Bencher8 Training log

[Bencher8]

ME Bench
warmed up to 405x1

2 Brd
495+(150)x1

1 Brd
605+(150)x1
675+(150)x1

No Brd
785x1 straight weight

Weight released speed work(unequipped)
..50# on releasers
315x1
365x1
405x1
455x1

I was gassed so I stopped lol The last set on the 1 brd was easy. I switched to straight weight and did a pre-exhausted single with touching...it touched and went up easy...even though I messed the tech up some. When I am going to my chest I have picked up a habit of relaxing about midpoint of my ROM and this makes me fold over a little when it comes to touch time. I shouldn't do that and I need to work on not relaxing so I stay tight and arch up to the bar. Just need to still work on the tech.....dammit! I hate technique! lol

[Bencher8]

Back Day

Lat Pulls(mm band)
300x3x10

Rear delt
40x10
45x10
55x10

Bent over rows
315x3x10

Pullups
BWx3x8

hammers/curls/abs/stretching

felt like i did more than this..maybe I am forgetting something? lol

[Bencher8]

ME Bench
warmed up to 315+(160)x1 unequipped

2 Brd(equipped, 160# chain)
585+(160)x2
635+(160)x1
735+(160)x1
785+(160)x1

3 Brd(unequipped, straight weight)
315x10
365x10

Piston Pushdowns
Purple bandx3x30

Done. I was gassed after the shirt work...the raw work fukk killed me...hurt a lot lol Back was cramping up pretty bad. Stretching is working good....had the best set up today I have had in a while.

[Bencher8]

ME Bench
warmed up to 495x1

2 Brd(straight weight, equipped)
655x2

1 Brd
755x1

no Brd
805x1

Suicides
405x3 2 brd
405x3 3 brd
405x3 4 brd
405x3 5 brd
405x1 from

335x3 2 brd
335x3 3 brd
335x3 4 brd
335x3 5 brd
335x1 from

that was it. I did the 805 in my looser X. It went up ok, but it was not as fast as I think it should be....805 is puss weight! 198 and 220 are doing that weight...it shouldn't be anything for me to do it.

Speed is wayyyy down from where it should be! This is the biggest problem for me I think. I am a speed bencher...I need speed to do this. So that being said I am going to return to the workout that I like. I am going to get back to the 4 brd before my shirt work...and add back in my de bench day. I am just going to tweak the routine that got me strong before...I should have just tweaked it before and I got carried away and changed the entire thing. The changes I am going to make is touch more(even if I do have bands on the bar) change up the bands with straight weight a little more and continue to work on technique. Rob told me a while back that I just needed to tweak what I was doing and I got carried away...changing some stuff that didn't need to be changed.


belated new yrs resolution: getting back to what made me strong!

[Bencher8]

Light Back

Lat Pulls(mm band)
250x3x10

Rear Delts
45x3x10

Bent Over rows
225x3x10

SLDL
225x3x10

Seated Pec Deck Rear Delts
150x3x10

Pullups
BWx3x10

Straight arm pulls downs
90x3x10

Hammers/abs/stretching

In and out in about 45 min...kept the pace up. I need to do this more and get some stamina up. This and I am planning on doing more sets in the shirt too...all this should get me some staying power...now I just need some in the sack and julie will like this workout too lol

Damn right erector is tweaked...hurts like hell when I try to stretch. I guess I should ice it, but i prolly won't lol

BW was up though...so I guess that's a good thing...weighed in at 308 even...when I get my gakic..bw should gt up to 315 or so.

[Bencher8]

DE Bench Day
warmed up to 185(mm band)

Speed Bench(mm band)
245x14x1

Tri Pushdowns
75x3x10

Incline Press
225x3x10

Key Press(mm)
50x3x10


WOW! Was my speed wayyyy down! I need to change my signature saying...go ahead and close your eyes...I'll still be lifting when you look again lol I didn't realize how slow I had gotten...by the end of de bench it was feeling a little faster, so I did a few more sets. Shouldn't take long to get my speed back though...

[Bencher8]

Back Day

Deads
225+bluesx5
315+bluesx2x5
405+bluesx2x3

Bent Over Rows
315x3x10

1 arm lat rows
5 platesx3x8

Lying lat pulldowns
3x20

Seated Cambered Bar Shrugs
315x3x12

Went to NGBB for this back day. Prolly will start heading over there for a back day on tues once a week. I think I am going to alternate squats and deads each week...not really trying to build a big squat or dead, just getting my back stronger for benching.

