Bench press plateaus

[jtunderdog]

Ive been stuck a while at the same weight. Suggestions? I noticed in the past that doing heavy deads have helped me break through plateaus. What about using a power rack and loading up say 115% of one rep max and doing limited range of motion? Just thinking out loud. I would love to do forced reps but I workout at home and have no one to spot me either.

 

[Pharm_Fed]

Take a break from flat bench for a few weeks and focus on other chest movements, and then come back to flat bench in a month and see if you can move more weight.

One thing that helps me is using more weight than I could move alone and having my partner help me get it up, and then doing slow negatives. I know you said you work out at home, but if you found someone to spot you, that is something that has helped me.

 

[skinny1]

Heavy dumb bells have always helped me

 

[Presser]

Ive been stuck a while at the same weight. Suggestions? I noticed in the past that doing heavy deads have helped me break through plateaus. What about using a power rack and loading up say 115% of one rep max and doing limited range of motion? Just thinking out loud. I would love to do forced reps but I workout at home and have no one to spot me either.

hey bro thats actualy a great idea in the 115% of max on power rack, powerlifters do that and use half rep limited range of motion, and it works well and faster then you would think to break through that platue so ur on the right track for sure

also though i think "skinny" said start using dumbells heavy and thats also a great idea and has worked for me personaly in the past, but so has the powerlifting type lifting to break through

 

[saudades]

What I like to do is get those little 2 1/2 lb weights and add those on so I'm doing an extra 5 lbs on the heavy lift. Usually, I can't really tell the difference, and I find I'm able to work out about the same number of reps. I'm currently trying to get back to benching after a long time of not doing them so I'm hoping this will work for me. I've done the same technique with squats and other exercises before, and it worked.

 

[irish2003]

the best bench program i ever used was the 2nd version by bill phillips in mm2000 "add 50lbs to your bench" in 7 weeks or something?.....it really focuses on super heavy negatives and uses both a heavy bench and light bench day (which is still heavy)......i went from 315 to 360 1rm @159lbs bodyweight......that's when i was able to do vbar dips with 4 plates on a chain/belt for 6 full reps too on that program.....i'll try to get a link for it

 

[irish2003]

here's a link with the program and spreadsheets for it
http://www.weightrainer.net/spreadsheets/mm2kadd50.html

 

[(N)shape]

Another thing is adding some Westside barebell type Dynamic Upper Body days. That has always helped me bust through plateaus.