What the hell is wrong with me?

[rmani]

I just cannot figure my body out. Usually I start my chest day with incline barbell bench, then i move to flat dumbell bench, then to flat barbell bench. By this point I'm pretty tired but I work up to 225lbs on the barbell bench for 1-2 reps.

So yesterday I go into the gym and decide to start with barbell bench first, rather than 3rd. This is the first time in a year I'm starting with flat barbell first, but based on what I usually do I'm expecting to rep 225 at least 6-8 times. But no course not. I get 4 reps and die on the 5th (thank god for spotter).

I don't understand how I can do a full set of incline, then dumbells, and can rep 225 1-2 times, but if i go at it first i can only do 4 reps. what the hell is wrong with me?

Any input/advice is always appreciate. My long-term goal is to one day rep 225 12-15 times.

Thanks

[rmani]

also in case you're wondering I'm trying to go for reps here because i've had multiple shoulder surgeries and going heavier really hurts my shouler.

[ROMANMAN]

If you tuck in your elbows it will release alote of tension on your shoulders but you wont be able to go as heavy.

[fixationdarknes]

Because since you've been doing those 2 exercises before your Flat BB Bench for so long, your body has adapted so that it doesn't make much of a difference whether you go first or not. Your body gets used to the workload and increases its endurance to lifting heavy weights.

Also, you are warming up before you slap 225 on the bench, right?

[RBC13]

Excellent post ^

[rmani]

OK well to first off I do tuck my elbows in a bit to relieve pressure on my shoulders, and yes I do warm up before I go right to 225. First I do a set of 15 with 135, and then a set of 8 with 185. Then I go to 225 with the goal of getting 6-8 good reps, but this of course doesn't happen.

I was thinking the same thing that maybe my body is just used to doing my old routine, although I was pretty good about switching up what I do. Sometimes I would start with incline bench first, or do push ups, or do dumbells. But I haven't actually started with a barbell bench as the first thing for many years.

I'm gonna do chest again on Wednesday this week so maybe it'll go a bit better the second time around. If not maybe I'll need to go back to cycling supplements although I'm really not a fan of anything but protein.

[jkirkpatrick]

I'm gonna do chest again on Wednesday this week so maybe it'll go a bit better the second time around. If not maybe I'll need to go back to cycling supplements although I'm really not a fan of anything but protein.

Wow. If it's too hard on your body, you're just going to quit and get some magic food? Sounds like this is a great shock to your system and you needn't be so worried about weight and reps; it's the intensity that counts, right?

Try your "new" routine for at least a month and a half. You'll be a stronger person for it.

[rmani]

Never afraid to try something my body can't handle, but it's dissapointing to say the least. I was just expecting more.

[rmani]

OK well this week I'm even weaker I got 3 reps the 1st set, 2 the second, and 1 the 3rd. So i progress, do the rest of my chest workout, then hit triceps, then go back to the bench just to mess around. I ask someone for a spot and get 225 2 times. Does this make any sense at all? I'm wondering if my body takes an unusually long time to warm up or something. Maybe I'll try walking for 5-10 minutes before I hit chest next week.

If anyone else has input please share with me.

[Sensei]

Could be you need more warm-up, but I doubt it. Just stick w. doing bench press first in your routine and hit things hard. It IS ok to bump the weight back a little for a while so that you can get some more volume in. Swallow your pride and try 205 next time in the gym for sets of 6 or so. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take a step forward...

I feel like the bench plateau question has been asked around here a lot lately. You might want to look at some of those threads if the advice here isn't enough.

[rmani]

yeah I've done a lot of searching but haven't come up with much. It's just really weird and frustrating I've been lifting for a long time and yes I'll admit it, the only exercise where I really am concerned with what I do is the barbell bench press.

Perhaps next week I'll try 135, 185, 205, 225 x 2 and see what happens. I don't know I've had a really bad day today and a bad workout was sort of the nail in the coffin.

[Bigmofo]

also in case you're wondering I'm trying to go for reps here because i've had multiple shoulder surgeries and going heavier really hurts my shouler.

You are going for reps due to shoulder injury and do heavy sets at 1-2 reps?

[d'Anconia]

LOL :withstupi