[quote]Sentoguy wrote:
lifter85 wrote:
Well I’ve heard if you want to get big you need to focus on strength first so you can get more hypertrophy (ex someone benching 135 10 times is gona have less hypertrophy than someone benching 225 10 times), so essentially they need to be working on strength first before hypertrophy.
To answer though, I’d like to get big of course, but also have strength.
Also, all my other lifts have gone up, except bench.
Yes, increasing strength is an integral part of building muscle, I’m not arguing against that. I was asking just to make certain that your primary goal was muscle (as you didn’t specifically say that it was).
You are also correct that in order to put on large amounts of muscle, you must expose them to significantly higher levels of overload/weight. But, this does not have to be done in a powerlifting context (i.e. low reps, ME days, etc…). If you say started at 135 for 10 reps and just focused on increasing the load or doing more reps with the same load every time you hit the gym, then you would eventually get to 225 for 10 reps. You don’t need to lift powerlifting style in order to get stronger.
I realize that you were probably following the advice of someone with good intentions who pointed you in the direction of WS4SB, as once again it’s a successful program and has produced results in quite a few trainees. So, I’m not faulting you for following the program, nor am I contradicting the advice that you need to get stronger.
I’m simply saying that if you have indeed given the program an honest chance to work (which I would consider a year to be long enough of a chance) and it has not produced significant results, then perhaps you might want to try something else.
On the other hand, if all your other lifts have gone up, your weight has gone up and you are happy with the program (other than the bench), then perhaps another course of action is called for.
First, I’d agree with the poster who suggested to take a deloading period (I’d honestly suggest you might even want to take a complete break from lifting). Your CNS may need a break, and you may find that a couple weeks after coming back (or possibly even the first workout after) that you break through your plateau.
Second, while BB bench has a big ego component to it, and is one of the power lifts (hence the focus on it in a powerlifting inspired program like WS4SB), it’s not necessarily the best chest builder out there. Personally I feel that DB bench is a better chest builder and tends to be easier on my shoulder joints as well.
So, you might want to just give flat BB bench a break for a while (read months) and work on getting strong at a different bench variation (DB, inclines, machine). Keep progressing on that movement until you eventually hit a plateau with it (and you will, everyone does). At that point, you may decide that you either:
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want to try a different variation of bench (pick one)
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like DB’s for building chest more than BB (if you chose a DB variation)
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need to work on a specific part of your chest
Or, if you really want to you could go back to flat BB bench and once again work on improving it. Be warned that even at this point you probably won’t be lifting more than you are right now (though it’s possible that you might). But, you should have built some muscle in that time and should be able to top your current numbers in the bench in a fairly short period of time.
Once again, I’m not trying to confuse you or contradict that advice that has been given to you. You do need to get stronger if you want bigger muscles. Just realize that there is more than one way to go about doing that. And, if building muscle is your primary goal and the program you are currently on isn’t giving you the results you’re after, then perhaps it’s time to try something else.
Finally, before you do decide to change programs, make absolutely certain that your diet is in check (i.e. you are gaining weight consistently). If not, then fix that first. Honestly that should pretty much take care of the problem, but if it doesn’t then perhaps try switching routines.
Good training,
Sentoguy[/quote]
Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. Honestly I would choose db’s over bb but for some reason our gym only goes up to 75 lb db’s (college gym), and i already did 75’s for 12 reps last school year. kinda makes it pointless, imo.