Anymore I've been getting bombarded with questions and compliments about my size/strength when I'm at the gym. Lately though, I think that I'm starting to hit that proverbial brick wall. I'm not sure how much further I can go weight wise. Anymore, adding an additional 5 - 10 lbs is taking a good amount of time. I'd like to be able to put up 225 lbs at my current weight/size. Any tips on how to achieve this goal? Here's me a few weeks ago... [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3nuplS7CPA[/ame]
Pretty much. I tend to fluctuate between 97 - 100 lbs, but generally average 98 lbs give or take a few ounces. I should have became a jockey
Your joints might be maxed out at your current size. The safest way to get up to 225 would likely be to bulk up.
That's what I'm starting to think. I prefer not to bulk up, so if it comes to that, I'll just stay where I'm at and switch my workout(s) around a little bit.
Maybe it's just where I workout, but I've only seen that concept used once. It's something to look into though, I have overlooked that.
Bench press requires lots of triceps, chest & front shoulder strength I'd suggest you work the tris & do lots of front should excercise like front shoulder raises but dont use a lot of weight as this is hard on lower back. Also you may want to rethink doing 225 at your weight. The max I ever benched was around 290 but I would cap my usual workout at 225 cus I didnt want to overstress me shoulders Now I do 80-90# dumbell incline raises, dumbells are much better for your body mechanics
That's because most commercial gyms cater to the majority, which don't even know what bands and chains are in the sense you and I know.
Additionally - Mr. Francesco adds nearly 1/2 bodyweight to pullups. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXJiLZOMhKo&feature=plcp[/ame] Mind you, that's equivalent to adding a mini-me of deadweight & doing pullups . . . & being bored.
Good strong lift although not that unusual to bench twice the body weight - especially in the lower weight classes like you are. 225 lbs is certainly in the realm of possibilities but without knowing your workout schedule I can't really make any recommendations - other than that bands/chains would be a great start. Most people tend to plateau because of over training - and then train even harder/longer/more frequent to try to get over.....which will achieve exactly the opposite. But again, without knowing your current program its hard to make any recommendations. and yeah.....gear would help too ;-)
I worked with a young kid much like your build who was really damn strong for his weight. He tried lots of things to gain weight but could never do it. A few of us brain stormed with him some supplements and a diet, after all was said and done he only gained a couple of pounds. It all depends on what you have tried in the past? VIA HTC SUPERSONIC CM7.2
I agree. You will probably need the extra muscle mass in order to safely move and support much more wight. As noted here, that may or may not happen for you. Do you do any cardiovascular workouts? If so, you may want to lay off of that for a while in order to gain a little bit of mass. In my experience, even 5-10 lbs of lean mass can make a huge difference in your level of strength.
1) I agree with those who suggest bulking up. If you want to get stronger you have to get bigger. If you want to get bigger you MUST EAT!!! 2) Squat. If you squat deep, heavy & regularly every other lift will improve. 3) Lay off the bench press for a while & do heavy shoulder work instead. You'll be surpised at the bump in you bench when you return to it. 4) Look into a structured program like Wendler's 5/3/1. I followed it for almost two years & my deadlift went from grinding out an ugly 475 for a single to 540 for 3 in just over a year.
I rarely use one. I go solo to the gym and I like to be left alone. Although a lot of members do ask me for spots I don't do traditional squats or dead lifts. With the upright squat machine I'm at 270 lbs, and with the seated leg press I'm at 360 lbs. Both for about 15 - 20 reps per set. +1 This turns heads at the gym. I need to buy a dip belt and start using dumb bells for this exercise. I'm fairly confident that I can get +60 lbs for a few reps. To be honest, I don't monitor my diet. I'm very fortunate that I have a great metabolism and can eat what I enjoy. I do tend to eat healthy though for the most part
Yep. Absolutely essential. Also, avoid those machines. You don't reap any of the benefits that come from having to stabilize the bar. Instead of using a belt, try grabbing the dumbbells with your feet when you do pull ups. I've gotten up to using a 65lb dumbbell for sets, and I knocked out some reps with a 75 just a while ago (I weigh 155), so it has worked very well for me! It forces you to resist the weight's desire to swing at every slight provocation, which helps overall strength. Also, not having to fiddle with a belt allows you to drop the weight and continue to squeeze out some bodyweight reps with ease. Anyway, might not seem like bench related stuff, but it really is.
So your current weight is 98lbs? While I weigh a bit more, back in my bodybuilding days, I had a similar issue of keeping weight on - I still do at almost 44 years old. There is no easy answer. I would say once you hit the "wall", muscle confusion / changing exercises is the way to go. Unfortunately, benching is the...well... benchmark (no pun intended), but when I trained heavily, I would switch up the routine. Maybe for a few months, I trained 2 days on, 1 day off - then change that once it seemed to yield less. Maybe give the flat bench a break and do more inclines and/or fly or dumbell presses. Look at your diet - for me, I had to literally increase my fat intake to gain weight. At my peak, I weighed about 190, and I could bench about 400lbs. I also trained with a power lifter, who tended to use a "heavy weight, less reps" approach (I always used less weight, more reps). In the end, it's diminishing returns. At some point, you simply can't go any further without some other "intervention". Even then, there's a max point you'll be able to get to. How old are you? Age might be a factor as well...if you are young (e.g., 20), you might see a change around your mid-late 20's, where you will be able to add mass and strength.