[quote]theuofh wrote:
My latest system when my bench seemed to be moving up steadily was a simple volume based progression w/ heavier speed work on another day.
I’d pick a modest number I could hit for sets of 5 on any day, then add 10lbs a week over 3-4 weeks to like 3 sets of 5 PR on the 3rd or 4th week volume day. I was alternating between 1 board and flat bench for this before I hurt my wrist. I was also doing up to a heavy single or double off boards w/ some chain, before doing the volume stuff as down sets.
I’d have an off day every once in awhile, but I was able to get into a nice groove doing that, but then I injured my hand.
32 hours on a bus sounds miserable. Good luck with the travels.
[/quote]
So benching 1 day a week and working up to something heavy with chain/band/rev band/boards, then doing 3x5 to chest or 1-board afterward? That might work. I don’t seem to respond well to just volume without any heavy work, but combining the two (probably reduce heavy volume a smidge) sounds promising.
One thing about the AVG pms benching is on the high-rep set of 275 my lats were more fatigued than my pressing muscles, it seemed.
[quote]grettiron wrote:
Regular benching was ok, felt a little weak though. It seems I can hit 275 pretty much any day of the week but it hasn’t gotten any easier and I think I need a more structured plan to increase it. I will meditate on this some during my 32 hr bus ride.[/quote]
Well, it’s one or more of a few things… You’re slow, your triceps are weak, your pecs/shoulders are weak, you have trouble with the transition a few inches off the chest, your form is bad, you aren’t really staying tight, no leg drive, lats aren’t helping you off the chest, grip is in the wrong spot, you need to use a false grip, mobility is poor (or flexibility), your back is too weak, your ass/glutes are too small, or you are just weak.
That was easy right? Just work on all these things right? Good luck, I have been moving super slow on the bench for quite some time too.[/quote]
I know!! With squats and deads the answer is usually something simple like “more ham and back work” and “get tighter”. I guarantee my chest is weak. Might need to try false grip. Getting some decent leg drive (HEELS! HEELS!), my ass is full and supple, not sure if lats are helping properly, not sure if bar path is good or where my scaps need to be exactly (don’t say back and down, that destroys my shoulder), mobility is decent, tris could be weak, might be slow and babying my shoulders, definitely having trouble with the transition a few inches off the chest, and clearly with 275 at like 185 I’m just plain weak. Stupid bench.
squat machine - feet way out to hit the glutes
5x10 calf raises
superset
sissy squat/GHR
4x10
stretch
515x2 was not bad. 2nd one felt a lot slower than it looked. 475 + chains was almost everything that I hoped it would be. Tried to keep the hips down on the second attempt (prevent them from shooting up at the start of the lift) and couldn’t get it to the knees even. Actually it was very revealing in that my adductors need a lot more training if I want to keep those hips down. I have a few ideas and will try some things out on Monday.
Never seen this kind of squat machine before but it was fucking awesome. Basically no back stress and a shit ton of quad and glute stress. Definitely gonna hit this thing some more. Tried front squatting in the sissy stand but goblet sissy squats are better for the quad isolation so I will stick with them. BW about 185 after training so I didn’t lose too much over the long weekend.
[quote]grettiron wrote:
my ass is full and supple[/quote]
Hmmm…interesting
[/quote]
Unsolicited confirmation by a group of homosexual men on the streets of Minneapolis yesterday.[/quote]
Scoops had a guy offer him $10 to take his shirt off one time.
smith BTN press
4x10 or so fat rotator bar pulldown
superset
arm stuff, random shit
Forgot that the big collars are 2.5kg each so got a surprise snatch PR. Weight is probably a couple lbs higher than posted but whatever. BW snatch is not so bad for a recreational snatcher I think. Unfortunately I’m favoring my right leg pretty heavily in the hole… it’s almost embarrassing. Not sure how to fix that.
Part of the random shit at the end was a pec dec flye/machine should press superset. That gave me a ridiculously massive pump in the pecs and shoulders… almost painful it was so full. Needless to say I will be hitting that shit up again to build my collar a little. Tried to take a picture but the pump was so ridic I couldn’t hold the camera still.
Also my back is destroyed for some reason. Using chains on the pullups was a nice change and made it a little easier on the body.
[quote]grettiron wrote:
my ass is full and supple[/quote]
Hmmm…interesting
[/quote]
Unsolicited confirmation by a group of homosexual men on the streets of Minneapolis yesterday.[/quote]
Scoops had a guy offer him $10 to take his shirt off one time.[/quote]
Man, if you said that to a chick I bet you’d get a lawsuit. Orrr an eyeful of titty? Do girls these days do that?
leg extension/curl/seated calf raise
3x10+, 1xAMRAP
stretch like whoa
So I’m not imagining things, one box is several inches lower than the one I used originally. This became obvious on the first set of 505 when I broke parallel and went deeper but still couldn’t find the box. The was perplexing and it ended up being a pause squat attempt. Added 1" and still below parallel and things went much better. But that missed rep was also a wasted wrapped set. Seems I can only get 4 sets wrapped in before my knees are tenderized. SSB SPD was very effective. I did feel it in the adductors and on the 305 set my core was tighter than ever in my life. It was pretty ridiculous. Showed no mercy on the last set of extensions/curls and it was good.
