How to bulk up?

[Samsdad]

Making good progress on my deadlift, squat, and barbell row but still really struggling with my bench and OHP.

I have managed to move from 45kg to 47.5kg but I just can't physically do any more!

I tried dropping the weight and doing more reps for a few sessions and that saw me move to 47.5kg but I have tried again and it just isn't going anywhere. OHP is a similar story.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what else I can do?

Just do more arms/chest exercises on them days to try and build more muscle?

What sort of routine are you doing i guess your doing strength training type with the main four compounds ?

If your doing 5 x 5 just drop the weight down a little till you can comfortably do 5 sets of 5 at that weight then go up in the smallest weight each time this should help you push through past the 47.5kg

Also make sure your eating plenty with a good solid diet

Doing 5x5 mate, thats the odd thing. I can do 47.5kg quite comfortable but anything more and I can barely get it off the rack never mind press it. Will persist with it and see how I get on!

Yeah eating good mate, lots of chicken/fish/brown rice/veg/sweet potato and so on. Also taking whey protein and creatine.

Drop back down to say 40kg x 5 x 5 and just build back up from there again gradually,sometimes a step back can be a good thing,also how long have you been doing the 5 x 5 routine as some folk if been doing it a while will have a break from it for a couple of weeks and maybe do chest and shoulders in a more bodybuilding way

Alot to weight lifting is mental mate,i used to think about what i was going to lift during the day then vision myself lifting it no problem,it kind of got me physched up during the day and usually did the trick

 

[quiet_riot]

Back on the deadlift horse and pulled a 150kg. No pain. Woop.

 

[Dirty Harry]

Making good progress on my deadlift, squat, and barbell row but still really struggling with my bench and OHP.

I have managed to move from 45kg to 47.5kg but I just can't physically do any more!

I tried dropping the weight and doing more reps for a few sessions and that saw me move to 47.5kg but I have tried again and it just isn't going anywhere. OHP is a similar story.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what else I can do?

Just do more arms/chest exercises on them days to try and build more muscle?

What sort of routine are you doing i guess your doing strength training type with the main four compounds ?

If your doing 5 x 5 just drop the weight down a little till you can comfortably do 5 sets of 5 at that weight then go up in the smallest weight each time this should help you push through past the 47.5kg

Also make sure your eating plenty with a good solid diet

Especially that above mate, you may find if you eat a little more each day it'll help.

There are a few ways (one is how Samsdad mentions) but can I ask, is there a particular portion of the pressing that you're struggling on ? Ie if we break the presses down into 3 portions - bottom/middle/top which part is it ?

 

[adrianr]

Making good progress on my deadlift, squat, and barbell row but still really struggling with my bench and OHP.

I have managed to move from 45kg to 47.5kg but I just can't physically do any more!

I tried dropping the weight and doing more reps for a few sessions and that saw me move to 47.5kg but I have tried again and it just isn't going anywhere. OHP is a similar story.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what else I can do?

Just do more arms/chest exercises on them days to try and build more muscle?

Guaranteed it's in your head, and now you've built it up to a problem which will make it worse.

Obvious things like making sure you're eating enough and getting enough sleep, but if you say as soon as it goes any higher (I assume you're not micro loading and the smallest plates your gym has are 1.25kg so 50kg is your next step from 47.5kg) you're struggling to even get it out of the rack that's 100% mental. If you can lift 47.5kg 5 x 5, you can at least get a few reps out of 50kg, even if you can't quite manage the full 5x5.

Don't be afraid to ask for a spot and a lift. You don't need to be benching 100kg+ to get a spot. Just having someone there even if they don't assist you could give you the push you need to get into bear mode and lift the damn thing! ;)

OHP will be progressing slow as molasses because it was an exercise designed solely to test your willpower and sanity.

If you want to add something else in to assist in both chuck in some dips. Like pull ups and chin ups, dips are wonderful. Slow on the descent, explode up.

 

[adrianr]

Had a bit of a shock today. As my weight has been going up anyway I've been doing a 5 x 5 set of really full range pull ups pretty much every other workout, a mild progressive overload, which recently despite the extra weight have been getting quite explosive. Not quite muscle up explosive but doesn't feel a million miles off. Anyhow, someone left a set of 6kg dumbells under the bar, picked one up, felt light enough, held it between my feet and set off on my merry way for 5 x 5. On the first rep I could tell I'd possibly fucked up, by the last rep of the last set it felt like I was trying to lift the gym with me!

Anyway, not enough posting in here, what are you all up to?

 

[FantasyIreland]

Deadlifting shortly,trying to get comfortable at 170....... then a few DB rows and finishing with some chins.

Ive found keeping it simple,across all bodyparts,is far more forgiving on my fragile carcass!

