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Adonis

Me
Brotherhood
Areta
Chumb
Smack

are seeing who can bench 100kg first [well technically, i've done it but years ago, and been detrained since]

interestingly, we are all benching 80kg for 1-5 reps

so yeh... be fun to see how it all pans out.

Just 1 or reps?

Reply 221

Smack

Volunteer Team

Less interesting actually, because there will be one less contender because I'm going to have to drop out. No way could I get 100 before you or Brotherhood and whoever else is in the race. I've worked out that my bench has, in 2009, went up less than 1kg per month. (At the end of 2008 I maxed out at 75kg.) At this rate it'll be 2010 before I get 90.

I'm going to do my assistance work a bit heavier now, mainly 6-10 reps and never go above 10. I'm going to do some bench work paused at the bottom as well to see if that helps.

Reply 222

Adonis

red_alerts

Just 1 or reps?

1 rep

would take an age to go from 80 for 1-5 to 100 for 5+

Reply 223

Brotherhood

Smack

You can still try. :gthumb:

Reply 224

Khanage

Race to 100? Nice.

I'm just gonna check my blog and see how long it took me...

Beginning of Jan: 87.5 x 5
Beginning of May: 100kg x 2

5 months to go up 12kg :smile:

Reply 225

Smack

Volunteer Team

ME Lower:

Box squat (15.5" box):

Worked up to a 1RM of 167.5. Tried 170 but, as has happened before, I sorta lost concentration whilst I was just about to touch the box so lost it. Happy with my new 1RM since, although when I did 150 2x5 my estimated 1RM was 170, the box I used was higher (probably 17.5 - 18 inches high, but this was exactly parallel and has been verified as such) and my stance was wider (my stance is 36" wide now).

Deadlifts:
Did some more form work after reading Exmgq's deadlifting thread. Got to 130 x 2 but after that there was just nothing there after the box squats.

Abs to finish:

3 sets of decline situps. The 15 is easier than the 10 if held flat against chest so I now hold the plate perpendicular almost guillotining me, and this feels like it hits my abs much better.

Reply 226

Smack

Volunteer Team

Also, bodyweight down to 88kg with half a day's worth of meals in me.

Reply 227

Smack

Volunteer Team

RE Upper:

Incline barbell bench press:
60 x 8

Not a PB yet, sadly, but at least I managed to equal my previous PB. Still pretty pissed off, though.

Close grip pin presses, somewhere between 4 and 6 inches off chest, paused on pins:
60 x 6
60 x 6
60 x 6

Harder than last time's higher pin setting obviously. Might have had 8 reps in me on first set. Last set didn't have another rep. Short rest periods (1 minute 30 seconds) as well.

Lateral raises:
used the 10's
20 x 8
20 x 8

Shoulders need more work done so laterals and upright rows are going to be a regular feature from now on.

Dumbbell rows:
used a 40, each set same reps on both sides:
40 x 10
40 x 10

Pretty hard. Might have had almost 15 reps on me, and that's what I'll go to next time, but was almost out of breath. I probably need to do some damned cardio and get my conditioning back.

Reply 228

Smack

Volunteer Team

DE Lower:

Absolutely terrible workout tonight:

Parallel box squats:
80 x 2
80 x 2
80 x 2
80 x 2
80 x 2
80 x 2
80 x 2
80 x 2

Bar speed still very slow. Might take the weight down to 75 and see if I'm any faster.

Good mornings:

Tried to do some but my body was having none of it. My body didn't seem to want me to lean over with the barbell on my back. Every time I tried I froze and my knees seemed to come forward without me telling them to. Tried the seated version as well but again my body was having none of it. I've done 70 3x5 before, so I have no idea why tonight my body wouldn't let me perform a good morning.

Front squats:

Destroyed my wrists doing these. They're still sore now. Didn't do any noteworthy weight before my wrists said no.

Abs:

Was going to do something for them but my wrists were too sore to either hold onto a chin up bar for some leg raises or hold a plate for some decline sit ups.

Sucks.

Reply 229

burningnun

Have you tried flat dumbbell presses? They worked a treat for my raw bench although I only figured this out after I stopped caring about raw bench.

You're training like you've got swine flu!

Reply 230

Smack

Volunteer Team

Yes I did a few sets of them paused at the bottom last ME Upper day. I'll continue to do them paused and also not forget about shoulders as I have done recently and see how much that helps. The problem is the bar comes down to my chest and I can't get it back up again at all!

Reply 231

burningnun

I found they worked when I didn't pause them. I never really thought of pausing them. If it takes off a lot of weight then IMO it's best not to pause.

Reply 232

Smack

Volunteer Team

Well I'm trying to work on my right off the chest strength and I've heard that paused at the bottom presses work well for this. I'll see how it goes.

Reply 233

burningnun

Smack

Well I'm trying to work on my right off the chest strength and I've heard that paused at the bottom presses work well for this. I'll see how it goes.

Maybe. My philosophy for assistance exercises is to take a more BB like approach and work the muscle rather than thinking much about movements. Heavy weight to hit the pecs, no pause. I could even see the value of doing a few "spotted reps."

Obviously you don't need my permission to try pausing it, like I said I've never done it or even thought about it. I'll be sure to read how it goes.

Reply 234

Smack

Volunteer Team

For some reason which I can't quite remember I stopped posting my log here.

Basically, in the second half of '09 I lost almost everything I gained in the first half of the year. Highly disappointing.

Last time I checked, about a week or so ago;

Stats:

Spoiler

Goals:

Spoiler

Gym:

Spoiler

Routine:

Spoiler

Going to do something I said I never would: Teach myself power cleans. There are people who say that power cleans are a complex lift and shouldn't be self taught. I have no doubts about it being complex, but I don't buy that it can't be self taught. These people usually have their own systems to sell, systems that don't include power cleans. So I'm going to give it a shot anyway.

Oh by the way, it's exams so for the next few weeks I won't be going to the gym regularly.

----------------------- (edited 23/02/10)

Just in case anyone was wandering, here are my previous logs, charting just about me entire lifting career.

Very first Rippetoes Blog, from October 08 to December 08.

From January 08 to April-ish I ran Iron Addict's Simple Power Based Routine (SPBR).

Then I moved onto some Westside style stuff, until July 09.

Then finally, when I realised it wasn't working terribly well, I switched to exmgq's (John Curtis Pinder, elite level American powerlifter) routine. Didn't do much workouts from that routine since at the time I was so busy with moving houses that I didn't have much time, and I also think I neglected my blog here during that time as well.

Posted that just in case I talk about doing a lift that I cannot currently do, and people check my blog and call me out (which would be fair enough).

Most of my 1RM PR's were set in the Westside blog.

lightweight.

I've got a six pack.

lolz, i was actually gonna ask about your logs coz you've got like 4 om this site or something :smile:

good luck bub, PC aren't as hard as they are made out to be i have discovered :smile:

Reply 238

Smack

Volunteer Team

I can muscle clean 50kg quite comfortably. Do muscle cleans have any carry over to power cleans? lol

I'll have a read of the power clean chapter in SS before I attempt anything, though. I've also got a Thibadeaux book in which he gives detailed explanations into all the Olympic lifts. I should be fine enough.