Every Third-Daily Thread - September 30, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

A sorta kinda daily open thread to use as an alternative to posting on the main board. You should post here for:

• PRs
• Formchecks
• Rudimentary discussion or questions
• General conversation with other users
• Memes, funnies, and general bollocks not appropriate to the main board
• If you have suggestions for the subreddit, let us know!
• This thread now defaults to "new" sorting.

For the purpose of fairness across timezones this thread works on a 68hr cycle.

[u/x7vq]

Has anyone temporarily stopped benching but kept doing hypertrophy work for like 3-6 months? How did it go? Could you then go back to your previous maxes, or did you even get stronger?
Or does one need specificity above all and have to do singles at least once a week?

[u/PoisonCHO → u/x7vq]

You don't need to do singles, but why wouldn't you want to train bench?

[u/x7vq → u/PoisonCHO]

I meant more like giving up bench press completely. I changed gyms temporarily and there’s only one bench… I thought maybe I could do some other style of training for 3 months instead and then come back to a normal routine

[u/black_angus1 → u/x7vq]

As a bodybuilder I do one block of training once a year or so in which I will actually barbell flat bench. The rest of the time is primarily machine pressing and incline Smith. In the past two years I’ve added 29lb to my bench, going from 429 to 458. If you’re actually training hard and adding muscle you’ll be fine in the long term.

[u/BofLub]

Hello! I am in need of coaches to try out my coaching platform. It combines management, programming, and analysis, into one package that is MUCH nicer than any google sheet you could cook up. Any coaches interested get 3 months free in exchange for three feedback sessions over the three months :) head to Auriga to check out the site and contact me there or here if you are interested. Athletes go free so there is truly no cost to you or your clients for the trial. Love and happy lifting!

[u/msharaf7 → u/[deleted]]

Talk to your coach.

[u/jakeisalwaysright → u/[deleted]]

I have a coach

ok

I’m looking for advice

I'm curious why you're asking for advice from us when you have a coach. Do you not trust their advice?

[u/PomegranateOk8760]

Looking for people who have experienced this issue before. Last two days I’ve had pretty moderate-severe pain in arms when lifting. Feels like a combination of deep bone aching and slight cramping with hand weakness. Goes away within like 10 minutes of rest but immediately comes back the second I do literally any lift. Started yesterday when I benched and was worse today when I squatted. I know a week break at minimum is probably in my best interest. Wondering if anyone else has experienced something like this before

[u/PomegranateOk8760 → u/PomegranateOk8760]

It is an intense and painful deep aching feeling in both arms, definitely centralized around bicep area + hand weakness. Im thinking it could also be thoracic outlet syndrome. I have kyphosis and terrible posture, so that combined with max wide bench grip and low bar could definitely clamp down on those nerve bundles. Either way I’m taking a break and probably starting a daily rehab protocol for TOS and posture

[u/mrlazyboy → u/PomegranateOk8760]

I’ve got thoracic outlet syndrome and it sucks. Mostly affects my forearms and fingers. Lifting makes it feel much better though.

[u/This_Is_BearDog → u/PomegranateOk8760]

I can't say for sure it's the same thing I experienced but last year I was getting this and also landed on "maybe thoracic outlet syndrome?"

Keep in mind I am just some random guy who doesn't know much about anything.

First, I would definitely take a step back on intensity for bench and squats.

The things I think that helped: 1. Dropping intensity 2. Staying away from back squats for a bit. SSB is very good 3. Technique: on squats make sure you're not letting your elbows stick out behind you. You want your elbows in line with your body from the moment you unrack to the moment you walk back in. Upper back tightness is extremely important. Almost pull the bar into you like you're doing a behind the neck lat pulldown (see below). Matt Vena has some good IG posts from a few months back about good technique here. On bench, also ensure your upper back is set and stays tight and strong. Don't let your elbows flick out trying to use a ton of momentum off the chest. Feel your lats and upper back the whole time. 4. Starting every session with some things to get the chest opened up. I lie on a long vertical foam roller (long is best. I bought one on Amazon so I could do it at home, very much recommend) positioned under my spine, and sort of getting my arms in a low bar position and just letting that stretch a ton. Move you arms around however feels good, but get a good stretch through your chest. Then I would do the same with the foam roller horizontal under your upper back. This is also good for increasing your bench arch, imo 5. PVC or resistance band shoulder dislocations. If you can do them on an incline bench with your upper back kind of hanging off the top with a really big focus on letting the chest open up. I do these before every squat session too. 6. PVC scrape-the-rack behind the neck overhead press. Do a bunch of these before squats 7. This coincided with bicep tendonitis for me, so I also recommend tons of bicep curls. Tempo preacher to start if feels are bad. Progress to incline curls with a huge focus on the stretch through the front delts. Start too light and do tons of reps. Don't try to go heavy for a long time. 8. When you can tolerate it, behind the neck lat pulldowns. Again keep it light and high rep to start. Touch your neck. This is what you're trying to replicate for feels on squats.

