@Cyrrex I am. I didn’t go heavy enough on it to actually get a training stimulus from it, but it just seems a weird exercise.
@dagill2 I’ve never really tried any approaches to directly target a specific movement (save for competition training). Most of my programming has been 5/3/1 variants with a brief spell of Brian Alsruhe programming that treats the big three/four lifts the same. My deadlift and press have never really plateaued extensively, while my squat as we’ve mentioned began properly progressing once I embraced the suck. Next six weeks I’m doing some higher-volume, thrice-weekly benching so we’ll see how that goes.
The decline is weird, until it isn’t. I am so used to it that I lay down on it and do not even get a sensation that my head is so far below my knees. I even prop it up for an increased decline angle. The pressing motion feels totally normal.
Alternatively, I lay down on a flat bench and am all this doesn’t feel right wtf. Unless it is with dumbbells, at which point the universe somehow comes back into alignment.
Stressful stormy diverted flight last night and a long work day today meant I couldn’t be bothered to do my usual gym visit and instead stayed in the hotel gym. It has a barbell and half power rack so very decent.
Achievement unlocked: squat every plate in the gym. They had a pair of every plate from 20kg/45lbs to 1.25kg/2.5lbs with a couple of extra 5s for a total of 137.5kg. I was only planning to do 130ish for my overwarm single but had to throw on the rest when I realised.
Training (Lower Body)
Squat
8x20kg (44lbs/empty bar)
5x40kg (88lbs)
5x50kg (110lbs)
3x60kg (132lbs/1 plate)
2x80kg (176lbs)
1x100kg (220lbs/2 plates, but not literally in this case)
1x120kg (264lbs)
1x137.5kg (303lbs/all the plates)
9x125kg (275lbs) (PR I think)
3x110kg (242lbs)
3x100kg (220lbs)
Romanian Deadlift
10x90kg (198lbs)
8x90kg
8x90kg
Leg Extension
20x some weight
15x some heavier weight
10x even more weight
Leg Curl
20x some weight
15x some heavier weight
10x even more weight
Still travelling so no scale. Shitty night of sleep last night and only about 30m spare to train during work today before flying home, but made the most of it.
Weirdly, my pecs were really painful during all these backoff sets. They felt like they were being stretched extremely taut; I think I had a couple of extra reps on each set but that was weird and I didn’t want to push it. Maybe I can take it as a positive sign that a tighter, up-on-traps setup (thanks @Pinkylifting) is getting my pecs more involved. I suppose if they stretch and contract they’re contributing.
Strict Dumbbell Row (Braced On Bench)
15x35kg (77lbs) each arm
15x35kg (77lbs) each arm
15x35kg (77lbs) each arm
Lat Pulldown
15x52kg (115lbs)
15x52kg (115lbs)
15x52kg (115lbs)
Barbell Front Raise
15x10kg (22lbs)
10x15kg (35lbs)
8x20kg (44lbs)
Dumbbell Side Raise
20x5kg (11lbs)
20x5kg (11lbs)
20x5kg (11lbs)
Weighed in exactly the same today, which is getting a bit annoying. Waistline definitely down, though, because my belt wasn’t as tight as I’d like it during front squats today. Suppose that’s all that really matters.
Down to 236.0 today. Waistline also a little trimmer. Re-tried the wedding suit this weekend (bought tie and shoes for it) and the trousers are definitely a little less restrictive!
I can easily imagine that not being true. When my entire bench training was BBB with a low TM, I would never do a set lower than 10 reps. My max at the time was probably 80-ish but I’d put up ~60kg for 15-20 reps weekly.
@Koestrizer I’ve done 80 for 2 or 3 reps. The most I’ve benched is 85 but I never really try to max it out.
@dagill2 who knows? 65x12 is an E1RM of 91 but I doubt it translates well. If I did 80x4 which would be a similar E1RM I’d be a lot more confident of 90.
