[Mdawg]

You are supposed to start Madcow's with a 4 week reset.

[Smack]

I'm not doing Madcows though.

[Mdawg]

For bench?

[Smack]

Yes, but resetting would just put me back another four weeks, which is exactly why I'm in the situation I'm in with my bench. I need sustained progress over a long period of time. Going from three sets to one top set is already a bit of a deload anyway.

[Smack]

Another good session tonight.

Bench press:

50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 5

An all time PR there.

Incline dumbbell bench press:

30s x 5/5/4

Okay, and I think these are definitely helping my bench.

Front squats:

worked up to 100 but elbows hut knees and couldn't be arsed with them after that.

Chins:

bodyweight x 5/5/4/3

Not lost as much on these as I thought. Also shoulder felt much better this time - before I kept feeling really tight and twisted at the bottom. Being in the dead hang position felt quite good tonight.

[liftorrot]

Good job , keep it up !

p.s know that feeling bro when things start to work

[Smack]

Thanks bro. 90 for five is a big milestone for me. I failed to get it late last year when my bench was doing well and also in the middle of this year too when my bench was similar.

[Slick Fosbury]

(Original post by Smack)
Okay, and I think these are definitely helping my bench.

Nice PR fella.

Did you ever try more volume at any point for bench?

Just wondering if it could be the extra top work sets that are helping rather than incline DB in particular.

[liftorrot]

Incline benching helped me big time... both DB and BB.
I have noticed that added volume work helps in going through the plateau.

[Smack]

(Original post by Slick Fosbury)
Nice PR fella.

Did you ever try more volume at any point for bench?

Just wondering if it could be the extra top work sets that are helping rather than incline DB in particular.

I did 5x5 for sets across and it worked as well. What doesn't seem to work is 3x5 and nothing else.

[Becca]

Nice PR. Good to see you getting some milestones after the injury problems you've had.

[Smack]

Meh session tonight.

Press:

65 x 4/4/3

Very disappointed with these. Weights seemed to go up fine until the last rep. Strange.

Shrugs:

140 x 5
160 x 5

Was going to do more but just couldn't be arsed. Grip wasn't good and couldn't be arsed to use straps.

Curls:

bar + 21 x 10/10/10/10/10

These were light enough.

[Adidas90]

Press is just a bastard full stop

I wouldnt be disheartened what happens to it on a session-to-session or even a week-by-week basis

Rather I'd look at that happens on a really long scale

If I am gradually pressing more over a scale of months (even if by like 2-5-5kg for reps lol), I'd be happy lol

[Gallium]

(Original post by Adidas90)
Press is just a bastard full stop

I wouldnt be disheartened what happens to it on a session-to-session or even a week-by-week basis

Rather I'd look at that happens on a really long scale

If I am gradually pressing more over a scale of months (even if by like 2-5-5kg for reps lol), I'd be happy lol

this press is a ****, i usually peak then have trouble even pressing 90% of what i usually do, even adding 5kg every 3 or so months is okay.

[Smack]

I might switch to five sets of three.

[Smack]

Better session tonight.

Bench press:

50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
92.5 x 4
70 x 14

Went for extra rep of 92.5 in case I don't make the gym on Monday. 70 was an absolute burnout.

Dips:

bodyweight x 8/8/8

Not as hard as last time.

[Smack]

Just been to the physiotherapist. She says that the problems in my back are caused by piss poor posture which is causing extreme tightness in my thoracic spine. Makes perfect sense given how I've been sitting. So I've got to vastly improve my posture. She also said that doing some basic abs exercises will help, and recommended front squats since they much better enforce proper posture. Both of which I've been seriously neglecting.

Also I'm very flat footed.

[SMed]

I'm very flat footed too. Don't think it's ever caused me any problems though. My wet footprints coming out of a pool look kinda funny, that's about it.

[redbuthotter]

Front squats ftw lol.

[Smack]

FML.