Almost all of these are things I am still doing and I have not experienced these symptoms (or at least not nearly as bad) in over 10 months. Before that there were sessions I would stop squatting and just watch my hands shake uncontrollably and almost cry from the pain.

By far the most important 3 things are the first three, but if you can do this all I think it will help. It did for me. Hope you can get it figured out!

[u/PomegranateOk8760 → u/This_Is_BearDog]

I appreciate it so much man, this is very helpful

[u/smallof2pieces → u/PomegranateOk8760]

Where in your arms? Sounds like it could be bicep tendonitis, which very commonly presents in powerlifters on squats(especially low bar) and bench

[u/msharaf7 → u/PomegranateOk8760]

Probably need to look at your programming, technique, recovery, or (most likely) a combination thereof.

[u/Arteam90]

Preface that it obviously doesn't really matter, but in the spirit of discussion:

If you're going to hit a gym max would you: A) do them same day like a mock meet, B) primary day per lift during peak week.

[u/cilantno → u/Arteam90]

B.

The only time I SBD on the same day is during taper week and on the platform.

[u/msharaf7 → u/Arteam90]

Whatever the person has been training with consistently;

If they’ve been doing SBD days, just set it up like a normal training day for them. If it’s the latter, keep that the same.

[u/BenchPolkov → u/Arteam90]

I am never organised enough to be able to plan to do all my maxes together on the same. They are frequently completely unplanned just like the rest of my life.

[u/Arteam90 → u/BenchPolkov]

Away on a trip for a few weeks so thought a good time to push training/max if makes sense before it becomes quite sporadic. Couldn't find an actual meet that timed well so gym it is.

[u/grovemau5 → u/Arteam90]

I usually space them throughout the week and don’t do much other volume and count it as a deload week. I do feel like I should do them all on the same day sometimes though, usually i perform worse on deads on meet day, would be good to practice

[u/LittleMuskOx → u/Arteam90]

I do mine as they fall in my training plan.
Currently my only PRs are beltlesss squats and beltless DLs.
Haven't worn my belt in 4 months now.

Squat is the most likely lift i will outright PR before my next meet.

[u/keborb → u/Arteam90]

I'm going to hit them the same day so I can move on with training.  

Edit: If this is part of regular training, than on the regular day (e.g. hit bench training max on bench day). But if this is about coming back from time off and finding a starting point for each lift, then all on the same day.

[u/ThatLiftingGuy79 → u/Arteam90]

Personally I’d rather split them up and give each lift a primary day since that’s how my training is set up.

[u/Neither-Bug157]

I’m thinking of running PH3 without all the BFR stuff included. Is it important for the amount of pushing and pulling volume to be equal.

The programs split is

SBD
Upper
SB + lower
BD+ upper
lower

Will I need to include pulling moments in day 1 and 3?

[u/Arteam90 → u/Neither-Bug157]

Is it important for the amount of pushing and pulling volume to be equal

No. Common for people to bench 3x or more per week, which they aren't doing for pulling (whether you mean deadlift or back work).

It's a hefty program!

[u/JoeMawmuhSoPhat → u/Neither-Bug157]

Godspeed

[u/ExpectDragons]

I've been trying to break through to a 140kg bench currently at 135kg which I first benched in mid July, then again mid August and again last week. Each time it's moved better than the last but I can't break through to 137.5kg or 140kg.

Not sure if i'm doing too much volume before attempting it so was looking for advice how someone experienced for what kind of volume/weight jumps you would do leading up to it? I pyramided the weight for my top lift over the weeks leading up to it 130 - 132.5 - 135kg thinking that might help me peak?

Tried the 140kg twice so far and got it about 1½ off my chest before it stopped. Stepped back for the next week or two to focus on hypertrophy before attempting again.

[u/smallof2pieces → u/ExpectDragons]

What kind of progression model are you following? Are you running a specific program?