[Bencher8]

ME Bench
warmed up to 405x1

4 Brds(150# band, unequipped)
410x3
430x2x3

Rev Band(50# deload, equipped)
730x2
805x1
875x1 PR

2 Brd(unequipped, straight weight)
319x2x20

Decent workout...didn't really plan on rev bands today, but went with the crew. Speed isn't back yet, but I can feel it coming back some...strength on the 4 brd isn't back yet either...but I guess not training that movement for about 2 months will make it weaker lol Used the DD on the 730 and the 805...not as much pop as the tight X...I know, I know Rob! lol

Back is still tweaked...I couldn't put my feet into the setup on the 315 2 brd at all. Keeping my head down during the shirt work is really fukking up my back....I had a partner take vid today and the head down thing doesn't seem to really be holdin g me up any more than picking my head up, so I think I either need to change to tucking my feet or start picking my head back up.....i just know that putting my back in a sling won't help my bench any! lol

[Bencher8]

Dynamic Effort Bench
warmed up to 225x3

DE Bench(mm band)
225x3x1
245x3x1
225x7x1

Tri Pushdowns
75x3x20

Key Press(mm band)
60x3x10

Incline Bench
225x3x12

abs

well, back didn't bother me too much, so that was good. I performed a DE bench press that actually approached being speedy...so some speed coming back...happy about that.

[Bencher8]

Back Day

Close Stance Chain Suspended GM's
225x3x10
275x2x5
225x2x10

1 Arm Lat Rows
5 platesx3x10

Rear Delts
50x3x10

Lat Pulls
300x3x10

Shrugs
335x3x10

hammers
50x3x10

Tech really kinda sucks on GM's. I have never done them before though, so I guess it was to be expected lol As you can see I am weak as fck on them, but I guess my lower back won't get any stronger just talking about training it lol

[Bencher8]

ME Bench
warmed up to 315+(100)x3

4 Brd(unequipped, 200# bands)
405+(200)x3
425+(200)x3
455+(200)x3

2 Brd(equipped, straight weight)
585x2
705x2
800x2
835x1
880x0

Punch Press
purple bandx3x30

Pretty decent workout. Speed is coming back pretty well...I actually was a little quick on my 4 brds lol I missed the damn 880 cause my back spasmed when I arched up to touch the brd....shot a pain up my back and I flattened out. Tried to push anyway...but just didn't have enough to lock it out...missed about 3/4 way up. I don't really know what I am going to do about this erector problem...I don't wanna miss any workouts, but I can't keep this up....hurts a good bit! I can't do shit after the shirt work. Try some ibuprofen next week before the training session and see if that helps some...

[TimHensley]

Paul, not that I know shit but I think you might benefit from using a foam roller before you bench to loosen up the area. Than try using the bands to do goodmornings w /them to get that area a little stonger and more flexbility. I bet that will help some. I doubt it will hurt ya any to try it.

[Bencher8]

Thanks Tim! Yeah I have been working my lower back more on tuesday now...hoping to strengthen the area. I noticed something about the top ten bench list...8 or so of the guys on the top ten biggest benches either are full meet guys or believe that squatting and pulling increase their bench and do train the squat and pull even if they don't compete in them....so I'm adding it in I am weak as fukk on them right now, but my back won't get stronger talking about training it lol

[Marcus]

SLDL will hit your low back more than anything else. Then foam roller after to help the soreness. You don't have to waste a lot of time learning technique either. They are a brute power exercise.

[Bencher8]

Yeah I have been doing the SLDL as well...a lot of different shit to hit and strengthen the area....rack pulls from mid shin are up next week.

I did close stance chain suspended GM last week...there is a little tech to those. I'm not used to the kind of lean back on the heels things yet. Plus Jon makes me go freakin low as hell...we were damn near under parallel with our backs lol...and no bouncing off the chains...I think he is planning to make me work for any gains I get lol

[Bencher8]

Back Day

Lat pulls
300x3x12

Rear Delts
45x10
50x10
55x10

SLDL
225x10
315x10
365x5

Single arm pulldowns
35x3x10

Decline rows
3 platesx3x10

hammers/abs/stretching

What is a decent weight to use on SLDL's? I know I am nowhere near strong on them, but just curious so I have something to shoot for....

[Marcus]

I use SLDL to a 5RM in my training a lot. My competition deadlift is consistently ~170 lbs more than I SLDL for 5 in a belt. I got 505 x 5 last week. I think you'll move up in weight fast with them. I've always found new exercises to work that way. The lagging muscle group wants to catch up to the rest.

[Bencher8]

Do most people train them with a belt? Jon had me doin GM w/out a belt last week...I didn't think using them here would be as beneficial. I don't like doing bent rows with a belt, so I might not like one here...guess I will just have to try them with a belt and see whats up.

Thanks Marcus!

[Marcus]

I use a belt most of the time. I'm honestly not sure how most people train them. The key is to breathe at the top and hold it for the whole lift. If you try to breathe at the bottom, you won't get much air at all.

[Bencher8]

Back

Rev band Pulls(conventional, complete deload at knees)
515x3
605x3
655x3

Bent over rows
225x4x10
315x1x10

Vbar lat pulls
250x3x10

machine shrugs
4 platesx3x10

I was sweatin my ass off by this time lol Good back work today. Conventional is a better pull position for me...