Sereni's Training Log: Bench Kidd

[Sereni]

Google groups stopped automatically navigating to the end of my log, so  it's about time for a new one.  Also, I'm switching things up so it seemed appropriate. I started Smolov Jr. for bench yesterday.  My previous training was still working well, but I want to take a break and do something exciting.  It'll be a nice 3 week break.  I used 350 as my max.  I usually use less than my max, but I successfully completed a cycle with a 335 max quite a while back and that was when I was benching 340(which I can do no problem now).  I'll probably toss in leg days and some curl sessions.

6-2-14
Bench
245x6x6

Tricep Pushdown
14x20x5

NG Pulldown
105x15x6

Short rest periods, awesome pump.

[Sereni]

6-3-14
Bench
265x5x7 (7 sets of 5)

Squat
155x8x4

BB Curls
45x50,40,30,30

Camping this weekend so I'm trying to see if I can get away with benching 4 days in a row.

[Sereni]

6-4-14
Bench
280x4x8 (8 sets of 4)

Dips
Bwx20x5

DB Row
90x8x4

Short breaks, lifts are still easy.  I should be able to get away with four days in a row like I mentioned.  Not ideal, but week 1 bores me anyways.  Too bad Fran isn't here to tell me about the ideal 48 hr recovery time per muscle. 

[Sereni]

6-5-14
Bench
300x3x10

Hack Squat
2px20x5

Today was not easy, almost like I was sore or something.

[Sereni]

6-9-14
Bench
255x6x6

Tricep Pushdown
15x15x6

NG Pulldown
130x10x8

~90second rests.

[Sereni]

6-10-14

Bench

275x5x7 (7 sets of 5)

 

Squat

165x8x4

 

BB Curls

45x60,40,30,30

 

[Sereni]

6-11-14
Bench
290x4x8

Dips
BWx25,25,20,20,20,20

DB Row
100x8x4

Taking tonight off, lifting Friday, away this weekend.

[Sereni]

6-13-14
Bench
310x3x10
This was not easy.

[Sereni]

6-15-14
Bench
260x6x6

Tricep Pushdown
16x10x8

NG Pulldown
105x20x5

Shoulder is hurting again.  I'll probably take at least two days off from benching.

[Sereni]

6-16-14
SSB Squat
155x10x3
Pretending the SSB weighs 45, I think it's like 75 though.

Leg Curls
19x10x5

Blue Rehab Band Thigh Abductors
x15,15,15

Shoulder is still bothering me so I didn't bench.  I might take today off as well and see how it is tomorrow.  Lame.

[chris]

On Tuesday, June 17, 2014 10:54:56 AM UTC-4, Sereni wrote:

Shoulder is still bothering me so I didn't bench.  I might take today off as well and see how it is tomorrow.  Lame.

when all else fails, try taking 800mg of ibuprofen before bed and then every 4-6 hours the next day and before bed again if need be.

see how your medium grip bench feels -- you seem to be able to handle just about the same weights and it's a lot easier on the shoulders.

[chris]

I just remembered about this yesterday and thought about when we had been talking about a belt squat machine:

http://www.ironmind-store.com/SUPER-SQUATS174-Hip-Belt/productinfo/1220/LARGE/

you may be able to talk your gym owner into getting one instead ;-)

It's a much easier setup than the one we used at RIT because you can hook a barbell up right under your groin and do them on the floor or standing on just a couple of plates.

[Louie P]

Sereni's Training Log: Return of the Bench King

[Sereni]

6-17-14
Bench
280x5x7

[Sereni]

6-18-14
Bench
295x4x8

DB Row
110x8x4

Was going to take 6-17 off from benching, but I had a big-fat lunch and really wanted to go in.  I got hand-offs on all my sets for the past two days and that's helped.  I tried playing with my grip but it hasn't had much effect, I already have a pretty narrow bench.  I guess shoulder pain is misleading, it's more of a shoulder/pec pain.  Which I think is good and bad; at least my previous pain has gone, but this is separate.  It hurts right in the region where doing dips might work.  Anyways, it's not terrible and I was able to bench two days in a row without making it worse.  I only have one day left followed by test day.  The only concern I have is that I've slowed my bench down tremendously in an attempt to baby it, which might result in some power loss on test day.  I'm positive that once I'm not benching 4 times a week, it'll go back to 100%.

I'll definitely be looking into that belt.  It looks awesome.  I've been able to squat lately without any back pain, but I'm doing ~155 and using every ounce of my being to avoid any strain.  It would be nice to be able to be a little aggressive without risk.  If I can't convince the gym to buy one, I'll seriously be looking it for myself in the near future (my birthday is October 7th, fyi ;^)

Louie Baby, I was never gone.

