1. Back off 10 percent and then go up 2.5 lbs every other workout. 2. Try 5 sets of 3 at a higher weight. Then go up from there. Then go back and try a set of 5. 3. Add more calories to your diet. 4. Switch to dumbbells to address any assymmetry. 5. Get a form check. 6. Do the bench first (before squats).
Thank you. This is the kind of thing one might have hoped to get from Rip. Unfortunately he appears to be incapable of doing anything these days other than bitching about how stupid he thinks everyone is. This guy has put out some good stuff over the years, but he has jumped the shark. Now he's just the old guy who screams for everyone to get off his damn lawn.
@@nealb1a I think he’s just tired of hearing the same questions and people NDTP. It’s very likely that this dude is exhausting himself with cardio or accessory exercises or not eating enough if it’s a physical issue. Or far more likely it’s a programming issue where he is afraid to go to technical failure, never adds weight or attempts too frequently or not frequently enough. Rip knows that muscles respond to stress by getting stronger. So, he’s not stressing the muscles correctly. Or he has some serious disease like a tapeworm or anemia or something that iscstopping him from adding muscle. But only in the bench doesn’t make sense. So it has to be a mental or programming issue.
I wonder does Rip see the irony in having the hammer as the symbol for Starting Strength? As in, every problem he sees is a nail and all he has in his toolbox is a hammer (Add fahve pounds)
If it was as simple as adding weight every workout, we would all be benching 4,000 lbs after a decade of lifting. At some point you hit a wall, and it becomes increasingly difficult to push past it.
I was the weakest kid in my school growing up. Even some girls were stronger than me, until into high school. I was one of those skinny kids who could never gain weight, either. When I first learned of this program I was taken back at adding 5 lbs each work out. I couldn't add 5 lbs ever to anything it seemed. And if it does work, surely it won't work for me, because I've got some kind of "weakness" curse or something. Well it worked. And I can tell you the best lift is the overhead press and my shoulders are extremely strong, so I learned in the process I have something A LOT of people don't have. They build size easily for me and I've gotten good compliments on them. Take that, world! Very thankful for this from Rip.
Watching this right before I head out to the gym is probably the closest I'm ever going to get to coaching from Rip. Oh well, I'll take what I can get.
@@tobiasfunke6351 ideally it would be someone who is a lifter and who trains other people to lift to so they would have a broad sample size of data points and a deep understanding of the process. If only.....
@@K-bob_45 its really to bad, i wish there was a website, podcast and a series of franchise gyms that focused on the 3 main lifts. I wish there was a company to help me start my strength journey.
jUsT aDd FaHvE pOuNdS Stop grinding out max effort fives every day and start doing periodized programming. Starting Strength is for novices and you likely are not one anymore.
I'm 55 years old and Natty, I make increases every other workout. It seems that this person doesn't want to improve. 7 months of no increase on bench but his other lifts have gone up. This means he didn't want to improve at all on the bench. This guy was asking for help after 7 months of nothing. He should have been asking for help after 1 month. If you aren't improving in a month, you either don't want to improve or you want to stay where you are. If you add 1 rep with the weight you're using in 2 weeks, that is improvement. So work on adding 1 rep each workout. That is a goal that can keep a person motivated. After that add 2lbs or 5lbs. 💪🏾
I'm 58 and bench 350 lbs. I used to bench 500 lbs when. I was 55 until I blew out my shoulder. I started from 45 lbs and now I'm back to 350 lbs. I agree if you are not making gains monthly your doing something wrong.
@@SlowRiderDucati Yeah man. And I'm not saying you should add 30lbs to a lift in a month. But a conservative number is a 5lb increase. So if you add 5lbs to a big lift each month and including breaks. People should be able to add 20-30lbs for reps, to a big lift in a year. But you have to want to do it. 💪🏾
This is one of the most ignorant comments I have read. Eventually you will plateau and have to change something in order to keep progressing. It happens to everyone. Saying that if you haven't improved for a month then you just don't want to improve is about as wrong as you can get. Do you think this guy would bother asking for help if he didn't want to improve? Does that make sense to you?
Natty except for trt? Lol. I actually am natty. I've been stuck doing 55lb dumbell presses for over 4 months. Bodyweight is actually increasing so I'm not in a calorie deficit. I get to 10-11 reps and that's it. 30 second pause and I always get at least 12 each set but usually 13-14. So I'm maxing out effort every. single. time. Number just isn't going up.
@@SlowRiderDucati you're 58 and on trt. I know why you leave that part out. It changes everything about lifting and building muscle and means your experience and subsequent advice is basically useless to an actual natty lifter. But it makes you feel good to sound like you have answers and project success. Liver King was just way more successfull at it than you are.
