# Simply can't progress on Flat bench



## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

Hi guys,

ive been lifting on and off for 3 years but with crap nutrition and jumping between routines.

Last month I decided f**k this I'm going to restart my gym membership and eat right. But my flat bench won't increase - I hate the feeling of being flat on my back under heavy weight (like my missus)

i struggle (and I mean REALLY struggle) with 3x5 flat bench with 70kg - usually fail on the 3rd rep - nearly guillotines myself just now with 75 on the bar.

Rest of my lifts are increasing:

row - 85kg 3x5 (Yates style)

squat - 100kg 3x4-5

db incline press - 30kg 3x8

ohp - 55kg 3x5

Diet is very good (srs) 2.8k cal, clean food. Plenty of rest (I do upper /lower)

Do I HAVE to do it? Any exercise that can replace ? Thanks


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## boutye911 (Feb 10, 2013)

Incline or decline or dumbell bench.

I prefer dumbell bench anyway usually on a decline. Better range of motion for me and targets my chest more. Dumbell flys, dips, hammer press. Loads of other excercises mate.


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

boutye911 said:


> Incline or decline or dumbell bench.
> 
> I prefer dumbell bench anyway usually on a decline. Better range of motion for me and targets my chest more. Dumbell flys, dips, hammer press. Loads of other excercises mate.


 thanks mate, but I figured flat was important because its always featured on programs as the go-to movement on a push day or upper body day. If I didnt do flat Id do inclin bench then incline dumbell. isnt that pointless to do 2 incline exercises?


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## theBEAST2002 (Oct 16, 2011)

What program are you following?


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

Sway12 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> ive been lifting on and off for 3 years but with crap nutrition and jumping between routines.
> 
> ...


 Bench press is a brilliant movement when you know how to do it, and builds good upper body development and power dumbells just won't give you the same results. Post a video of your bench mate so we can see you're technique


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## RRSUK (Apr 9, 2017)

Why not try lower weight higher reps for a few weeks?


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## pandapop (May 8, 2017)

I had the same sort of issue but changed a couple of things that really helped:

Where abouts is the bar touching when you're in the bottom of the rep? If your elbows flare out and the bar is high on your chest you'll lose a load of power. Try keeping it in line with your nips with elbows in near your sides. If you're nearly guillotining yourself, it may be too high.

Might be worth looking at how wide your grip is as well. A thumbs distance outside of the knurling on the bar is usually a decent place to start. Just want to keep your forearms perpendicular to the bar throughout the rep.

Sorry if you've heard it all before, but its hard to advise without seeing it properly


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## G (Mar 11, 2013)

If it's near your neck at the bottom of the rep you need to look at how the bar is travelling.


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## Lifesizepenguin (Jul 25, 2016)

Sway12 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> ive been lifting on and off for 3 years but with crap nutrition and jumping between routines.
> 
> ...


 I do weighted dips, or decline bench press - both hit the chest far better and the shoulders much less for me.

Upper chest i do incline bench as accessory.

Also stop trying to force it and itll come naturally - make sure you are eating enough.


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## UK2USA (Jan 30, 2016)

Need pics of missus on top or unable to evaluate form mate.


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## Pancake' (Aug 30, 2012)

Sway12 said:


> I hate the feeling of being flat on my back under heavy weight


 Your back shouldn't actually be on the bench. see how powerlifters bench, I'm willing to bet as soon as you sort your form out, you bypass this. also, don't just get on the fcuking bench, explode onto the bench! psych yourself up and bench like a powerlifter, whilst squeezing the bar as hard as you possibly can, which reminds me, apply chalk to your hands. retract scapula, incorporate leg drive, try benching with a closer grip, bring bar to nipple line, really visualise step by step the bench press movement prior to benching, learn the motor pattern, most of all... get p1ssed and remind yourself it's just a fcuking bar with some round plates at the end of it and own it.


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## TinTin10 (Nov 22, 2016)

Starz said:


> . also, don't just get on the fcuking bench, explode onto the bench! psych yourself up and bench like a powerlifter
> 
> .. get p1ssed and remind yourself it's just a fcuking bar with some round plates at the end of it and own it.


 Please never do this in a public gym benching 70kg.


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## Pancake' (Aug 30, 2012)

TinTin10 said:


> Please never do this in a public gym benching 70kg.


 lmao within reason of course. couldn't think of anything more embarrassing, if you got animated for instance with such weight. as for op, forgot to mention frequency of benching, at least twice a week imo.


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

You can swap exercises around all you want, but if your bench isn't great then that's because your pushing power isn't great. Sure something like decline db press might be a bit better, but still wont get round the problem.

Generally strength will increase with bodyweight... so to lift heavier you've got to be eating to grow. Is this happening, are you putting weight on?


