Wednesday, September 9, 2009

ME Bench (or Return of the Katana)

Slipped into the black 44" Katana today for the first time in 3 months.

Bench:
(shirted)
315 x 1 @ 3 board
365 x 3 @ 3 board
365 x 2 @ 2 board
375 x 1 @ 1 board
375 x 1
385 x 1

This is what I got last time, which makes me happy knowing I can just throw the shirt on and still be decent in it. That said, I need to do a lot of work in it to get the groove right. It fits better with me weighing 188 too. Specifically, I need to work on keeping my arch without lifting my butt off. This is never a problem raw, but always seems to be iffy when I do shirted bench.

Band-Lightened Bench:
Who knows what this was. Maybe 150 off the bottom? Maybe Elvis is still alive?

315 x 5
365 x 5, 3 sets

All felt easy. Right pec feels irritated lately when benching raw, so I didn't push it on this.

Shoulder Press:
80 x 8
85 x 7, 5
60 x 10 (got tired; went for reps)

Finished with some tricep extensions and shoulder dislocates

6 comments:

Nathan Beckmann said...

This one guy at my gym, Carlos, benches ~340 raw. Today he did 500x3 off a 3-board in his Katana. I still think you need to learn how to use a shirt.

Juggernaut, the said...

Can he touch in that shirt? It's easy to put on a super tight shirt and do 3-boards.

The Katana I have is definitely looser than I would like. It doesn't bruise the chest at all, which makes me think the chest plate is the problem. I think it's more of an issue with finding a shirt that fits well.

Nathan Beckmann said...

If I remember correctly, he touches with around 460. He also has several coaches, including Murph, who are very good with shirt technique.

Juggernaut, the said...

Given that he needs 120 more than his raw max to touch, I think we must have different levels of shirt. I can touch in 365, which is maybe 50 over my raw max.

Nathan Beckmann said...

I agree. But I think you have stuff to learn to be able to handle that kind of shirt.

Juggernaut, the said...

Well, I talked to Todd more tonight about it, and he said it was a great training shirt. He thinks I really need a 42" chest if I'm going to use compete in a Katana. I agree, but I already own 5 bench shirts and don't want to buy yet another.