Tag: Bench Press

Sabbatical is Over

First day back to work after my three month sabbatical. The kitchen isn’t finished, but is looking pretty good! Warmed up with 10×45 and 10×95 bench.

Chest

MAX Bench Press (120/60#)

Got 41, which beats the first time through the program by 1 rep.

MAX Ring Push-ups

Did 28, which is 2 reps better.

3 Sets

  • 10 Seated DB Shoulder Press (45#)

75 DB Bench Press (40/20#)

Went with all sets of five and tried resting the dumbbells on my chest most of the time instead of sitting up. Finished in 2:36 to beat my 2:48.

Conditioning

15:00 AMRAP

  • 50 alt Plank Knee-to-Elbows
  • 50 Jump Rope
  • 25 Air Squats
  • 50 Mountain Climbers
  • 25 alt Side Crunches
  • 25 Russian Kettlebell Swings (53#)

Got through 4+50.

Short Bench Rests

Warm-up

  • 20 PVC Passes
  • 10 Bench Press (45#)
  • 10 Bench Press (75#)

Chest

MAX Bench Press (100/50)

Wanted to get one more than the first time through the program so did 56.

100 Push-ups

Went 6×5, 22×3, 4 to finish in 4:25.

Bench Press

  • 3 sets to failure @ each (155/125/100#)

To speed things up and fatigue more we went right after each other all the way through instead of keeping to three minute rests. I did 15-10-9, 17-12-12, and 20-20-16. Still a ton of reps, but fewer than before.

6 Sets

  • 12 Double DB French Press (20#)
  • 1:00 Rest

Another Go at a TRAIN Chest Program

We took 3 days off for the holiday and my birthday.

Warm-up

  • 20 PVC Passes
  • Trunk Twist
  • 10×45
  • 10×75

We’re going to start the chest program again that we did late summer. We had good results and enjoyed it.

Chest

MAX Bench Press (100/50#)

I was getting pretty slow, so stopped at 50, which is the same number of reps I got before.

MAX Push-ups

Only 30 push-ups though, which is five fewer.

3 Sets

  • 12 Seated DB Shoulder Press (40#)

These felt ok.

50 DB Bench Press (50/25#)

I went 10-8-7, 5×5 to finish in 2:05, which is 21 seconds faster because I was smarter about my sets, compared to 15-10-10-8-7.

Conditioning

2 Rounds

  • 10 cal BikeErg
  • 10 Burpees
  • 10 Box Jumps (24”)
  • 10 DB Hang Power Cleans (40#)
  • 10 cal Row
  • 10 Burpees
  • 10 Box Jumps (24”)
  • 10 DB Hang Power Cleans (40#)

Good one! Took me 10:55.

Midline

4 Sets

  • 1:00 Plank
  • 50 Hollow Flutter Kicks
  • 10/10 KB Side Bends (62#)

The flutter kicks got to be a challenge. Wasn’t really for time, but took me 9:46.

After a Week Off

Spent five nights in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We didn’t workout at all but did over 8.5 miles of walking each of the first two full days there! Today was our first workout in a week and I can’t remember the last time I took a full week off! Out in the garage just before 1pm. Warmed up with 20 PVC passes.

Strength

Bench Press

  • 10×45
  • 10×95
  • 5×135
  • 5×165
  • 5×185
  • 5×200
  • 5×215
  • 5×225

Partner Arms

  • Plate OH Hold (45/25#)
  • 10->1 Plate Curl (45/25#)
  • 10->1 Plate OH Tricep Extension (45/25#)

This one came from Scott Panchik. One partner is doing the couplet while the other holds their plate overhead; you never put the plate down! Took us 5:08 to get through and my arms and shoulders were on fire!

Conditioning

4 Rounds

  • 200m Run
  • 15 Burpees
  • 20 Russian KBS (45#)
  • 20 Reverse Lunges

Wanted to just coast through something today. I did the first two rounds in 7:31 and then when I went for the third round of burpees I was feeling good so picked up the pace to finish in 14:09.

Midline

4 Rounds

  • 20 alt Side Crunches
  • 14 Leg Lifts
  • 20 Bicycles (slow)
  • 14 Overhead Crunches (50# DB)

Finished in 7:19.

Felt good to move today.

Finished the Chest Program

Super busy and productive day on Sunday with the heat, so skipped a workout. Yesterday my back was good enough to walk 18 holes and after a week away from the course. It wore me out for the day! I edged and mowed the lawn during lunch today.

Final day of the chest program and I’m over it!

Warm-up

  • 20 PVC Passes
  • Bench Press
    • 10×45
    • 8×95
    • 6×135
    • 4×165
    • 3×185
    • 2×205

Chest

MAX Bench Press (225#)

Got nine reps, which is 1 more than Saturday and 1 short of tying my best ever.

