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Benchpress stalling

The problem is you weigh 80kg
Yes, this is rich coming from a guy that competes at 67.5kg but if you want a decent bench then 80kg is just not enough body weight to have a decent bench. There are obviously exceptions (like Rick Weil who was an absolute freak) but until you hit a bodyweight of 90-100kg for the majority of people you can expect mediocrity in the bench press. There are many top level powerlifters in the 82.5kg class that do not have 180kg bench presses and this is pretty much reversed when you look at the 90kg class.

Most of the advice here has been geared towards hypertrophy work for the muscles involved in the bench press, pretty much all advice I ever see for the bench is about getting bigger really. It's not a very technical exercise unlike say- the snatch so while smaller people can put up big numbers in the snatch with very little gain in body weight I would not say that for the bench at all.

I think Sticky said when I spoke to him that his bench didn't really take off until he made it into the 90kg class and did a shit load of hypertrophy work for the upper back. Unless you're a midget, gifted in the bench press or have no legs I'd really just get bigger to increase your benching. By the looks of it that's what KK did, dude is fucking jacked and benches loads because of it.

Check out these articles, they go over what the greats did to get a good bench. The vast majority of them essentially went full bromode in their training:

ChAoS & PAIN: Stop Bitching And Start Benching
ChAoS & PAIN: Stop Bitching And Start Benching 2- Learn From People Better Than You
ChAoS & PAIN: Stop Bitching And Start Benching 3- More Routines From People Stronger Than You
ChAoS & PAIN: Stop Bitching And Start Benching #4- My Two Cents
LIFT-RUN-BANG: Reps. Strength training pixie dust magical unicorns
 
I'll be nice.

Have someone bench using a narrow, the a wide grip, measure how far the bar travels, then get back to me.
 
Of course he is right
The exercise where the pec gets the largest stretch and range of motion will be best. This is with a slightly wider than shoulder width grip. The elbows are far lower in this position than a wide grip bench and the range of motion is far greater

I'm actually astonished that I had to type that out
 
In my opinion you have plenty of choices to get your bench numbers moving again. Several have already been mentioned and I have a couple of extra suggestions.

You can either go to 5x5 at 75 or step up to the next level and accept lower reps initially. I think either will work but I would be inclined to increase the volume at 75 and let that get you ready for the jump
 
how long have you been doing 5x5,

Personally i find if i stay in a set rep range my lifts stagnate, if i drop reps back below 5 for too long, my lifts stagnate. mix it up every few months , do some 20 rep sets, and gradually reduce this while increasing weights,

As mentioned a good back will help heaps with bench, plenty of pullups, bb / pendaly rows,

Also bench is shit for developing a chest, unless you have a really wide grip. Bench typically involves the lats, delts, and triceps, pecs are used but to a lesser extent, esp if you use a narrower grip, (which will also help preserve your shoulder joint)

Getting bigger always helps lifts go up, but you dont have to be 90kg to have a resonable bench, i figure a 1.5xbw bench is a resonable aim for most, you just need to train it smarter..

Personally I find the best way to get more from bench is to do bench more often, and get your technique correct.
 
Also bench is shit for developing a chest, unless you have a really wide grip. Bench typically involves the lats, delts, and triceps, pecs are used but to a lesser extent, esp if you use a narrower grip, (which will also help preserve your shoulder joint)

Fuckin wrong Jeepuz
 
I hate Lyle Mcdonalds so much
Why the fuck is he giving advice on the bench? or anything?
His diet advice is also ludicrous

 
There are elements of truth in the arguments of both Goosey and Gavin.

A narrow grip obviously results in further travel for the bar and a few extra degrees of rotation around the shoulder. This results in extra work and depending on technique, the pec may take on more of that work.

A wide grip puts the pec at a disadvantage through leverage and in my opinion can transfer an enormous load to the pec if the technique is adjusted to ensure that this happens.

When benching with a wide grip there is a tendancy to take advantage of the fact that the bar is solid and to push outwards. This transfers load onto the triceps and away from the pec. If you choose not to push out and actually attempt to push your hands together as you press then the pec has to take over.
 
tbh anything less than 140kg is pretty shit-tier on the bench press unless you're under 70kg. If you're not near 140kg then I feel personally your primary goal should be to get as muscular as possible. If you're benching less than this, I don't see technique improvements and just benching improve your bench all that much. Time will tell if this theory holds true to me but so far I've had pretty decent increases in my bench since going fairly bro mode. You get big deadlifters that look like they don't even lift and the same holds true to squatters to an extent but I've never seen a big bencher that doesn't look pretty damn decent- with the exception of maybe Jeff Lewis who should kill himself before he gets diabetes on his diabetes
 

Why is putting the muscle at a leverage disadvantage better?
Honest question
 
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4GWkPjVPDXA]Kevin Levrone bfto 1998 part 1 chest workout - YouTube[/ame]
 
I have always struggled with bench and have tried a fair few different programs for bench. The one consistent thing that works is just doing a lot of pressing.

Get strong at all types of pressing. Flat incline, decline, overhead, BTN, floor, dumbbells, dips. Anything you can press get strong at it.
 
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