Tired of reaching a brick wall, also known as the so-called dreaded plateau? Everyone eventually reaches this stage, especially with the bench press exercise. I receive countless emails on a daily basis on how to overcome this plateau. Believe it or not people, the process of getting over a plateau is definitely not easy. There is no easy magic formula, no diet pill, no supplements – none of that hassle!
With all that said, let me tell you the secret answer: change your routine! The number one reason people fail to make gains after a certain period of time is because their muscles get used to the movement of the bench press exercise. You can’t expect to keep making gains if you’ve been using the exact same exercise routine for six months in a row. You have to change it a bit. And believe it or not, this concept applies to any exercise where you are stuck to gain strength.
There are many ways to get through a plateau or that brick wall you have. One way to do this is to stop bench pressing altogether. Well, at least for a while anyway. Say, 3 weeks without bench pressing. Sounds harsh, right? After all, the bench press is one of many people’s favorite exercises.
Why do you ask? Well, let’s look at it from my perspective. You will most likely bench press three or more times a week. That said, the muscles that are involved with exercise are likely over-trained and overworked. Most likely, after 2-3 weeks of no bench press, this will give your muscles a chance to recover and cool down. Despite not being able to bench press during this period of time, this does not mean that you can skip your normal workouts. So be sure to do your scheduled workouts too.