My bench was stuck at 170 from about age 19 to 21. I was using HIT workouts which recommended low volume and frequency (1x per week, one set to failure). I switched to 3 x per week and 4 sets per workout NOT to failure but maybe 3 reps in the tank at the beginning and in 6 months I hit 225, and in another year I got 305, and in about 1 more year got 355. During two 6 month periods, one at the beginning of that 2.5 years and one near then end I literally added 5 pounds a workout for 4 x 5 and then switched to 4 x 3. The other periods I generally kept the weight the same for 4-6 weeks but tried to add sets or reps.
My ball stretching has plateaued, currently wearing 32oz for 12 hours a day.bDo I increase intensity or volume? Trying to get some.below knee cap swangers
I came across a hate comment that said Rippetoe is BS, etc. and the guy went on to explain that he had done the novice linear progression for 18 months (!) without improvement... it is amazing how stupid some people can be. He even said he started to improve when he went onto a programme with more volume. If you don't know, you are only supposed to do the novice programme for 3-9 months depending on your training history, age, etc. Then you go to an intermediate programme (like Texas Method) with more volume. People hate Rippetoe without having any idea what he has written and said.
Well, if the person doesnt want to gain weigth, That is not really a viable answer. You can get plenty strong at your current bodyweight, assuming training stimulis is sufficient.
@Quentin Styger almost noone will squat 400kg, irregardless of their bodyweight or training history. So I dont really see your point..? And Also, not everyone wants to be a world record powerlifter, and therefore has No real reason to squat 400kg, other than if they want to. And if they did want to squat 400kg, they would probably be an elite powerlifter anyway. So No real Difference there. Yes I agree that if you want to get as strong as humanly possible, you likely have to gain a lot of weight. But for the average Joe, im not sure gaining 50lbs or more, just to put 30 pounds on your bench is a worthwile tradeoff, considering the potential negative health-outcomes that might Come along. Besides - after 1 year of training, does it really matter if you bench 315 or 320? Likely not. What does matter, is the training consistency over 10+ years. And grinding out 5x5 RPE 10 sets with 10min rest, just to go from 315 to 320 - does not seem like a worthwile tradeoff, considering the 10+ year timeframe.
Rip asked the only important question. What happen when you tried to add any Marginal more weight? In seven months even if you are only using quarter pound microplates, you should have improve at least 14 pounds
Totally normal. If you do everything perfectly, you will reach a point where the only answer is putting on weight. When you’ve maxed out the amount of food you can eat without feeling I’ll, you’ve found your natural peak strength. Just reality.
Bring Mike Matthew's on again please, content is always great with you two. Better yet, you could have a reenactment of your Barbell Billy days. Episode "hard nipples to hard covers"
What on earth was the point of this video? I watched hoping for some intelligent discussion of dealing with plateaus. All I got was "Idn't this here feller stupid?"
Don't go all the way down on your press. Only go about halfway down on each rep to target the triceps which are usually the weakest link in the chain. This is a technique developed by a guy who has successfully coached lots of people to major increases in their bench press.
I had friend who asked me about a "clunking" noise coming from his car engine.
I asked if he tried adding 5 lbs.
Nah, he’s not eating enough.
1. Back off 10 percent and then go up 2.5 lbs every other workout.
2. Try 5 sets of 3 at a higher weight. Then go up from there. Then go back and try a set of 5.
3. Add more calories to your diet.
4. Switch to dumbbells to address any assymmetry.
5. Get a form check.
6. Do the bench first (before squats).
Great advice !!!
Thank you. This is the kind of thing one might have hoped to get from Rip. Unfortunately he appears to be incapable of doing anything these days other than bitching about how stupid he thinks everyone is. This guy has put out some good stuff over the years, but he has jumped the shark. Now he's just the old guy who screams for everyone to get off his damn lawn.
@@nealb1a I think he’s just tired of hearing the same questions and people NDTP. It’s very likely that this dude is exhausting himself with cardio or accessory exercises or not eating enough if it’s a physical issue. Or far more likely it’s a programming issue where he is afraid to go to technical failure, never adds weight or attempts too frequently or not frequently enough. Rip knows that muscles respond to stress by getting stronger. So, he’s not stressing the muscles correctly. Or he has some serious disease like a tapeworm or anemia or something that iscstopping him from adding muscle. But only in the bench doesn’t make sense. So it has to be a mental or programming issue.
I wonder does Rip see the irony in having the hammer as the symbol for Starting Strength? As in, every problem he sees is a nail and all he has in his toolbox is a hammer (Add fahve pounds)
If it was as simple as adding weight every workout, we would all be benching 4,000 lbs after a decade of lifting. At some point you hit a wall, and it becomes increasingly difficult to push past it.
Agree! That's where periodization comes into play!
@@BrownBarbellClub Yes, with periodisation you can lift 4000 lbs!
