Keep the blood in your head and your feet on the ground

Parsley

September 8th

Bench
60kg x12
70kg x5
80kg x5
90kg x5
95kg x4
97.5kg x3
100kg x2
105kg x1
80kg x10

Tricep Circuits x3

Pullups v. wide grip
x8
x8
x6
x5
x4

Pendlay Rows
60kg x8
60kg x8
60kg x8
60kg x8

Bit of core work

Videos of some of the bench sets:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzd1T4CT93w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXzupuhvrm8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNgWBnGC80Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPiY79-lkjI

Think i'm doing some serious bouncing off the chest, never noticed it before. Should I try doing reps paused at the chest?

cardio,shoot me

thats not really bouncing, id compare it more to divebombing the weight if anything.

Parsley

Why, what's the difference?

brutusthebarber

Impressive log man, you seem to be making some good progress.

Just looked at the bench vids there, thought I'd throw in my two cents.

It looks like your lowering the weight just a little fast then relying purely on strength to get it back up. You could try lowering it in a more controlled fashion, getting the touch and then press.

The pause reps give you a better idea of your bench strength IMO. The pause and press reps are competition standard? So if your looking to compete you probably should try them. I know when I started them, it gave me a kick in the hole as to where my benching was!

Some of the powerlifting lads here will be able to help you regarding the paused reps.

On the 100kg x 2 vid, it looks like the elbow flared on the last rep. When I posted a bench vid Hanley noticed this and said it is down to Lat strength so that could be another thing to look into..

Parsley

I know about having to pause in competition, i was gonna get around to practicing them. It's just i didn't realise how much i bounced the weight till now.

And how do you mean the elbow 'flared'?

cardio,shoot me

by divebombing i mean, you drop the weight fastish but you dont bounce it, you kinda catch it at the bottom, I do it for some squat reps. Its not bouncing cause your not using momentum off your chest

Inspector Coptoor

the elbow kicked out to the side as you were pressing up

brutusthebarber

Parsley wrote: »

I know about having to pause in competition, i was gonna get around to practicing them. It's just i didn't realise how much i bounced the weight till now.

And how do you mean the elbow 'flared'?

I'd second cardio in that it is not like they are bouncing, more like dropping..
A bit of control in lowering the weight and you should be grand.

I'm not going to claim to know exactly what it is... but when your lowering the weight the elbow is tucked, then when pressing your elbow opens outward i.e. "flares". That's my understanding of it anyway.

I was doing it all the time, on any rep that I was struggling with my elbow would move outwards in order to complete the rep. Concentrating on keeping the elbows tucked through each rep helped. It still happens though so I'm working on bringing up the lats. This is what Hanley said on my bench vid, "Form wise... bench was pretty good. Your lats/upper back are probably a bit behind strength wise tho (watch how your elbows flair out)."

podge57

nice benching - i think touching a little lower and pushing at angle instead of a straight line might help you out, as you seem to hit a bit of a sticking point just off your chest

It doesnt really look like you bounced it much, I wouldnt worry about it. You will have to practice pausing if you are going to compete, although i dont like doing it too much b/c it can be tough on your shoulders.

(PS, take what i say with a pinch of salt because i suck at benching :P)

Parsley

Cheers lads. I'll start focusing on tucking the elbows, touching it lower, pausing and all that and see how i get on. Any advice on the squats/sldl's on the previous page?

cardio,shoot me

well. im not to confident on squats either but try and sit back more. like picture yourself droppin onto a toilet basically!

Parsley

cardio,shoot me wrote: »

well. im not to confident on squats either but try and sit back more. like picture yourself droppin onto a toilet basically!

I do try to do that, but my knees still seem to come out a small bit far...

cardio,shoot me

same here, im using the excuse that my femur is too long, but i dont think anyones buying it

Parsley

Sept 10th

Squats
60kg x5 (front)
70kg x5 (front)
80kg x5
90kg x5

95kg x8
95kg x8
95kg x8
95kg x8

SLDLs
60kg x12
60kg x12
60kg x12
60kg x12

Shovel DLs
Tried a few reps w/ 20kg on one end, don't know if iw as doing em right but i think my back was too tired as i had been doing real shovelling for 2 hours earlier.

