The dudes close grip benching 40lbs more than my pre-CoVid bench. Pretty sure this is less tortoise and tortoise and more tortoise and teabag at this point.
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lol thanks for that vote of confidence man, but I can actually CG more that I can Bench. I donāt know why, but I just am not stable with anything wider than shoulder width. Could be some sort of shoulder instability and that translates to a wacky bench/press ratio lol.
With all that pressing you are doing, I am convinced this is going to be a tight race
Itās worth noting, Iām pretty sure my regular bench would be called close grip by most people.
I certainly hope thatās true. Iāll certainly be doing everything I can (short of chubbing up to 300lbs) to catch you.
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Donāt limit your options like that!
Ask the guineapig about trening hard and believing in yourself!
Okā¦ I should go to bed, haha.
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Tren hard, eat clen!
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Wednesday - ME Lower
Agile 8, simple 6, big 3
A) 3 rounds:
- standing cable leg curls - 25lbs x 10/leg
- cable pull through - 60lbs x 12
- toes to bar x 10
- standing calf raises x 10/leg
B) Bulgarian split squats
35lbs/hand x 8, 8, 8
C) top-down trap bar RDLs + chains (60kg)
30kg + 60kg at top x 3
80 + 60 x 3
130 + 60 (419lbs) x 4-1-1-1
80 + 60 x 12 (Dropset)
30 x 60 x 9 (drop set)
NOTES
ran this session at 1400 on two pop tarts, a glass of milk and a protein bar.
Happy with that extra rep from last week, though the cluster was one rep shorter making the overall volume the same for that top set. Four extra reps on the drop set though so thatās nice.
I like these set-extending techniques for the max effort work - I at least know that Iām getting the ā6 reps above 90%ā Dave Tate talks about.
May go for a weight vest walk later, may not. Up to the wife.
3 Likes
Chains are cool.
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Thursday- RE upper
A) 45* incline bench (Walmart rig)
55s x 15, 13, 9 (2:00 between sets)
B1) neutral chins: 12-6-3
B2) Bent over rear delt flys: 25s x 12-6-3
C1) āBTNā seated DB presses: 25s x 18, 16
C2) partial lateral raises: 25s x 10, 10
D) DB farmer walks: 55s until near fail x 2
Finisher) going to go mow the lawn in a weight vest, heart index is 101
NOTES
Iām pretty sure Iāve heard Wendler mention mixing beer with the prowler, and I did this whole work out while eyeing the beers in the fridge.
Nice trap pump though.
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Iām pretty sure this is where the gains are.
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The only ones Iāve gotten so far sadly are around the belly region, but I think I just need to up the consistency.
āāāāā
Monday - ME Upper (17/21)
Agile 8, simple 6, big 3
A1) CG Bench - 215 x 4 x 4
A2) TDB Kroc Row warm-up, sets of 3 to 126lbs
B) TDB Kroc rows - 106lbs x 20
C) Keg Press (both hands under)
100lbs x 3 (PR)
50lbs rest pause
D) Keg vipers (no eccentric)
100lbs x 25 total reps
E) Atlas stone curls - 35lbs x 12-8-5
CONDITIONING) 1.5 mile walk +45lbs vest
NOTES
Those benches felt smooth as butter and fast as lightning. Nearing the end of this program, and hoping that my switch from floor press to CG Bench isnāt going to throw things off. Floor press was just such a pain in the ass to set up in my gym, where there are literally 4 competition-grade benches. Plus, back can tolerate flat heeled benching again so I decided to make the switch.
Happy with the three reps on the hundred-pounder. The sloshing around just makes it so damn difficult to control. Iām excited to see how itāll carryover to other pressing.
I also recommend atlas stone curls, for no other reason than they just feel more manly than regular curling.
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Tuesday - ME lower
Agile 8, simple 6, big 3
A1) GHR dropset (hands behind head > hands on chest > push off at bottom) - 3 sets, hit 10 strict on first go
A2) standing single leg calf raises- 3 x10
A3) 3 x 2 vertical jumps - damn near touched the ceiling lights
B) Axle reverse lunges
30lbs x 10
80 x8
120 x 6
C) atlas stone to shoulder
115 x 2
145 x 2
175 x 2
215 x 1
Finisher) 100lb keg carry (front) x 250 meters
2 x 10 burpees as penalty for each drop. Did this outside, and the concrete burned like hell on my hands.
