Big Benchas 3 Week Bench Press Shock Program (Week 3, Day 2)

Testing Week: FAIL

135/5, 135/5, 185/3, 225/1, 250/1, 260/1, 285/0

   Everything flew until the 285 attempt. Just can't seem to get it.

   Maybe it's just mental at this point. Don't know. 

Pin Press

225/8, 245/5, 250/5, 275/3, 290/2

Bench Press

225/5, 225/4

Eh. 

Deadlifts

Conventional Deadlifts

155/5, 155/5, 265/3, 335/3, 375/1, 425/1, 465/1, 405/3

     * Still feel pain in my upper left leg. I am going to shut down conventional deads for about 6 weeks. In the meantime, I'll heal up and use the trap bar.

Belt Squat Rows: 5 sets

Trap Bar Deadlifts

336/16 (tied 16RM), 466/6 (6RM)

     * No pain here.

Barbell Rows

175/8, 175/8, 175/8, 175/8

Banded Face Pulls: 100 reps

Squats

Squats

45/7, 45/7, 45/7, 135/5, 225/3, 275/2, 315/1

330/6 (6RM), 330/5, 340/5 (5RM)

   * Depth practice going well.

Accessories

   SSB Good Mornings: 155/10, 155/10, 155/10, 155/10 (I feel these in my abs more than anywhere else.)

   banded face pulls: 100 reps

   flat DB rows: 70's/8, 70's/8, 70's/8, 70's/8

   abs: 4 sets

   single arm lat PDs on knees: 3 sets

   ring rows: 3 sets

Big Benchas 3 Week Bench Press Shock Program (Week 3, Day 1)

Bench Press (competition pause)

  235/1, 235/1, 235/1, 235/1 (83%)

  240/1, 240/1, 240/1, 240/1 (85%)

  255/1, 255/1 (90%)

  Sling Shot: 280/1 (100%)

Accessory Work

  plate loaded row machine: 4 sets

  straight bar triceps pushdowns: 2 sets

  seated DB overhead triceps extensions: 2 sets

  T-Bar row machine: 4 sets

  seated row machine- pulley: 3 sets 

  banded face pulls: 100 reps

  curls: 3 sets

* We go for a new max on Saturday! 

Big Benchas 3 Week Bench Press Shock Program (Week 2, Day 2)

Bench Press (competition pause)

225/3, 225/3, 225/3 (80%)

240/2, 240/2 (85%)

255/1 (90%)

Accessories:

  * plate loaded shoulder press: 3 sets

  * plate loaded rows (wide grip): 3 sets

  * T-Bar rows: 6 sets

  * banded face pulls: 100 reps

  * straight bar triceps pushdowns: 2 sets

  * seated DB overhead triceps extensions: 3 sets

Light Deads & More Back

I've been feeling my left side a little bit, so I'm not going to squat this week and did a light deadlift session tonight.

Conventional Deadlifts

135/5, 135/5, 225/3, 315/2, 365/1

Trap Bar Deadlifts

246/5, 336/5, 426/3, 336/16 (16RM)

Banded Face Pulls: 100 reps

Barbell Rows

165/8, 175/8, 185/7, 195/7, 195/7

Single Arm Lat PD's (on knees): 4 sets

V-Ups: 3 sets

Back Work

Back Exercises:

   Banded Face Pulls: 100 reps

   Belt Squat Rows: 5 sets

   Lat PDs: 3 sets

   Flat DB Rows: 65's/9, 65's/9, 65's/9, 65's/9, 65's/9

   Barbell Holds against flat bench: 95, 115, 115, 115, 115, (each for a 15 count)

Supersets:

   DB Curls (30/10) & Planks 1:00 (3 sets)

Big Benchas 3 Week Bench Press Shock Program (Week 2, Day 1)

Bench Press (3 second pauses)

210/3, 210/3, 210/3  (75%)

230/2, 230/2 (82%)

245/1  (87%)

  * All sets were strong.

