Training Day 7/21/08

This is my first post of training updates since I've been introduced to Blogging. Thanks to xt4 and czne I now have become somewhat addicted to blogging. The main purpose of my blogging is to track my progress and perhaps reachout to others in the powerlifting community. Powerlifting is a diverse community reaching out to many different people. From teachers (me) to plumbers (my training partners), we all share one thing in common, Iron. So I begin my blogging by describing a typical gym visit on a Monday. In order to be proactively clear up any confusion I'll add the following information. Yes I am a powerlifter, yes I train at least 4 days per week, I do track my progress every Monday and Thursday. Monday is my bench press training day and Thursday is my dynamic bench press day. The sole focus of Mondays are flat bench press, decline bench press and incline bench press. Thursday's focus is on the dynamics of bench press. Working those twitch and stabilizer muscles using dumbells, machines and dips. I hope this helps clear up any confusion around my methods. More to come later in training blogs.

Monday 7/21/08
Bench Press
Set 1. 135lbs x 10 reps (always a warm up)
Set 2. 225lbs x 8 reps
Set 3. 275lbs x 6 reps
Set 4. 295lbs x 4 reps
Set 5. 315lbs x 4 reps (feeling really strong by now)
Set 6. 335lbs x 1 rep
Set 7. 345lbs x 0 rep (failed attempt, pushed half way up then lost momentum, hit a wall, not literally, figuratively.)
Set 8. 315lbs x 1 rep (beginning to feel fatigued, need a protein shake)
Set 9. 275lbs x 4 reps (here, I paused on my chest and waited for the command to press each time)
Set 10. 295lbs x 2 reps (once again, I pause on my chest and await the "press" command)
Set 11. 315lbs x 1 rep (once more, pause for 2 seconds, await press command and press all the way till I lockout my arms)

Next: Decline Bench Press
Set 1. 135lbs x 10 reps
Set 2. 225lbs x 8 reps
Set 3. 295lbs x 4 reps
Set 4. 315lbs x 2 reps
Set 5. 315lbs x 1 rep (Rob bumped the left side of my bar with three fingers just to level it out)
Set 6. 275lbs x 5 reps
Set 7. 275lbs x 5 reps
Set 8. 225lbs x 12 reps

Finally: Incline Bench Press
Incline bench press usually hurts my right shoulder, but the pain seems to be less as I add more weight, go figure!
Set 1. 135lbs x 10 reps
Set 2. 185lbs x 8 reps
Set 3. 205lbs x 6 reps (probably could have completed 4 more, but I was saving myself for more weight)
Set 4. 225lbs x 4 reps
Set 5. 275lbs x 0 reps (this is the most I've attempted on incline, it was a total surprise not to press it because 225 felt so light)
Set 6. 225lbs x 4 reps

Sweat Club:
I have a final round of kick ass training on this day. I'll do my best to explain it. I take a 45lb plate and hold it in front of my chest in a standing position. I press the 45lb plate outward extending my arms until lockout position until failure. Today I surprised myself with pressing the 45lb plate outward 45 times. From there I immediately, no rest, go to the squat rack. I place the bar on the lowest position and perform pushups using the bar until failure. Today on my first round I completed 30 pushups. Last, I jog over to the dip bar and perform as many dips as I can until failure. On round one I completed 5 dips. Seems measely, but take into account what was completed immediately before dips. So I do this 5 times/rounds with a one minute rest in between rounds. Each round becomes exponentially more difficult than the last. The concept here is this: I've already been working key muscles which contribute to fat loss. More muscle-more fat loss. This final round metabolizes the fat and prepares the body to burn more fat in the post workout. Believe me, Jason Statham does something similar after his workout and we all know how he kicks major butt.

Reflections:
I'm looking forward every day for that next new breakthrough. I'm competing on September 20th of this year in Plainfield Indiana. Wish me luck...
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle