Bench Press Stall

[goulakam]

Hi all, This is my third week on the SL 5x5, though the first week was about finding my feet per say.

I have managed to get my Squat to 35Kgs and going strong with the squat. However my bench press is on 32.5Kgs and I couldn't complete the last rep of the last set and I didn't have a spotter. What should I do? Should I continue increasing the weight to 35Kgs for next exercise or do I bench the same weight or deload?

I may able to do the first set or two or 35Kgs but I don't think I would be able to do any more than that.

Cheers

[Mouse]

If you didn't get your 5x5 - stay at that weight.
Don't be in a hurry to up the weight - it will stack up soon enough.

[goulakam]

If you didn't get your 5x5 - stay at that weight.
Don't be in a hurry to up the weight - it will stack up soon enough.

Thanks, so I shouldn't deload and stay at the same weight. What if I am still not able to complete the 5x5 with good form next time, should I deload? My upper body strenght is not great as my upper body is very small.

Another question about pull ups. I can do one but when I try to do another one I can't do it but I can see that my right shoulder is almost there and my left isn't able to go high at all. Will this imbalance go away overtime or... ?

[Shox]

You should attempt the same weight 3 times, then if you still fail after 3 times deload by 10%.

[Portillo]

Make sure you increase the weight by 2kg every workout.

[Bman1]

All of these questions are clearly answered in the e-book. I highly recommend reading it when you have a chance. In fact, it is helpful to go back and re-read it every now and then. As to your original question, you should always make three attempts at a given weight before deloading to a lower weight. If, after three attempts, you still haven't been able to complete all 5 sets of 5, then deload by a) ~10% if you were getting a little better each attempt, or b) 20% if your numbers were getting worse with each attempt.

[goulakam]

Thanks everyone, I will try the same weight three times as suggested and take it from there...

I have gone back and read the ebook and will try to read it as often as possible.

[goulakam]

Hi all, call me whatever you like however sometimes trying too much to get things right it back fires. What I mean by this is that when I first read this site I knew that the olympic bar weight 20Kgs, however when I joined the gym the bar seemed a bit small and I asked one of the personal trainers about the bar's weight he told me it was 10Kgs and I didn't belive him so I asked another two people on different occassions who were big and I thought they knew what they were talking about. One of them told me it was 10 and the other 15, so I started doubting myself and though it can't be 20Kgs as no one has said so.

I started my exercise thinking the bar weight 10Kgs and I put another 10Kgs of plates to start my exercises, now this means that I have started with 30Kgs rather than 20Kgs, I said in my first post here that I have stalled on 32.5 when in fact it's 42.5. I have had three attempts at this weight and have been able to complete the 5x5 but the last reps become increasingly difficult. What should I do now? Should I attempt 45 or deload?

[MikeRome]

Hi, have you fixed your stall? If so, HOW you did it?
Maybe i can use this thread for my problems, so i dont need to open a new one.

>everything weight is in kg!<

My stall is at 72,5, for the full ROM. Before, i stalled at BP with a ROM where i went down only until the arm was parallel to the floor. There, i stalled at 77 Kg. I deloaded, deloaded heavy .... but no effect.
So i tried to do the FULL ROM. Worked up from ~60 Kg to 72,5 in ~4 weeks. But there, i stalled again - deload didnt help as well.
Notes:
-after the BP, i can do about 8 / 6 / 4 Dips with BW => triceps doesnt seem to be the problem
-lockout is no problem, can lockout ~100 Kg
-i train ALONE, no spotter
-i really cant tell which muscle is exhausted first - unlike for other excercises, at the bench press i simply cant tell it. I always had a >bad< feeling at the BP, i didnt like it, but thats why i have to try
-at SL 5x5 for ~2 Months (but before ~2 Years a split with focus on Isos and CHin, Dip and DL + with bad nutrition + NO SQUAT - shame - i regret - biggest mistake ever)
-i use SL5x5 with nearly no modifications - except the fact,
=>that above 70 Kg my back isnt regenerated for 3 heavy squat days - so i do MO 100 %, WE 70 %, FR 100%
=> i do 4 instead of 5 sets !
-i love SL5x5 - best and most motivating program i ever tried in all my years ! I learned to love the squat, which i never thought to happen.

Stats: 190 cm, 87 Kg, 23 years
4x5:
Squat 85
DL 105
Row 75
MP 42,5 (maybe a reason ?!)
Dip BW + 18
chin up: BW + 22

YOu know my question - how to break the stall ?

[nexusmidas]

A deload could work, but there is nothing magic about it. Sometimes it just means you have to stick with a certain weight for a while, some variety might work as well. For example one workout do 5 sets across another work out ramp up the weights, or wave them e.g. 70x5, 80x5 75x5, 77,5x5, 75x5. Just keep pushing the weights. Sometimes you need more rest, skip the bench for one day.

"Just remember that the real "meat" of a program isn't so much the exercises or the days of the week... it's how you plan/approach your progression." Glenn Pendlay

[MikeRome]

what do you think - would, in my situation (long arms!) , a wide or a narrow grip more useful ?