NOTES
feeling out the waters here. Weāll see how the back feels later but otherwise good workout.
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I really love that everytime I come into this log Iām going to see something different and imaginative.
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Haha, thanks partner. Iām pretty sure that if I actually disliked training Iād have probably made more progress ironically, but I donāt mind leaving a little bit of that on the table to have some fun.
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Stronger but more miserable feels like a poor compromise to me. Iām sure many would disagree.
lol, for sure. I like being miserable sometimes, it helps me get in touch with my primal side. Boredom is my true arch enemy
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Friday - RE upper p.1
45* incline DB Bench
Misload - 55lbs left, 50lbs right x 20
Sunday - RE upper p.2
A) Dips 20-11-6
B) TRX chins 8-5-3
Using 25lb DBs
C1) DB press, pause at forehead x 10
C2) partial laterals x 10
C3) rear delt flys
D) cross body hammer curls
25lbs x 21-11-7
NOTES
scale read 187 this morning, which is some sort of anomaly but still cool to see it that high. Weight is hovering closer to 180 in the mornings vs 175, which is positive. Been drinking a protein shake after every meal, and it looks like itās paying off.
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Weight update
So for several days in a row now Iām weighing north of 185 in the morning - clocked in at 186.5lbs this am. (6ā tall for reference, donāt know bf % but it was probably around 11-12% before the push, now more like 15% Iād say).
Iāve had a high sodium intake and have been drinking some beers, but that never really causes a weight spike in the past. I HAVE been drinking a powdered pedialyte per day, so maybe thatās having a fluid retention effect? Thatās my best guess, but I like seeing the scale this high. I have a small layer of fluff around the lower abs, but am looking pretty full.
Goal is to hit 190 or just north of it and very slowly recomp. That, or as 200 is a goal for one day but am already nearing that supposed 35 threshold, perhaps I should do it sooner than later. May just keep the train moving if the tracks have enough grease.
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Grease will definitely help you crack the 200lbs mark. Lots of bacon and burgers in your future
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@dagill2 right when I get away, they try to pull me back in
āāā
ME Upper
A1) CG Bench
45 x 3
135 x 3
185 x 3
205 x 3
230 x 3
230 x 3
230 x 3
230 x 7
A2) TDB Row triples (Kroc warm up)
B) TDB Kroc Rows
106lbs x 21/arm
C) 50 pull-aparts
D) barbell strict press
135lbs x 7-4-2
E1) farmer handle scap shrugs - 52lbs x 21,15,9
E2) atlas stone curls - 35lbs x 21,15,9
Finisher) keg carry - 100lbs x 250m
One drop, penalty of 10 burpees
NOTES
the concrete was scalding so had to take a moment between every couple of burpees to let my hands cool off.
Repping out the bench wasnāt part of the plan, but I just felt like it. Hopefully it wonāt throw things out of whack too much.
The first 1/3 of the rest pause on strict press I had my hands way too wide - ring finger on the rings. I brought them in to just outside of shoulder with and it felt better.
The keg carry sucked. The only reason I PRed on it from last time is because I couldnāt fathom having to do a second set of burpees. Penalties are cool like that I guess.
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Tuesday - ME Upper
Agile 8, simple 6, Big 3
A1) CG Bench (19/21)
45 x 2
135 x 2
185 x 2
225 x 2
245 x 2
245 x 2
245 x 2
245 x 5
A2) Circus DB rows
83lbs x 3 x 10
Tried some power stairs, bailed
B) TDB 30* incline bench
70s x 11
80s x 8
80s x 5
C) 12ā log cleans from pins at hip
135lbs x 25 total reps
D) axle curls
30lbs x 63
Finisher) wood log carry - 500ā total
NOTES
Went ahead and took me a Deload week. Fatigue was building up and lots of house projects + work travel.
Estimated max of 285 on close grip bench. Hopefully it plays out well. Iām so tired of CG benching - no idea how powerlifters can get jazzed about hitting the same damn lifts week after week after week.
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