Feeling Useless Beause I Can't Improve my Bench

You’re right! It’s just generally frustration.
I forgot to mention but I’m also doing incline bench press. This is quite similar of what I’m doing right now. Btw do you recommend me doing pause bench on light day or heavy day?
Is there any difference?
Thanks a lot

That makes sense, I’m not reaching to failure l the time but I’m a lot of times at rir0.

I think I got a good barbell row, Last week I did 3x5 90kg, however my shrugs are not a strong point, I just do 2-3 set at the end of the pull day

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At least I’m not the only one with this issue after a cut, yes that’s why I’m benching twice a week and even aiming to 3 times a week if I’m not progressing at all. Pretty good bench btw, 10 series of only bench press sounds a lot but well as you said this can work ofc but it’s not sustainable in the long term, thanks a lot dude

Lol haha

You take that back!

Thanks for the tag, but bench is outside my area of expertise. I’ve been stuck at ~350lbs for over 6 years! (However, I have not invested significant resources into improving it)

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In order to get a stronger and thicker back it’s just doing some heavy rows, wide grips and something for rear delt?
I want both bro, in order to have a better physique you have to improve your strength progressively, right?

Anyways thanks for commenting bro!

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I will assume you are not interested in competing in powerlifting meets based on your reply.

Sure getting stronger will build more muscle. Others have given you plenty of information to consider. But your bench press is not a “must have” to building a very good physique.

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My light days were either variation do work on technique. Something like a tempo paused reps, 3 sec down, 1 sec pause, then up, or light weight for sets of 8. My focus was on bench for power lifting though not just for getting big pecs.

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Yes I understand, I just have this run-of-the-mill goal of benching 225

Gotcha, that’s kinda what I’m doing on light days

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Btw thank you so much to everyone, I appreciate your comments

@simo74 that might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said and I’m probably woefully under qualified :joy:

I’m sure it’s been covered, but I’ve seen my best results when I do blocks of heavy barbell and then blocks of heavy DB work. It seems to keep my shoulders happy while allowing me to really get an all around feel to my chest and shoulders. A focus on heavy work on my triceps (Greg Panora’s heavy rolling triceps were a big gainer for me), and then simply specificity, getting used to hitting your groove and grinding a little, feeling a little weight over your face is a lot different than having it anywhere else (at least to me haha)

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Today was my light day with pause bench press and I did the same reps as last workout reaching to failure, it’s actually unbelievable. I’d switch to dumbbell If I got heavy dumbbells…

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In my gym 55lb

As someone who struggles to make gains in pressing movements myself a few things I’ve learned over the years.

  1. Gaining weight helps much more for the bench than the squat or deadlift.

  2. Everyone is different but the only way I could keep my bench numbers up was to keep the volume high.

  3. Row as often as you bench. Treat rows like a main lift and emphasize adding weight to your barbell row like you do the bench.

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Eat more.

No seriously, just eat more, get over +500 kcal at least if you’re looking to gain.

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Best gains on bench I ever got was using Ryan Kennelly bench program that was featured in an article in Ironman Magazine. It’s supposed to take you from benching 225 to 315 in a year, but the percentages could be adjusted to wherever you’re at now. Monster Bench: Unlocking the Riddle of Bench Steel -

Have you done the Starting Strength Intermediate program?

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