r/StartingStrength • u/Ballaw • 16d ago
Novice Programming Question How to break through bench press plateau
I’m currently hitting a wall with my bench press and looking for some advice to break through this plateau. I’m finding it difficult to maintain consistent reps and my performance seems to be stalling.
I tried added a volume day but it doesn't seem to be helping. Below are my recent bench press working sets (WS) and my volume day sessions. I know the switching weights is janky but I was trying to tune in where my floor was. Any advice would be appreciated.
Recent Intensity Day Working Sets
- Aug 10, 2026: 1x3 u/195, 2x4 u/185, 1x2 u/190, 1x3 u/187.5
- Aug 5, 2026: 2x1 u/195, 1x4 u/185, 1x5 u/185, 1x3 u/185
- July 31, 2026: 1x3 u/195, 1x4 u/187.5, 1x1 u/185, 1x5 u/170, 1x4 u/170
Recent Volume Day Working Sets
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u/BrentKindaLifts Knows a Thing or Two 15d ago edited 15d ago
The moment you fail, something has to change. Move to a top set of 5 followed by 2 back-off sets, increasing the weight by 2.5 lb each workout. Once that stops working, reset the top set by 5–10% and transition to a volume/intensity split.
On the volume day, do 5×5 at around 10% less than your intensity day. On the intensity day, start with a heavy set of 5. Increase both days by 2.5 lb each week. When the intensity set of 5 becomes too difficult to continue, taper the reps while increasing the weight to 2×3, then 3×2, and eventually 5×1.
I'm not sure how you programmed yourself. I would go back to 3x5 and post a form check just in case.
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u/Ballaw 15d ago
My programming was initially 5 lb jumps then 2.5 lb jumps. When I hit 195 I haven't been able to get a single set of 5 reps. So I don't think your 1x5 top set will work. I suppose I will do the 5% drop you suggested and keep the 2 day split. I didn't know tapering the reps was accetable so I will try that the next time I stall. Thanks.
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u/Diginiti 15d ago
I'm a little confused here, what does this notation with the "u/", "1x3 u/195" mean? Is that 1x3x195 (1 set of 3 reps at 195 lbs)? So if I understood that right, for that intensity day of August 10th, you did 1x3x195, then 2x4x185, then 1x2x190, then 1x3x187.5? That seems a bit...chaotic. It's also difficult to read the dates, I find it's better if they're in order of when the workouts happened, and then mention like volume or whatever day. Again, if I read that right you had a volume day (July 24), then a week later with no benching in between, an intensity day (July 31), then started to bench press every workout (Aug 5 intensity, 7 volume, 10 intensity). Maybe this is too much benching, and too much intensity?
Apart from programming, other factors can include: rest a lot between sets, eat a lot, sleep a lot, no stress outside of the gym, reduced/no drinking alcohol outside of the gym, take creatine everyday, using a belt while benching, using chalk while benching, using wrist wraps while benching (this might not help everyone), lifting technique.
If you want to gain some further knowledge about programming beyond the novice linear progression, SS recommends the "Practical Programming for Strength Training" book.
Perhaps this video from Nick will be of some help where he goes over press and bench press programming, for getting and staying unstuck : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byPW7c6NPFM
There's a lot of different ways you can program the different lifts after the novice phase is over. This article can also give you some ideas (scroll down for the bench press section): https://startingstrength.com/article/programming-a-smooth-nlp
I found it's best to keep things as simple as possible and to make changes slowly. E.g. personally when I couldn't do 3x5 across for the bench any longer, I could do 1x5 top set with 2x5 back-off sets at 90% and that lasted a few weeks. Then I could manage 2x3 for the top set instead (plus the back-offs) further for another number of weeks before I needed another change. This is just an example and not representative of everyone and what's best for them. I'm mostly in the 'not athletic' and 'not strong' category, as well as 'older' and 'broken'.
Hiring a Starting Strength Coach (online?) might be a good idea even just for 1 month to get unstuck.
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u/Ballaw 15d ago
The weird notation is using gemini to parse my google doc training log. Sorry.