100 HR Push-ups

I did 3s through 81 and then quick singles to finish in 5:34. Still now close to my PR, but almost 30 seconds faster than last week.

Seated Shoulder Press

  • 3 Sets @ 3 Weights
    • MAX Reps
    • 3:00 Rest between sets

I did 15-13-12 with 110, 15-14–15 with 90, and 22-20-20 with 70 pounds. Decided to increase 15# per set over the last time and ended up with 905 more total pounds lifted. 💪

6 Sets

  • 12 Double DB French Press
  • 1:00 Rest

I was smoked, but wanted to see if I could jump up to the 25s. I barely made it through two sets and then used 20s for the last four sets.

FIN!

We really liked this program and it seemed to work well. We both put on size and got more comfortable with all the volume. Probably should have drank more protein shakes because it was so many reps, especially the Tuesday workouts. I think we’re going to start an arm program next.

About an hour after the workout we went for a 2.62 mile walk in about 45 minutes.

Week 7 of Chest

Mowed the lawn yesterday but didn’t workout since I’d done 4 days in a row already. Got a lot of stuff done at B’s house this morning before it got too hot and was out in the garage by 12:30 for our workout. Will be the hottest day of the summer I think and with humidity will feel over 100° this afternoon.

Warm-up

  • 20 PVC Passes
  • Bench Press
    • 10×45
    • 8×95
    • 6×135
    • 4×165
    • 3×185
    • 2×205

Chest

Final week of the 7 week program!

MAX Bench Press (225#)

Got through 8 reps and the positions weren’t feeling great so I stopped before I pushed it too far.

MAX Perfect Push-ups

I had done 32 on the 7th and managed 36 today.

3 Sets

  • 8 Seated DB Shoulder Press (elbows out, 60#)

Really wasn’t sure about this so I had written down 6-8 reps. It wasn’t easy, but I got all three sets.

100 DB Bench Press (30#)

I went 6×15 and 10 to finish in 2:23 On July 31st. Today I went for it starting with 20s. Did 3×20, 2×15, 10 for a 17 second PR in 2:06.

Conditioning

4 Rounds

  • 2:00 TrueForm Run
  • 1:00 Rest
  • 2:00 BikeErg
  • 1:00 Rest

Nice easy sweat session I did 0.32, 0.35, 0.38, 0.41 km on the run and 977, 1,007, 1,018, 1,025 meters on the bike.

Still Struggle with Hand Release

Another brutally hot and humid day. My back was much better through the night and it was tons easier to stand up out of bed this morning.

Warm-up

  • 20 PVC Passes
  • Bench Press
    • 10×45
    • 8×95
    • 6×135
    • 4×165
    • 2×180

MAX Bench Press (200#)

One better than Saturday with 16 reps.

100 HR Push-ups

We decided to switch it up for the final two weeks and try hand releases. I’ve never been good at this and can’t beat the time I set way back in 2013. Today was not the day either. I did threes through 54 and then had to go to doubles. It took me 6:03! Probably halfway through or more I realized that putting my arms above my head to rest at the bottom was probably a bad idea. I need to rest with arms down to sides.

Incline Bench Press

  • 3 Sets @ 3 Weights
    • MAX Reps
  • 3:00 Rest between sets

12-11-11 @ 135#
16-15-15 @ 115#
20-20-21 @ 95#

I don’t really like the feeling of incline on my shoulders.

6 Sets

  • 12 EZ Bar Skull Crushers (56#)
  • 1:00 Rest

Tweaked Back

I walked 18 holes on the golf course Friday in the heat and humidity. Took a lot out of me for the rest of the day.

Warm-ups

  • 20 PVC Passes
  • Bench Press
    • 10×45
    • 8×95
    • 6×135
    • 4×160
    • 2×180
  • 5 Deadlifts (45#)
  • Power Cleans
    • 4×45
    • 5×95
    • 5×135

Chest

MAX Bench Press (200#)

Got 15, which I’m pretty happy with.

MAX Decline Push-ups (12”)

Busted out 50 to beat the previous 40.

3 Sets

  • 10 Seated DB Shoulder Press (elbows out, 50#)

75 DB Bench Press (40#)

Went 5×10, 8-7-5-5 to finish in 2:26 and beat the 2:48 from 4 weeks ago when I did 5×10 and 5×5.

Weightlifting

E2M – 7 Sets

  • 6 Power Cleans
    • 3@155
    • 3@165
    • 1@175

Was feeling pretty good so did a couple of increases.

Conditioning & Midline

2 Rounds

  • 400m Run
  • 50 Bicycles
  • 40 Hollow Flutter Kicks
  • 30 Side Crunches
  • 20 Leg Lifts
  • 10 Hollow Rocks

Heading out for the first run my back did not feel good and it didn’t get better with the movements. Took me 9:42.

Mowed the lawn and did a bunch of work on Brandi’s house. My back is not happy.