Day 3
Close Grip on Boards
185 x 5 x many sets
Hammer Grip Chins
sets of 8 between presses
Push presses
5 x 3 @ 135
Underhand Rows
35 lbs. x 5 x 3
Day 4
Bench (Feet up)
155 x 12 x 3 sets
Incline D-bell
12 x 3 @ 45 lbs.
Floor Flies
8 x 3 w/ 10 lbs.
Day 5
Pull
Snatch Grip DL (Sadiv sets)
315 x 1 x 10 sets
Trap Bar DL
315 x 6 x 3 sets
Chins (multiple grips)
@ sets alt 3 grip (hammer, wide OH< baseball (left over, right under and reverse)
Muscle Snatch
95 lbs. x 8 x 3 sets
T-Rows
Buildup sets of 25 reps to top set.
Incline Scarecrows
Notes
Board press feels harder than full R.O.M. Perhaps it's the lack of stretch from the pecs, the pause? Arm day is made up of compound moves that bias the arms a bit more. Bench day was light this time around to allow neck some breathing room. Pull day was great. Felt it better to do more volume for my heavy lift, rather than pushing for a max. Snatch grip deads are feeling strong. My previous strongest single was 315 and that was some time ago. It went very smoothly. Wanted to practice this pull, as it seems even a tad more technical than a regular deadlift. There's a longer pull, and my hips, knees, ankles and torso must go through a greater range. All pulls felt solid, even with the small rest. With the set-up getting quicker and quicker each rep.
Trap Bar DL's give the quads a little more work. Did these rep as constant tension touch and go, as opposed to allowing the bar to drop, I lowered slowly. Very concrete way to rep. No looseness ever allowed for the duration. Chins felt hard today, did less than normal. Went very light on rows and actually felt the right muscles working. Go figure.
Had a bench press epiphany today as well. I think my bench is due for a drastic technique overhaul, and while it remains to be tested with heavy weight, I believe up until this point I've been doing it all wrong and have maybe found the remedy to my issue, which is set-up related. I've found the bottom of my bench very unstable for some time and wondered why. No matter how much I controlled the bar going down, I always felt a lack of stability in the bottom. In analyzing my technique, I think I've found why.
I've always pushed my arch very high, up and onto my toes tucked underneath my butt. This position allows a very high sternum, a support on the upper traps and a suitable position for a strong leg drive. However, the issue occurs in the sense that i'm basically set up with very little of my bodies mass, particularly my back, on the bench to help support the load. As the bar is lowered, the C.o.g moves closer to the hips as the elbows tuck some. That small base of support on my upper back is lost, the shoulders come up a tad and the elbows back and my pressing position is compromised. Due to the small amount of support, the precarious arch position and barbell's mass centered over an unsupported part of the torso, my upper back is rolled over. It is certainly not strong enough to hold this position alone, and has been for some time. My solution became clear. I need more of my back on the bench. I need my feet solid on the floor, and not on my tippy toes. I tried feet forward, in front of the knees, and less emphasis on lower back arch and more on upper back, chest open, shoulders down, thus leaving more of mass on my bench. The support was there, and although I only attempted a few reps with 135, the position felt much more secure. No jerking and large movements of the torso, and a solid platform for me to lower a large weight onto. Will it be better with heavy weights than my old style? We will have to see, but after testing it, I am confident this way will be better.