Barbell Bicep Curls
30kg x10
35kg x8

40kg x5
40kg x5
40kg x5
40kg x8
40kg x6

By fúck, I need to eat more and sleep more, big shtyle. Headin off down to cork tomorrow, will be getting back into a routine, should help me.

Parsley

Monday 14th September

Russian Power Cycle Week 1 Day 1

Squats
20kg x a bunch
60kg x8 (front)
70kg x5 (front)
80kg x5
90kg x3

95kg x6
95kg x6
95kg x6

Bench Press
60kg x10
70kg x5
80kg x5

85kg x6
85kg x6

Incline Dumbell Press
28kg bells x7
28kg bells x7
28kg bells x7

Pullups
x8
x8
x6
x5
x4

Straight Leg Raises
x10
30 sec hold
x10


Alright session. Working on bench technique, focussed on touching lower on the chest and keeping the elbows tucked, think it went well. wanted to do some direct tricep work but arms were fried. tired myself out by not taking a break after the bench and going straight into the dumbells.

Parsley

Sept 16th
Russian Power Cycle Week 1 Day 2

Deadlift
70kg x10
90kg x5

120kg x6
120kg x6
120kg x6

70kg x a few

45degree hypers w/10kg ball
x15
x15
x15
- actually done before the DLs

Dumbell Curls
20kg bells x10
20kg bells x10
20kg bells x10
20kg bells x10 ...might have been another set in here...

Cable Rows
3x10, can't remember the weight

Some Bench Technique

---

Deadlifts were apparently done with awful technique, practically stiff legged according to L, maybe he can explain it better. Everything else was grand enough.

cardio,shoot me

Sure when does L do deadlifts, all he does is bench, thinks hes so great....

itsallaboutheL

cardio,shoot me wrote: »

Sure when does L do deadlifts, all he does is bench, hes so great....

Thanks, man...

cardio,shoot me

i actually couldnt figure out for ages how i made that mysterious typo, then i realised, i didnt.

Parsley

September 18th

Russian Cycle Week 1 Day 3

Squat
20kg x12
60kg x8
70kg x5
80kg x5

95kg x6
95kg x6

Dumbell Bench
16kg bells x15
24kg bells x8

Bench
70kg x5
80kg x3

85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6

Tate Presses
14kg bells x10
14kg bells x10
14kg bells x10
14kg bells x10

Lying Rolling Dumbell Extension thingy??
14kg bells x8
14kg bells x8
14kg bells x8

Reverse Grip Bent Over Rows
20kg x15
40kg x10
40kg x10
40kg x10
40kg x10

Parsley

September 21st

Russian Cycle Week 2 Day 1

Squat
20kg x12
60kg x8
70kg x5
80kg x5

95kg x6
95kg x6

Bench
20kg x12
60kg x8
70kg x5
80kg x3

85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6

Tricep Pushdowns
30-odd kg x15
30-odd kg x15
30-odd kg x15
30-odd kg x15

Tate Press-Rolling Tricep Extension Supersets
14kg bells x12/x10
14kg bells x12/x9
14kg bells x10/x8
14kg bells x10/x5

Pullups (neutral Grip)
x15
x11
x8

Parsley

September 24th

Russian Power Cycle Week 2 Day 2

Deadlift
60kg x12
80kg x6
100kg x3

120kg x6
120kg x6
120kg x6
120kg x6

All I had time for between lectures and labs. Off for a Guinness now! To Martha! :pac:

Parsley

Sept 26th

Russian Cycle Week 2 Day 3

Squats
30kg x12
70kg x5
80kg x5

95kg x6
95kg x6
95kg x6
95kg x6

Bench
30kg x15
70kg x5

85kg x6
85kg x6

Incline Dumbell Press
32kg bells x8
32kg bells x8
32kg bells x8

Barbell Crunches
30kg x10
30kg x10
30kg x10 - not sure f i was doing these right

Reverse Grip BORs
30kg x15
40kg x12
40kg x12
40kg x12

Squatting I tried the bar lower on by back, just on the tops of my shoulder blades. Slightly wider stance. Found it easier to hit depth and maintain balance, keeping weight on the heels and not having my knees too far out over the toes.