This is “starting strength”, once you stop noobie gains you change it up.
@@BrownBarbellClub explain
Thats why you use this thing called your brain read the books and apply the recommendations
The “add 5 pounds” has completely changed how I lift, and has led to a very gradual improvement while keeping truer to strict form.
I was the weakest kid in my school growing up. Even some girls were stronger than me, until into high school. I was one of those skinny kids who could never gain weight, either. When I first learned of this program I was taken back at adding 5 lbs each work out. I couldn't add 5 lbs ever to anything it seemed. And if it does work, surely it won't work for me, because I've got some kind of "weakness" curse or something.
Well it worked. And I can tell you the best lift is the overhead press and my shoulders are extremely strong, so I learned in the process I have something A LOT of people don't have. They build size easily for me and I've gotten good compliments on them. Take that, world!
Very thankful for this from Rip.
@@HAL-dm1eh Yeah, HAL!
We're finally opening those pod bay doors, brother.
I'm 23 and struggle to even add 5lbs
@@D.3100 eat harder
@@D.3100 Changing your pfp could help
I reduce my bench by 5lbs each time
Ending Strength linear regression - subtract 5 pounds untill you die.
@@1111poul 😂😭😂
Watching this right before I head out to the gym is probably the closest I'm ever going to get to coaching from Rip. Oh well, I'll take what I can get.
Someone should write a book with instructions on how to get stronger and strategies to overcome plateaus.......🙃
That sounds like a very practical idea, i just dont know who would program it
@@tobiasfunke6351 ideally it would be someone who is a lifter and who trains other people to lift to so they would have a broad sample size of data points and a deep understanding of the process. If only.....
@@K-bob_45 its really to bad, i wish there was a website, podcast and a series of franchise gyms that focused on the 3 main lifts. I wish there was a company to help me start my strength journey.
@@tobiasfunke6351 I guess we’ll just do CrossFit and get razor abs instead
there is already a book named "base strength"
He can't bench more because he hasn't benched more. Wonderful.
jUsT aDd FaHvE pOuNdS
Stop grinding out max effort fives every day and start doing periodized programming. Starting Strength is for novices and you likely are not one anymore.
Would you recommend the Texas Method?
Average Joe Depends on what your goals are. I’d still lean towards no because the volume for TM is pretty low
Try Wendler 531
Not true, I lifted on my own for 2 years before starting starting strength training
I'm 55 years old and Natty, I make increases every other workout. It seems that this person doesn't want to improve. 7 months of no increase on bench but his other lifts have gone up. This means he didn't want to improve at all on the bench. This guy was asking for help after 7 months of nothing. He should have been asking for help after 1 month. If you aren't improving in a month, you either don't want to improve or you want to stay where you are.
If you add 1 rep with the weight you're using in 2 weeks, that is improvement. So work on adding 1 rep each workout. That is a goal that can keep a person motivated. After that add 2lbs or 5lbs. 💪🏾
I'm 58 and bench 350 lbs. I used to bench 500 lbs when. I was 55 until I blew out my shoulder. I started from 45 lbs and now I'm back to 350 lbs. I agree if you are not making gains monthly your doing something wrong.
@@SlowRiderDucati Yeah man. And I'm not saying you should add 30lbs to a lift in a month.
But a conservative number is a 5lb increase. So if you add 5lbs to a big lift each month and including breaks. People should be able to add 20-30lbs for reps, to a big lift in a year. But you have to want to do it. 💪🏾
This is one of the most ignorant comments I have read. Eventually you will plateau and have to change something in order to keep progressing. It happens to everyone. Saying that if you haven't improved for a month then you just don't want to improve is about as wrong as you can get. Do you think this guy would bother asking for help if he didn't want to improve? Does that make sense to you?
Natty except for trt? Lol.
I actually am natty. I've been stuck doing 55lb dumbell presses for over 4 months. Bodyweight is actually increasing so I'm not in a calorie deficit. I get to 10-11 reps and that's it. 30 second pause and I always get at least 12 each set but usually 13-14. So I'm maxing out effort every. single. time. Number just isn't going up.
@@SlowRiderDucati you're 58 and on trt. I know why you leave that part out. It changes everything about lifting and building muscle and means your experience and subsequent advice is basically useless to an actual natty lifter. But it makes you feel good to sound like you have answers and project success. Liver King was just way more successfull at it than you are.
mark please see this and bless me with gainz
My bench was stuck at 170 from about age 19 to 21. I was using HIT workouts which recommended low volume and frequency (1x per week, one set to failure). I switched to 3 x per week and 4 sets per workout NOT to failure but maybe 3 reps in the tank at the beginning and in 6 months I hit 225, and in another year I got 305, and in about 1 more year got 355. During two 6 month periods, one at the beginning of that 2.5 years and one near then end I literally added 5 pounds a workout for 4 x 5 and then switched to 4 x 3. The other periods I generally kept the weight the same for 4-6 weeks but tried to add sets or reps.
