How to Find Your Weak Points in the Gym

Your "Weak Point" Isn't Where You Think It Is

The most effective way for you to learn how to find your weak points in the gym is to use the "Accessory Ratio Test," a simple diagnostic that reveals the truth: your stalling bench press isn't a chest problem, it's a triceps problem 80% of the time. You're stuck. Your squat hasn't moved in months, your deadlift feels glued to the floor, and you're starting to think you've hit your genetic limit. You haven't. You're just watering the strongest plants in the garden while the others wither.

Most lifters assume the biggest muscle involved in a lift is the weak point. Bench press stalls? "I need a bigger chest." Squat is shaky? "My quads are too small." This is almost always wrong. Big compound lifts are a chain, and the entire chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The weak link is never the biggest, strongest part of the chain. It's the small connector you ignore.

For the bench press, your chest and shoulders do the work of getting the bar off your chest. But the final 50% of the movement-the lockout-is almost all triceps. If you fail halfway up, you don't have a chest issue; you have a triceps deficit. For squats, your quads extend the knee, but if your hips shoot up first and you fold over, your glutes and core are weak. You're trying to solve the problem by strengthening the muscle that's already doing all the work. It's a cycle of frustration that ends with stalled progress and potential injury. This guide will give you a clear, numerical system to break that cycle.

The Hidden Math That Governs Your Strength

Your body is a system of levers and pulleys, and strength is governed by ratios. If your engine (your big muscles) is too powerful for your transmission (your supporting muscles), you just spin your wheels. The number one mistake people make when they hit a plateau is adding more volume to the main lift. More bench press sets, more heavy squats. This is like trying to fix a flat tire by adding a more powerful engine. You're reinforcing the imbalance, not fixing it.

Let's break down the bench press. A balanced lifter should be able to close-grip bench press about 80-90% of their regular bench press weight for the same number of reps. Let's say you can bench 185 pounds for 5 reps. You should be able to close-grip bench at least 150 pounds for 5 reps. If you get under that 150-pound bar and can only push 2 or 3 reps, you have found your weak point. Your triceps are a massive bottleneck on your performance. No amount of extra chest flyes will fix this.

The same logic applies to the squat. Many people who squat turn the movement into a "squat-morning," where their hips rise much faster than their chest. They blame their quads. The real culprit is weak glutes and a weak core. Your body is smart; it shifts the load to the muscles that can handle it-in this case, your lower back and hamstrings. A good test is the hip thrust. You should be able to hip thrust at least 1.25x your squat weight for 8-10 reps. If you squat 225 lbs, you need to be able to hip thrust around 280 lbs. If you can't, your glutes are the problem.

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The 3-Step Test You Can Do in Your Next Workout

Stop guessing. Use this systematic process to get a definitive answer. Pick one major lift you want to improve-the Squat, Bench Press, or Deadlift-and perform this diagnostic in your next session. Do not test all three on the same day.

Step 1: Establish Your 5-Rep Max (5RM)

First, you need a baseline. Your 5-Rep Max (5RM) is the maximum weight you can lift for five full, clean repetitions before your form breaks down. Warm up thoroughly, then work your way up to a heavy set of five. This shouldn't be a grinder on the last rep; it should be hard but controlled. For our example, let's say your bench press 5RM is 165 pounds. Write this number down. This is your benchmark.

Step 2: Perform the Accessory Ratio Test

After you've completed your main lift and recorded your 5RM, rest for 5-10 minutes. Now, you will test the primary supporting muscle group for that lift. This is where you find the truth.

• For the Bench Press (Testing Triceps): Load a barbell with 75% of your 5RM weight. If your 5RM was 165 lbs, this is approximately 125 lbs. Perform a close-grip bench press, with your hands directly over your shoulders. Your goal is to hit 5 reps. If you fail at 2-4 reps, or if the bar moves incredibly slowly, your triceps are the primary weak point holding back your bench.
• For the Squat (Testing Glutes): Your squat 5RM is 225 lbs. Load a barbell for a hip thrust with the same weight (225 lbs). Your goal is 10 reps with a full pause at the top of each rep. If you can only manage 5-7 reps, your glutes are underdeveloped and are the reason your squat is stalling.
• For the Deadlift (Testing Back & Grip): Your deadlift 5RM is 275 lbs. You have two tests. First, the back test: perform a bent-over barbell row with 50% of your deadlift 5RM (approx. 135 lbs). Your goal is 8 clean reps. Second, the grip test: load the bar to your deadlift 5RM (275 lbs), lift it, and hold it at the top for 30 seconds without straps. If you can't complete the rows with good form or your grip gives out before 30 seconds, you've found your weak link.

Step 3: Check for Mobility Restrictions

Sometimes the issue isn't raw strength; it's a faulty movement pattern caused by poor mobility. Film your main lift from the side. You don't need to be a biomechanics expert to spot major flaws. Look for these common signs:

• Squat: Do your heels lift off the ground at the bottom? This signals tight ankles. Do your knees collapse inward on the way up? This points to weak glute medius muscles and poor hip mobility.
• Bench Press: Do your elbows flare out to 90 degrees immediately? This shows a lack of lat engagement and puts immense strain on your shoulder joint, often because your triceps are trying to avoid work.
• Deadlift: Does your lower back round significantly as the bar leaves the floor? This is a classic sign of a weak core and poor hip mobility, forcing your spine to do the work your legs should be doing.

If you see these issues, your primary focus should be on mobility drills before you even worry about adding accessory strength work.

What Your Lifts Will Look Like in 60 Days

Finding your weak point is useless if you don't have a plan to fix it. Here is the prescription. For the next 8 weeks, you will demote your main lift and promote your primary accessory exercise. This will feel wrong, but it's the fastest path to getting stronger.

Let's use the bench presser with the 165 lb 5RM and weak triceps. For the next 8 weeks, their main "push" exercise is no longer the flat bench press. It's the close-grip bench press. They will perform it first in their workout, when they are fresh, for 4 sets of 5-8 reps, focusing on progressive overload each week. The regular bench press becomes the second exercise, done for lighter weight and higher reps (e.g., 3 sets of 10-12).

Here is what to expect:

• Weeks 1-2: Your regular bench press will feel terrible. The weight will feel heavier than usual because your triceps are pre-fatigued. This is the process working. Trust it. Your close-grip bench should feel strong, and you should aim to add 5 pounds to it by the end of week 2.
• Weeks 3-5: You will notice a significant strength increase in your close-grip bench and other triceps accessories. Your regular bench press will start to feel more stable, especially at the top half of the lift. The sticking point is beginning to shrink.
• Weeks 6-8: This is where the magic happens. Your newfound triceps strength begins to transfer directly to your main lift. The weights on your regular bench press start to feel lighter again. You'll feel a powerful, confident lockout you haven't felt before.
• After Week 8 (Test Day): Take a few days of light activity, then go back to the gym and re-test your 5RM on the regular bench press. The lifter who was stuck at 165 lbs will now comfortably hit 180-185 lbs for 5 reps. That's a 10-12% strength increase in just 60 days, all from ignoring the main lift and attacking the weak link.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What If I Have Multiple Weak Points?

Pick one. Trying to fix everything at once fixes nothing. Identify the weak point that is holding back your number one goal lift. If your bench press is your priority, focus on your triceps for an 8-week block. Then, you can shift focus to your squat's weak point in the next 8-week block. Serial focus is far more effective than parallel effort.

The Difference Between Weak Points and Soreness

Soreness (DOMS) just tells you which muscles you damaged during a workout. A weak point is a performance bottleneck that causes you to fail a lift. If your chest is extremely sore the day after benching, but your triceps gave out first on every single set, your triceps are the weak point. Don't confuse the feeling of work with the cause of failure.

Incorporating Unilateral (Single-Limb) Work

Unilateral exercises, like a dumbbell bench press or Bulgarian split squat, are fantastic diagnostic tools. If your left arm consistently fails 2 reps before your right arm on a dumbbell press, you have a clear strength imbalance. The fix is simple: add one extra set just for the weaker side at the end of the exercise.

How Often to Re-Assess Weak Points

Don't get stuck in a loop of constant analysis. Run a dedicated 8-12 week training block focused on fixing one specific weak point. After that cycle, re-test your main lift. If it has improved significantly, you know it worked. A new plateau may reveal a new weak point. You only need to run this full diagnostic process 2-3 times per year, not every week.