Imperfect pressing: Bench 205 x 6,6,5

Wasn't a bad day yesterday, but there were some mistakes and problems that caused the benching to be less than ideal for sure. But it wasn't BAD, and the pressing work was pretty decent.

Holy shit this dude is huge

Started with bench. Felt pretty good warming up. I wasn't using the better bar, which might have taken a little bit away from me because that bar is the proper thickness, which I think helps my pressing. Also, I was a bit tight in my back from thursday's training, and I think that hard workout might have hurt friday a little bit. Hit the bar, then 95, then 135, then 185 x 3, then went up to 205. First set was pretty solid. I hit a nice set of 6, and went for a 7th rep that I got pretty sloppy on in order to try and make it, and still missed it. I don't necessarily regret going for it, because the point is to progress and I got 3 x 6 last week, but rep 6 wasn't SO easy that I thought I would get 7. Rested a bunch and hit the weight again, but this time I hit the hooks on one of the first reps, which threw off that rep, but also my tightness, and I started getting an ass cramp from being crooked. However, I still managed to hit 6 reps, which isn't half bad. Last set I tried to make the best, but I think I was pretty tired out, probably largely from that bad second set. I hit a tough 5 and then went for the 6th and just didn't have it in me. Overall not bad, I attempted the 7th on a set. If I had made it and gone 7,6,5 I would have felt better, rather than simply losing a rep from last week but hey, what can you do? It wasn't a great day, but not bad either. And despite not REALLY feeling the "squeezing it down" as well as last week, my chest got pretty pumped haha, so maybe that's a good sign.

Badass old dude

Next, pressing went pretty well. I hit the bar, then 95, then work sets: 125 x 5 and 145 x 5. That second set actually felt pretty shitty, and I KNEW it was because I was pressing the bar out in front, looping it around my face. SO, I loaded up 165, and really focused on a) using my shoulders to move the weight, and b) pressing the bar up and back, keeping it in a completely straight line. I hit it for a really solid 6. Probably didn't go for 7 cause I wouldn't have gotten it, but it wasn't a really tough 6, and that's a pr. Then, hit 145 x 9 and 125 x who knows how many, again trying to focus on keeping the bar in tight - but as I got tired, I lopped it out in front. I think that's a bad habit I got into from doing so much light volume. the weight was light enough that I didn't tire too quickly from the inefficient bar path, and the momentum from rep to rep was more important. But now that I am being much more strict with my hips and trying to focus on the muscle instead of purely the movement, I need to make sure that I am pressing in that straight bar path - it will make a huge difference as I hit heavier weights.

Finally, did a mini bodybuilding circuit on the cables upstairs. Did a set of 20 face pulls, followed by 12 bicep curls and 12 tricep extensions, heavy, with maybe a minutes rest between 3 sets of that. Got a nice little pump, especially the biceps - I don;t know why, but I have a much easier time feeling the muscle with the cables. I'll have to play around more on there before I leave for the summer, see if it can help me better establish my mind-muscle connection.

Anyways, not a bad day, but not great. A little disappointing after some of the really good workouts I have been having. But that's actually pretty stupid.... I just barely missed a bench PR, and GOT a strict press PR with great form, and all on a "meh" day. So overall, pretty happy. Lets keep at it.