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Raising the bar

Men's Fitness, August, 2004

I can't seem to up my weight on the bench press. How can I break out of my rut?

Next time you find yourself stuck lifting the same weight, workout after workout, try this plateau-busting program called rest/pause training, courtesy of strength coach Mike Mahler, creator of the Aggressive Strength DVD.

Here's how it works: Start by choosing a weight that's equal to your three-rep max, or the heaviest weight you can lift three times. (If you can do more than four reps, go heavier.) Perform one repetition. Re-rack the weight and rest one minute. Then repeat four more times for a total of five sets.

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Once you can do all five sets with one-minute breaks between each, drop your break time to 50 seconds per set. Then 40 seconds, and so on. When you get to 15-second breaks, increase the amount you lift by 5%.

According to Mahler, rest/pause training allows you to perform a greater number of reps with a weight heavier than you'd normally be able to lift. "Plus, the workout forces your muscles to work harder, providing faster gains," he says.

Got a problem? E-mail us at questions@mensfitness.com and we'll do our best to get you the answer.

Raising the bar

Men's Fitness, August, 2004

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