Bench Press Training

29 March 2012

Absolutely weak today, I went to the gym merely to put in an appearance as I'll be missing the next three days (out of town again).

Bench press:

Warmup x a few sets
245 lbs. x 2 (even this felt way too heavy)
265 lbs. x 1
295 lbs. x 1
320 lbs. x 1 (tonight this was a legit one-rep max)
280 lbs. x 3, x 2
265 lbs. x 2

Pullups 5x5

Dips bodyweight x 10, weighted (with fat chain) x 5 x 4 sets

Smith machine rows x 2 sets, light

Bicep blitz: DB preacher curls supersetted with straight-bar preacher curls x 3 super-sets

Overhead Press Training

27 March 2012

Weak session today, didn't hit the gym until late in the evening. I've lost a lot of strength on the OH press - today I failed to hit the progress goal, backed all the way off to 200 lbs., couldn't hit that either. Will see where I'm at next week.

Seated BTN press:
150 lbs. x 5
165 lbs. x 4
175 lbs. x 3
195 lbs. x 2
185 lbs. x 1

Seated front military press 185x1, 195x1, 200x1, 205x1

Pullups 5x5

Bent-over rows (Smith machine) 4 sets x 10, light

Long-pause bench press - worked up to 280 lbs. x 1, something of a personal best. Pause for 3 seconds.

First Workout Back

24 March 2012

Back from travel, didn't train for around two weeks, massively jet-lagged. Also managed to pick up some sort of stomach bug, had the runs for about a week, didn't eat anything for two days and came out of it dehydrated and weak.

Workout was okay, didn't have much stamina and was weak overall but managed to get one in.

Bench press:

Warmup x a few sets
285 lbs. x 1 (felt heavy)
310 lbs. x 1 (felt like a max effort, barely made it)
270 lbs. x 3 x 3 sets (couldn't budge a fourth set)

Pullups 5x5

Dips x 10 bodyweight, x 5 x 3 sets with added chains

Smith machine bent-over rows (light to medium) 4 sets

Biceps supersets: DB preacher curls with barbell curls x 3 sets

Tricep pushdowns x 2 sets, high reps

Some chest expander exercises with light resistance, targeting specific muscle groups:

Front chest pulls 2 sets x 10
Bicep curl 2 sets x 10
Tricep pressouts / pushdowns 2 sets x 10

Overhead Press + Back

6 March 2012


Seated behind-the-neck press:

150 lbs. x 5
165 lbs. x 4
175 lbs. x 3
190 lbs. x 2
205 lbs. x 1 x 5 sets - all but the last one pretty easy.

I'm loving the progress on the BTN seated press, but then again I was so weak at it that it had nowhere to go but up.

Seated front military press 185 lbs. x 2, 205 lbs. x 1

Pullups 6 sets x 5

Seated chest-supported rows 3 sets x 10

Smith machine shrugs 3 sets x 10 (2 plates per side, 3 plates per side, 4 plates +15 per side)

Barbell curls 3 sets

EZ bar bicep curls, elbows and back against wall, 3 sets

Tricep pushdowns x 2 sets x 10-12 reps

Bench Press Training

3 March 2012


Sluggish this morning, had a late night last night and ate and slept badly.

Bench press:

Warmup x a bunch of sets
280 lbs. x 1
305 lbs. x 1 (a bit of a grinder but overall nice and fast)
265 lbs. x 3 x 5 sets (easy - last rep was paused just above chest for 5 seconds)

Close-grip bench press with chains: 235 lbs. + big chains x 2 x 2

Pullups 5x5

Seated chest-supported rows 3 sets x 10-12 (light-moderate weight)

EZ bar preacher curls 3 sets x 6-8 reps + "burns"

Two-DB incline bench seated curl 40s x A.M.A.P.

Dips (bodyweight) 3 x 10

Tricep pushdowns x 2 sets x 12 reps

Overhead Pressing and Back Work

28 February 2012


Seated behind-the-neck press:

140 lbs. x 5
165 lbs. x 4
175 lbs. x 3
185 lbs. x 2
200 lbs. x 1 x 5 sets

Pullups 7 sets x 5

Bench press with 5+ second pause above chest - worked up to 275 lbs. x 1

Seated chest-supported rows x 5 sets (worked up to a heavy weight, then back to medium, 8-10 reps)

Dips 2 sets x 10

EZ bar bicep curls 3 sets 6-8 reps plus "burn" reps

Bench Press Day

25 February 2012


Another strong session, although I couldn't finish the 5x3 with 290 lbs. as prescribed. Still did better than I expected.