[Nicholas Battista]

sexy benching.

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[Bob Stevens]

Is the pain in your deltoid? Do you do any isolation training of that muscle? 

[Dan]

I'm no shoulder expert, but perhaps it could be an overuse or imbalance issue.  For the last few years the bench press has been the staple of your training, maybe in part because of your back injury.  The heavy, frequent benching is putting a lot of emphasis on the anterior delt and pec, and your posterior delt and rotators may be losing out.  I know you're doing rows, but some light overhead pressing and rear delt work might help, at least in the long run.  

[Sereni]

That's a pretty roundabout way of saying I bench a lot and you think I should be doing more OHP ;^)

But in all seriousness, I'm sure you're right.  I do believe it's anterior delt pain.  However, I'm not too concerned yet.  In a week I'll be back to benching less frequently with more volume and less weight.  If it continues to hurt then, I'll look into it more seriously.  Chris even reminded me a while ago that I'm a grown-ass man and I can go to PT with my health insurance.  I really don't think it'll come to that, but it's an option. 

[Sereni]

6-19-14
Poundstone Curls
x100,30

Went in mostly to train with Megan and stretch.  Did poundstone curls with a friend and it was a glorious tale of the rabbit and the hare.  I did 100 pretty quickly and stopped thinking I'd won.  Kid ended up doing 106 but took about a minute longer.  Bastard.

This brings the total amount of poundstoners at my gym to three. 

[Sereni]

6-20-14
Bench
315x3x8
315x2x2

Let the second to last set sink into my chest quite a bit, so I did the very last set with paused reps.  Couldn't finish them all, guess I shouldn't have done poundstone curls the day before...

Today is test day.

[Sereni]

6-23-14
Bench
135x10
155x7
185x5
225x5
260x3
290x2
315x1
340x1
360x1(10lb PR)
370x1(20lb PR, well, technically another 10lb PR)

The youtubes proof.

[Sereni]

6-24-14
Squat
185x8x4

Pretty beat, taking today off and getting back to it tomorrow.  I think it's worth mentioning that my shoulder didn't hurt at all on my max out day.

[Sereni]

6-26-14
Upper #1

Bench (330, 1RM used)
135x5
165x4
200x3
250x2
280x1
255x15(13 continuous)
255x6
Big jump here, I'd rather struggle for 15 then struggle for 22.

Swiss Bar (paused)
265x8,8,7,6

NG Pulldown
105x15x6

Seated DB OHP (20 rep goal)
50x20
Doing these instead of BB OHP to work on that rear delt deficiency.  My BB OHP usually turns into a tricep movement. 

Man, doing more than one exercise is exhausting.

[Sereni]

6-27-14
Small Arms #1
Poundstone
x120,20
PR, woo

Incline DB Curls
25x15,15,15,10,10,15
Ouch...

Fat V Bar Pushdown
15x20x5

[Sereni]

6-28-14
Lower #1

Calf Press
100x35,35,35

Squat (based on a 225 max)
95x5
115x4
135x3
170x2
190x1
165x15 (mostly done two or three at a time)
165x6

Leg Curls
15x20x4

Unilateral Leg Press
emptyx20x4

Yay...

[Sereni]

6-30-14
Upper #2
Incline (250 max)
100x5
125x4
150x3
190x2
215x1
195x14 (12 consecutive)
195x6

DB Row
100x8x4

DB BP(20 rep goal)
65x30
75x8x4
I'm terrible at these, so I'm going to try to work on them.  I might need help loading them eventually as lying back with them is tough on my back.

[Bob Stevens]

If the dumbbells get too heavy to be able to sit back with, just use a red/orange bad to add resistance instead of heavier DB's. Plus you get the added bonus of stabilizing with the bands and you can focus better on contracting the muscles. 

--

[Sereni]

7-1-14 Small Shoulders #1
Side Laterals
15x20x5

Face Pulls
7x15x6

Small Arms #2
Hammer Curls
45x10x8

Dips
BWx20,20,15,15

[Sereni]

7-2-14
Lower #2
Calf Raise
45x35,30,30

Leg Press (quad)
1px5
2px5
3px5
4px5
5px2
4px20 (10 consecutive)
4px15

Walking Lunges
125x8x4
Legs were cramping up near the end, I don't think I was hydrated enough.  Pretty sore for a few days after.

[Sereni]

7-3-14
Small Shoulders #2
CS Rear Fly
20x10x8

NH OHP
45x15,15,13,11,10
Left shoulder was lit up during these.  Went away after, but it felt like it was on fire.

