Bench Press Training - First Day Back

27 May 2012


First day back, went to the gym to do some pressing. I've gained around 7 lbs. on my vacation (up to 210), mostly fat and bloat. Not great, not bad. It definitely made the pressing feel easier.

Bench press, regular: warmup, then 285 lbs. x 2 sets x 5

Bench press, close grip: 235 lbs. x 6, felt light so I added weight and did 245 lbs. x 5

Incline bench press: 205 lbs. x 2 sets x 5

Pullups 5x5

Smith machine bent-over rows x 4-5 sets, 5-10 reps (went heavy on the last 2)

Ultra-wide-grip standing behind-the-neck press 3 sets, light

Face pulls x 4 sets x 15-20 reps

DB preacher curls x 4 sets

Light ab work x a lot

Quick Update On Work / Vacation Training

I've hit the gym about 4 times in two weeks or so and have been doing some random shit with cables almost every day. Worked up to a medium-heavy weight on some lifts - bench press 145 kgs x 1, 130 x 3 x 2, squat 200 kgs x 3, bent-over rows up to 110 kgs x 5. No deadlifts. Eating and drinking too much, but hopefully won't lose too much strength (or gain too much fat). Back to regular training on Monday.

Training - Press

7 May 2012

Bench press:

Regular 265 lbs. x 2 sets x 8

Close-grip 225 lbs. x 6

DB flyes 40 lbs. x AMAP

Pullups 5x5

Dips, weighted 3 sets x 5

Smith machine bent-over rows 4 sets x 5-10

Wide-grip standing BTN presses x 5, x 3 (light)

EZ bar skullcrushers 2 sets

Machine preacher curls x 4 sets

Curl with elbows against wall 3 sets

Training - Squats, Sets of 5

5 May 2012

Back squat:

Warmup x a few sets
315 lbs. x 5
365 lbs. x 5
405 lbs. x 5
415 lbs. x 5
425 lbs. x 5
435 lbs x 5 (with belt)

Single-leg press 2 sets x 10

Single-leg curl 3 sets x 6-8

Single-leg extension 3 sets x 6-8

Deadlift 2 sets x 5, light

Ab work x a lot

Training - Bench Press

3 May 2012

Turns out I'm going out of town next week and won't be back before the end of May. Hopefully I'll be able to do some lifting on the road; if not, I'll make sure I get plenty of cable work in. I haven't been logging it, but I am slowly getting back into cables, mostly high-rep stuff with light resistance on off days.

So the plan is to overtrain slightly, then use the time away to recover.

Bench press 255 lbs. x 2 sets x 8

Close-grip BP 215 lbs. x 7

Wide-grip BP 195 lbs. x 8

Pulldowns - did a 5-4-3-2-1 scheme ending with 240 lbs. x 1

Low cable rows 3 sets x 10 w/ moderate weight

Dips: bodyweight x 10, +25 lbs. x 2 sets x 5

Dead-stop standing BTN press, very wide grip - worked up to a double with light weight, 3 sets overall

Barbell skullcrushers x 2 sets

Bicep supersets: One-arm DB preacher curl + barbell preacher curl x 3 sets

Training - Deadlift

2 May 2012

Deadlift:

135x10, 225x5, 315x2
380 lbs. x 1
425 lbs. x 1
450 lbs. x 1
365 lbs. x 2

Not bad, the 450x1 is close to my all-time best (455x1) and it felt solid. If I hadn't taken that attempt I would've gone for 465 or something. Maybe next week.

Light squat 2 sets x 5 with about 205 lbs. ('cause I felt like it)

Seated chest-supported rows 2 sets x 10

Smith machine shrugs 3 sets x 8-10

Glute-ham raise 3 sets x 5

Weighted back hyperextensions 2 sets x 5

Weighted situps 2 sets x 5

Light ab work x a lot of sets and reps