Repetition Upper

Warm-ups: trying some new stuff out; new combo of rolling, mobility and movements to get going.


Benchpress-medium grip: work up to 4x12/ 215, 215, 225, 225 x10. Approx. 2 minutes rest between sets


Rack lockouts-index finger about 1-inch from the edge of the knurling a.k.a., a "close grip": 315x3, 365 x3, 385 x1 (The Invisible Welder did his work on the second attempted rep), 315 x10


Chest supported rows-wide grip: 4x10/ 90, 135, 180, 140 x22


Supersetted with Front plate raises: 3x10/ 25, 35, 45


Prone trap raises: 3x12/ 8, 10, 12


Supersetted with DB curls: 4x10/ 30, 40, 50 x6, 60 x6


Hanging leg raises 3x6 (toes to the bar overhead)


DB Ball crunches 3x8/ 25, 35, 50


Vacuums 3x 10 seconds





The astute follower of this blog may have noticed and wonder why I am doing repetition work instead of speed work today. Basically, it gives my body (my joints specifically elbows and shoulders) rest. From past experience I know if I work in some rep work for a few weeks, I initially will lose a little bar speed. But after returning to speed work, I can be back up to par within 2 to 3 weeks.





I have noticed that since being on this diet that I must eat my "meals" every 2 to 3 hours. If I start feeling a little "shakey" or "loopy", I know its time to eat. Well, the first two sets of benchpress were smokin'. Fast and easy, I felt like I could have knocked out more reps easily. (The 215 is approximately 60% of my raw 1RM). I decided to go to 225 "just because". (Probably just because I kept looking at the bar and thought it didn't look "right" without the big cookies on the ends. A "smart" way to pick weights...). Anyway, after the first set of 225, which felt like the 215 had, I "bonked". Not in the dramatic fashion of marathon runners, but I felt shakey enough to know I needed to get some carbs fast. So I did. I waited a bit and went after the last set but it wasn't there. I was in a critical area between meals and thought I could make it. Tactical error on my part. Lesson learned.





The second lesson of the day (and one I figured to be a long time coming) was my performance in the rack lockouts i.e. my lockout strength. 385 x1, close grip or not, sucks. My best close grip at the same pin position, albeit at about 10-15 pounds more bodyweight, is 435 x3. When I was doing shirt work the last several weeks before the meet, I didn't do lockouts as much as I had before. My triceps (and my lockout) was getting trained with the heavy shirt work. (On my ME upper body days, I was doing more in the way of triceps extension variations. And in those movements I was getting stronger. But they are not the same as lockouts.) I got my PR by learning my shirt and improving my bar speed. Now, I need to get those numbers back up. One "victory" uncovers another weakness to be corrected.





So let it be written. So let it be done. (No, I haven't gone and gotten religion, it's just...)





Too much Metallica,
Ed T.