Historically, whenever I take more than a couple days off from benching, I suck as soon as I come back. So today, I prepared for the worst while hoping for the best. started with a nice long warmup, getting my shoulders loose and trying to loosen up my back and butt especially - they are CRAZY sore after deadlifts yesterday. Then, I got to work, benching the bar for a slew, then 95, then 135 x 11 and 165 x 8. Like yesterday with squats, I decided to work to a moderately heavy 5 and then go from there. I started light, in preparation for sucking. Hit 185 x 5, then 195 x 5, then 205 x the easiest 5 I have ever hit that weight for. It was cake. Immediately decided I wanted to take a crack at 225 today, but felt like (since I had been making 10 lb jumps) I should take 215 first. So I smashed 215 for a triple, then went to 225. My pr at 225 was 3, so I made that the goal, and hammered 3 before squeezing out a 4th rep. PR?! On my first day back? I was very happy. So, I decided to push up to 235. I knew I could at least get a single, and thought I might be able to tie my all-time PR of 235 x 2... SMASHED the first rep, but then I was just a little hesitant and slow on the second, and ended up failing it after a good fight. Still, that's my all time PR haha. Not bad at all, especially after 225 x 4. Pretty awesome.
Next, I did some feet up, close-grip benching as this seems to be helping me a ton with raw pressing power. I wanted to work some sets of 10 today, and thought about starting at 135 and working my way up - but decided to do the opposite. Hit 175 x 10 to start, which is another PR. I honestly felt like I could have gotten a rep or two more for sure. Then, dropped the weight to 165 and hit that for 10. Side note: One mental hangup I have with bench is that I have an irrational fear that, if I train touch n go, I will get some kind of HUGE bench I'm proud of, and then not be able to get even close to it with a pause. Historically with my own training, and when you consider the tons and tons of lifters who train touch n go, this is completely stupid. But it is still a weird hangup. ANYWAYS, paused the final rep of 165 and every set after it: 155 x 10, 145 x 10, and then finished off with 135 x 12, with the 10th, 11th and 12th rep paused. Got a nice tricep and chest pump, and felt vicious.
Next up, I had the use of bands so I decided to bang out some pullups using the bands. I did 5 x 8. It felt pretty good. A little awkward, and because it was an awkward movement I didn't feel like I worked as hard as I could have. But it was still some quality pulling volume.
Finally, did some curls with Jerome - used the axle and handed the bar off for 4 sets, only resting as long as the other person was going. Got a nice bit of a pump. Felt good.
SO, awesome awesome day. Like 2 real PR's and a PR tie on bench, plus just a ton of quality work. Felt awesome. This style of training seems to be working really well for my upper body! Just have to keep pushing and keep making gains. And try and get my squat to feel as great as bench has been feeling. Lets keep at it.
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