[quote]ChaseT wrote:
Bench Press
190x5x5 5lb PR
Pendlay Row
190x5x5 5lb PR
The bench press felt really easy today. Much easier than last week.[/quote]
Good job today! It’s always nice when you come out of a session and describe it as “easy”. 
[quote]Kalle wrote:
Congrats man!!! Your real close to 3-4-5 now[/quote]
Yeah, but my bench is my hardest lift to move. I suck at benching. I have to fight for every f-ing lb. Its like my lower body is on steroids and my upper body is stuffed with estrogen. I need a solid 35lbs on my bench to hit 300, but it will happen eventually. I just need to keep pounding away at it.
[quote]xb100 wrote:
My personal bests are all gym lifts.
Bench 205
Box Squat 245
Deadlift 300x4
My short term goals are to bench 225 squat 275 and deadlift 350.
[/quote]
I think those goal are very attainable by the end of the year. Keep pushing yourself and you’ll get there!
[quote]xb100 wrote:
I normally pull conventional, but think I should switch to sumo, I will hopefully be getting some mats to deadlift off of and I will see how those work. I think my best sumo pull was 295 x 3 with a belt.
[/quote]
Give those both a try and see which one you’re more comfortable with. I tried pulling sumo as well as squatting with a powerlifting stance, but I find myself to be consistently 10-20lbs higher pulling conventional and squatting with a olympic stance. Try each of the style out for yourself and see which one you’re more comfortable. There are plenty of people doing well with any of those methods.
[quote]xb100 wrote:
My hamstring are really weak, my best GM ever was 135. I also struggle coming out of the hole on my squats, I do not know how to train for this, below parallel box squats?
[/quote]
You may want to look into doing some glute-ham raises. Since most gyms don’t have a GHR machine, you can also use the seated dips (thanks Modi!) or even the lat pull-down machines and kneel backwards on them. So, your ankles will be under the knee rest and your knees on the seat. It’s a great exercise to build your hams!
Another thing that I’ve found useful is to do heavy leg presses and using as much ROM as you can. This means, having the knees almost touching your chest on most of the leg press machines. I find that at full ROM, I can hit my hams and glutes as well as my quads.
And, you can focus less on technique than when you squat and really focus on driving your legs and generating power with them. And, loading up massive plates on the machine is also a fun ego boost and a nice psychological carryover to when you squat. 
[quote]xb100 wrote:
For my bench on the set of 185, I got stuck about 3-4" above my chest on my third rep for about 10-15 seconds. Then I switched to the board presses. I think these help out tremendously. Having strong triceps is always a good thing. I started reading articles Louie Simmons wrote ages ago and one thing I always remember is training the triceps hard.
[/quote]
Bench is my weakest lift, so I’ll let some of the experts chime in here. Hopefully those board presses would do you some good. I get stuck at the bottom so I’m trying to do some paused presses as of late. Maybe one day the bottom of my bench would be my strength then I’ll come asking you about how to bust through my plateau at 2-3 board height.
2007-10-1
ME Upper Push Deload Cycle
Bench (touch and go)
135x8
185x3
225x2
245x1
265x0
245x0
225x3,3
Lockouts from bottom (upper arm parallel to floor)
265x5 last rep held for 11 sec below lockout
265x1 held 20 sec below lockout
285x1
295x1
305x1
315x0 (did a jig on the pins, though)
Notes:
I messed up the warmup on bench. 185 was harder than it should have been and 225 definitely so. Think I’m going stale on flat bench.
Lockouts went well. No PR but almost. 315 would have been, but haven’t been able to budge it before. Made it dance - so it’s just a matter of time.
That’s enough for today. It is deload after all. Got a hell of a lat workout doing this stuff…
edit:
Weighted dips
40x8
80x4,5,3 (Base line PR)
1-arm OHP
50x8
75 3x4 (rep PR)
Standing DB triceps extensions
35 4x6
[quote]Kalle wrote:
Congrats man!!! Your real close to 3-4-5 now[/quote]
Boy, that’s just some monster weight at his body weight. The guy is less than 10 pounds heavier than me and he’s putting up a plate more than me on everything. Ouch!