My ball stretching has plateaued, currently wearing 32oz for 12 hours a day.bDo I increase intensity or volume? Trying to get some.below knee cap swangers
Thanks for sharing
Need more hip draahve
Get some red light/NIR device and do some fasting. My balls are about 50% bigger no lie.
@@LTPottenger fr?
"I have three questions for you..."
I came across a hate comment that said Rippetoe is BS, etc. and the guy went on to explain that he had done the novice linear progression for 18 months (!) without improvement... it is amazing how stupid some people can be. He even said he started to improve when he went onto a programme with more volume.
If you don't know, you are only supposed to do the novice programme for 3-9 months depending on your training history, age, etc. Then you go to an intermediate programme (like Texas Method) with more volume. People hate Rippetoe without having any idea what he has written and said.
WRONG! People hate Rippetoe because he treats people that are weaker then him like dog crap.
@@vikingstrongman5903 ok well it is more fair to hate on him for his personality but the programmes work if you do them as the books are written
@@IrishOrtodoxa I am the "hateful" one for pointing out his hatefulness???
@@vikingstrongman5903 He doesn't though, and even treats some stronger people like crap lol
1:41. Rip should have a list of mandatory list of criteria someone needs to give before sending email. That’s on Rip, they arent mind readers
If the gentleman can't put enough information to enable a worthwhile answer then I doubt he is able to comprehend adding weight each workout.
If a lift especially an upper body one is stuck, the answer is almost always going to be “gain weight.”
Well, if the person doesnt want to gain weigth, That is not really a viable answer. You can get plenty strong at your current bodyweight, assuming training stimulis is sufficient.
@Quentin Styger almost noone will squat 400kg, irregardless of their bodyweight or training history. So I dont really see your point..?
And Also, not everyone wants to be a world record powerlifter, and therefore has No real reason to squat 400kg, other than if they want to. And if they did want to squat 400kg, they would probably be an elite powerlifter anyway. So No real Difference there.
Yes I agree that if you want to get as strong as humanly possible, you likely have to gain a lot of weight. But for the average Joe, im not sure gaining 50lbs or more, just to put 30 pounds on your bench is a worthwile tradeoff, considering the potential negative health-outcomes that might Come along.
Besides - after 1 year of training, does it really matter if you bench 315 or 320? Likely not. What does matter, is the training consistency over 10+ years. And grinding out 5x5 RPE 10 sets with 10min rest, just to go from 315 to 320 - does not seem like a worthwile tradeoff, considering the 10+ year timeframe.
Sooner or later most people will also have to micro load the upper body lift.
@@1111poul well then you’re they’re just going to stay tiny and weak forever
@@1111poul agreed. Numbers game doesn't matter beyond a certain point(which itself is personal).
Binch 226 next workout
Rip asked the only important question. What happen when you tried to add any Marginal more weight? In seven months even if you are only using quarter pound microplates, you should have improve at least 14 pounds
Totally normal. If you do everything perfectly, you will reach a point where the only answer is putting on weight.
When you’ve maxed out the amount of food you can eat without feeling I’ll, you’ve found your natural peak strength. Just reality.
Bring Mike Matthew's on again please, content is always great with you two. Better yet, you could have a reenactment of your Barbell Billy days. Episode "hard nipples to hard covers"
What on earth was the point of this video? I watched hoping for some intelligent discussion of dealing with plateaus. All I got was "Idn't this here feller stupid?"
AHAHAH tru
Step loading progression is the answer
Don't go all the way down on your press. Only go about halfway down on each rep to target the triceps which are usually the weakest link in the chain. This is a technique developed by a guy who has successfully coached lots of people to major increases in their bench press.
Partial reps can be very effective to get past sticking points.
Unhelpful answer
Wel not a very good question with not a lot of information. If you don't improve in 7 months find a program to follow
Not enuf Hip Dhraaaave.
GOMAD + CICO + MGTOW + NOFAP + RPE + Mind Muscle Connection training will get him over the rainbow.
More food...
Us people who are using kilograms, how many kilograms should we add each workout?
.5 - 1kgs on Bench Press and 2 kgs on squat and deadlift
5 pounds = 2.26796 kilos.
i add 0.02 kilograms every workout.
Yes they have 0.01 plates in my gym
@@top2737 nice joke 😂😂😂. Add to that some gyms will have 20.1 kg bars.
Genetics
second
RPE 185 pound turd
First
@@Account2129 I know I was sweating and dry heaving
Furst
Fist!
The gains fairy didn't give him the gains in the middle of the night he asked for so I guess that's it, time to retire.