Hi guys,
This is my first post. I'm a 25-year-old male and I've been lifting for almost two years.
Right now, I'm between 185-190lbs. I'm 5' 10'' and I have pretty long arms.
Since day one, I was a natural at the dead lift....
I can currently pull an approximate 415-425lbs (after a few sets of squats).
I don't use a belt, straps, wraps, or any of that, either.
My squat has also become decent over time.
I am probably the lowest squatter in my gym, and I can now get 5x250.
The problem is that my bench press has been HORRENDOUS since day one.
It took me many months to get plates up (for a single rep), and I never felt chest activation when benching.
Only recently have I realized that with a slightly closer grip, I can flare my elbows a little more and actually use some chest in my pushing efforts.
Cutting to the chase, my bench lags severely behind, and it's lower than most middle schoolers' bench presses....
My max is estimated to be between 180-188lbs.... so yes, I am barely benching my own bodyweight.
I don't even know what to do at this point.
I don't mean to sound like a girl, but I've shed some tears over this, thinking that something is wrong with me and that I'm not a man.
It also feels like the world is against me and that I'm not allowed to compete in powerlifting, because I'll never be strong enough in the bench.
Are some people just not built to bench press, period?
The Bench Press is probably the thing that I am worst at in life--in any aspect of life.
I'm tired of people giving me pathetic looks when I try to bench, and I'm tired of no one giving me any respect at all for at least being good at dead lifts.
I am tired of being weak. Why would my one passion in life be the one thing that I am terrible at doing? Why?