First Bench Day After Meet

Today was a pretty good day. Warmed up, then got straight to work. Here's what bench work sets looked like:

130 x 5
150 x 5
170 x max (7)

Wow, this fucker is so huge. 

The first two work sets were nothing: I think I hit all 5 reps at 150 in about 5 seconds. HOWEVER, my setup for my set at 170 was a little loose. I think this is how it happened: I get a little nervous when i get to the heavy set, so I try to set up EXTRA tight. However, by trying too hard, I fuck up my normal set-up feel, which distracts me, and then (and this is the big no-no), I end up letting out my air for no real reason, which takes some of my tightness away. The breathing thing is a stupid bad habit - I NEVER do it on my lighter sets, but for some reason once I get heavy my nerves get the better of me and I do it by accident. SO, my set-up was a little loose, and I tried for an 8th rep, which I JUST barely missed. I was a little ticked off, but it wasn't a bad miss: I didn't get stapled, I just couldn't quite lock it out. And, considering the last time I benched 170 for reps (about 6 weeks ago), I only got 4, I would say 7 is pretty fucking satisfactory. BUT, for next  time, I really need to make sure I don't over-think my setup for that heavy set, and most of all to HOLD MY AIR. That will be the difference between Just barely getting and just barely missing that final rep.

HAHAHAHA this fucker too. 

Next, I ripped apart the 5 x 10 bench at 115, even though I had just struggled with that 8th rep. I got 16 on the last set, and probably had a rep or two left in me if I really pushed. Think I might move these to 120 next week, I don't think they will be challenging at this weight.

5 x 10 bent over rows at 115 weren't HARD, but there is something about them that just doesn't feel good. Just like how friday, they felt easy but bad (and I decided to switch them to Pendelay rows), the rows today weren't hard, they just felt shitty to do, especially in my core/low back. I might keep them for another couple weeks, but I'm thinking about changing the high-rep rowing to 1-arm Dumbell stuff. That way I'll have 1 arm rows for high reps on Tues and heavy Pendelay rows on Fri, which I think is a pretty awesome contrast. BUT I haven't decided yet, just a thought.

Dumbell strict press was cake with the 40's, hit 18 reps without a struggle on the first set. Might move these up next week as well.

And finally, Lat pulldowns at 150 were pretty solid. They were pretty solid last week, but I decided to start at this weight again today, just in case I was still feeling a little wiped from the meet. However, they weren't any problem, so I'll probably push to 160 starting friday.

More Mustafa Mohammad: because his lats are fucking huge too. 

OVERALL, it was a solid day. I was a little pissed about that 8th rep, but honestly that was not a big deal, and other than that I killed this workout. UP NEXT, epic arm day. Feels good, man.