[quote]Phill wrote:
Pemdas CONGRATS bro 4 plates is a huge barrier
Phill[/quote]
I was kind of worried about having a mental barrier, but some Rage Against the Machine came on and I forgot about being anxious. “A bullet in you f&%king head!” Bam strait up. After that 410 was nothing. I felt good for another 10-15lbs, but I didn’t want to get too greedy. I need to get an ipod and put some angry music on it. That shit is like a shot of adrenalin strait to your head.
[quote]jthsiao wrote:
Kalle wrote:
Congrats man!!! Your real close to 3-4-5 now
Boy, that’s just some monster weight at his body weight. The guy is less than 10 pounds heavier than me and he’s putting up a plate more than me on everything. Ouch![/quote]
I put on some weight over the past 8 weeks. I was 185 today if that makes you feel any better. If I remember correctly, that is about 15lb on you. Just keep lifting heavy shit and you will be there in no time.
Catching up on the thread…
Kalle - congrats on the new crib.
Modi - nice job box squatting, DLing Rowing. Whore.
Phill - thanks for the confirmation regarding DL’s repair. Bench just went south, gotta figger that out now. Think dips might be the thing.
meat - story of the training partner is amazing. Guess I’ll quit thinking of myself as an old man then.
xb100 - welcome. These guys’ll make you stronger just from reading their posts.
pemdas - Now that’s 4 wheelin’! Awesome!
[quote]Pemdas wrote:
I put on some weight over the past 8 weeks. I was 185 today if that makes you feel any better. If I remember correctly, that is about 15lb on you. Just keep lifting heavy shit and you will be there in no time. [/quote]
Actually, I’ve been trying to put on some weight myself as I weighed in at 175 this past weekend. I don’t plan to quit bulking 'til I hit 220-230. Anyhow, I don’t feel bad. I’ve got less than half a year of Westside under my belt and I’ve already made good progress since I’ve started. If anything, you’re an inspiration to me that someone near my weight is putting up the kind of numbers that you’re doing. I’ll keep lifting heavy and you do the same. Don’t let me catch you because here I come!
Damn youuuu! You beat me! 
Good stuff!
-Matt
[quote]Pemdas wrote:
Kalle wrote:
Congrats man!!! Your real close to 3-4-5 now
Yeah, but my bench is my hardest lift to move. I suck at benching. I have to fight for every f-ing lb. Its like my lower body is on steroids and my upper body is stuffed with estrogen. I need a solid 35lbs on my bench to hit 300, but it will happen eventually. I just need to keep pounding away at it. [/quote]
[quote]jthsiao wrote:
Pemdas wrote:
I put on some weight over the past 8 weeks. I was 185 today if that makes you feel any better. If I remember correctly, that is about 15lb on you. Just keep lifting heavy shit and you will be there in no time.
Actually, I’ve been trying to put on some weight myself as I weighed in at 175 this past weekend. I don’t plan to quit bulking 'til I hit 220-230. Anyhow, I don’t feel bad. I’ve got less than half a year of Westside under my belt and I’ve already made good progress since I’ve started. If anything, you’re an inspiration to me that someone near my weight is putting up the kind of numbers that you’re doing. I’ll keep lifting heavy and you do the same. Don’t let me catch you because here I come![/quote]
Damn you guys are on the bulking period. Probably pass me in weight soon enough, lol. I am liking the weight I am at for now… I want to stay in 200lb division for awhile longer.
jthsiao maybe I’ll lean out like you asked me when we meet “do you plan on ever being a lean 200?” LOL haha…
[quote]Kalle wrote:
Damn you guys are on the bulking period. Probably pass me in weight soon enough, lol. I am liking the weight I am at for now… I want to stay in 200lb division for awhile longer.
jthsiao maybe I’ll lean out like you asked me when we meet “do you plan on ever being a lean 200?” LOL haha… [/quote]
Well, to be a lean 200, you’ve gotta be a bulky 220-230 first. But anyhow, you’re strong enough where you can get a few more meets under your belt, then we can bulk from 200 to 220 together.