Bench press:

Warmup x a few sets
295 lbs. x 1
320 lbs. x 1 (again, fast and explosive like it should be)
290 lbs. x 3 x 1 set, x 2 x 3 sets
275 lbs. x 3 x 1 set (lowered the weight on the last triple)

Triceps were pretty fried at this point, so I didn't do any close-grip pressing.

Pullups 5x5 (I still have that weird pain in my left lat)

Smith machine bent-over rows x 4 sets x 8-10 reps

DB flyes 40 lbs. x A.M.A.P

Tricep pushdowns, medium, 2 sets x 10+ reps

Cut the workout short due to time constraints but returned the next day to finish it off.

Press Training

21 February 2012

Seated behind-the-neck press:

140 lbs. x 5

160 lbs. x 4

170 lbs. x 3

180 lbs. x 2

195 lbs. x 1 x 5 sets

Seated front press: 185 lbs. x 1, 205 lbs. x 1, 185 lbs. x 2

Pullups 5x5

T-bar rows 4 sets x 8-10 reps

Seated chest-supported row 1 set x 10

Smith machine shrugs x 4 sets x 8-10 reps

Long-pause bench presses (5+-second pause on chest) – a few singles and doubles with 245 lbs., trying to find the optimal position for the bar on the chest.

Biceps supersets:

DB preacher curl 1 set + burn reps

EZ bar preacher curl 2 sets x burn reps

Barbell curl 1 set A.M.A.P.

Tricep pushdowns 2 sets x 10+ reps

Pressing is going well, despite being beat to death by yesterday's squatting.

Bench Press Training

18 February 2012

Great session today, total opposite of the debacle last Saturday.

Bench press:

Warmup x a few sets
285 lbs. x 1
310 lbs. x 1 (smoked it)
280 lbs. x 5 sets x 3 (got all of them)

Close-grip bench press 225 lbs. + big chains x 2 sets x 3

Pullups 5x5

T-bar rows x 3 sets 8-10 reps
Dips 2 x 10

Biceps medley:

DB preacher curls x 6 reps + 5-6 "burns"
EZ bar preacher curls x 6 reps + 5-6 "burns" x 2 sets
Barbell curls x as many as possible w. 95 lbs.

Tricep pushdowns 2 sets x 12-15 reps

Press Training

14 February 2012


Much better pressing session than the one on Saturday.

Behind-the-neck press:

135 lbs. x 5, 155 lbs. x 4, 170 lbs. x 3, 180 lbs. x 2, 190 lbs. x 5 singles

Seated military press 135x3, 155x2, 175x1, 185x1, 195x1, 205x1, 215xfail

Pretty stoked about the front pressing, especially with the shoulders and arms very tired from the BTN press. Will definitely try doing more of this in the future.

Pullups 6 sets x 5

Seated chest-suported rows 3 x 10

Smith machine shrugs 3 sets x 10+ reps - much better stimulation of the traps compared to regular barbell shrugs and the shrug machine.

Dips (bodyweight) 3 x 10

One-arm machine preacher curls x 3 sets

Tricep pushdowns x 2 sets

Bench Press Training

11 February 2012


Shitty session today, felt weak and unstable while pressing. Perhaps at 75% of normal strength level.

Bench Press:

Warmup x a bunch of sets
245 lbs. x 1
285 lbs. x 1 (should have stopped here, this felt like 315 at least)
305 lbs. x 1 (this felt like a max)
270 lbs. x 3 x 3 sets, x 2 x 2 sets (couldn't even finish the 5x3... pathetic)

Pullups 5x5 (definitely have a strain in the left lat, in addition to the inflamed tricep tendon)

Smith machine bent-over rows 3 sets

One-arm machine preacher curls x 2 sets

I didn't feel like doing more so I called it a day. I'll need to back off a bit next week, my entire left side is riddled with nagging little sprains (adductor - lat - elbow). Keep it down to 3 heavy sessions at most. Also ditch the rack lockouts for the next three weeks, then work them back in.

Overhead Press and Lockouts Again

7 February 2012

Seated BTN press:

135 lbs. x 5

155 lbs. x 4

165 lbs. x 3

175 lbs. x 2

185 lbs. x 1 x 5 sets

Standing press: 185 lbs. x 1, 205 lbs. x 1, 215 lbs. x 1, 225 lbs. x 1

Pullups/chin-ups 5x5

Seated HammerStrength rows 3 sets x 10, last set 3 plates per side

Bench press lockouts – worked up to 345 lbs. x 3, 365 lbs. x 1, alternating close and regular grip

Machine preacher curls 2 sets x fairly high reps

I have some pain in my left lat when doing pullups, got to try to work that trigger point out. Feels pretty bad.

