Yes, I sent the form and entry fee last week.
Trash week
Bench warm up sets bar, 95, 135, 185, 225, 245
265x2 w/ pause and press command
275 pause
295 pause
I didn’t feel like going any higher. I am trying to keep the form like Tate instructs, but I keep getting my elbows flared out. Still, though, a 3 lb PR.
DB bench
5x70’s
5x105’s
4x125’s
Screwed around with facepulls, triceps extensions, shrugs, and preacher curls.
I’m pretty happy with the bench, but I’d like to video and get some critique.
I know what you mean about keeping form on the heavy bench attempts. A lot of people struggle with it, me included.
Truthfully though, I don’t really worry about it. When I am doing my working sets & AMRAP sets in 5-3-1, I’m sure to keep the proper pressing form, but when I go for a heavy single, I just let my strongest muscles take over to push the weight up.
My line of thinking is that eventually my strongest muscles will be the ones involved in the proper form, and the heavy singles will take care of themselves as that occurs (and I can lift heavier weight in the meantime).
I haven’t maxed on bench in a while–I think I’ll give that a shot next week since I’m just kind of haphazardly doing 5-3-1 right now anyway on account of my back injury.
Man 295 is a HEAVY bench. I have a similar problem where I also catch my elbows flaring out at times.
Deload week sucks, lol. I’m glad mine is over.
Back in action - Cycle 3, Week 1
I’ve adjusted assistance to model Dave Tate’s Max Effort/Dynamic Effort model in the Periodization Bible. Monday is now Squat day, Tuesday OHP, Thursday DL, Friday Bench. M/T will be max effort days for squat/dead and bench, respectively. Th/F will be dynamic effort days for squat/dead and bench, respectively.
Squat Day
A lot of warmups
255 x 5
295 x 5
335 x 5
I could have gone harder, but it’s my first day back from vacation and I told myself before the workout I would only do 5. I focused on form and I’m happy with the result.
Good Mornings (Max Effort)
Bar x 10 x 2
115 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 8
205 x 4
225 x 4
245 x 3
265 x 3
295 x 3
I’ve never done GM’s before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I had a fairly experienced power lifter show me how to do them and he said my form was good. I have a good feel for how I’ll do them, so my goal for the next session is a 3RM of 315. We’ll see how it goes.
DB Rows
10x105
10x125
Back Raise / Half-Ass GHR (poor equipment for GHR, but I try to make due)
BW x 15
25 x 15
25 x 15
35 x 15 on back
Leg raises x ~10-15 in between those
Good workout for the first day back. I’m happy with the GM’s. I hope they will help me keep my arch coming out of the hole on squats. My HR was pretty high the whole time, probably due to all the time off.
Nice session after a week off, great stuff!
Cycle 3, Week 1
OHP / Max Effort Bench
OHP
bar x 8 x 2
95 x 5
115 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5
150 x 5
165 x 7
I’m not too down on this performance. I am very sore from yesterday’s workout and softball last night. Not my best output, but not too bad.
Pin Press 2" off chest
Bar x 6
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
255 x 3
275 x 2
285
295
305 PR
315 PR
Very happy with these results. 305 went up easy. 315 felt like a little gas was left in the tank. I’ll go for another PR next week on Tuesday.
Bench Assist Circuit
Small cable station, two adjustable cables with a pullup bar in the middle.
5 x Through the following, very little rest in between, one set at a time on each
Triceps push down 85, 90, 95, 100, 110
10 - 15 Straight arm lat push downs @ 45
5 dead hang wide grip pullups
This was fun and I think it will really help my bench. My weak spot is getting off my chest at the beginning, so lat strength needs to improve to give me that stability to drive off of.
Overall, a good workout. OHP was a little off, but I’ll bounce back next week.
That’s good stuff right there. I’ll sign up for those numbers 
Cycle 3, Week 1
DL / Dynamic Squat Day
DL
about 5 warmup sets
290 x 5
330 x 5
375 x 8
I’m OK with that. I was still crazy sore from Monday’s workout. Funny thing is now I’m over it. Hopefully my muscles are all woke up and ready to kick some butt next week.
Dynamic Effort
Box Squat for speed
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
195 x 3 (first real set)
225 x 3
245 x 3
275 x 3
285 x 3
295 x 3
315 x 3 (started to lose some bar speed)
315 x 3 (regained bar speed)
Leg raises w/ buddy throwing legs
30x2
Ab Wheel
3 x 15
Medicine ball wall slams
25 each side
This workout took a long time, but I think it was good. I’m happy with the dynamic effort. It feels like my CNS is recovering from the max effort already. Looking forward to a good bench day tomorrow.