Parsley

Gonna be adding an extra day a week from now on for shoulder pressing, it's been missing from my training for a while and it's something i need to bring on... Might put some power cleans and the like into the same session.

Also think I need to start doing some assistance work for squats but i don't know what!!

itsallaboutheL

Parsley wrote: »

Gonna be adding an extra day a week from now on for shoulder pressing, it's been missing from my training for a while and it's something i need to bring on... Might put some power cleans and the like into the same session.

Also think I need to start doing some assistance work for squats but i don't know what!!

way to rob my idea and not credit me:p

im gonna go do some cardio, and light something or other tomorrow after the doc if you're around.

Parsley

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

im gonna go do some cardio, and light something or other tomorrow after the doc if you're around.

if i'd seen that last night i would've laughed. so i'm laughing now instead.

Sept 28th

Russian Cycle Week 3 Day 1

Leg Press - waiting for squat rack
half the stack x10
3/4 the stack x10
full stack x5 - think it broke or something, jammed half way up..

Squats
bar x15
60kg x12
80kg x5

95kg x6
95kg x10 - was supposed to do 6 but i felt like doing more.

Bench
50kg x15
70kg x5

85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6

Tricep Pushdowns
plate 50 x25
plate 60 x15
plate 60 x15
plate 60 x15
plate 60 x15

Tate Presses
18kg bells x12
18kg bells x12
18kg bells x12
18kg bells x12

Pullups
x10
x8
x5

Squats were good, concentrated on keeping the bar lower on the back, wider feet, and keeping the head up and chest out.

Tate presses are coming along pretty fast.

Parsley

Sept 30th

Russian Cycle Week 3 Day 2

Power Cleans
20kg x10
40kg x5
50kg x5
60kg x5

Deadlifts
100kg x5

120kg x6
120kg x6
120kg x6
120kg x6
120kg x6

Standing Press
20kg x15
40kg x12
50kg x8
50kg x5
50kg x5
50kg x5
50kg x5

Dumbell Curls
22kg bells x10
22kg bells x10
22kg bells x10
16kg bells x dunno, till my gunnzzz were burnt.

Power cleans were grand enough, only a warm up.

DLs were good, L said they looked easy for me, and they feel like they're getting better.

Shoulder presses... had been missing from my programme for quite a while and i really noticed it today, gonna keep adding them in on DL day and do an extra 4th day at the w/end for em, along with cleans and other stuff i feel like.

Parsley

October 2nd

Russian Cycle Week 3 Day 3

Squats
20kg x12
60kg x8
70kg x5
80kg x5

95kg x6
95kg x6
95kg x6
95kg x6
95kg x6

Bench Press
60kg x12
70kg x6

85kg x6
85kg x6

Tate Presses
16kg bells x10
16kg bells x10
16kg bells x10

supersetted with
Rolling Dumbell Tricep Extensions
10kg bells x10
10kg bells x9
10kg bells x7

Pullups
x8

Really 'meh' session. Been out drinking the last two nights, wasn't in the best form today but managed it alright.

itsallaboutheL

where'll i met ya tomorrow?

I spose i could just text ya back but my phone is in the kitchen and im too sick to move.

Parsley

October 5th

Russian Power Cycle Week 4 Day 1

Squats
20kg x15
60kg x8
70kg x5
80kg x5

95kg x6
95kg x6

Bench
50kg x15
60kg x8
70kg x5

85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6
85kg x6

Tate Press/Rolling Tricep Extension Combo
14kg bells x10/x10
14kg bells x10/x10
14kg bells x10/x10

Pullups
3x8

Some leg presses in there too...

Next week should be good, hit 6x6 on the bench today, next week is 5x5, then 4x4, 3x3, 2x2 and 1x1 so things'll be getting more interesting. Had pinkies on rings the last two sets today, was wider than usual.