You might wanna try pushing for solid volume on the bench rather than weight PRs. I found it helped my bench immensely.
[quote]Vanagandr wrote:
You might wanna try pushing for solid volume on the bench rather than weight PRs. I found it helped my bench immensely. [/quote]
Agreed. Tried that last week with 195x3x6. Gonna build up from there.
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
[quote]Vanagandr wrote:
You might wanna try pushing for solid volume on the bench rather than weight PRs. I found it helped my bench immensely. [/quote]
Agreed. Tried that last week with 195x3x6. Gonna build up from there.[/quote]
I’d recommend lowering the intensity a bit. That’s still only 18 reps total. Then again, what do i know.
Edit: When I trained too frequently in the high intensity range, looking back I feel like I was really just testing my strength rather than building it.
[quote]Vanagandr wrote:
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
[quote]Vanagandr wrote:
You might wanna try pushing for solid volume on the bench rather than weight PRs. I found it helped my bench immensely. [/quote]
Agreed. Tried that last week with 195x3x6. Gonna build up from there.[/quote]
I’d recommend lowering the intensity a bit. That’s still only 18 reps total. Then again, what do i know.
Edit: When I trained too frequently in the high intensity range, looking back I feel like I was really just testing my strength rather than building it.[/quote]
I’ll keep that in mind if things start moving (even further) south.
January 4, 2012
Warmup
Shoulder Traction
Plate Lateral Raise - (10 x some)x2
Bench
45 x some
(135x8)x2
(180x5)x2
(205x3)x6
Paused CGBP
205x2
220x1
235x1
Benches felt rather slow, but the close grips went alright, considering.
OHP
45 x some
95x5 (might have done another set…can’t remember)
(120x3)x2
(135x5)x2
Hit my target, so I’m fairly satisfied with this for today. Remembering to keep my elbows forward made a difference.
Tricep Pushdown - some x some
DB Row - (125x12)x3
- 80 pullups throughout session
January 6, 2012
W/U - Glute Activation Work
Sumo DL
135 x some
225x5
315x3
(375x3)x2
435x3
460x3
(480x3)x2
(505x3)x2
505x1 (missed 2nd rep)
505 x miss
495x1 (missed 2nd rep)
Fuck…was aiming for 505x3x5, but clearly I overshot it. Had to bounce after this. Ugh, such a bonehead. Soon.
January 8, 2012
Back Raise - (BWx12)x2
Squat
45 x some
135x8
225x5
275x3
320x3
(345x3)x3
(290x5)x4 (paused)
Managed to polish off the topsets without dying. Paused sets of five suck badly. The final set was the first time in a while I made a vocal yelp of aggression…mainly out of spontaneous anger. My right adductor was bugging me, but I managed to get through the squatting. I’m not surprised by it considering I pulled two days ago and played a hard game of basketball yesterday (what? shut the fuck up; PE isn’t an excuse tard) /my conscious
Incline Bench
45 x some
135x8
(160x6)x4
Polished these off pretty easily, too. Fatigue almost got to me at one point, but I pushed past it.
Taking all things into consideration, today was fairly solid.
January 10, 2013
W/U - some lateral raises and shoulder traction
Bench
(45 x some)x2
(135x6)x2
(175x3)x2
200x3
(217.5x3)x5
I misloaded the bar. That may explain why those sets felt off and heavy as a motherfucker.
Paused CGBP
205x2
220x2
(210x2)x2
OHP - bar x some
50 pullups
I don’t think this “add weight to volume weekly” thing is going to work out either. Benching just always feels like shit, and now my shoulder wants to be a bitch. Fuck. My. Life. Guess I just need to slow down.
January 12, 2013
W/U - Glute Activation Work
Conventional Deadlift
135 x some
225x5
315x3
365x2
all of the above were one set conventional and one set sumo
405x2
435x1
460 x miss (lolwut?)
(415x6)x2 (straps, touch n go)
I decided to do some conventional pulls to mix it up…haven’t done any deadlifts all week. The 460 was such a sham…barely broke it. Don’t know what that was about, because that would normally go up no sweat. Going touch and go with the backdown sets probably wasn’t a good idea with regards to that, but whatever; they felt good.
Front Squat
135x5
175x5
(210x3)x2
(240x2)x4
Sumo DL
345x3
405x3
440x3
(470x3)x4
Not exactly the strongest reps ever, but good enough just to get some work in. An employee told me to cut down the noise. Sort of did that. Didn’t really care.
Took a shower, came back, and did:
OHP
45 x some
95x6
120x3
Then had to leave.
