Cycle 4 Week 3 Bench

Trained at 1100am today. Finally a day off and a decent sleep last night.

I rode the airdyne bike for 10 mins with elbow sleeves on to get my elbow tendons warmed up good. Also some 1-2" range of movement rope curls for the elboes and some light DB raised to get the shoulders warm.

BB bench - empty bar - X25, 135X15, 225X10
Work sets - 270X5, 305X3, 340X3.
All reps were paused. The pause on the last rep with 340 was probably questionable but it went. 340X3 paused is a PR for me. 340 used to be my 1RM touch and go, so definitely making progress with the bench.
Chose the boring but big option to keep going. 5X5 with 75%.
BB bench - 275X5X3, 275X4.
Felt some elbow pain on the 4th set so I stopped. I havent had any elbow tendon pain for a while so I didnt want to make it worse.
Finished up with
Cable Crossover - 45X20, X15, X15.
Nice pump in the chest after the crossovers.

Last workout of Cycle 4 tomorrow with squats then a deload week. I got my new SBD knee sleeves today so I'm excited to try them.

Cycle 4 Week 3 Deadlifts

Rode bike for 5 mins and foam roller on the back and legs for to try and alleviate the lower back soreness I always seem to suffer from on deadlift day.

After a warmup - 135X10, 225X10, 315X5
Working sets - 385X5, 425X2, 475X1.

Couldn't triple the 425 as I should have. Just one of those things, I tripled 450 just last week as shown in the video. Maybe just tired. It definately wasnt for lack of eating lol. I weighed in at 222 lbs today.

Wide Lat pulldown - 205X8X2, 135X20 superset with seated DB curl - 40X8X3.
Upright cable row - 140X15X3 superset with standing DB curl - 30X14, X10, X9.

Finisher - empty bar curl (45) - X28.

Rode the bike for another 10 mins. That helped with the post workout lower back soreness for sure.

I started taking creatine again this week, so I could probably attribute the weight gain to that? I will watch my weight close I dont want to gain too much more if any. I will adjust cardio if needed, but probably not diet until after the contest June 14 in Dauphin. The top of my weight class is 231 so I have some room lol.

Cycle 4 Week 3 Monday Bench assist

So, as mentioned I changed my Monday routine to take out the OHP as a main lift for the 5/3/1 program. I will still do OHP with either DB/BB but not as a programmed lift. I wanted more bench press assistance work, so this is what I came up with,

Close Grip Bench Press - (all paused) - 275X7, 245X5, 245X4, 245X5.
Pin Press (about 3" off chest on the safeties) - 275X3, 275X3, 275X4
EZ bar Skullcrushers - 105X10X2
Tricep Pressdowns - 140X20X2

That pretty much destroyed my triceps. I tried to do;
Seated DB press - 60X8. Thats all I could do, it became evident that any pressing movements after the tricep work was not going to go lol.

DB Front raise - 25X10X2
DB Lateral raise - 25X10X2

That was a great workout,  I feel that the CG and tricep work is going to carry over to my bench more than the OHP. I will have to fit it in on squat day instead. Hopefully my elbows and everything else can handle the extra bench work. Well see how recovery goes before Thursday. Deadlifts tomorrow.

Cycle 4 Week 2 Squats (video)

Aaahhh what a grind. One of those days where the weight feels extra heavy and you just dont want to be in there. Havent had one of these days in a while. Either way, I dragged my ass in there and did just the main lifts after a warmup;

Squats - 375X3, 395X3, 420X3.

Thats it lol. Nevertheless, 420X3 is a PR for me, so still breaking pr's even though I didnt even want to lift today. Everything remains on track. Week 3 next week.

Shitty angle I know.

Also, I have decided to drop the OHP as a main lift from my routine. I will still do it, just not as a main lift with the 5/3/1 program.  I am going to start doing CG BB work as well as some pin presses and skullcrushers on Monday with shoulders to help with my bench. That way I dont have to do that stuff on bench day and I can get a good chest workout in as well or just stay with the BB bench if I feel like it. Doing it on Mondays should give me enough time to recover for Thursday.

Cycle 4 week 2 bench press

After warmup;

290X3, 305X3, 325X3. All reps were paused.

I'm pretty sure 325X3 is a PR for me. Felt strong so kept going.

355X1 paused. That ties my paused PR. Was going to go up to 365 paused but Ryan convinced me to go up to 375 for a touch and go.

375X1!! I got it with an epic struggle touch and go. That is a touch and go PR for me. That is the most I have ever benched raw, period.

Finished off with some assistance work;

Flat DB press - 75X12, X12, X8.
Cable cross - 60X12, X10, X10.
Tate press - 35X12, 40X12X2.

Great workout weight wise. Hopefully I can work up to 375 paused soon.
Squats tomorrow.

Wednesday Biceps

Was supposed to be a rest day off but felt like training so went and did a bicep workout. I usually add it in one day somewhere but it was cool just to do biceps only for a change and not have to worry about passing out from lifting heavy.

EX bar curl - 75X12, 85X12X2
Seated DB curl - 40X10X3
DB Hammer curl - 40X12X3
Seated incline DB curl - 30X9X3

No pain in the elbows from this at all which is a good sign.

Bench press later today.

Cycle 4 Week 2 Deadlifts (video added)

10 mins airdyne bike followed by warmup - 135X10, 225X8, 315X5.

Deadlifts - 400X3, 425X3, 450X3.

Was unsure about the triple with 450, but it went without too much trouble.

Did a set of hang cleans with 135X8 but my lower back wouldn't tolerate any more after deads.

BB shrug - 185X12X3 superset with Upright cable row - 140X10X3.

 

Rest day tomorrow then Bench Thursday.