Post your all-time 1 rep max bench
- Thread starter LionsAndBears
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First day of new heavy cycle, so I took it a little cautiously and went out slow. Still finished with 6x250 on triceps press and 6x285 on wide grip chest press. All in all good, given my expectations were that I could fall off the last heavy cycle highs during the four week light weight/high volume cycle. Weāll know more in 4 weeks, or my body will break down, or both.
Speaking of breaking down, be sure to eat enough protein. Iād been eating crap for the past two weeks and along with eh or nonexistent workouts Iāve found myself at 217 pounds. Weāre going to Italy in 16 weeks and I aim to get under 200 for that, from my experience itās doable. Anyway, I didnāt eat enough yesterday and this morning I really felt it, you canāt sustain that for 16 weeks. So, be sure to protein up. Itās part of the program.
I thought I had a good weekend from an activity and eating standpoint, and was eager to get on the scale. Joke was on me - up 3 pounds in 3 days. Must be a lot of water or you guys were right about me all along (āheās full of ā¦ā).
Four week heavy cycle wrapped up today. I switched some things up in the name of self-preservation. Decided to drop triceps press to do more dips (4x25, + conservative 32 rep finisher) over the last two weeks. And decided to back off the heavy chest press (did 12x265 rather than push for 8-10 at 285).First day of new heavy cycle, so I took it a little cautiously and went out slow. Still finished with 6x250 on triceps press and 6x285 on wide grip chest press. All in all good, given my expectations were that I could fall off the last heavy cycle highs during the four week light weight/high volume cycle. Weāll know more in 4 weeks, or my body will break down, or both.
Asked for assist on one lat machine so I could get my legs locked under the leg pads and was pleased with 8x240 finish there (normally itās tough getting 220 locked in when you weigh 170). All in all pleased because still seeing modest gains. @LionJim, if all goes well I may go on an assault of the 40 dips I mentioned a while back. Just playing it safe along the way.
On your dips, be sure to stress proper form. Itās easy to fool yourself into thinking youāre doing them properly. I fooled myself for years before seeing a video of my ādips.ā
Club doesnāt have mirrors around those machines, so Iām gonna have to go by feel.
Me too. No mirrors. I go deep (thatās what she said) but how well I hit the classic form (upper body at 45 degrees) is probably not ideal.
I go as deep as faulty shoulders permit. I just donāt how deep that is and Iām not going to have somebody video me just for that. I think speed could easily be considered as important as geometric form, and I am going a little faster than purists can bear.
Four week endurance cycle wrapped up today. Dips progression stands at 4x33. I think next week Iāll have to cut the rep progression to one per week, meaning any chance* at 4x40 will be after Labor Day.
*assumes Iām still above ground and shoulders donāt succumb.
Down to 208 with a month to go. My daughter recently got a life-altering new job (benefits, 401k, the works) and ever since that Iāve been killing it at the gym. I was still at 217 five weeks ago.
Anyway, found this article, worth a read. Interesting takeaway: with teenagers, donāt lift to failure.
Teaching a Kid to Lift
Everyone knows a teenaged kid that needs to be saved. Teaching him to lift is a great way to do it. Hereās the best way.
archive.t-nation.com
Not sure about the lift to failure thing. It kind of reads as much like 1-rep max thing as it does about the last, strained set in a rep. Iād have thought the former would be more important than the latter when youāre talking then 8th or higher rep.Down to 208 with a month to go. My daughter recently got a life-altering new job (benefits, 401k, the works) and ever since that Iāve been killing it at the gym. I was still at 217 five weeks ago.
Anyway, found this article, worth a read. Interesting takeaway: with teenagers, donāt lift to failure.
Teaching a Kid to Lift
Everyone knows a teenaged kid that needs to be saved. Teaching him to lift is a great way to do it. Hereās the best way.
Small update on my side. I knocked out 4x36 dips two weeks ago, then my one shoulder starting feeling some āfriction.ā Iām easing back into those, but wonāt push it if things donāt cooperate.
Dan John, lifting and strength guru. For some reason I cannot post YouTube videos so this will have to do. Heās very smart, very zen.
Mass Made Simple
by Dan John A heavy bar across your back and peanut butter sandwiches in your belly: it's time to build mass the Dan John way! Coach Dan Johnās football team just won their second straight state championship. No surprise really. Building big strong athletes is, after all, what Dan is all about...
t-nation.com
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