Heavy Bench PR

Today was a great day.

Started with 5/3/1 bench. Tried to keep relaxed and have fun as I worked up heavy, as this seems to be the best way for me to hit heavy bench. Hit the bar for a few sets, 95, 135, then on to work set. 165 x 5, 185 x 3, and finally 210 for a solid 3. I felt a little bit soft on that heavy triple - I was trying to keep relaxed, but I probably could have been a little tighter in my setup and squeezed the bar a little bit harder from the start. However, I still got a solid 3 reps, which is a 2 rep PR. Before re-setting my bench, I could only hit this weight for one, so that is undeniably stronger. Very happy about that.

Next, paused bench went even better. dropped back to 185, and hit it for 3 sets - 5, 5, and 7 reps. Until just a few months ago, I couldn't even hit 185 x 5 bench, and now I can do it for SETS, and with a pause. I don't know whether the pause is helping my touch and go, or the other way around, or if the two are just feeding each other in some kind of awesome circle, but both ways of benching seem to be getting stronger and stronger.

Finally, repped out 165 for 10. This isn't great haha. I find it really hard to stay tight after all that other benching, and this final set is starting to be one of the harder ones I do on tuesdays. It's really meant just as a finished, however, to push myself close to failure and get a nice pump, so I'm not gonna stress it and I'm gonna keep it in.

Kroc rows were not bad. They hurt like a bitch, but I got a solid 35 reps each side.

Side note: I think my traps are growing. Gonna try and get the Bill Kazmaier big. 

Strict pressing went very well. Warmups felt light and fast. Jumped straight from 155 to 170, and hit it for a horrible single - I think it might have moved nicely, only I let it get way out in front of me. Hit it agin for a second tough single, then a third that moved better. Went up to 175 and hit that for 2 singles, both of which were VERY difficult. Lockout took a solid 3-4 seconds. I think I need more excitement when hitting these, and to focus on moving the weight faster, like an empty bar. I bench best calm, but I think I press best when I really attack it. Dropped back to 155 and hit it for 3 paused reps, then hit 135 for 8 paused reps.

Finally, didn't feel like doing pullups today, so instead I did seated cable rows for a lot of reps. hit 50 x 25, 100 x 20, 130 x 16 150 x 12, and 170 x 8. I liked these, might keep at them.

Pressing is really going well. Just going to keep at bench, what I have been doing has clearly been working. Strict press has slowed down, but I'm going to try and attack it hard this next cycle and see if I can't get it moving up again. And I'm just going to try and redouble my efforts with pulling. I seem to get bored with most rowing variations, but whatever I do I'm going to try and do it hard and get my back growing. Lets keep at it.

Yeah. Like that.