Got to the gym tired and hungry, but got there.  Not my best day, but we’ll take it.

Warmup

Shoulder complex, stretching, GHR situps

Bench press

2×15 @ 45

95×3

135×3

135+1chain x 3

8×3 @ 185+1chain.  three grips, less than a minute between each of the 8 sets.  Speed was OK, but not awesome.

Football Bar press

45+1chain x 5

135+1chain x 5

3×3 @ 185+1chain.  This is going backwards.  Not sure why.

T-Bar rows

45×8

100×8

115×8

125×8

135×8

Land Mine presses

2×15 @ 35

band pressdowns (light band) superset with hammer curls (45’s)

2×12

I really hate getting up at 4:30.  Alas, I’m home by 9 with three meals eaten, and I’ve got a full day ahead of me.  (Coffee will be my friend today).

Felt great again this morning.  Also saw one of the most stupid things, ever.  Some fitness/bodybuilding girl (I could tell by her Flag nor Fail hoodie) had the reverse hyper loaded with 180 pounds – I thought that was odd, given that’s a ton of weight for a little person.  Then she proceeded to double a strong band around the swing arm from the front of the machine, step into the band and put it around her hips, and then did what I guess was a good morning, but the net resistance was the band against her hips, which maybe moved two inches. I considered asking her what she thought she was doing (I get asked why I’m using chains), but I was afraid I might laugh or make a face, so I used the 45 degree hyper instead.

Warmup

Incline situps and 45 degree hypers

Shoulder complex

Stretching

Bench Press

2×15 @ 45

95×3

135×3

135+1chain x 3

3×8 @ 185+1chain.  3 grips, less than a minute between sets. Fast and strong.

225+1ch x 1

255+1ch x 1

280+1ch x 1  This is getting pretty close to max effort work, but I wanted to best the 275+chain from last week.

Football Bar Press

45×5

135×5

135+1ch x 5

3×4 @ 190+1ch

Barbell t-bar row

5×8 @ 95

Land Mine shoulder press

2×15 @ 30

Band Pressdown superset with hammer curls

2×15 (light band, 40’s)

Got up, walked the dog, had a shake and a Monster, went to the gym.  It’s 8 degrees.  Invigorating.

Bench Press

2×15 @ 45

95×5

2×3@135

135+1set chain x 3

8×3 @ 185+1chain.  Chains are 40 pounds, but about half the chain starts on the floor, then totally deloads at the bottom.  3 grips, less than a minute between sets.

225+1chain x 1

245+1chain x 1

275+1chain x 1

Football Bar Press (middle grip)

45+1chain x 15

135+1chain x 8

3×5 @ 185+1chain

Barbell t-bar row

5×8 @ 90

Land Mine shoulder press

barx15

2×15 @ 25

Band pressdown

2×10 w/light band

superset w/ Hammer Curls

2×10 @ 40

That felt like enough for the day.

Took an extra day off.  Not sure I got much out of the extra rest physically, but I did mentally.

Warm Up

Shoulder complex, band stretching

Bench Press

2×12 @ 45

2×3 @ 95

135×3

135+1chain x 3

8×3 @ 175+1chain.  Less than a minute between sets, three grips

185+1chain x 3

225+1chain x 1

245+1chain x 1

265+1chain x 1

4 Board Press

225+1chain x 5

275+1chain x 5

280+1chain x 5

DB Row

60+8

3×8 @ 100

1 Arm press

2×7 @ 50

Incline Tate Press superset w Hammer Curls

2×8 @ 35

Pullover Machine

2×15 @ 70

Wave Wrap Up

Since my training is broken down into three ‘week’ (8 days) cycles, or waves, I evaluate how things have gone, what’s working, what isn’t, and what I need to change.  First, I do need a deload this week.  I’m starting to get some pain in my biceps tendons (probably from my shoulders), and my sleep is a little off.  I will probably train tomorrow and do some light lower body work and sled dragging, Thursday do some upper work, and on my normal dynamic days, I’ll squat and bench working up to maybe 80%.

Next cycle, I’ll build on volume a little.  No changes to max effort lifts, I’ll go back to straight weight on dynamic days.  I think I’m going to stick with most supplemental exercises, but I’ll swap out one arm presses for sure.  I think I may replace step ups with something a little more challenging, like a leg press, trap bar deadlift, or a one leg squat.  Otherwise, I don’t want to mess with things too much, as everything seems to be working.

Warm Up

2 sets each of reverse hypers and incline situps.  Shoulder complex, shoulder stretching with bands.

Bench Press

2×15 @ 45

95×3

135×3

135+1chain x 3

155+1chain x 1

8×3 @ 175+1chain.  Less than a minute rests, alternated three grips (2 close, 3 med, 3 pinky on rings)

4 Board Press

225+1chain x 5

245+1chain x 5

255+1chain x 8

DB Row

60×10

3×10 @ 90

1 Arm Press

30×5

2×7 @ 50

Incline Tate Press ss w/ Hammer Curl

2×8 @ 30

Old Pullover machine

2×15 @ 50

Some guy (I was about to call him ‘old’, but he was probably my age) didn’t like the heavy music someone was playing in the gym.  He tried to get me to commiserate with him.  No luck.

Warm Up

Reverse Hypers, incline situps, shoulder complex, band stretching.

Bench Press

2×15 @ 45

95×3

135×3

135+1chain x 3

8×3 @ 175+1chain (less than one minute rests.  Speed pretty good.)

225+1chain x 1

245+1chain x 1

255+1chain x 1

4 Board

225+1chain x 5

235+1chain x 5

245+1chain x 5

DB Row

3×12 @ 80

1 Arm Press

30×5

2×6 @ 50

Incline Tate Press ss w/ Hammer Curls

2×10 @ 25