ME Upper

Part of conjugate training is using the repetition method. Basically this means lifting a sub-maximal weight to near failure or failure. Periodically I use this method in place of a "traditional" max effort upper body day. Like today; I decided to do dumbbell flat benchpress and try to set a new rep record. After warming up I'll choose a weight that I can get 10-20 reps with. Do three sets waiting 3-5 minutes between sets then add up the number of reps for the weight used and there's the record. (Example: 75-pound DB's for 3 sets of 15, 15, 18 reps equals 48 reps).



It didn't quite go that way today. Let me get all the excuses out of the way. I couldn't fall asleep last night and was up at 4:30 AM to take relatives to the airport. Came home, decided I was awake enough and would go train. Half way there thought maybe it wasn't such a good idea. I was t-i-r-e-d. Said screw it and continued on. Warmed up and started feeling better. My all time best on the benchpress with DB's is 110x45 reps (3 sets) and a few weeks ago I had knocked out 105x45. So I thought this shouldn't be a problem to come close to exceeding that nonsense.



As I rolled back onto the bench, pressed the 110's up, took a deep breath and held it, and started knocking out reps,I felt something around my ear and then on my shoulder. I figured it was a bug of some sorts and pressed on (not unusual if you saw where I trained). Grunted out 10 reps and dropped the DB's disgustedly. I expected more out of myself but today it wasn't going to happen. Then I thought, "where's that damn bug? I'll squash it and feel better!?" I reached up on my shoulder and found a nice gob of ear wax. Bbbllllllattttt. If my max effort causes me to strain enough to blow wax out of my ears then I guess it's truly a max effort, despite the circumstances. Muddled through the rest, though the rest of the training felt better (because my ears were clean?).



Warm-up

DB Flat Benchpress: work up to 110x32 (3 sets of 10, 10, 12)

Lat pulldowns w/ H-handled bar: 7x10-?/ 150, 170, 190, 210, 180, 145, 115 (last two sets I did for time; as many reps as I could in 30 seconds. The rest were in the 10-15 range)

Supersetted w/ Rolling DB Extensions: 4x12/ 20, 30, 40, 50

Face pulls: 3 x15-20/ Cybex #8, 9, 10

Hammer curls: 2x15/ 50, 35



PS One of the 110 DB's were bent...

The single factor prevalent through all my excuses is me. I didn't go to bed early enough. I didn't get enough sleep. I knew all this and trained anyway. I was an idiot and lucky I didn't get hurt. There's a time and a place for such stupidity and today wasn't it. Lesson learned (again). Listen to your body.



If you aren't blowing wax out of your ears you're not training hard enough (or using Q-tips),

Ed T. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz