Conquering Bench Press Conundrum

Training Training Logs
341

Today started off feeling tired and lazy then got better on the last exercise.

Recovery Squat:
Incline Bench: 45x10, 65x5, 95x5, 115x3, 135x1, 165x2, 140x8
Didn’t bother doing a 3rd rep cuz I know I was going to fail. It was honestly very hard. 140 also felt unproportionally more difficult than 135.

Squat: 175x2x5
My gym got a leather weightlifting belt. Squatted first set in it. Then found one of those things that elevate your heels and second set felt really good, without leaning forward on my toes.

Dumbbell BP: 80x6, 130x4, 130x2x7, 130x5.5
In total, I did 23 reps which means I can do 130 for 3x6 which means next week I can use them 70lb dumbbells! First set only did 4 cuz I fell off the bench in the process of laying down, had to pick myself and the weights up again, which for me, is very taxing.

Ended with those rowing things people use for cardio with 6 pullups in between. Did 3 of these in total.

On a side note, my bench has really been improving. I am scheduled to have a 170x3 incline in 3 weeks, which means I will have added 25-30lbs on my bench in 2 months and 1 week. Hands down, most increase I’ve had on bench since ever. Following incline, I will, depend on how I feel, switch to OHP or CGBP as main upper movement for a month before going back to flat bench confident with a 225 bench @ 155lbs :slight_smile:

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do it and take a video, I will bake you a cookie

lol srs I hope you can do it kiddo

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Thanks man, and I will vieotape it, big milestone. In september I will be gr 11, and I’m planning to enter gr 12 with a 315 bench @ 170-180 bodyweight.

Meanwhile, really humid in Toronto today. Doing high reps for me is cardio, mixed with heat is not a good feeling.

Pumping Iron:
Pushups: BWx10, 45x3x10
45 sec to 1 min rest between. Last set had to struggle a bit on the last rep.

Machin Low Bar Row: 140x2x10, x12
Really, really, really easy. Squeeze lats and back on almost every rep, very strict form. Minimum rest.

One Hand Tricep Extension: 25x3x8
These were not so easy. But works tricep more than both hand cuz I can squeeze the triceps more.

Dumbbell Row: 70x3x10
These were THE cardio of the day. Honestly out of breath at the 6-7th rep lol.

Ended with some 20 reps of tricep extension with both hand @50lb. I need to eat more healthy though, gained some really unnecessary fat over the past week again.

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A random thought, I weight around 158 with approx 13-15% bodyfat, which means only 130-135lbs bodyweight is actually lean muscle. So if I cut the fat down to 8-10% @ maybe 150lbs, I really shouldn’t lose much muscle if any at all while pound for pound strength ratio for me will be higher. Cuz really, since fat don’t have any muscle fibers, im really lifting weights using 85% of my BW and I can really do without 5% of fat.

More motivation to do cardio.

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But less fat will change your leverages, you never know if you’ll be stronger that way untill you try it

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My leverages? Well, the father of a friend of mine ordered Insanity yesterday soo…

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Long and shit day

Intensity Squat:
Squat: 135x5, 155x5, 185x5, 205x3, 225x1, 245x1, 275x1. 315x0
Attempted and failed 315 today, had nothing to lose anyway. Taking this week off from squatting.

Ohp: 65x5, 95x10
meh

Deadlift: 225x3, 275x1, 295x1, 340x0
Fucking bar slipped out of my hand, failed rep cuz of grip.

Pullups: ~50

Haven’t had a lot of sleep lately, when school is over imma get my shit together, meanwhile I am seriously at lost here on squat. Planning to follow the prelipin table for it.

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Was so unproductive today

Volume Squat:
Squat: 135x5, 185x2x5
Tried to low bar squat but no elbow flexibility at all. Meanwhile, keeping everything light.

Dumbbell Row: 75x3, 100x8, x6
My grip is getting worse for some reason? I used to be able to hold the dumbbell and pump out 3 reps with it without dropping, but now I have to do all of them in singles and the dumbbell always tip towards my wrist and brusing it.

Pullups: ~45
Easy.

Bench Press: 115x2x5, x15
Normal grip, felt harder today.

Need super recovery, feeling pretty shit lately.

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Feeling great today. Haven’t felt soo in tune with my body in a long time lol.

Recovery Bench Day:
Incline Bench: 45x10, 65x5, 95x5, 115x3, 140x1, 165x3, 140x9
The 3rd rep @ 165 was HARRDD, i was hoping to get 4 :frowning: The 140x9 was a pretty good improvement from last week, clean reps with ass on the bench the whole time.

Squat: 135x5, 175x2x5, 135x10
Used a pinky-less grip for a lowER-bar squat, keyword being lower. Not sure low enuf for a true low bar though.

Dumbbell Bench: 90x6, 140x3x5
Last set failed halfway while attempting rep no.6 Still, pretty happy with this.

Pullups: x6, x8, x3x10
Felt not so easy.

Ended with some cardio, most intnese I’ve done in a long time.

Seems like I won’t get 170x3 for incline next week. I blame my lack of recovery for the past week or the fact that it’s a sign for me to rotate my lift.
Did a litle shoulder flexibility thing yesterday and today, for low bar squat. I think Im feeling a difference already :slight_smile:
Started Intermittent Fasting yesterday, fasting from 8pm - 12pm, then feed from 12pm - 8pm. Not really planning to cut with it, im still taking in my normal macros.

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Fasting? Why doee

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cuz it sounds like a good diet plan that fits my summer schedule.

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Moved yesterday and tomrrow’s workouts to today.