Awesome deads man. Do you use straps or wear a belt?
[quote]Soda Popinski wrote:
Awesome deads man. Do you use straps or wear a belt? [/quote]
Belt for anything over 315 and chalk
Cycle 3 / Week 1
Bench Dynamic Effort
Bench
bar x 5
bar x 5
95 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
165 x 5
215 x 5
225 x 5
240 x 8
Decent set. The calculation doesn’t come out very well, but I felt like the weight didn’t matter from 215 to 240. It all felt the same. I left some in the tank for dynamic effort.
Dynamic effort bench with pause at bottom
155 x 3
175 x 3
185 x 3
185 x 3
195 x 3 x 6 sets
I was able to maintain bar speed except for one set when my partner forgot what we were doing and left me without a “press” command for about 5 seconds. This is a pretty cool exercise and I hope it will help me get off the bottom on max attempts with the pause.
Arm and chest killing circuit
Keep in mind, this is after 20 sets on bench press…
10 dips, 6 pull ups, 10 DB presses (weights touch shoulders and pause at bottom) w/ 70’s (last round with 50’s) No Rest! 3 times through…I was ready to die.
So then I did 5 farmer carries to failure…
Stretched a little on the way out and decided, what the heck, let’s do 6 wide grip pullups.
Done. I’ve earned this weekend break.
Same here. When I go over 3 plates I do belt & chalk. Only thing that sucks is my gym doesn’t allow chalk so I gotta be sneaky.
That looks like a draining session. Great work bro! Enjoy the weekend…
Cycle 3 - Week 2
Squat Max Effort Day
Squat
3 sets w/ bar
115 x 5
135 x 5
210 x 5
225 x 5
240 x 5
260 x 3
315 x 3
330 x 3
350 x 8 PR
I was able to really get my bar position locked in for the last set. The weight felt easy and I was able to keep my arch without a problem at all until the last rep. I could have definitely done at least one more, but my arch was no longer tight, so I stopped.
Good Mornings
95 x 3
135 x 3
155 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3
295 x 3
305 x 3 PR
Good Mornings felt easier this time and I worked up to my PR faster since I’ve now at least done them once before. If my squat performance is any indication, these are working.
Back Raise / Inverted Row superset no rest
5 times through 15 / 15
BW / BW
12 lb med ball / BW
12 / BW
25 plate / BW
25 plate / BW
5 reps on hang leg, abs still hurt from Friday. Lowers are strained, but no big deal.
Stretched and did a few pull ups.
Jeez bro those are some insane squats.
Thanks. They felt good.
Cycle 3, Week 2
OHP / Bench Max Effort Day
Today SUCKED. I couldn’t generate any power from my left arm. It felt like I tried to throw 100 MPH without a warmup, but I’m right handed, so go figure. Low bar squat position puts a lot of strain on my shoulder and it shoots down my arm, so I know the culprit. I just have to manage it better.
OHP
bar x 5
bar x 5
95 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
175 x 7
Decent output. I can live with that.
Pin Press (max effort bench)
bar x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
255 x 3
275 x 1
295 x 1
320 x FAIL
This is where the arm really sucked. I could not generate any power.
Bench assist circuit
Triceps push down x 5 as heavy as I can
straight arm lat pushdown x 10-15
5 pullups
5x through no rest
I like this circuit a lot. I was able to keep moving and the weight got really heavy.
Plate raises
25x12
35x10
45x10
Weighed in a 194. Holding steady with strength gains, so that’s good. All in all a good training session, but I really wish my left arm wasn’t useless. Rest day tomorrow.
Today is also a rest day for me. It’s nice just to chill sometimes. I hope your arm is better tomorrow.
Cycle 3, Week 3
DL
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
355 x 3
405 x 6
This sucked. All of my warmup sets felt terrible. The test set felt worse. I felt like I was in a squat. Couldn’t pull. Hopefully next week will be better b/c I want to put up a big number.
Dynamic Effort Squat
135 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2
315 x 2
345 x 2 x 6
Easy, speed was good.
Abs and crap
I’m about to deadlift in an hour or so. Deads are so weird because you just never know from week to week. I’ve gone from one amazing week to one crappy week and vice versa.