Back Work

  plate loaded rows: 4 sets (2 wide grip, 2 netural grip)

  seated cable rows: 3 sets

  TRX Rows: 3 sets

  Lat PD's (single arm handles): 4 sets

Banded Face Pulls: 100 reps

Triceps

   straight bar pulley pushdowns: 2 sets

   reverse single arm pulley pushdowns: 1 set

   rope pulley pushdowns: 2 sets

Abs: 3 sets

Deadlifts & Farmer's Carries (charity event)

Saturday, 5/15.

On a whim, I decided to do a charity event for cystic fibrosis where the events were heavy deadlifts & farmer's carries. 

Deadlift Attempts: 445 (fast), 475 (fast), 500 (failed halfway) 

  * I am going to chalk up the failure @ 500 to not being peaked.  475 moved well, so I thought I'd be good for it.

Farmer's Carries (first time doing these): 155 each hand, 205 each hand. These were fun, but challenging. 

200 Pound Overhead Press!!!

Overhead Press

135/5, 155/2, 170/1, 180/1, 200/1 (PR!!!!!!!!), 135/14 (14RM)

   *FINALLY!! It took me a long time to get here. What a grindy rep......no way I was going to fail after I passed the halfway point.   (Video posted on Instagram: @beetroot.mckinley) 

Back Work

plate loaded rows: 4 sets

seated cable rows- separate arm handles: 3 sets

plate loaded T-Bar rows: 3 sets

plate loaded lat PDs: 3 sets

seated cable rows- wide: 3 sets

Banded Face Pulls: 100 reps

Abs: 3 sets

Curls: 3 sets

Squat Depth Practice

Squats

135/3, 225, 275, 315, 345, 365, 385

Chins: 8, 7, 7, 6

Banded Face Pulls: 100 reps

Lat PD's: 4 sets

Planks: 1:00, 1:00

Ring Rows: 1 set/15

Big Benchas 3 Week Bench Press Shock Program (Week 1)

I'm running the Big Benchas 3 week bench program to try and bust through my plateau.

Current 1RM: 280

Week 1: Deload

Bench Press (paused)

155/5, 155/5, 155/5, 155/5, 155/3

Triceps Work

Rope PDs: 2 sets/15-20

Single Arm Reverse Rope PDs: 2 sets/15-20

Straight Bar PD: 1 set/15-20

Back Work

Barbell Rows: 155/10, 155/10, 155/10, 155/10

Flat DB Rows: 45's/11, 45's/11, 55's/9, 55's/9, 55's/10

Banded Face Pulls: 100 reps

V-Ups: 15, 13, 13

* No more benching in Week 1. 

Incline Press 5RM

Incline Press

135/8, 185/3, 205/1, 225/5 (5RM), 200/8 (8RM), 200/7, 200/5

   * This is a nice 5RM... +15 pounds and my previous best @ 225 was 3 reps.  

   * I didn't know 200/8 was an 8RM until I checked my records. If I knew, I would have tried for more reps. 

Overhead Press

95/5, 135/3, 160/1, 185/1, 200/0, 135/12

   * I really need to try 200 BEFORE I do inclines.....

Close Grip Bench Press

135/10, 185/8, 200/6, 210/5, 210/5

Plate Loaded Row: 4 sets

Curls: 3 sets

Squats

Squat Singles - depth practice

225, 275, 315, 315, 340, 355

Front Squats

245/5, 245/5, 245/5, 245/5

Back Squat Rows: 6 sets: 12, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6 reps

V-Ups: 3 sets, 13 reps each

Ring Rows: 3 sets

Deadlifts

Conventional Deadlift Singles

155/5, 265/2, 375/1, 425/1, 450/1, 475/1

    * haven't done these in a bit... decided to practice. Felt pretty good. 

Trap Bar Deads

406/6, 406/6, 406/6, 406/6

Prone DB Rows

45's/5x11

SSB Good Mornings

155/8, 205/6, 205/6, 205/6

Single Hand Rope PDs: 100 reps/arm

Paused Bench Practice

Paused Bench

  * Continued practice of the new set up plus leg drive. It's a work in progress.

185/3, 225/1, 245/1, 260/2 (tied 2RM), 270/1, 270/1, 235/5

Supersets

wide grip pulley rows & plate loaded shoulder press: 3 sets

curls & reverse grip triceps pushdowns: 3 sets

pec deck & rear delt machine: 3 sets

abs & DB Rows (100/8): 3 sets