 

[chris85mcfc]

Good work lads

I'm doing a bit of 5x5 stuff at the moment and the main plus for me is getting 5 good reps under good form, whilst shifting some decent weight

Done a bit of an upper body blast today

Lat Pulldown
Bench press
OHP

Finished with some skipping -> press ups -> mountain climbers x 5 sets

Just trying to hang in there till Christmas, then go all out in the New Year and shed a bit of timber in time for the summer

Legs tomorrow :)

 

[decmancity]

Drop back down to say 40kg x 5 x 5 and just build back up from there again gradually,sometimes a step back can be a good thing,also how long have you been doing the 5 x 5 routine as some folk if been doing it a while will have a break from it for a couple of weeks and maybe do chest and shoulders in a more bodybuilding way
Alot to weight lifting is mental mate,i used to think about what i was going to lift during the day then vision myself lifting it no problem,it kind of got me physched up during the day and usually did the trick

I will try that mate, I have been doing it for a few months now. I have had a few days off because I really hurt my knee on sunday at football. Will tackle the gym possibly thurs/fri.
Yeah I have been told it is possibly just in my head haha!

Especially that above mate, you may find if you eat a little more each day it'll help.
There are a few ways (one is how Samsdad mentions) but can I ask, is there a particular portion of the pressing that you're struggling on ? Ie if we break the presses down into 3 portions - bottom/middle/top which part is it ?

I would say the bottom, I can take it off the rack and lower it down but its just once its touched my chest I can't seem to get the power to push it!

Guaranteed it's in your head, and now you've built it up to a problem which will make it worse.
Obvious things like making sure you're eating enough and getting enough sleep, but if you say as soon as it goes any higher (I assume you're not micro loading and the smallest plates your gym has are 1.25kg so 50kg is your next step from 47.5kg) you're struggling to even get it out of the rack that's 100% mental. If you can lift 47.5kg 5 x 5, you can at least get a few reps out of 50kg, even if you can't quite manage the full 5x5.
Don't be afraid to ask for a spot and a lift. You don't need to be benching 100kg+ to get a spot. Just having someone there even if they don't assist you could give you the push you need to get into bear mode and lift the damn thing! ;)
OHP will be progressing slow as molasses because it was an exercise designed solely to test your willpower and sanity.
If you want to add something else in to assist in both chuck in some dips. Like pull ups and chin ups, dips are wonderful. Slow on the descent, explode up.

I do have micro plates, 0.5 is the lowest!
I actually did 47.5kg 5x5 a couple of weeks ago but since then I have only been able to do 45kg!
That day all the stars aligned for me haha!

I will have to get a mate to come with me and spot me and see what I can go to!

 

[adrianr]

Deadlifting shortly,trying to get comfortable at 170....... then a few DB rows and finishing with some chins.

Ive found keeping it simple,across all bodyparts,is far more forgiving on my fragile carcass!

My workouts are incredibly simple. Following 5/3/1 for my main lifts, then I do 1 complimentary accessory for 3 sets of 10 reps, for example if it's bench day I'll do 3 x 10 incline dumbell press, then 1 alternate accessory for balance, so maybe some chins or rows. Squat days are a bit different as I just batter the shit out of my legs and maybe do some ab stuff if I'm not close to passing out. I also tend not to add an extra press move into deadlift days unless I feel I had a poor bench/ohp session as it keeps a better push/pull balance.

Writing it out like that now doesn't actually sound that simple, but it is when I'm doing it :D Still having a lot of fun with 5/3/1.

 

[Dirty Harry]

Especially that above mate, you may find if you eat a little more each day it'll help.
There are a few ways (one is how Samsdad mentions) but can I ask, is there a particular portion of the pressing that you're struggling on ? Ie if we break the presses down into 3 portions - bottom/middle/top which part is it ?

I would say the bottom, I can take it off the rack and lower it down but its just once its touched my chest I can't seem to get the power to push it!

OK bud, a number of things, and this isn't exhaustive by any means.

1/ Are you happy with your technique and positioning on the bench, may be worth having a look at a few videos and see if you can improve anywhere

OR

2/ Rest from benching for a week (and any other pressing movements), you'll be surprised how much that helps, and don't worry, you won't shrink ;-)

Or

3/ Use a higher weight, but lower reps ( 3 reps) but a few more sets, something like 8 x 3

And in relation to my questions above

4/ You could use a partial rep system for a couple of weeks (and not a way of cheating, even harder really) use the weight you are using, but only perform the bottom part of the rep ( actually , go just beyond), lower the bar so it's an inch off your chest, and hold for 5 seconds, and then push out the (just over) a third of the rep, you'll drop reps, but the TUT will give you the stimulus you need, tbh the bottom part is normally most peoples weak point, and it's normally a front deltoid weakness

One last thing, what you also need to remember mate, is that if you only eat a certain amount of calories and you train and rest X amount of days, you will get stronger, but there is a point of diminishing returns, at some point you will get little or no progress, so it's just a question of changing one or two things, but see how you get on with the above.