Thinking about resetting bench press

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davidjr74

0
I have been stuck in the 195-205 pound range forever. In August my max was 185 pounds and since then I have only gone up 20 pounds.

What I mean by resetting was to start using ligher weights (I usually workout with 135-160 pound depending on set/rep scheme. I wanna go back to 115 pounds and start working out with that and then start increasing weekly.

Sounds stupid- but I'm thinking that during this time I can perfect my form and in the long run it will save my shoulders and increase my lifts such as:

1.) Stopping above chest and not touching my chest. My arms are really long and since I go all the way down all the time I'm starting to notice my front delts are taking really long to recover. Was doing pushups the other day and could feel it.

2.) Start using Leg Drive. This is a technique that for some reason I can't get down so I need more practice on it

3.) Engage my Lats. I don't do this at all infact. Just learned today when your in the concentric phase (going down) your suppose to "pull the bar away" to engage your lats.

4.) Keeping elbows in- For odd reasons when I start using heavier weight my elbows start to flare out. I know theres a way to fix this but I forgot how.

5.) Strengthen up my triceps and shoulders during this time- My triceps especially are falling way behind. I can't expect to bench press 225 with 13.5" arms- it just won't happen.

6.) I think I need to set up better when I bench press as well. I put my shoulders blades back and for the first 2 reps I'm fine but then my shoulders during the lifting undue themselves from being retracted back?

7.) Should I keep my lower back arched or not?

8.) During this time I'm gonna use a tempo (2-1-3) which will better help my form and techinque since I won't be blasting the bar anymore.

Any other advice you guys could give me? (I'm not bulking or cutting; I like my weight at 180 though I wanna look more defined at that weight: I'm about 13% bodyfat)

Thanks for reading this long post btw
 
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Are you (or have you been) doing splits or a FBW? I noticed that when I tried benching a lot of weight there is pressure/force around my shoulders but if my shoulders were developed then maybe i would not feel such pressure. Perhaps you need to redesign your workout (& include Squats, Deadlifts, Military Press, Rows) so that your shoulders, chest, bicep, triceps, back all get hit? Isolating the chest would not be such a good idea IMO.
 
Have you tried things like speed benching, to try and increase your explosive power? Do you do a mixutre of Dumbells/Barbells?
 
Looking at benching there are areas where one can improve if one can spot where one fails :-

Fail At The Bottom :-
If you can't lift off but have no problem with the weight at lockout then explosive pressing would help.

Fail at lockout :-
triceps strength is lacking and close grip bench, tricep extensions, weighted dips can help.
 
Thanks alot for the advice.

Alot of my issues are technique and you alls advice helped as well.

Today I tried lifting the weight more controlled with a tempo. I attempted 3 sets of 10 with 117 pounds (weights in kG) and on the last set I only got 6.

I'm doing a split now though
Chest/Triceps
Back/Biceps
Legs/Abs/Shoulders
Rest

I wanna bench press 225 pounds. I know I'm suppose to be working on my pushups but that will come along when I do track. Track season is gonna really cut me up. I'm competing in the 2 mile and 100 meter sprint.

My shoulders are fine- just my triceps! So today I hit them real good. And benching a Inch above my chest today REALLY helped- I didn't have any pain in my front delts. And I mixed in dumbbell work today. I did incline dumbbell presses- I haven't used dumbbells in a while as a matter of fact. For the triceps I did close grip bench press and skull crushers.

In the long run I should improve alot I think.
 
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