Luke 9-18-12 Bench Assist

Close Grip Bench
185 x 5
195 x 5
205 x 5 last rep had a spot PR

Incline Bench
165 x 5
175 x 5 @ 9+
180 x 6 last rep with spot PR

Lat Pulldown
180 x 6
220 x 6
250 x 6
280 x 7 PR

Pull ups
BW x 15, 15, 15, 15, 10, 5, 10, 6, 4, 6 for 101 total

Dips
BW x 20, 20, 20, 20, 14, 11, 15

Luke 6-13-12 Bench

Bench (adding donuts to every set for muscle confusion)
50 x 10
100 x 6
150 x 4
190 x 1
220 x 1 @ 8+
235 x 1 @ 10 PR of 5 pounds. used 2 donuts per side
240 x fail very very close
230 x 1 @ 10-
230 x 1 @ 10-

3 second Pause Bench
190 x 3 @ 10-
190 x 3 @ 10-
200 x 3 @ 10-

Pull Ups
BW x 5
BW + 45 x 5
BW + 70 x 5
BW + 75 x 5

superset with Dips
same weights above x 6 per set

Shrugs
405 x 12 x 3

Supine Rows
BW x 6 x 3

Rotator Cuff prehab stuff

Bench Singles. Tues. 11/29.

Bench 3x1
-> Warm-Ups: Bar x15, Bar x10, Bar x10, Bar x8, 75x3, 95x1, 115x1
-> First Attempt: 145x1
-> First Attempt (again): 145x1
-> Second Attempt: 165x1 (lifted butt up, & my right elbow is still way in. right arm is also the weak part).

Pause Bench 4x3 (@ 1 sec.)
125, 125, 125, 125

Pendlay Rows 3x9
95, 95, 95

Pullups 3x8
-> all BW

Dips
-> BWx6, BWx6, BWx10

Shrug Machine
3pes x7 -> (stopped early because my upper back/spine was hurting in that position)
2.5pes x10 -> (switched to facing inward but my upper back/spine was still hurting)
1pes x40 -> (upper back/spine felt much better with only a plate but still hurt after I put the weight down ... is this from bad posture while sitting in front of a computer and writing papers??)

Db Curls 2x10
-> all w/ 20s

**** (WEIGH-IN: 144 LBS) ****

Ringing the bell

Squat
315 x 1 x 2
325 x 1
335 x 1
345 x 1 (10 lb PR)
355 x 1 (20 lb PR)
345 was deliciously deep, 355 was regular deep. That sixth single was so worth it.

Leg press


Low box squat
245 x 2
255 x 2
265 x 2 x 2
275 x 2 x 2
285 x 2 x 2 (PR)

Cleans
155 x 3 x 3
165 x 3
165 x 2+high pull

Bench
195 x 1
215 x 1 x 3
225 x spotter tap
Pushed my luck.

Pause bench
155 x 3 x 2
165 x 3 x 2

Pendlay row
165 x 5 x 4

Weighted chin up
BW+30 x 5
BW+35 x 5
BW+35 x 6 x 2

dips and shrugs


But really the main point of this is
Squat: 335 355
Deadlift: 435
Bench: 215
Total: 985 1005
I made my dreams come true, doing it our way

Bench Singles. Tues. 11/01.

**** FORM CHANGE: I SWITCHED TO A WIDER GRIP TODAY. AFTER BENCHING WITH MY RING FINGERS ON THE BAR RINGS FOR A SOLID 6 MONTHS NOW, OR HOWEVER LONG IT HAS BEEN, I AM NOW SWITCHING BACK TO BENCHING WITH MY MIDDLE FINGERS ON THE RINGS TO HELP GET A BETTER TUCK & KEEP MY ELBOWS IN WITH MY LONG ARMS. ****

Bench 3x1
155 (@8), 165 (@10), 165 (@10)

Pause Bench 4x3 @ (3 sec.)
115, 115, 115, 125
-> (working on keeping elbows against lats during tuck).

Pendlay Rows 5x5
115, 115, 115, 115, 115

Weighted Pullups 4x8
BW+10lbs, BW+10lbs, BW+10lbs, BW+10lbs

BW Dips 4x5

Barbell Shrugs (*high reps*)
225x20, 225x30, 225x27, 225x40
-> (did all reps very quick & explosive).
-> (kept going during set even after reps were not full range of motion anymore).

Bench 3x3. Tues. 10/25.

Bench 3x3
145 (@8), 155x1+f, 145 (@8)
-> (on the second set, I just stopped on the second rep because my right elbow tuck once again was just not right and completely out of the groove and instead of failing this rep while putting 100% effort into it, I simply had the spotter take it)
-> (my third set felt very good, I focused on pinching my shoulder blades back together and really keeping my lats and traps tight which helped my tuck).

