DE Upper

2/21/10 (Sunday)

Warmup
Benchpress work up to 9x3 w/135 and 50 (total) hanging from bands at the end of the bar. Used 3 grips.
Skull crusher 3x5/185, 225, 235 S/S w/ light pushdowns 3x15 (w/ rope)
Dips 3x20, 20, 12
CSR (V-grip) 4x12/ 90, 115, 140, 150
One arm side raises 2x15/ 25, 30
Roman chair situps 4x12

OK, so like the late great John R. Cash, I tried to hurt myself today. I, however will not win a Grammy for my efforts. I doubled a light (purple) band and strung a 25 pound plate from it. I hung this contraption from the end of the weighted barbell (approximately 3 fingers from the end). So when I pressed the barbell I have this mass of iron "covorting about in a sprite-like manner" and adding all kinds of perturbations to the barbell. (Ideally one would use kettlebells for this but I have none at my disposal.) This produces a "somewhat unstable and chaotic state". Each rep has to be held at the top before you can attempt the next rep. This will teach one better control of the bar at the bottom and the top of the lift. It also taxes the smaller shoulder muscles of the shoulder that stabilize it. That is the technical end of it. I can tell you that suck to perform. To see for myself, after my work sets, I took the banded weight off the bar and did a set with 185 pounds on the bar. Initially it was an unsettling effect after being used to the perturbations caused by the bands but just the way the weighted bar felt was unreal, i.e. like an empty bar and the the path of the bar felt like I was using a Smith machine to press. The groove was rock steady.

The idea for today's training comes from Louie Simmons' "Westside Barbell Benchpress Manual". It is full of great information and training ideas and is highly recommended.

Stay strong,
Ed T.