Alot of Things Day:
Squat: 135x5, 155x5, 185x5, 205x3, 225x1, 245x1, 290x1
Idk, up to 225, everything felt very light. Lower bar squat, the 1 precious rep @ 290 almost tipped me over.

OHP: 45x5, 65x5, 95x1, 115x5, x3
Good thing that I finally made 115 my 5rm. Not very good form though.

Seated Dumbbell OHP: 80x6, 90x2, 110x2, 90x8, 100x6
Figured I need way more should work. Seat not perpendicular to the ground, more like 95 degrees.

Deadlift: 225x3, 275x1, 280x10
Was gonna hit a 1rm, then changed my mind. Felt way harder than 275x10. E1RM is 373, I call bullshit on that, but when I strengthen my grips, 365 should be no problem.

Curlz: 55x6x6, x10
Very short rest, super slow negatives, like 3 seconds for each negative. Wasn’t sure if it was 6x6 but felt like I need more bicep. Perhaps incorporating that program on the article posted on the front page couple of days ago.

Low Bar Row: 140x4x6
Grip was dead. Slow negatives too.

Pushups: 35x10, 45x2x10, x9
Could have gotten one more rep out of the last set, but chose to reserve.

A lot of things are going right while squat is perhaps the only thing hurting. I don’t ever wannt to test a 1rm on squat again until I regain my confidence. Gonna follow something else only for squat.

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Thinking of cycling sheiko for squat and deadlift while maintaining my current bench routine cuz it works. Starting on sunday, really have to revamp my frankenstein routine.

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Random Shit Day:
Bench Press: 115x2x5, x15
First set experienced some shoulder pain

Preacher Curls: 65x2x8, x6, 60x3x8
Short rest, slow for the pump

Cable Pullover: 45x10, 50x10, 57.8x9
Haven’t done these in a while.

Can’t figure out what to do for my upper back. Dumbbell row doesn’t go high enuf and there’s no point in aiming for reps. Pendlay row feels awkward, shoulder not flexible enuf I guess. Incline 170 on saturday.

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Kroc rows are meant to be high reps. You can’t flatten your lower back during Pendlay rows either because hip mobility or hamstring flexibility. :slight_smile:

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well kroc row still sucks. I don’t like bruising my wrist every time I do a rep.

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Earned $100 renovating a backyard yesterday. Shoveled gravels and topsoil for 4 hours and carried flagstones and other type of rocks for 3 hours. Pretty tiring though the guy who hired us bought us hamburgers.

All Bench Day:
Incline Bench: 45x10, 65x5, 75x5, 95x5, 115x3, 135x1, 145x1, 170x2, 140x8
-1 rep @ 140 might have been due to the bad 1st rep, 2nd rep @ 170 was a grind. This is pretty bad. Next week will be the last week of this incline cycle.

Dumbbell Bench: 80x6, 140x5, x2x6, x8
Here’s a dumbfounder. This is at least a 3rep PR. How does this explain my failure @ Incline? Nevertheless, happy about this, next week I get to use 75lb dumbbells.

Preacher Curls: 65x7, 55x5x8
All about the pump.

Pullups: ~35
Did these in an empty subway.

Possibly going to the gym again for bodybuilding stuff, starting sheiko 29 for deadlift and squat.

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Pumping Iron:
Weighted Pushups: 45x3x10
Easy.

Chest Supported T-Bar Row: 45x10, 80x10, 90x3x10
Last set of 90 was done after about 5 minuts.

One-Arm Tri Extension: 20x10, 25x10, 30x3x8
Short rest.

Low Bar Row: 140x2x8
Nothing much

Preacher Curls: 55x5x8
Easy enuf, hard on my wrist though.

Boring day, nothing exciting.

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Fuck sheiko, Im too noob to start it. Linear progression till I start giving a shit about my squat. My workouts are gonna be distinguished by Squat and Deadlift days while pairing my upper body stuff with them.

Squat Day:
Squat: 135x5, 155x5, 185x5, 205x3, 225x2, 245x1, 275x2x3, x1
Ripped my pants on the first rep of the first set @ 275 lol. Overall, not to dissapointed after not squatting for a week. Gonna go by 3x3 from now.

OHP: 45x5, 65x5, 95x1, 120x2x3, 100x8
These felt really easy. For once, ohp doesn’t feel like tortures. Big PR for me :slight_smile:

Seated Dumbbell OHP: 100x6, x4, 90x2x8
Wasn’t expecting too much out of it.

Lateral Raise: 20x10x10
Cheated just a little, very little rest

Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 27.5x6x16
By 16 I mean each hand 8 per set, alternating.

Pullups: ~24
Did them in between sets of L-Raise and curls

Not a bad workout, destroyed my shorts, had to tie my sweater around my waist to cover it. Next workout will be deadlift.

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You know your week is ruined when you miss deadlifts due to GRIP problems -____-

Deadlift Day:
Deadlift: 185x5, 225x5, 275x1, 295x1, 315x4ish, 285x4ish
-Ish as in missed lockout and shit due to me dropping the bar as a result of grip fail at the top of the rep. Honestly, I feel like I could have gotten 315 for 6 or 7. Coming off the ground was easy enuf but once past my knee, my hand which faces outward just can’t hold the bar. *Sigh

Pullups: 100-120
Did this in about 45 minutes of fooling around.

Bench Press: 115x2x5, x15
Shoulder pain :S

External Rotation: 12.5x3x6
Not sure if right form, spotaneously did this with no rest in between due to shoulder pain.

Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 27.5x8x16
Six reps each set as in 8 reps per hand.

Now to fix my grip :frowning: