The basics:
Height: 5’4"
Weight: 110-ish TINY
Age: 45
Best Squat: 155 raw; 225 geared
Best Bench: 100 raw; 116.5 geared
Best DL: 225 raw; 245 geared
Six USAPL powerlifting meets under my belt. Rotator cuff surgery and insertion of five anchors in May 2010.
Nice shoulder.
You have a log?
already? why it seems just like yesterday you started the first one.
which should be linked in your first post, by the way
Really nice delt/pec tie in. George is the new forum posting sheriff.
[quote]hel320 wrote:
Really nice delt/pec tie in. George is the new forum posting sheriff.[/quote]
naw - i just like harassing snapper since i have actually met her
I love that picture of you. Strong and sexy, all at once.
Looking forward to following your ongoing adventures Snapper 
Strong and sexy. Yep. That’s my goal.
Today was a benching day. And not a good one. I am really, really struggling. Couldn’t hit the reps at the prescribed weight today. My right shoulder just gave out. Several times. No pain, luckily. Just no strength. To say I am frustrated is an understatement. My left (good) arm presses and my right (bad) lags, sometimes won’t even press off my chest more than a few inches.
After many sets and increasing frustration, I did reverse bands to three boards up to a double at 115 lb., which is slightly more than bodyweight. Very, very nervous and bitchy about being nervous and weak. I have found that I’m actually stronger and more stable with a narrow grip at this point, which of course makes the stroke that much longer. And I already have a very long stroke.
Then I followed up the benching with bentover BB rows, lots of tricep work, lats, and cuff stuff.
I’m working on a plan that will incorporate a second day of benching each week. Low weights and high reps. Also, I keep vowing to start swimming. Perhaps that would strengthen my shoulder?
Here’s hoping Friday’s training is more positive.
I’m not a swimmer but it seems that at low intensity the movement of a crawl may help with range of motion and endurance. I think any movement with some type of resistance will re-build your base strength and, perhaps more importantly, your confidence…
That training session sounded really frustrating. I don’t know much about swimming, but I do think that high volume, low weight benching would be a great idea. What about some time on the Concept II?
I had to assuage my male ego by cranking out 10 chinups at the end of my last workout. I can’t get my chin as far above the bar as you, but that’s because of my bad levers…yeah, that’s it…
Nice work in here. Confidence is a process, not an on/off switch; you’ll be fine.
Edit: my .02 would be to add a day of dumbbell benching, which imo is a better way to bring up the strength of a weak side.
Sorry about the tough bench day. No need to panic though. Look to other variables rather than your strength to explain your performance–perhaps it was just a bad day. Perhaps it is just fear holding you back? You trust your coach right? He wrote your program? Don’t think so much. That’s why you have a coach. You do what he says. Does he want you to swim and do an extra bench day?
[quote]Nadia Comeandeat wrote:
Don’t think so much. [/quote]
And herein lies the problem: my overanalyzation of the minute details of one training day.
I think punnyguy is right. I should do DB presses to help equalize the strength of my arms.
I think some dumbbell asst. work is good regardless. I am going to do less bar work for upper days (probably keep 5-3-1 money set with the bar and that’s it) and more dumbbells for asst. because I think its easier on my elbows and shoulders and promotes stability and strength parity.
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
I think some dumbbell asst. work is good regardless. I am going to do less bar work for upper days (probably keep 5-3-1 money set with the bar and that’s it) and more dumbbells for asst. because I think its easier on my elbows and shoulders and promotes stability and strength parity. [/quote]
x2 I do all my bench assistance with DB’s some of it neutral grip.
I was a competitive swimmer in my youth, shoulder injuries (esp. tendonitis) are pretty common. Start slow/low volume, and don’t just swim freestyle.
Since I love the sound of “I’m right”, I’m going to run with it… :-))
I think you should actually do one-armed db presses, starting with your left arm of course. For most people, core strength is the limiting factor here, but given the light weight that you’ll probably be using, I’m pretty sure that won’t be your problem.
Imo, as much as muscle parity, you need to re-establish the mind-muscle connection between your brain and your (formerly) injured shoulder, so that under duress, your brain will have the confidence to tell your left arm to get off it’s duff.
My 2 bits.
sorry I’m late droppin in - love the opening pic. Those arms cut steel
What the hell?! You have your shirt on in the new picture. Disappionting.
(and don’t tell me I was the only one)
