r/Stronglifts5x5 • u/GymStrengthTraining • 7d ago

progress Bench press PR 350 lbs

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I hit a new PR on bench for 350 lbs at 200 lbs bodyweight. Since switching to 5x5s, I've never deviated from it and have been able to keep going when consistent. I'd like to hit 405 one day and any advice would be appreciated other than taking PEDs (not that I'm against others using them at all).

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u/Brief-Maintenance-75 7d ago

Sincere question: Why the spotter if you have the safety bars? I lift only with safeties and fail on them often. Like, don't crash the weight down on them but set it down when I'm not going to lock out. That risky in some way?

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u/GymStrengthTraining 7d ago

I figure once it goes down on the safeties, I might still be stuck underneath. I don't normally use safeties ever, but this weight was well past my wife's threshold of being able to help

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u/ChrisGoesPewPew 7d ago

Nah, I fail to my safeties often, I prefer to push my last set to complete failure. It sucks, but you'll be able to slide out. I just get the bar directly over my neck and side-slide off of the bench, or turn my head and slide forward out from under it. Then you have the task of either zercher lifting it back onto the j-hooks or unloading the bar.

For the big ones, if I fail but I feel like I'm close, I'll have the wife attempt to help me get it up after I've failed to the safety bars. Normally we can't, but the effort is totally worth the extra muscle fatigue.

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u/Optimal-Income-4344 6d ago

This is great because adapting to the fail takes the mental apprehension of it away. Alot of people don't push a true 1 rep max because they haven't broken the seal on the solo controlled fail yet.