Group: Experienced Exercise

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 50, Messages: 19484

For intermediate and advanced individuals. Share and learn how to take your fitness to the next level!

Join group

Strength Gain

bdfootball27
bdfootball27
Posts: 3
Joined: 2009/01/16
United States
2009/03/06, 08:24 PM
I have just got back into weight lifting two months ago and have been keeping track of my progress, my squat has gone up 50% in two months from 165 to 245, but ive been disappointed with my bench results I have only gone up 20 pounds on my max, any suggestions on how I can get it up would be nice.
jbennett
jbennett
Posts: 1,558
Joined: 2001/02/28
United States
2009/03/06, 11:29 PM
The recent gains are simply due to your neuromuscular system habituating to the load. I hate to sound discouraging, but expect your gains to slow soon. The less your strength gains, the harder and smarter you need to work.

Be sure you're also training the other muscles involved: shoulders, triceps, etc. Make sure you're using all variations of the bench (incline, DB, close-grip - you get the point). I train heavy flat bench w/ barbell once every 2 weeks. Since I started doing that my raw bench went from 385 to 405 in just a short time. I alternate flat and incline week to week.


--------------
--JBennett
"I've up-ed my intensity.... now up yours!"
"Pain is only weakness leaving the body."
"Never think of how weak you are; think of how strong you're going to be."