Skid (Marc's) log

[Oldster]

For the past few months I have been doing pressing movements twice per week. Usually at least two different pressing movements per work out. I don't include warm ups in my log.

I figured. I don't always include everything I do.

I typically fail a few inches off my chest.

Do you think I need more volume? Any recommendations? Just yesterday I was looking at Candito's advanced bench program thinking I should try it...

Going to have to stop myself from writing a book here...

All I can go by are my results, those of my partner, and a few thousand high school and college aged students I trained in the past. None of my beliefs come anywhere but what I've seen with my own eyes. Although that's a dumb saying, tough to see with someone else's eyes...!

Normally failing and a sticking point a few inches off the chest means you would do with much more volume. I'm not talking about maximal effort volume, either. Total volume over a week is how I've always measured. Years ago when I struggled and was stuck about ten years on my bench/close grip bench was when i kept my volume relatively low. I wrongly thought only those using drugs could benefit from it, and me as an aging lifter couldn't handle it. I couldn't have been further from the truth.

My partner was always a huge bencher, staying 60-100 pounds ahead of me and handled incredible amounts of volume. He dragged me kicking and screaming to higher and higher volume, finally to the point of around 40 total working sets per week with some sort of triceps work, whether benching, dipping, OHP, or extensions. As my volume grew, my sticking point raised, which was good because lockout strength is triceps, right in my wheelhouse. With a CG stroke of about 21-22", my sticking point is 'about' 16-17" from my chest. Get something that high, combined with speed and triceps strength, and you'll be handling much more weight.

I could give you hundreds more stories, but they all mimic the results I enjoyed. Just a little food for thought and not claiming I'm completely correct.

[skid]

3/3 - Apparently my cardio sucks since I get "gassed" after a heavy set of deadlifts. So, I did a 2000M row followed by a few rounds with the heavy bag. Might have to work harder on this since I wasn't breathing too hard.


OK, kicking up chest, shoulder, and tricep volume this week! It might not seem like much today, but this is a start.

Warm up 500M row

Pause Bench - 250-3,3,3, @ easy

Close grip bench - 250-8,8,8, @ 6ish

DB OH tricep extension - 20-20,20, added 5 pounds 25-20

Tricep press down - 135-20,20,20, last set triceps were burning...

Leg lifts between tricep work - 10,10,10,10,10,

[skid]

Warm up 500-M row

Squat
385-3,3,3, @7ish

Pause Bench
255-3,3,3, @ easy

Strict Press - Tried a wide and narrow grip. Both seemed about the same effort although I've only really trained with a narrow grip. Going forward I will alternate grips.
185-6,6,6, @ 8.5

Chins - Bodyweight - will add weight next time
OH-10,10
UH-10,10

Strict rows - non stop
155-12,12,

Curls-Will add weight next time
95-12,12,

Abz - Done while resting between sets of upper body work
leg raises-10,10,10
Ab wheel from knees - 6,10,10,

[skid]

500M row warm up

Pause bench - 3 days in a row now - Some bench fatigue setting in...
255-3,3,3,@6ish

Close grip bench T&G
275-6,6,6,@9

DB Incline press at 45 degrees
55's -20,20,20,

DB Flyes
25's-20,20,
35's-20,

[Oldster]

Don't push too hard while building your stamina. You need some fatigue, but not exhaustion. A little work where you really push the blood with a light weight only, is important. i prefer 9 sets of 3 with 60% or less, and about 60-90 seconds between sets.

When you're in benching shape, it is a wondrous thing. Fatigue means nothing, it's how we used to bench BWx20 as a warmup and not have it affect our top work. I'm also working hard to get into better shape while monitoring my elbow and am slowly feeling more confident!

[skid]

Don't push too hard while building your stamina. You need some fatigue, but not exhaustion. A little work where you really push the blood with a light weight only, is important. i prefer 9 sets of 3 with 60% or less, and about 60-90 seconds between sets.

When you're in benching shape, it is a wondrous thing. Fatigue means nothing, it's how we used to bench BWx20 as a warmup and not have it affect our top work. I'm also working hard to get into better shape while monitoring my elbow and am slowly feeling more confident!

Oldster, I mentioned earlier that I was looking at Candito's 6 week advanced bench program. I'm doing that now.

Candito Training HQ

Candito's program calls for comp benching moderately light 5 days per week with weekends off for the first 3 weeks. One accessory press is included each day and alternates between close grip bench and OH press which is supposed to be more difficult than the comp movement, basically only leaving one rep in the tank for the accessory press. Comp bench reps stay the same while the accessories reps vary.

These two presses are then followed by two isolation movements for 3 sets of 20 each. You're supposed to mix the isolation exercises up each day, and they're supposed to target any weakness in the presses.

Week's 4-6 are only two training days per week, but with much heavier weights. I'm hoping to pick up 10-20 pounds which should put my bench somewhere around 375 or so, maybe more. We'll see...

[Oldster]

Oldster, I mentioned earlier that I was looking at Candito's 6 week advanced bench program. I'm doing that now.

Oh wow! Yep, forgot. Never heard of the guy. But dangit, you paid your money, time to milk everything you can out of it!

I'm hoping to pick up 10-20 pounds which should put my bench somewhere around 375 or so, maybe more. We'll see...

Woohoo! That would be awesome!!

Why does 375 look so cool when someone else does it?

[skid]

Oh wow! Yep, forgot. Never heard of the guy. But dangit, you paid your money, time to milk everything you can out of it!

Actually Candito's programs are free, but he does take donations He's one of the top IPF powerlifters in the world in his weight class, does coaching, and has put out some very good programming.

I like his programming because it's fairly simple for a dummy like me. Just plug your 1RM numbers into the spreadsheet and it tells you what weight and reps to do for the main exercises.

[skid]

Got some good news/bad news today. The good news is that I'm on the Worlds team for the IPF Classic Worlds in Calgary in June. The bad news is that I'm on the Worlds team

I was just going to relax, and do some bodybuilding bro-type workouts for the next few months. Now I've got to bear down and work hard for the next three months!

Warm up 500M row

Pause Bench
255-3,3,3, - Went super easy today compared to yesterday. Prolly could have done 12 or so.

OH Press (Strict)
205-3,3,3, Took a medium grip.

DB Overhead tricep extension
25-20,20,20, - These bothered my left elbow. Will take a break on these for a while

DB Curl to OH Press - Did a curl then pressed the weight overhead in one motion. Had to get curls in somehow!
35-15,16,16,

Ab Wheel from knees- Stomach still a bit sore from two days ago
6,7,

[Oldster]

Got some good news/bad news today. The good news is that I'm on the Worlds team for the IPF Classic Worlds in Calgary in June. The bad news is that I'm on the Worlds team

Wow!

Fanning myself furiously... Mah hero!