That’s my plan anyway. I’m gonna train hard, bulk up, and then lean down to compete in the 198s. This will probably be a three-four year plan just to gain the necessary muscle/strength, but that’s the goal.
First, let me say I wish I could congrat everyone individually on their training sessions…but time won’t allow it. So congrats to all.
Second, welcome to xb100. Listen to the vets on this thread and learn. Then bust your butt in the gym. If these guys can tolerate my questions, then you have nothing to worry about.
Anyway, on to todays training session:
ME Upper (Tuesday):
Notes: During a typhoon, and I sliced my hand today when I was cutting a block of cheese and the handle snapped off. The blade didn’t get me, but the metal that the handle encased caused a good gash on the top of my right hand between the thumb and forefinger…a little above the webbing.
Also got like almost 12 hours of sleep last night!
A) Flat Bench Press:
bar x20
40kg x10
50kg x5
60kg x5
70kg x3
80kg x3
90kg x1
110kg x1 (PR +2.8kg)
95kg x4 (PR +2 reps)
90kg x4 (PR +1 Rep)Should have been x5 with a PR of +2 reps but some well meaning (but clueless) dude in the gym decided to “help” me while I was still SLllllLoOOoOoowwwwwly grinding the rep out.
80kg x8 (PR +2 Reps)
Notes on the Max Effort PR: I got stuck about 2" off the chest but when I dropped my arch it broke the plane and then I re-arched as I pushed it up. My butt never left the bench though. Would this be legal in competition? Is it still a PR or a “cheating” PR?
B) Inc Bench Press
82.2kg x2 (Double PR. +2.2kg max and a +1 rep as I’ve never pushed this weight for 1, let alone 2 reps).
70kg x5
70kg x3
50kg x8
C) 90 Degree, palms up, EZ curl bar, bent over row:
bar+55kg x12,12
bar+60kg x9, x7
Notes: There’s gotta be a PR in there somewhere if I say “the first set was with 5kg more than my normal starting weight,” but even though I’m tempted to call a PR in there somewhere, I’ll wait until next week for that.
D) Tri Pressdown (at standing Lat pulldown station, with lat pulldown bar but hands almost touching).
@4th down x10 (with 1 sec pause)
@4th down x10, 9, 8 (with 2 sec pause)
A good session overall. Man, i’m so glad I’m training this way.
AD
Bench Press
45x5
70x5
95x5
120x5
145x5
190x5x5 5lb PR
Pendlay Row
95x5
135x5
190x5x5 5lb PR
Dumbbell Bench Press
70x4x10
Dip
BW+10x3x15
The bench press felt really easy today. Much easier than last week.
[quote]novaeer wrote:
10/01/07
Bench assistance
Fat-bar “soft touch” bench (pinky on rings)
bar x 10 (bar weighs 65 lb)
115 x 8
155 x 5
205 x 5
225 x 3 x 5 (all reps paused, then pressed explosively)
Reverse-grip bench press (regular bar)
185 x 8 (just to get a feel)
225 x 8
245 x 6
255 x 5 (PR, bar slipped a little in left hand, stopped)
Chest-supported row
3 plates x 8
3.5 plates x 8
4 plates x 8
4.5 plates x 7 (darn sweaty palms)
Straight-bar pushdowns
3x15
Notes: After trying to search for a substitute for the wrecker of elbows and shoulders, AKA speed bench, I sifted around EFS for a while and found something interesting that I’m going to try.
It’s called the “soft-touch” bench press; basically you just lower the bar until it touches your T-shirt but don’t let it even leave an indentation. Hold it in this position for a slight pause then press as explosively as possible. This method is supposed to teach you how to stay tight under a moderately heavy load and develop strength-speed. [quote]
well hell yhea bro paused benches are great They really help you learn to stay tight and work that lower end strength, you lose the stretch reflex. I love to hate the damn things I know Meat has used them with success as well
[quote]
The guy who wrote the article prescribed 60%, but I started a little below that just to see how it felt and it felt really light. I think I might wave the load over three-week cycles.
I haven’t seen much of a benefit from doing JM presses or extensions for a while, so decided to try out reverse-grip bench as my primary assistance exercise. I haven’t done these in at least a year and a half so took a quick warm-up set to just re-orient myself to the groove. I think the most I was ever able to do when these were a regular part of the routine was 245x4, and probably with the help of a spotter (or using the heave-ho bounce).
I would’ve gotten 255 for 6 reps no problem, but on the way up with the fifth rep the bar rolled a little bit in my left hand. Since a bar to the face or chest doesn’t sound too tempting, went ahead and racked the weight. I really felt these in my triceps down close to the elbow (and not the actual elbow) so these could be good and will try to push the weight up each week.
Was a good session even though I wasn’t moving a bunch of weight. It was actually the best I’ve felt so far in the gym since the meet and didn’t feel beat to hell. Hopefully the PRs start coming on ME days.[/quote]
I know your PL based BUt you might think about some heavy ass OH pressing and Push presses for tri strength as well push pressing alllows BIG loads and put the greatest emphasis on the tris as you cheat the bottom end and the tris have to finish the lock out with a heavy ass weight even the eccentric then gives you a ton of work
Good work
Phill
[quote]Pemdas wrote:
Kalle wrote:
Congrats man!!! Your real close to 3-4-5 now
Yeah, but my bench is my hardest lift to move. I suck at benching. I have to fight for every f-ing lb. Its like my lower body is on steroids and my upper body is stuffed with estrogen. I need a solid 35lbs on my bench to hit 300, but it will happen eventually. I just need to keep pounding away at it. [/quote]
Join the club I suck Balls at benching if you find an easy way to progress pass it on bro. Im all ears LOL
Phill
[quote]Pemdas wrote:
Phill wrote:
Pemdas CONGRATS bro 4 plates is a huge barrier
Phill
I was kind of worried about having a mental barrier, but some Rage Against the Machine came on and I forgot about being anxious. “A bullet in you f&%king head!” Bam strait up. After that 410 was nothing. I felt good for another 10-15lbs, but I didn’t want to get too greedy. I need to get an ipod and put some angry music on it. That shit is like a shot of adrenalin strait to your head. [/quote]
Nice work thats what it takes just shuit up and Lift try and not think all the thinking and practice has been done its PR time Juts LIFT
Great job
Phill
[quote]AlphaDragon wrote:
First, let me say I wish I could congrat everyone individually on their training sessions…but time won’t allow it. So congrats to all.
Second, welcome to xb100. Listen to the vets on this thread and learn. Then bust your butt in the gym. If these guys can tolerate my questions, then you have nothing to worry about.
Anyway, on to todays training session:
ME Upper (Tuesday):
Notes: During a typhoon, and I sliced my hand today when I was cutting a block of cheese and the handle snapped off. The blade didn’t get me, but the metal that the handle encased caused a good gash on the top of my right hand between the thumb and forefinger…a little above the webbing.
Also got like almost 12 hours of sleep last night!
A) Flat Bench Press:
bar x20
40kg x10
50kg x5
60kg x5
70kg x3
80kg x3
90kg x1
110kg x1 (PR +2.8kg)
95kg x4 (PR +2 reps)
90kg x4 (PR +1 Rep)Should have been x5 with a PR of +2 reps but some well meaning (but clueless) dude in the gym decided to “help” me while I was still SLllllLoOOoOoowwwwwly grinding the rep out.
80kg x8 (PR +2 Reps)
Notes on the Max Effort PR: I got stuck about 2" off the chest but when I dropped my arch it broke the plane and then I re-arched as I pushed it up. My butt never left the bench though. Would this be legal in competition? Is it still a PR or a “cheating” PR?
B) Inc Bench Press
82.2kg x2 (Double PR. +2.2kg max and a +1 rep as I’ve never pushed this weight for 1, let alone 2 reps).