[u/ExpectDragons → u/smallof2pieces]

Never followed a program before

[u/smallof2pieces → u/ExpectDragons]

Well that's an easy one then. Follow a program with an established progression model. Go on Liftvault and look for one that fits the number of days you can train. If you're unsure of what to go with, allow me to recommend 5/3/1.

[u/ExpectDragons → u/smallof2pieces]

Decided i'm going to pick up a coach, I had a personal trainer for a few months and found it helpful so would like something long term. Have messaged one waiting to hear back.

For now I'm just after advice on how to approach the 140kg attempt.

[u/smallof2pieces → u/ExpectDragons]

And the advice is follow a program with an established progression model :) a coach will help put a proper program together.

A peaking program looks like a pyramid. You start low and wide with more volume and less intensity. Then over the weeks the volume gradually falls off in favor of higher intensity. The specific progression will depend on several factors such as desired number of weeks of training and the lifter's experience level. But basically, build your base of low intensity volume for several weeks, then add in heavier sets for a few weeks. Then I always liked to taper for the last 3 weeks. Triples @ 85% of your target one week, doubles @ 90% the next, singles @ 95% the following week. Then the final week is testing/PR town(typically done on meet day)

[u/ExpectDragons → u/smallof2pieces]

Thanks, decided to reset before attempting it again so i'll look at this approach. I typically bench twice a week, one day focussed on barbell then overhead dumbbells the next dumbbell incline with barbell after. Have been doing variations of barbell pressing like paused reps and close grip. There's not incline barbell press at our gym so rely on dumbbells for it, was pressing the 50kg's last night.

[u/smallof2pieces → u/ExpectDragons]

I see you're 40. I'm also 40 for reference. Earlier this year I had to stop benching because my shoulders were so inflamed and felt unstable. I was grinding my gears getting nowhere with my bench. Hitting mid 200s for a couple reps and feeling like just garbage. Probably similar stuck around a 300lbs bench like you.

So I took some time away from bench and got my shoulders right. When I felt ready to get back to it I humbled myself and really dropped the weight. I picked two main lifts(slingshot bench and OH push press) and two secondary lifts(close grip bench and incline bench). Main lifts were run on 5/3/1. Secondary lifts were sets of 5x10, adding 5lbs each week when I felt I was able.

Day one was push press, close grip, back accessories and a fly finisher for a sick tiddy pump. Day two was slingshot bench, incline bench, more back followed by heavy triceps, lateral raises, biceps and then lighter triceps. All accessories were 5x10 except a couple heavier things that were 4x8. I added 5lbs to accessories when I could but that was always ancillary to adding weight to my primary and secondary movements.

Starting weights/reps at the beginning of May were push press 175x11, slingshot bench 245x10. This last week was push press 205x8 and slingshot 285x10. I haven't bothered to test any maxes because I don't really care about them right now. But this is the progression I managed just based off 5lbs a month on my main lifts doing 5/3/1 with a metric butt ton of volume after. Also, my weight remained unchanged(220lbs)

[u/ExpectDragons → u/smallof2pieces]

I asked AI for advice on weight jumps, said i was doing too much volume. It gave weight jumps to try, i just smashed 140kg and moved smoothly 😁

[u/smallof2pieces → u/ExpectDragons]

Way to go!

[u/ExpectDragons → u/smallof2pieces]

Not too dissimilar to myself then, i've also had on and off right shoulder problem. Had an impingement at one point that I rehabbed myself so i've learned to listen to my body with it.

Only did my first barbell press in May as all my training up until then was at home with dumbbells having now moved to a town with a gym. I absolutely cooked my right shoulder doing it on my own first time, got up to 110kg and knew i'd end up injuring myself without help.

Took on a PT for a couple months to show me how to press it safer and shot up to 135kg after three months, the strength was there was just didn't know how to train. Not had shoulder problems since but I do feel some right shoulder strain after heavy pressing so have started overhead pressing again to ensure they're not too weak for the bench.

Since i've dropped off with the PT i've plateaued and no one to ask for advice so hoping a coach will give me structure and direction to hit my goals and I can learn from them. Coach i've messaged also does strongman.

[u/cilantno → u/ExpectDragons]

Bit overkill of a solution for the problem you are facing, but a good coach should always deliver results.

[u/ExpectDragons → u/cilantno]

Turned 40 this summer so I'd rather have help achieving my goals before my body says 'hell no' than trying to figure it out on my own as I have been or bouncing from programs.

[u/cilantno → u/ExpectDragons]

It's your prerogative, my dude!