Pause Bench 4x3 @ (3 sec.)
115, 115, 115, 115

Pendlay Rows 5x5
115, 115, 115, 115, 115

Weighted Chinups 4x5
BW+35, BW+35, BW+35, BW+30

Dips
BWx5, BWx5, BWx5, BWx6

Shrug Machine 4x5
4pes, 4pes, 4pes, 4pes

Bench Tuesday 10-25-11

Bench
155 x 3
165 x 3
170 x 3

Pause Bench
135 x 3
145 x 3
150 x 2 + 1 greg lift
145 x 3

Pendlay Rows
Pullups
Dips
Shrugs
Abs

Bodyweight: 163 lbs

Bench 3x5. Tues. 10/18.

Bench 3x5
155x4+f (@10), 145 (@10), 135 (@10)
-> (I'm still messing up with my elbows and getting my tuck right. I'm not sure what to do. Maybe I need to change my grip and move my hands wider or narrower on the bar or work on tucking both elbows in more -although then this feels like a close grip and I can't press up much weight- or keeping both elbows out?? ... I'm very frustrated with my bench right now ...)

Pause Bench 4x3 (@ 3sec.)
115, 115, 115, 115

Pendlay Row 5x5
95, 115, 125, 125, 125

Weighted Chinups 4x5
BW+45, BW+45, BW+40, BW+35 x (4+f) -> failed about halfway up

Dips (all BW)
7 reps, 5 reps, 5 reps, 6 reps

Shrug Machine 4x5
4pes, 4pes, 4pes, 4pes

I'm staring to like the 5 rep days

Squat

275 x 5 @ 9

285 x 5 x 2 @ 9+,10- (PR?)

Leg press

Low box squat

245 x 2 x 4

255 x 2 x 4

Power cleans

135 x 3

145 x 3

155 x 3 x 3

Bench

175 x 5 x 2 @ 9-

180 x 5 @ 9 (PRetty sure)

Pause bench

145 x 3

155 x 3

160 x 3

165 x 3

Pendlay row

165 x 5 x 4

Weighted chin ups

BW+25 x 5 x 2

BW+30 x 5 x 2

Dips, shrugs, and abs

Bench 5

Bench:

295 x 5

305 x 5 @ 9+, 5 @ 10-

Getting close to my all-time PR of 310 x 5 (while weighing 220, haha)

Pause Bench:

265 x 3 @ 3sec

275 x 3, 3 @ 3 sec

Dips:

4 sets til failure,

Close-grip pull ups:

5 sets til failure

Shrugs:

405 x 10

495 x 3 sets of something

Finished with ab wheel and PNF

Bench 5 Cycle 2

10/18/11

Bench

225 x 5 x 3

This was easy. I was planning on doing more, but my elbows and shoulders aren't 100% due to benching in the shirt.

3 Board

245, 255, 265 x 3

Pendlay Rows, Dips, Abs

Bench Tuesday 10-18-11

Bench
150 x 5
155 x 5
160 x 5

Pause Bench
115 x 3
130 x 3
140 x 3
150 x 3

Pendlay Rows
Pullups
Dips

Abs

Bench sort of

Last chest day in 4-star, so I figured i should take advantage of the dumbbells on the off week

Dumbbell Bench:

80 x 5

100 x 5

110 x 5

120 x 5

130 x 5* @ 10+ (PR?)

Spotter helped slightly on the last one :( Maybe I would have gotten it?

Stability Bench:

165 x 10, 10, 10

These felt a little shaky at first, but much better by rep 5. No rotator cuff issues either.

Dips:

bw x 13, 20, 30, 25

PAHMP

Pendlay Rows:

135 x 5

205 x 5

255 x 5

275 x 5 (+30 PR)

Gotta get better at these. Decided tonight was the night.

Finished with some pnf. Wanted to do abs, but my left ribs are still hurting from squatting :/

9/19 & 20

Monday:

Drove down from NorCal and did the following with 115lbs at the Activities Fair:

No-handed Front Squats & Back squats
Snatches
Overhead presses

Tuesday:

Worked out at my apt. I brought down a spare DB handle that I had at home. Normally unused, since it fits the small-holed weight plates, but my apt complex has ~200lbs of small-holed plates. This means that I have access to a DB that potentially holds up to 155lbs of weight, and a barbell (non-revolving) that holds up to 210lbs of weight.