70kg x5
70kg x3
50kg x8
C) 90 Degree, palms up, EZ curl bar, bent over row:
bar+55kg x12,12
bar+60kg x9, x7
Notes: There’s gotta be a PR in there somewhere if I say “the first set was with 5kg more than my normal starting weight,” but even though I’m tempted to call a PR in there somewhere, I’ll wait until next week for that.
D) Tri Pressdown (at standing Lat pulldown station, with lat pulldown bar but hands almost touching).
@4th down x10 (with 1 sec pause)
@4th down x10, 9, 8 (with 2 sec pause)
A good session overall. Man, i’m so glad I’m training this way.
AD[/quote]
Hard to say with out seeing how much squirming you were doing and prob very dependent on the judges id guess. None the less you own that weight now and next time itll be smooth as butta bro
Keep up the great work
Phill
[quote]Phill wrote:
AlphaDragon wrote:
First, let me say I wish I could congrat everyone individually on their training sessions…but time won’t allow it. So congrats to all.
Second, welcome to xb100. Listen to the vets on this thread and learn. Then bust your butt in the gym. If these guys can tolerate my questions, then you have nothing to worry about.
Anyway, on to todays training session:
ME Upper (Tuesday):
Notes: During a typhoon, and I sliced my hand today when I was cutting a block of cheese and the handle snapped off. The blade didn’t get me, but the metal that the handle encased caused a good gash on the top of my right hand between the thumb and forefinger…a little above the webbing.
Also got like almost 12 hours of sleep last night!
A) Flat Bench Press:
bar x20
40kg x10
50kg x5
60kg x5
70kg x3
80kg x3
90kg x1
110kg x1 (PR +2.8kg)
95kg x4 (PR +2 reps)
90kg x4 (PR +1 Rep)Should have been x5 with a PR of +2 reps but some well meaning (but clueless) dude in the gym decided to “help” me while I was still SLllllLoOOoOoowwwwwly grinding the rep out.
80kg x8 (PR +2 Reps)
Notes on the Max Effort PR: I got stuck about 2" off the chest but when I dropped my arch it broke the plane and then I re-arched as I pushed it up. My butt never left the bench though. Would this be legal in competition? Is it still a PR or a “cheating” PR?
B) Inc Bench Press
82.2kg x2 (Double PR. +2.2kg max and a +1 rep as I’ve never pushed this weight for 1, let alone 2 reps).
70kg x5
70kg x3
50kg x8
C) 90 Degree, palms up, EZ curl bar, bent over row:
bar+55kg x12,12
bar+60kg x9, x7
Notes: There’s gotta be a PR in there somewhere if I say “the first set was with 5kg more than my normal starting weight,” but even though I’m tempted to call a PR in there somewhere, I’ll wait until next week for that.
D) Tri Pressdown (at standing Lat pulldown station, with lat pulldown bar but hands almost touching).
@4th down x10 (with 1 sec pause)
@4th down x10, 9, 8 (with 2 sec pause)
A good session overall. Man, i’m so glad I’m training this way.
AD
Hard to say with out seeing how much squirming you were doing and prob very dependent on the judges id guess. None the less you own that weight now and next time itll be smooth as butta bro
Keep up the great work
Phill[/quote]
Thanks for the words bro. And there was minimal (if any) “Squirm”…it was simply pressing the back down to the bench and then pushing and re-arching simultaneously.
AD
[quote]jthsiao wrote:
Carnak wrote:
I am especially weak off my chest for inclines. I’m gonna do pause bench for my main ME movement the next two weeks and see how that treats me.
Enjoy that paused bench there, Carnak. 4 seconds is going to feel like an eternity when you pause the weight on your chest. And, it’s a tough isometric hold to have you sweating like crazy. You’ll be huffing and puffy at the end of the set, but it’s gonna feel good. I’m liking it so far. :-D[/quote]
After hearing all of you guys talking about it, I’ve been itching to try it! We’ll see how they treat me on Thursday.