ty for video link, gonna add to playlist

i keep busting that guy's balls about being stuck @ 225. he's a great guy and i want him to be my lifting partner but i don't want us to be flipping plates every time we swap out. i'm probably just gonna add 2x 2.5 plates when he's not looking sometime so he can just break the f*cking wall down. it needs to happen and he keeps psyching himself out.

How many reps can he do on 225?

It could be worth lowering the weight and doing more reps, then moving up

Something similar to this. Most likely just needs to do a proper powerlifting routine for a few weeks.

He usually reps 6 or 8 1st set after warm up then craps out to 3-5 from there on. To be honest I think he's giving up early. Wouldn't surprise me if he could knock out a couple more, but his muscular endurance isn't his strong suit.

He's tried lowering it for more reps but he refuses to acknowledge that it doesn't mean for the set before he returns to 225. That is, he won't stick to a lower weight for more than a couple of workouts from what I've seen.



This is something I may push, it's worth a shot.

I should say that he's not my client (he's just a gym m8) and he's stubborn as f*ck, yet open-minded about everything outside of stalemating 225 for life. He has tried a few things, taken some ideas from me, but I keep seeing him jumping out of any changes within a week. He's in a psychological rut about it. He lifts heavier w/ dumbells.

Tried:

- eating more to be heavier to lift more
- dropsets/supersets/all manner of screwing with stuff that still somehow involves 225 in the workout
- different music
- different pre
- couple changes in form
- mantras

Refused to try:

- towel power benches (a.k.a. half reppin', a.k.a. something a football coach had me do in h.s. to bring up my bench ... no idea if it worked, in h.s. all i did was gain on bench)
- arching back and/or using feet for leverage (i explained that it was only to get over the hump for once, he said it wasn't strict form ... yet if you saw his leg days ...)

His interest in changing his routine wavers but as I said earlier he always goes back to the same damned thing after about a week, if not a set. He's pretty much pure 5x5, except for the one big set he usually throws in early. I've explained the idea of dropping a bit of weight next time if you fail late in 5x5, or even the more rational concept of not going ham on the 2nd or third set because it will sabotage future sets.

And this is why I've tinkered with the idea of just adding +5 lbs when he's not paying attention. I don't know what else I can add and I don't want to make it seem like he doesn't listen or reflect. He does, he just self-sabotages the shit out of himself. He also knows he does it. Normally I consider myself a good motivator for psychological change but I'm either too close to the situation or I've become an enabler by being more supportive than vicious because he's a good dude. ty for any help btw. Didn't expect suggestions to fly in but they're welcomed!

This post was edited by RewtheBrave on Dec 7 2016 10:39pm

Increase volume, increase frequency

If he's benching 1x week, do it 2x. If 2x do it 3x

Instead of going all out on his first set and getting 8 reps, then between 3 and 5 on all subsequent reps he should literally curb his enthusiasm

If he did sets of 5 only, he would get many for strong and smooth reps in than he would if he fucked himself doing 8 reps then all the rest are hard as fuk cos ur gassed

Then, on the final set he can go for as many reps as possible. This lets you 'gas out' without fukking the entire session

If stopping at 5 and doing 5s is too easy, then decrease his rest time. If it's still too easy then the weight is too low

Leg drive was certainly one of the biggest factors in improving my bench. When I first learned to use it my bench went up really steadily as I got better at utilizing the leg drive.

Sounds like you need a stronger upperbody

Nah just stronger legs for the leg drive
Obviously there were limits to my strength gains from it basically as form improved, strength on bench improved more than it normally would otherwise

So I plan on starting front squats tomorrow.. Problem is I lack in wrist mobility and general arm flexibility.. Would straps help with front squats?