March 30, 2011 - ME UB

Dynamic Warm-ups

Reverse Band Close Grip Barbell Bench Presses w/IW#3's
No Bands
45x10
Add Bands (-45lbs)
95x5
135x3
180x3
210x3
240x3
270x1
300x1
330x1
350x1
370x1 PR+5lbs
390x1 PR+25lbs
405x1 PR+40lbs
365x3 PR+2 reps

Swiss Bar Seated Presses w/ IW#4's (145lbs)
45x3
60x3
75x3
90x3
105x1

Bent Over Barbell Rows (straps)
185x8
215x8
245x8
275x8 PR+10lbs

Lower Trap Dumbbell Raises
27.5'sx12 PR+2 reps
27.5'sx12
27.5'sx12

32 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Pretty much floored by how much my strength has improved on benching exercises. I really wasn't expecting much on this as the last time I did reverse bands, it was what my max without the band help was (both ended up being 365lbs). 390lbs came up off my chest so fast that as soon as I racked it, I checked my camera to actually make sure it had "touched" my chest. I knew I had more in me but how much more? Went bold and put on four plates. A bit of struggle to lock it out but I got it. Never thought I'd be this close to knocking on the doors of a +400lbs bench press. Finished it off with a downset with my previous one rep max for a triple. Swiss bar stuff wasn't as kind though. While it felt slightly easier than last time (which was rough) 90lbs was tough and I stopped after I got one rep with 105lbs as I knew it wasn't going to go up for any more reps. Now at the time, this frustrated me as I thought this was my third go around with this weight and that last time I had done a double. Wrong on both counts as this was the second time and last time it was just a single as well. This is just a tough exercise to progress on so I'll keep it in for another rotation and if still no improvement, then I'll have to change things up a little. Rowing was okay. Certainly not as much of a shock as last week when I started doing them again. Sets two and three bugged my bicep a little but I think I can keep it from happening since I didn't have the issues with the first and last set. Last exercise was lower trap raises with dumbbells. Though not rear delts, it should be a helpful exercise for the upper back muscles. May help keep what happens to my upper back when I do super heavy yoke from, well, happening I guess haha. Kind of rushed my stretching as I wanted to eat and go to sleep. I was up late the night before.