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

Starz said:


> Your back shouldn't actually be on the bench...


 Depends really... if benching for numbers then yeah, you turn it into as much of a compound lift as physicaly possible by recruiting as much assistance from the whole body as you can. If just trying to target the pecs or tris specifically then flat on the bench is 'probably' a better option.


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## Lifesizepenguin (Jul 25, 2016)

TinTin10 said:


> Starz said:
> 
> 
> > . also, don't just get on the fcuking bench, explode onto the bench! psych yourself up and bench like a powerlifter
> ...


 Please always do this in a public gym benching 70kg.


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## NoGutsNoGloryy (Jan 7, 2013)

All in your mind. You said you don't like being under the weight whilst on your back.

Go in like a man, come out like a man.


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

You seem to have ignored the most important issues here.

!). Your form. You shouldn't be anywhere near 'guillotining' yourself. You should be lowering the bar to around nipple level. At least a foot away from your neck. You should also be using a spotter. If you can't find a spotter use a power cage or bench with 'spotters'. No-one should be benching completely solo.

2).



theBEAST2002 said:


> What program are you following?


 You can't expect to increase your bench without a programme. Trying to lift more and more weight is a short term approach. You need structure and a carefully designed progression to your lifting. Lifting in a random fashion will produce random results. Pick a tried and tested programme and stick to it for 6 months.


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## Abc987 (Sep 26, 2013)

TinTin10 said:


> Please never do this in a public gym benching 70kg.


 Loool, just like this man!

https://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/index.php?app=core&module=system&controller=embed&url=https://instagram.com/p/BTdE3GWlGY4/


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

Ive dropped it from the routine. I did weighted dips today with 30kg on the belt and felt fine with 3x8-10 - If I'm able to do that with good form I dont think I have 'weak' pushing power. Probably just average.

I had a go at the flat bench 'machine' afterwards, just stuck a couple of 10kg plates on to test how it felt vs dips. It felt like utter s**t. I hate the exercise. All of the pressure just goes onto my wrists, front delts, elbows and triceps no matter where I place my hands. f**k flat bench.

I went to incline barbell straight after and it felt incredible, could feel my chest moving the weight, contracting and squeezing - it was fried after that.

I think flat bench just isnt for me - I'm getting rid of it permanently. Thanks for all the tips though


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## Quackerz (Dec 19, 2015)

Sway12 said:


> Ive dropped it from the routine. I did weighted dips today with 30kg on the belt and felt fine with 3x8-10 - If I'm able to do that with good form I dont think I have 'weak' pushing power. Probably just average.
> 
> I had a go at the flat bench 'machine' afterwards, just stuck a couple of 10kg plates on to test how it felt vs dips. It felt like utter s**t. I hate the exercise. All of the pressure just goes onto my wrists, front delts, elbows and triceps no matter where I place my hands. f**k flat bench.
> 
> ...


 If taking the time to learn the technical setup is too much hassle swap flat for 30 degree incline and program it exactly the same you would bench, make it the first movement and use dips as an accessory (or decline, you only need one). Incline bench is one of the easiest lifts from a technical standpoint really, shouldn't see any hassle with it and it's a very viable substitute.


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## DemonNeutrino (May 18, 2017)

Not sure if you resolved this but I scrapped my 5x5 for a bit for four straight sets of 6-12 reps, dropped back the weight a bit and worked back up only increasing the weight as I hit 12. Once I hit 12 I increased the weight from 6 reps again working up one rep at a time.

I work without a spotter these days and I find I also get quite uncomfortable going close to failure. At 5x5 I feel like I'm closer to absolute failure than I was with higher reps lower weight. Think it was psychological more than anything but it may help.

When I shifted back to 5x5 I managed to add a further 5 and then 10kg to the bar as I was used to doing more than twice the reps and my confidence with the bar increased.

Also try using a bench where you can safely ditch the bar, I set up the catch bars in the power rack so that if i come across an issue, I'll be able to set it up so if it gets stuck at the bottom of the movement (resting just below my chest) and can't push it back up, I can safely roll it forward. Getting full range of motion with the safety of a smith machine. When I know I've got a safety net I tend to be able to push that little bit more.

My bench lags behind my other lifts because of my paranoia after seeing someone at my old gym snap a tendon doing too much and almost kill himself dropping it without a spot. It was one of those moments when everyone sort of rushes in.

I also had to do a lot of work on both my form, and developing a strict procedure in how I set up on the bench that made me feel more stable. I do the same exact procedure every time. There's a couple of videos on YouTube that demonstrate this from people like Buff Dudes, Alan Thrall and Layne Norton I used. All about setting up your arm, back, feet and shoulder positions.


