Bench, Sweat & Tears ~ My Powerlifting Life and Times

[kjake55]

Over ten years sister and I still cannot split jerk !!!!

Glad to know I'm not the only one! I don't feel like such a spaz now!

High Rep cycle - Week V - last week of this, praise the Lord!!

Bench press 75/12, 85/12, 95/12, 105/8x2
Incline Bench 65/12, 70/12, 75/8
DB shoulder press 15/12, 20/12x2
Triceps: Cable split rope pulldowns, 3x12 @5p, 6p, 7p


If the online 1RM calculators can be believed I am currently looking at a max bench of 135. If that's the case then I will meet my goal of opening @ 120# in October and maybe exceed it. I'm not getting overly confident about that yet however. I still have a ton of work to do. I played around with a bigger arch today but when it got heavy I found myself reverting back to my original positioning on the bench. So, you know, it's a process.

I'm also starting a mini pull up log. A log within a log kind of thing. I have always had a goal of doing 10 unassisted pull ups but I've never really worked towards it. Now if I put it here I'm kind of accountable. So, it's not a program or anything but I'm going to do a minimum of 10 pull ups every time I'm in the gym. Right now they're still assisted on the Cybex but it's a start. So today was 1x10 w/12plates assistance. Mega lats here I come!!!

 

[kjake55]

Playing a little journal catch up here.

Tuesday night was legs. Had an engagement Tuesday night so I kept it short and sweet but heavy.
Leg Curl/Leg Extension s/s 3x8 5 1/2p, 6p, 7p each
Leg Press (uni) 3x8 E/L 7p, 8p, 9p (bi) 3posx8 @ 11p
GG/BG 3x8 (GG) 7p, 8p, 9p (BG) 5p, 5 1/2p, 5 1/2p
GHR 3x10

Pullups 1x10 w/12p assist

Today was light bench & deads.
Bench 85/8, 95/8, 105/8
Deadlifts (cut back on warm up sets, did 135/5x2), 155/8, 165/8, 175/8
RDL's 70/12, 85/12, 95/12, 105/12, 110/12
Shrugs 75/12, 85/12, 95/12, 105/12, 115/12
Biceps: EZ bar pyramid 40/8, 35/10, 30/12, 35/10, 40/8

Pullups 1x10 w/12p assist

 

[kjake55]

This is it! Last day of high rep cycle! I survived and I think I even managed to put on a little size/definition.
Today was pulls.
Cable rows 5x12 a 5p, 5 1/2p, 6p, 6 1/2p, 7p
BOR's 65/10, 70/10, 75/10
St. Arm Lat pulldowns 1x12@3p, 1x12@3 1/2p, 1x10@3 1/2p, 2x12@3p
Inverted Row 4x8
GHR 3x10

 

[kjake55]

Yesterday was another outdoor conditioning day.
Deadlifts 5x5 @ 115 w/100' KB walks (25#)
Medicine ball cleans x5 w/100' lunge walks to push ups & dips and lunge walk back
Russian twists w/resistance bands in between sets

 

[kjake55]

Monday started a 6 week "BS" (basic strength 5x5) cycle and I set new 5 rep PR's all over the place!!!

BS - Week I
Heavy Bench day
Bench 85/5, 95/5, 100/5, 105/5,110/5!
DB flat bench (neutral grip) 25/5, 30/5, 35/5, 40/5!, 45/Fail, so I went back for a 2nd @ 40/5
Tate Press 15/5, 20/5, 25/5, 30/5!x2
Asst'd Dips 3x5 w/12p assistance
Pull ups 1x10 w/10p assistance...progress

Tonight was legs.
Zercher squats 5x5 w/80# sandbag
Bulgarian squats 50/5, 70/5, 80/5, 85/5, 90/5 (I use the smith bar for these bc of the balance issue I have on my right side. I don't count the 15# bar as part of the weight squatted.)
Good Mornings 65/5, 75/5, 80/5, 85/5, 95/5
Step ups 3x8 E/L w/a variety of BSB's and KB's too add weight
s/s 5x10 (ghetto style) GHR's w/calf raises using various BSB's & KB's to add weight

 

[kjake55]

Today was light bench.
Bench 95/5, 105/5, 110/5
Floor press 70/5, 75/5, 80/5, 85/5, 95/5
DB Incline (N. grip) 20/5, 25/5, 30/5 35/5x2
DB Military press 20/5, 25/5x4
Triceps: s/s pushdowns 3x10 @ 30, 40 & 50 w/close grip pushups (last 2 sets from my knees)

 

[kjake55]

Today was deadlifs.
1" deficit 135/5, 155/5, 165/5
Deadlifts 155/5, 165/5, 170/5
1A rows 25/5, 30/5, 35/5, 40/5, 45/5
Cable rows 5x5 @ 6 1/2p, 7p, 7 1/2p, 8p, 8 1/2p
Upright rows 5x5 @ 7p

 

[kjake55]

I haven't updated in a while because I have been very busy setting up my new massage clinic at the gym! I am so excited to finally have my own space to work with athletes and lifters to help improve their performance with better soft tissue recovery options.

But I haven't slacked off from my training either. I've been working hard every day...some highlights of my recent training include:

* Bench 115/3 unassisted which puts me only 5 lbs away from my opening goal of 120 in October!
* Bench 12/5 slingshot assisted
* DB Flat Bench still failing at 40# but I'm only inches away from locking it out so I expect to hit it soon. I'm handling 5x5 @ 35# readily.
* Pull ups - still assisted but using less and less assistance every week. I expect by October I will be able to hit a couple on my own.

That's it for now. Back to setting things up! ;-)

 

[kjake55]

I'm still here! Still training and getting prepared for Oct. Recent highlights are 120 # bench presses and 40# DB flat bench have been conquered. Next week we start conjugate training. That will be s first for me. I'm looking forward to mixing it up.
The other big news is that this Saturday I am having the Grand Opening of my sports massage clinic at the gym!!!!! Once I get past Saturday I'll be a little less manic and hopefully more diligent about my log. It helps keep me on track.

 

[Gregger]

Sounds awesome!
Looking forward to some updates on the training...

Greg

 

[Turbolag]

Awesome work!

Looks like your numbers are progressing!

 

[kjake55]

Thanks guys! The numbers really are coming along and I'm cautiously optimistic that I will reach my goal weights by the time October 18th rolls around!