Benching was pretty decent. 1 board presses were paused and I was messing around with false grip as well as setup. Before my camera died, I determined that the right arm was getting too much of the load and consciously trying to involve the left arm seemed to help. 3rd rep at 265 was slow to lockout. Might try chains next week. Wide incline presses were pretty damn awesome. Next time I will superset machine pullovers with front raises. Pump was acceptable but not as good as last time (curses).
Also, I determined that bench days will involve only the lightest of back movements for recovery purposes only. It gets the shit beat out of it 3x per week and I think if lifting 4 days/week is going to continue I have to take it pretty easy on bench and maybe press day as well (except for pullups).
RDL on box - CH = 2x75lb bundles, one link on the ground at the top so about 150lb total.
135,225,315x5, 405x3, (belt) 455x3, 365+CHx3, 405+CHx3, 455+CHx1
DB walking lunge
55s,75s,95s,125s,140s one trip each seated calf raise
superset
sissy squat stand was in use, so: vertical leg press
1,2,3,4PPSx10+, 5PPSxAMRAP (15?) standing calf raise
stretchhhhh
RDLs went well today. Pretty stoked about 455+chains because it was probably around 600 at lockout. It was a little slow after the clearing the knees haha. Walking lunges were tough as always. vertical leg press was actually pretty sweet! Tried doing GHRs but my calves were cramping really badly so I cut that out.
mil press
95,115,135x5, 155x2 (felt like shit), power clean & press: 155,185x5, 205x2, 225x.9 (argh), 225x1 pullup - CH is 75lb bundle, comes completely off the floor about 3/4 way up
BW,45x10, CHx5, 45+CHx2,2,2,2,2, CHx10+
HS BTN press
4x10+, 2x15 HS low row
superset 10+
arm stuff
stretch
Irritated that I didn’t lock 225 out the first time, but came back and nailed it on attempt 2. Didn’t want to do full cleans as my legs and back took a beating yesterday. My military press technique is fucking terrible… I basically push forward and up instead of back and up. Idiot. Chain pullups hit the lats hard. BW is about 188 after lifting. 190 here I come! Of course this means I’m getting relatively weaker but the strength should catch up eventually.
leg extension/curl/seated calf raise
3x10, 1xAMRAP
PVC/LAX roll and stretch
Not really sure what the 455 set was… I really think it was 455x3 but that heaviest chain squat wiped my memory. Not 100% sure about 405+CHx2 either but I think so. 455+CH felt pretty damn heavy haha but I think it was a smoke show. That’s the first time I’ve ever had 600 on my back, even though it’s not real weight. Didn’t video for some reason. Thought repping out 455 was gonna happen but body said hell no. Had a lot more reps in me at 315 but kept hitting the stupid safety pins. SSB sumo lift was ridiculous again. Adductors, glutes, low/mid/upper back and abs were all wrecked. Pretty curious to see how sumo deads go on Thursday.
Tweaked a stabilizer in my back wrapping up for 405+CH. Not PVC rolling before lifting probably contributed; also the box I was sitting on was too high and too much lumbar flexion was involved.
bench - CH is probably 120 at the top or so (few more links on the ground than before)
135x15+, 155x10, 185x7, 225x3, 135+CHx5, 185+CHx3,2, 215x3x5 inverted row
superset
high-incline bench
135,155x10, 175x7+3, 185x4, WG normal incline: 135x2x10 WG NG cable row
superset
machine pullover/plate front raise
3x10, 1xAMRAP
pec dec flye/machine shoulder press
3x10, 1xAMRAP
stretch
Benching with chains was fun. Chain sets were paused kind of on accident… descended pretty slowly each rep to stay in the groove. Did not like the high-inclines at all. I do them for the upper chest work and they did not work the upper chest very much. Normal incline is much better. The pullover/plate raise superset is good as is the flye/machine press. It seems to be working as the pecs are looking fuller every week! Well still utterly tiny compared to the back but whatever I’ll get there.
Yesterday my back was still jacked up from getting tweaked on Monday so I just foam/LAX rolled and skipped lifting. I’m glad because pulls were feeling pretty fast today. Went for 555 and it was pretty slow but I got it. Back and adductors felt fine but my poor glutes were hit hard haha. Unfortunately I weighed in at a beefy 188 so it’s no longer 3x but hopefully I’ll get that 585 pull this year for 3x+.
Stupid bench.