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## doopy (Jun 2, 2017)

stop trying to progress on accessory exercises as hard as you do on bench, add pause bench and follow a 4 week cycle where you start testing your max, then go 4x10, next week 5x8, next 6x5 and next 7x2 or something like that, had something similar happen with my squat and I stopped adding weight on accessory, added pause squat and it started to go up


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

Sway12 said:


> Ive dropped it from the routine. I did weighted dips today with 30kg on the belt and felt fine with 3x8-10 - If I'm able to do that with good form I dont think I have 'weak' pushing power. Probably just average.
> 
> I had a go at the flat bench 'machine' afterwards, just stuck a couple of 10kg plates on to test how it felt vs dips. It felt like utter s**t. I hate the exercise. All of the pressure just goes onto my wrists, front delts, elbows and triceps no matter where I place my hands. f**k flat bench.
> 
> ...


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

Jakemaguire said:


> View attachment 143346


 Why would I when I literally get no pump and barely any flex in the pecs from doing flat bench?

It's pointless. Im not a powerlifter, I want an aesthetic chest - il be doing incline DB and dips thank you


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## swole troll (Apr 15, 2015)

Sway12 said:


> Why would I when I literally get no pump and barely any flex in the pecs from doing flat bench?
> 
> It's pointless. Im not a powerlifter, I want an aesthetic chest - il be doing incline DB and dips thank you


 I tore my pec off benching, if that doesn't tell you they're being worked heavily during the bench press then I don't know what will.

f**k the pump, get up to benching 140kg for reps and you won't have a small chest


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

swole troll said:


> I tore my pec off benching, if that doesn't tell you they're being worked heavily during the bench press then I don't know what will.
> 
> f**k the pump, get up to benching 140kg for reps and you won't have a small chest


 I literally cant progress on it. Its useless for me. During my bulk from April - Now I gained on every single lift except flat bench... its just not made for me. I have very long arms for my height and have tried all different grips, etc. Could never get higher than 70kg for 5x5. Been stuck on that weight for the entire time, even after deloading. 70kg literally felt like I was lifting the earth off my chest it was that heavy.


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

Sway12 said:


> Why would I when I literally get no pump and barely any flex in the pecs from doing flat bench?
> 
> It's pointless. Im not a powerlifter, I want an aesthetic chest - il be doing incline DB and dips thank you


 Good point it's not like Arnold Schwarzeneggar used to bench press 400-500lbs not that he was known for having a good chest though


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## swole troll (Apr 15, 2015)

Sway12 said:


> I literally cant progress on it. Its useless for me. During my bulk from April - Now I gained on every single lift except flat bench... its just not made for me. I have very long arms for my height and have tried all different grips, etc. Could never get higher than 70kg for 5x5. Been stuck on that weight for the entire time, even after deloading. 70kg literally felt like I was lifting the earth off my chest it was that heavy.


 because your programming, form and or nutrition blows

get your form down, program in decent progression (for you linear session by session is fine) and eat in a surplus and you WILL get stronger on the bench and you will in turn build muscle on your chest, triceps and delts


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

Jakemaguire said:


> Good point it's not like Arnold Schwarzeneggar used to bench press 400-500lbs not that he was known for having a good chest though


 mate i dont give a s**t tbh. Just because someone else does it means I have to do it? Sheep mentality tbh


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

swole troll said:


> because your programming, form and or nutrition blows
> 
> get your form down, program in decent progression (for you linear session by session is fine) and eat in a surplus and you WILL get stronger on the bench and you will in turn build muscle on your chest, triceps and delts


 just lol @ defending an exercise which tore your pec. Maybe if youd stuck to DB's youd have been better off


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## swole troll (Apr 15, 2015)

Sway12 said:


> just lol @ defending an exercise which tore your pec. Maybe if youd stuck to DB's youd have been better off


 just lol at your chest

put up a side chest and ill wack mine up


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

@Sway12 I understand you're upset but if you learn how to bench properly you could build a big strong upper body not just pecs but delts triceps forearms even your back dumbells simply will not give you that kind of development post a video of your bench we can help you fix it


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## simonboyle (Aug 5, 2013)

So it hasn't increased to in a month?

Ever heard of patience?


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## Lifesizepenguin (Jul 25, 2016)

Sway12 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> ive been lifting on and off for 3 years but with crap nutrition and jumping between routines.
> 
> ...


 I was stuck for ages, completely switched to weighted dips for a while, got my strength up with that,, switched back to flat bench and broke my pb on the first try after not benching for 6 months.


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

simonboyle said:


> So it hasn't increased to in a month?
> 
> Ever heard of patience?


 a month is a long time to not even be able to comfortably put an extra 2.5kg on the bar.

Meanwhile since April my OHP increased from 50kg 5x5 to 62.5kg 5x3

My barbell row went from 60kg 3x10 to 75kg 3x10

You see where I'm going with this.


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## simonboyle (Aug 5, 2013)

Sway12 said:


> a month is a long time to not even be able to comfortably put an extra 2.5kg on the bar.
> 
> Meanwhile since April my OHP increased from 50kg 5x5 to 62.5kg 5x3
> 
> ...


 These things are not linear though.


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

simonboyle said:


> These things are not linear though.


 Well every strength program I've seen is linear. It asks you to put 2.5kg extra on the bar every week to your main lifts....


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

Sway12 said:


> Well every strength program I've seen is linear. It asks you to put 2.5kg extra on the bar every week to your main lifts....


 No. You deload regularly and start back at 80% or so and build back up before repeating over and over. If you could add 2.5kg to the bar every month you would be benching 300kg in 10 years.


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## Sway12 (Oct 29, 2013)

Mingster said:


> No. You deload regularly and start back at 80% or so and build back up before repeating over and over. If you could add 2.5kg to the bar every month you would be benching 300kg in 10 years.


 Well, all I can say is alot of people on r/fitness made rapid gains on linear strength programs adding 2.5kg or more a week. Many of them claim 100kg bench in a year after starting with basically the bar at the beginning, etc. I've been training much longer than that and still can barely rep 70kg.


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

Sway12 said:


> Well, all I can say is alot of people on r/fitness made rapid gains on linear strength programs adding 2.5kg or more a week. Many of them claim 100kg bench in a year after starting with basically the bar at the beginning, etc. I've been training much longer than that and still can barely rep 70kg.


 maybe strength training isn't for you if you have trained for well over a year and your that weak on all of your lifts something is very wrong


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

Sway12 said:


> Well, all I can say is alot of people on r/fitness made rapid gains on linear strength programs adding 2.5kg or more a week. Many of them claim 100kg bench in a year after starting with basically the bar at the beginning, etc. I've been training much longer than that and still can barely rep 70kg.


 Yes, but that's only newbies and eventually they will hit a sticking point like yourself. As I say no-one can progress in a linear fashion forever. At this point you deload and start again.

If your 1RM was 100kg for example you would do this...Train bench twice a week...

Have a deload week where you bench using [email protected]% focusing on bar speed.

Week 2 [email protected]%.

Week 3 [email protected]%.

Week 4 [email protected]%

Week 5 [email protected]%

Week 6 [email protected]%

Week 7 A single at 105% And there's your sticking point broken.

You then have another deload week then start again at week 1 with your new, improved 1rm as a starting point.

This, more or less, is how everyone progresses once they are beyond the newbie/intermediate stage.


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

Sway12 said:


> I've been training much longer than that and still can barely rep 70kg.


 Everybody's different. Do what I outlined above and you'll be benching 100kg in 6 months.

You need to look at some technique videos as well, as I suspect your set-up may well be flawed.


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## Plate (May 14, 2015)

Sway12 said:


> Well, all I can say is alot of people on r/fitness made rapid gains on linear strength programs adding 2.5kg or more a week. Many of them claim 100kg bench in a year after starting with basically the bar at the beginning, etc. I've been training much longer than that and still can barely rep 70kg.


 If 70kg is working the muscle then just stick with it, adding more weight will come with time it's frustrating tho I was the same

a spotter could be beneficial tho sounds like you are mentally stuck maybe get a trainer for a bit to help you progress with form and the way you think about going into the lift


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## Quackerz (Dec 19, 2015)

'Lift with your balls, not with your chest' - Confucius


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## simonboyle (Aug 5, 2013)

Also.....if your stuck at that for such a long time, I'd suggest reloading and really focusing on technique. As it's most likely at fault.


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## JUICE1 (Jan 28, 2016)

Sway12 said:


> Why would I when I literally get no pump and barely any flex in the pecs from doing flat bench?
> 
> It's pointless. Im not a powerlifter, I want an aesthetic chest - il be doing incline DB and dips thank you


 It will come. You've been lifting a month essentially lol to totally discount bench at this stage is just ridiculous. I mean by all means drop it for now but to say it's "not for you" at this stage is a bit silly. I personally had issues with bench at around this level and I found after switching to DB's for several months and then switching back my bench shot up like mad, I've done that a few times actually.


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## Jamie5116 (Apr 9, 2017)

I use to be like this year's ago before the Internet and all this good stuff.

Couldn't do much over 70kg for years.

then realised it was my technique was all wrong. was getting sore front delts and wrists and had bar to high. wasn't squeezing bar. all these little things make a huge difference. to what weight you can lift.

now you can just youtube or watch a video on anything at click of button


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