1-arm DB Press/1-arm DB Row:
25x6/6
40x6/6
55x6/6, 3/6
70x1/6x3

1-Arm Db Row:
105x6x2

BW Dips/BB Curls (75lbs)
10/6x3

I did some BW dips on the railing of the staircase in the fire escape at my apt. The 90 degree angle of the railing is actually amazingly comfortable for dips - much more so than parallel bars. I suppose I can eventually weight them using a backpack or something.

Later: (because I was bored)

Standing Press:
75x8, 8
125x2x6

Barbell Row:
125x6x2
175x6x3

BW Dips:
10, 8, 4, 4, 4

Bench 1

Bench:

275 x 1

295 x 1

315 x 1 @ 10-

320 x 1 @ 10

325 x 1 @ 10

These felt much better than the benches at nationals. Lots of good explosion at the bottom and some drive at the top. Shoulder was still sore and the biceps ached, but not too bad.

Overhead pin press:

135 x 5

185 x 3

205 x 3

215 x 3

225 x 3

I didn't have a spotter so I did these just to get some heavy tricep lockout work. Felt hard.

Pendlay Row:

135 x 5

185 x 5

205 x 5

225 x 5

245 x 5 @ 9+

I did these with a loose belt for a change, and whoa, did they feel better. 245 was hard, but not nearly as sloppy as was in the past. I still feel these a lot in my hamstrings. Does anyone else?

Dips:

bw x 10, 30, 25, 25

The first set always feels terrible. Warming up?

Finished with crunches, pnf, and rotator cuff work.

Bench 3

Bench:

275 x 3, 3, 3

285 x 3

295 x 3

Pain was @ 3. The spotter noticed that my left arm was flaring more than my right. Perhaps I'm compensating due to my sore shoulder. I need to video it to see.

Foam roller press:

295 x 5

315 x 5

335 x 5

These felt better. Spotter said I was even on both arms, so I think I must be twisting at the bottom, which makes sense since that's where it feels most uncomfortable.

Triceps extension:

30 x 12

Eh, felt weird, so I stopped.

Dips:

bw x 15, 20, 20

Pendlay Row:

135 x 8

185 x 5, 5, 5

My middle back is mildly sprained and my lower back is sore as eff, so I just skipped shrugs for the time being. I'll probably work them in on friday.

Finished with some foam roller transversus, banded rotator cuff, and pnf stretching.

9/1 Post MCAT Bench

Finished my MCAT at 5:30, drove home and walked to the gym.

Bench:
worked up to 225x1 (warm-up)
205x6, 6, 6, 6, 4

Incline:
155x7, 7, 7, 5, 5

Dips:
BWx5
+25x5, 5, 4, 4, 3

Pendlay Rows:
135x5
185x5, 5
225x5

and some other stuff

I think I should do dips before inclines, because they were crazy difficult afterwards and I really need them to get my triceps strength back up. I hate this volume, but it's worth doing if I get bigger & stronger.

Banch 5

Bench:

255 x 5

265 x 5, 5 @ 8+

225 x 8, 8 @ 8

Meh. My elbow nerves are stil somewhat painful, which is frustrating. Shoulder feels sore but not painful. I had no spotter and lift off, so I stopped going up and just did some burn out sets. 265 felt way harder than 225, which was weird. I think I'm just deconditioned to heavy weight.

No spotters, so couldn't do board press.

Pendlay Row:

135 x 5

185 x 5

205 x 5, 5

Shrugs:

405 x 5

495 x 5

545 x 5

585 x 5

625 x 5

One-arm tricep extensions.

30 x 10, 10

40 x 10

50 x 6

Switched to single arm exercises to avoid the shoulder issue.

Dips:

bw x 10, 20, 15, 10

Finished with some cable abs, rotator cuff exercises, and light bicep curls.

Overall, a super frustrating day.

Bench Assist Friday 08-26-11

Standing Press
95 x 5, 5

Standing Pin Press
95 x 5
105 x 5
115 x 5

Bench
95 x 10
105 x 10
115 x 10

Weighted Push-ups
Pullups
Dips

Inverted Rows
Abs

Bodyweight: 163 lbs

8/26 Bench

Less than a week until MCAT. Long nights studying and lots of stress.

Bench:
185x3
205x3
225x3
195x5x5

Chins/Dips:
BWx5/5x5

Row:
5 sets of 10

Curls & Rotator Cuff

As much as I hate doing volume work, I think I need it to get stronger. 1 set isnt cutting it anymore. As for the RC work, I found an exercise that works really well. Not sure what it's called, but it uses a barbell and is a combo upright row + external rotation + overhead press. My shoulders feel amazing after doing a couple sets with the 45lb bar.

EDIT: This is the rotator cuff exercise. Looks lame, feels great.