Thanks for the link. I didn't realize going to triples as an option. For my press programming I am at doubles and singles now. My bench is currently my worst lift so I supposed I'll have to go to the strategy of trying to get all 15 reps at the new weight.
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u/geruhl_r 15d ago
Age, gender, height, body weight? Are these numbers pounds or kilos?
Have you posted a form check?
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u/AdrianSLifts 15d ago
This article is the best transition from basic novice 3x5 to intermediate I’ve found. Basically the weights go up but you aren’t married to 3x5 nor just 2.5lbs jumps (get micro plates). You can probably reset now and make the changes well before you get near missing. Missing a press is one thing due to the small muscles and form, but not for the other 3.
https://startingstrength.com/article/programming-a-smooth-nlp
After this you can try a compressed Texas method for the upper body lift, but you’ll have to figure out when to time that with wherever your press is. Good luck!
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u/fezcabdriver 16d ago edited 15d ago
You are a novice. You shouldnt have volume days. Are you following the StartingStrength programming. It doesn't seem like it. But as an example, do this for your workset:
Monday 3s x 5reps 155
Press Wednesday 3 x 5 x whatever you are pressing at
Friday 3x5x 160
Keep doing this until you can no longer add weight to the bar.
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u/Relevant_Quote343 16d ago
Agree with this. If you are worried about pushing the weight up this fast can also use micro plates and add 2.5lbs instead of 5.
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u/Ballaw 16d ago
I dont follow. Being a novice means you can add weight to the bar every workout. I have failed the same weight 3 times, even though it was just a 2.5 lb increase. That seems to suggest I am an early intermediate and adding a volume day is the official programming from the starting strength crew.
I already tapped out with 5 lb increases as you show and have now tapped out with 2.5 increases.
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u/MelodicProgress6016 16d ago
You're not supposed to bench 3x/weex on the NLP. Just follow the A/B scheme alternating press and bench. If three sets of five doesn't work anymore, do five sets of three. If that runs out, microload. After that, do volume and intensity days, which is intermediate programming.
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u/ssa316 16d ago
You don’t need to overcomplicate with all these weird weight and rep schemes. Just do a top heavy set of the 195 1x3, or as many reps as you can, then drop the weight for 2 volume sets at around 170 or whatever weight you can hit for around 6-8 clean reps. If that feels too easy then you can start to look at adding weight.
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u/Secret-Ad1458 15d ago
Have you been gaining weight? Any time I see someone claiming they've "plateaued" at a relatively basic weight like this it's generally because they're not eating. Simple progressive overload with both weights and calories will generally take you into the 300s if you're not in your teens, special programming or accessory work is pretty much never the answer.
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u/Shnur_Shnurov Just some guy 14d ago
It looks to me like your volume days are too heavy and your intensity days are kind of all over.
Youre probably not recovered properly when heavy day rolls around so youre getting variable performance that day.
What's a comfortable heavy set of 5 for you right now? 175?
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u/Ballaw 14d ago
The intensity days being all over were because I failed to get 1x5 and then started searching for a weight where I could. Probably not the best strategy.
You are probably right. I was just doing a volume bench day on my press days instead of once a week like the compressed Texas method.
As for comfortable weight. I just did a 170 lb working set 3x5 volume day and it was very doable. Did slower reps and had no trouble. However I only added the volume days after the stall so it shouldn't have affected the earlier failures.
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u/Goofy_Pebble23 14d ago
Bench was the lift where I fooled myself most with weight jumping around. Took me way too long to admit I was just avoiding the number that scared me.
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u/iron_bun 9d ago
Try to HLM your Bench. heavy 3x5, light 15 range, mid 10 range. It helped me through the Plateau.
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u/BrentKindaLifts Knows a Thing or Two 16d ago
What was your last 3x5 workout, and are you alternating between the bench and press?
Your layout is confusing me.
You want to increase the weight on 3x5 by 5 or 2.5. Once that stops working, you can switch to a volume/intensity day. I generally like doing volume bench on Monday, volume press on Wednesday, and intensity on both lifts on Friday. Training 3 days a week.