January 15, 2012
Warmup
Shoulder Traction - 2 sets
OHP - (bar x lots)x2
One circuit of: lateral raises, front raises, reverse flyes - 20x15
Five broad jumps
Squat
45 x some
135x8
225x5
275x5
305x5
(335x3)x2
(360x3)x2 (this might actually be a technical volume PR)
(310x2)x6 (paused)
Warmed up the shoulder area in an attempt to ease the pain. Didn’t help, but I managed to train through it at any rate. I told myself to be more dynamic on the descent and to stop trying to control it so much; it definitely made a difference. Form got rather ugly, but whatever.
Sup brah, haven’t checked out your log in a while.
What’s up with your bench?
Also I think I’m winning the OHP challenge, my max is sitting around 75kg / 165lbs atm. Unless you’ve maxed and beat me I guess lol
Actually scratch that, I see you hit 165 for 2 and 190 for one, nice
[quote]Dave-P wrote:
Actually scratch that, I see you hit 165 for 2 and 190 for one, nice[/quote]
lolwut? No I didn’t. Those were push presses.
My bench decided to go on vacation at Suck City for no specific reason. My shoulder isn’t helping matters, either.
What’s your best OHP?
Ah, that sucks.
I don’t even know how hard my bench blows right now since I haven’t benched in like 4 months lol. Though if my pressing and dipping is anything to go by, it should be a lot stronger.
Best press is probably about 165lbs for a single on a decent day. Shit, it sounds so much heavier in kilos lol
[quote]Dave-P wrote:
Ah, that sucks.
I don’t even know how hard my bench blows right now since I haven’t benched in like 4 months lol. Though if my pressing and dipping is anything to go by, it should be a lot stronger.
Best press is probably about 165lbs for a single on a decent day. Shit, it sounds so much heavier in kilos lol[/quote]
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend eschewing flat benching entirely. I tried doing that, and well, look where that got me. It might be a different story for you, but I say that you couldn’t go wrong with doing a fair amount of volume, say anywhere from 20 or 30 reps (spaced out in something like triples obviously) with like 65 or 70 percent of your 1RM in conjunction with you focusing on OHP and dips. Think of just greasing the groove. That’s just my .02 cents though.
Pardon my hubris, but I think that I may be able to edge that out on a good day. Wasn’t really aware that we were in a competition lol.
Did someone say OHP?
[quote]Consul wrote:
Did someone say OHP?[/quote]
Dave, please fite dis cheekie kunt IRL 1v1 if you happen to run into him over in England. kthxbai
January 17, 2013
Speed Squat
45 x some
135x8
225x3
(260x3)x6
300x1
*some shoulder traction, then…
Bench
45 x some, 135x8, 170x5 - one set POR and one set close grip
switched to close grip only
(170x3)x4
(190x3)x5
Played around with different variables, such as pauses, feet on bench and feet in the air. They were done randomly and I won’t bother typing them out. I will most likely continue to do so. Reverse flies staggered with many of the sets.
Tried to do some OHP, but my shoulder wouldn’t take it. Same story w/ seated w/ dumbbells…
At least CGBP feels relatively good, even if POR hurts too much. This should be fun.
- 60 or 70 pullups throughout
January 19, 2012
W/U - Glute Activation Work
Squat
(45 x some)x2
(135x8)x2
(225x3)x3
(275x2)x4
Played around with the straps to ease the tension on my shoulder. It felt better per the pain, but I had a very hard time maintaining a shelf when the weight got heavier. Played around with some high-bar reps and long pauses, too. I actually eschewed the straps for a couple of the 275 doubles to see how the shoulder held up. Honestly, if I take my time, inch my way under the bar, and slowly get it over my rear delts, as opposed to dive bombing under it, it doesn’t feel too bad at all. Perhaps it also had to do with warming up with the straps.
Deadlift
225x5, 315x3, 365x3 - one set sumo and one set conventional
(390x3)x4 - conventional
—switched to exclusively sumo—
(425x3)x2
(460x3)x2
480x2
(495x2)x5
Conventional pulls felt pretty great. Sumo pulls felt heavy here and there, but I got the reps in, and it went fairly smoothly.
- kneeling squat jump supersetted with broad jumps for a few sets
Great training today. Overall, everything felt good.
Hey Justice, try cutting your bench and shoulder training in half and double the back training for a few weeks(particularly upper back and lats) and palpate your traps, pecs and shoulders and manually massage the knots out and see if that helps your shoulders.
Also try shoulder dislocates with bands or a broomstick.