Training - Bench Press

4 February 2012

Bench press:

Warmup x a bunch of sets, 275 lbs. x 1
295 lbs. x 1 (came up very fast, very explosive)
265 lbs. x 5 sets x 3 - all paused

Pullups 5x5

Incline bench press 135x8, 185x3, 225x3

Seated chest-supported row 3 sets x 10, progressively heavier

Barbell curl 3 sets x 10

Tricep pushdown 3 sets x 10

Seated two-DB incline curl 1 set

Bench Press Training

28 January 2012

Bench press: warmup, then 285 x 1, 310 x 1 (both flew up with good speed)
Back-off sets 280 lbs. x 4 sets x 3, 1 set x 1 (could not get the 5x3)

Incline press 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 245x1

Pullups 5x5

Smith machine bent-over rows 5 sets

Barbell curl x 4 sets

Tricep pushdowns x 3 sets

Overhead Press and Bench Press Lockouts

24 January 2012

Shoulder warmup: two-DB press 50sx5, 60sx3, 70sx3, 80sx3

BTN press 135x5, 155x3, 185x3, 200xfail, 185x3

Standing press 185x1, 205x1, 215x1

Close-grip bench press lockouts (starting from bottom position) – worked up to 300 lbs. x 2, then 320 lbs. x 2. Should do these more as they absolutely kill the triceps.

Pullups 5x5

Barbell curl x 3 sets

Bench Press Training

21 January 2012


Bench press:

Warmup x a few sets, 280 lbs. x 1, 305 lbs. x 1
275 lbs. 5 sets x 3

Close-grip bench press 235 lbs. + medium chains x 3 reps

Pullups 5x5

Smith machine rows x 4 sets

DB flyes x 1 set x as many as possible

Lateral raise, cheating, x 1 set x AMAP

Barbell curl 3 sets

Behind-the-head skullcrushers 2 sets

Two-DB incline bench curls 1 set

Overhead Press and Accessory Training

17 January 2011


Warmup - two-DB press for sets of 5-2 from 50 to 75 lb'ers

Seated BTN press 135x6, 155x3, 185x2, 200x1

Standing OH press - worked up to 205 lbs. x 4

Pullups 3 sets x 5

Light bench press 190 lbs. x 2 sets x 8

Smith machine bent-over row 4 sets (great exercise)

Lateral side raise, cheating, 1 set

Barbell curl 4 sets

Concentration curl x 1 set

Overhead Press & Accessory Bench Press

10 January 2012

Seated behind-the-neck press:

No real program here, just playing it by ear and trying to inch the weight upward.

135 lbs. x 8
155 lbs. x 5
175 lbs. x 3
185 lbs. x 2
195 lbs. x 1
205 lbs. x fail

Standing overhead press - 205 lbs. x 2, x 3, x 2

Pullups 4 sets x 5

Light bench press 210 lbs. x 2 sets x 8 (very heavy after the OH pressing)

Skullcrushers (lowering beihnd head) x 3 sets

Machine preacher curls x 3 sets

Bench Press Training

13 December 2011


Bench press:

Warmup x a bunch of sets
280 lbs. x 5, x 4, x 3
245 lbs. + big chains x 2
265 lbs. + big chains x 1

Pullups 3 sets x 5

Seated rows x 4-5 sets

Standing overhead press - worked up to a tough 205 lbs. x 1. Lost some strength here.

Two-DB hammer curls x 3 sets

EZ bar preacher curls x 3 sets

Bench Press Training - More 3x5

10 December 2011


Continued to move the weight up on the 3x5 and am still hitting the reps. Today's session turned out to be more high-volume than planned. I managed to squeeze a lot of work into around 90 minutes.

Bench Press:

Warmup x a few sets
270 lbs. x 3 sets x 5
275 lbs. + big chains x fail (didn't even come close to pressing it - nasty surprise)
245 lbs. + big chains x 1 (barely)
265 lbs. + big chains x 1 (almost missed again)

Pullups/chinups 5x5

Bent-over rows x 5 medium-light sets

Seated HammerStrength rows x 4 sets, worked up to 3 plates per side x 8

Seated behind-the-neck press 135x3, 155x3, 175x2, 190x2, 200xfail, 135x5

Two-DB hammer curls 3 sets

Weighted dips x 3 sets (none very heavy)

EZ bar preacher curls x 3 sets

BW this morning - 197 lbs... dammit... can't seem to get it moving upward.