Gotta update this log. Here is the training session from the 18th.
Bench Press
5x45
5x135
5x135
5x155
5x195
3x225
6x250 (All reps today were paused for a 1 count. I think 6 reps is a PR, but I am not too sure. I’ll look in a minute.More on this below)
3x225
5x195
(*Spotter “bumped 7”. The lift wasn’t stalling. I still had a fighting chance to get the rep. I have no fucking clue why he touched it. I am pretty sure I would have gotten it. 8 and 9 were helped by spotter.)
Incline Dumbbell Bench
75 lb dumbbells for sets of 10/10/10
80 lb dumbbells for a set of 10 (PR. Felt really good. Better than the 75’s. Will be working up here for more sets in the future.)
85 lb dumbbells for a set of 7 (Again, felt great.)
Kroc Row
130 lb dumbbell for sets of 10/10
110 lb dumbbell for sets of 10/10/5 (Really focused on form on last set.)
Difficult day with training partner. One of our other friends came with us today. He worked up to getting 155 for a double. My usual partner worked up to a grinder with 225. Decent numbers for people who don’t go to the gym regularly. On incline dumbbell bench press, the guy who benched 155 was just as strong as the guy who benched 225. Immediately the 225er went looking for bigger dumbbells, and of course turned this portion of the lift into a dick measuring contest. The 155er stayed disciplined, and the 225er started failing reps all over the place, and started to be unable to finish sets. He ended up being weaker on his sets, and having shitty sets because of it.
I noticed this, so I told him to watch the other guys set. During the set, I showed him what the 155er was doing right that he was failing to do. I told him that if he cleaned those few things up, he would instantly be stronger because he would no longer have to deal with muscling the weight back into the correct bottom position before the press. I told him that I know the strength is there, he just needs to be able to use it with the proper set up. An easy fix.
He then got pissy, told me I was wrong and didn’t know what I was talking about. (I think for a second he forgets that I can rep his max squat for 15+ on bench press.)
He then proceeded to get his shit owned by the smaller guy, and I just sat back to enjoy the show. The 155er listened to what I was telling the other guy, and got stronger on his next set. One point got particularly hilarious when the 225er was in his 3rd set and was starting to grind reps after the 2nd rep, and the 155er went over to spot him haha.
I tried to get the 225er to take a breather, reset his weights, and try to finish strong, but it was of no use.
I meanwhile decided that after working up to 75’s for the last few months it was time to move up for a set or two.
I think me and my training partner need to have a bit of a discussion on discipline, and what that means in the context of lifting. Discipline doesn’t mean that you engage in ego lifts. It doesn’t mean that you try to make a lift after you have already failed it. (Literally he would fail reps, and then bring the dumbbells down, hold them there for a second, and then try to get it again. He failed again, worse than last time, brought the weights back down for a second, and tried again. He failed even worse than the previous two times. I mean how the fuck is that supposed to foster good sets later in the workout?) It definitely doesn’t mean that you talk a bunch of shit to someone who is training you and happens to be about 400 lbs stronger than your best total on their off days. Discipline doesn’t mean that you lose focus and be a shitty spotter, and fuck up someone’s lift.
