust as many muscle fibers in the time allocated, and taking no more than 1 minute breaks between sets (30 sec for me). This is sometimes called 'running the rack', or the 'stripping method'. After doing this, I am sometimes litterally shaking from exhaustion! Another way of tackling a plateau is by changing your work-out habits. I find that inserting a new exercise when I am at a plateau usually gives me an aditional amount of soreness (this usually tells me that I am working through a new range-of-motion that I am not used to). And finally, I like to really *Blast* each muscle once a week. Sometimes I'll strap on my arm-blaster, do five sets of 8 reps with the easy-curl bar, then Immediately go on to do as many sets of hammer curls as possible, THEN top it off with some concentration curls. Be careful not to over-train, as this will impede your progress drastically. Whenever I feel burnt-out or more tired than usuall, I will skip the work-out completely. There's no use in taking chances.... Hang in there, and with determination, you will get results.... good luck! From: remco@dutentb.et.tudelft.nl (Remco de Zwart) Newsgroups: misc.fitness Subject: Re: Soreness Date: 14 Sep 1994 14:36:53 GMT In article , drbw@mail.che.utexas.edu(David R. B. Walker) writes: > What did you do to break through the temporary plateaus? Some plateaus were just a matter of not getting enough carbohydrates. I noticed that during the weekends my food intake was poor, so adding an extra rice meal solved the problem. The other plateaus were solved by changing my workout in which I made two different kind of changes: temporary changes and non-temporary changes. - The non-temporary changes have led me to the schedule I am using currently (and have been using for over a year). Things I thought were wrong with my earlier schedules are: too many muscle groups on one day, too few restdays between working the same bodyparts, too many sets per exercise. - The temporary changes were meant to shock the muscles after which I would get back to my regular schedule. Those changes would be one of the following: * Doing drop sets. (Just one per muscle group) * Lowering the weights and do more reps (10-20) per set. * Increasing weight and doing partial reps. The duration of those changes would always be 1-3 workouts per muscle group, sometimes alternated with my regular schedule. Remco Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002 10:49:22 -0400 From: "William Frenick" Subject: Re : Subject: Bench test day (long) Greetings Lars, Here's the program CT gave me. It's a 4 week program, and I think it was designed to shock me off my plateau, but I've used it multiple times with a lot of success. I think the key is good rest between cycles, a good speed day ( I do the 10 sets of 3 instead of the 9 sets of 3 listed in the program), and LOTS of heavy tri work. It's based on pin presses, and I thought it was geared for working the lockout, but I always fail on the chest (I lift raw) and this helped more then anything else I ever did. I went from being stuck at 280 for years to just hitting 330 after 3 cycles. For speed day, I used to rig my purple bands to dumbbells on the ground. My speed sets are always very fast and I was doing 135 bar weight plus purple bands for a total weight at the top (I weighed it) of 205. I was fast with these, so I tried looping the band behind my back, holding the ends in my hands, and I've been doing that since I'm slower with this setup (a 3 rep set takes just about 3 seconds, which is slow for me) so I have some room to improve. Bands for speed day are awesome! Here's the program, in it's original form. I believe CT based in on my previous 280 max, and took 117% of it, to get 320 for the pin press weight. If I used the 117% for the second cycle, based on a 315 max, it would have been 362 for the pin press weight, and I felt that way too heavy for me, so I bumped it to 330, then 350 for the third cycle. I take it by feel. It seems that I'll end up getting pretty close when I test to what the pin press weight was. For example, when my max was 280, and I did the pin presses with 320, I tested and got 315. When it was 330, I tested and doubled 300 pretty easily, and when I did the pin presses with 350, I got 330. The funny thing is, when I get to Week 3 where the pin presse are from 8 inches from lockout, I'm lucky if I get 1 rep... then come back to hit close to that on a full rep on test day. The singles after the pin presses were a huge help, too. Really let you work on form, etc. Ok, enough from me... here's the program: Week 1 Take a power rack and set the bar around 4 inches from full lockout, Take 320 and do it for as many reps as possible with contest grip. Then use 65% of 320 and do 15 singles off your chest with a pause. take 20 seconds between each single. Use your contest grip. Week 2 Set the bar in the rack so that its 6 inches from full lockout and do as many reps as possible till failure with 320 , Then do 75% of 320 for 10 singles resting 20 seconds between each Week 3 again set the bar now at 8 inches from lockout and try for as many reps as possible with 320 contest grip.. Then do 85% of 320 for 5-8 singles Week 4 rest Week 5 Take a test and see what yu can get.... Make sure yu get in a lot of tri assistance work and some delt raises and make sure yu keep going with a speed day 50% x 9 triples,,,,, make sure that yu have at least 3 days apart from each bench day.... Personally, the assistance I do is: Triceps Close Grip partials - Take a close grip, and lower the bar until your elbows are at the same height at your chest, then press up. Use heavy weights for 3 sets of 8 100 rep tris for recovery laying DB extensions JM presses (instead of the close grip partials) Rear delts face pulls (these are great) bent Db flys Lats seated rows pulldowns bent barbell rows. I used to do front delt work (plate raises) but found I got enough front delt work from all the pressing in the actual workouts. That's it. Most workouts I'll end with a couple sets of elbows-high, wide grip benches for 10 reps with 225 and 20 reps with 135 to get some blood there. I hope this helps someone as much as it has helped me! I plan to use 375 for the pin press weight next cycle, and 400 for the following cycle, and if I keep progressing, I'm hoping to hit something in the high 3's in my September meet. Or at least make the attempt! Bill