Have I got the fundamentals right?

gnolan

The reason i ask is because I don't seem to be making any decent gains; particularly with my flat bench. This is what my program looks like:

6'2" 186lbs

Monday:

DC Warmup: 3reps 2kg Db's
Squat: 3x10 85kg (moving up 5kg when complete)
Leg Press: 1x20 130kg (moving up 10kg when complete)
Lat PD wide: 3x10 57.5kg (moving up 7.5kg when complete)
Ab Pulldown: 3x15 75kg (moving up 5kg when complete) - kneeling

Cardio: T-Nation Complex - giving these a go at the end of workout with oly bar

Wednesday:

DC Warmup: 3reps 2kg Db's
Bench: 3x5 57.5kg (incomplete as of yet)
BOR (UH): 3x10 52.5kg (moving up 2.5kg when complete)
CGB: 3x10 42.5kg (moving up 2.5kg when complete)
Seated Row: 3x10 57.5kg (moving up 7.5kg when complete)

Cardio: T-Nation Complex

Friday:

DC Warmup: 3reps 2kg Db's
Deadlift: 3x10 95kg (moving up 5kg when complete)
Push Press: 3x5 40kg (moving up 2.5kg when complete)
Leg Curls: 3x8 55kg (moving up 5kg when complete)
45Deg Hypers:3x12 15kg (moving up 5kg when complete) - plate held in front of forehead

Cardio: T-Nation Complex


I'd prefer not to make this post too long, so if you need anymore info (like diet), fire away.

BossArky

gnolan wrote: »

Squat: 3x10 85kg (moving up 5kg when complete)
Bench: 3x5 57.5kg (incomplete as of yet)
Deadlift: 3x10 95kg (moving up 5kg when complete)

Not directly related to your bench, but if you are looking to increase strength then bring the reps down and weight up on squat and deadlift.

e.g.
squat 100kg - 5x5 instead of 85kg 3x10
deadlift ~115kg - 5x5 instead of 95kg 3x10

gnolan

BossArky wrote: »

Not directly related to your bench, but if you are looking to increase strength then bring the reps down and weight up on squat and deadlift.

e.g.
squat 100kg - 5x5 instead of 85kg 3x10
deadlift ~115kg - 5x5 instead of 95kg 3x10

My (possibly twisted) logic behind my reps and sets are:

3x10 on squat and DL for

• size gains and fat loss
• and because i find it much more enjoyable than 5x5

3x5 on bench because

• stimulate the CNS to handle heavier weights
• bigger numbers make me fell better!

gnolan

Here's my typical diet if it is of any use:

Breakfast:
120g Porridge (dry) w/ raisins and fruit

Snack: Nuts

Lunch: Salad and chicken/tuna

Snack: Nuts

Dinner: Chicken casserole / beef stew / meat or fish w/ veg
typically have no rice, potatoes or pasta for dinner

If i'm good after dinner, i'll have more nuts, if i'm not....i'll eat all kinds of shite!

discombobulate

I'm no expert but by the looks of your bench weight you can't be doing it too long. I only moved on yesterday to 5 x 5 sets on the bench and was doing about the same as you have there but for the last few weeks I had been doing sets of 15/12/10/10/10 to get used to technique and slowly build up the weight.
My 15/12/10/10/10 would have looked something like this
15 x 32Kg
12 x 36Kg
10 x 40Kg
10 x 44Kg
10 x 48Kg

As you said your not completing the 3 x 5 yet. Your better off from my little experience getting the reps out (just about) with a lower weight then slowly moving up in weight each session.

gnolan

discombobulate wrote: »

I'm no expert but by the looks of your bench weight you can't be doing it too long.

You'd be surprised! It's always been a weak point, as other lifts go up it stays stagnant; very frustrating. I'm not sure a 15/12/10/10/10 route is one i wanna go down. I'm fairly confident with my technique, it seems to be a complete lack of strength more than anything.

I'd love to put it down to diet and just eat more, but i think i'm doing plenty of that, if the addition of bodyfat is anything to go by.

Hanley

Outside of actual benching, have a look at your post and see what assistance exercises you're doing for it. Get back to me

gnolan

Hanley wrote: »

Outside of actual benching, have a look at your post and see what assistance exercises you're doing for it. Get back to me

I see what you mean, only close grip bench. That said, i've gone from benching 3 times a week to try to force gains, and 6 weeks of DB pressing, all with no real gains.

Although my other numbers aren't very impressive, the bench is clearly well below what it should be by comparison; maybe 15kg? Is it time to try incline until i stall then back to flat? Or is it, as you suggest, simply a case of another assistance exercise on bench day, and maybe another on the Monday?