[Sereni]

7-5-14
Upper #1
(Last post should say NG OHP, not whatever I wrote)

Bench
135x5
165x4
200x3
250x1
280x1
315x1
335x1 (with a big fat pause)
255x15 (12 consecutive)
255x5
Worse than last time, I was cramping up on these too.  I suspect it was from a few 4th of July drinks. 

Swiss Bar (pause)
265x8,8,8,7

NG Pulldown
115x10x8

Seated DB OHP(20 rep goal)
50x21

7-6-14
Small Arms #1
Poundstone
x130,20
No prisoners.

Incline Curls
30x10x8

Fat V-Bar Pushdowns
16x15x6

[Sereni]

7-7-14

Lower #1
Calf Press
100x35,35,35

Squat

95x5
115x4
135x3
170x2
190x1

165x17
165x7

Leg Curls
16x15x6

Unilateral Leg Press
+25x15x6

Youtube of squatting.

Feeling good about my squats, even if they are 165lbs...  My abs start to wear out before my legs on my rep work.  I've pretty much tripled my flexibility just by stretching here and there.  Hip flexors finally don't feel like they're going to rip.

[Sereni]

7-8-14

Small Shoulders #1
Side Laterals

20x15x6

Face Pulls (paused, slow eccentric)
9x10x8

[Sereni]

7-9-14
Upper #2
Incline

100x5
125x4
150x3
190x2
215x1

195x14(11 consecutive)
195x6
225x3x4

DB Row
100x9x4

DB BP
85x20
100x10,8,8

[Sereni]

7-11-14
Lower #2
Calf Raises
55x30x3

Leg Press(quad)
1px7
2px5
3px5
4px4
5px3
4px23 (15 consecutive)
4px17

[Sereni]

7-12-14
Small Arms #1
Hammer Curls
30x20x5

Skullz (instead of dips due to shoulder)
60x15x6

Small Shoulders #2
CS Rear Flys
10x20x5

No NG OHP because of shoulder.

[Sereni]

7-13-14
Upper #1
Bench

135x5
165x4
200x3
250x2
280x1

315x1
345x1(paused)
255x16 (13 consecutive)
255x6
345 was just for my sanity, gym hasn't been very fun lately.

No Swiss bar due to shoulder.

NG Pulldown
95x20x5

No OHP due to shoulder.

As you can tell, shoulder is fucked.  Trying to find a PT soon.  Feeling pretty down.

[Nicholas Battista]

where in your shoulder is it bothering you?

[Sereni]

During daily activities it hurts in the upper-rear area.  If I try to do overhead movements the entire shoulder starts to feel uncomfortably warm almost immediately, even with 20lb dumbbells and regardless of grip orientation.  I'll probably baby it for a while; I'm setting up a meeting a PT soon, waiting to hear from my primary care to see if I can get a referral without having an appointment first.  I had been considering losing a few pounds, so maybe this would be my calling...

[Sereni]

7-15-14
Lower #1
Calf Press
100x40,35,35

Squat
95x5
115x4
135x3
170x2
190x1

165x18
165x9

Leg Curls
17x10x8

Unilateral Leg Press
45x10x8

Poundstone Curls
x120

[Sereni]

7-17-14
Tried benching to a two board but there was too much discomfort.  Had an appointment this morning where I had an x-ray taken, NSAID prescribed, and I should be able to start PT next week.  I'll hear about the x-ray on Tuesday, but I'm assuming it won't show anything and that it's just inflammation.  Hopefully some time off will make it go away and I can work on PT to prevent it from happening in the future.  In other news, pretty sure I met my deductible today.  Maybe I'll push for an MRI ;^)

[Sereni]

Had PT yesterday.  It's just some rotator-cuff tendonitis, which I guess is what I was hoping. I have some small movement sto do, but other than it's just a waiting game.  My exercises should prevent it from inflaming again in the future.  Got a massage, ultrasound, and stim therapy but by the end of PT it was actually feeling pretty fired up.  Here's to NSAIDs.

[chris]

On Friday, July 25, 2014 8:14:26 AM UTC-4, Sereni wrote:

Had PT yesterday.  It's just some rotator-cuff tendonitis, which I guess is what I was hoping. I have some small movement sto do, but other than it's just a waiting game.  My exercises should prevent it from inflaming again in the future.  Got a massage, ultrasound, and stim therapy but by the end of PT it was actually feeling pretty fired up.  Here's to NSAIDs.

Glad to hear bub. 

[Sereni]

Going to PT ~ 2x per week.  I get a hot massage, ultrasound, and stim session in addition to few exercises.  I don't feel a difference in the pain yet which is unsettling because I haven't lifted in about two weeks...

[Sereni]

Finally seeing some progress.  Shoulder is probably up to about 75%.  I tried safety bar squatting yesterday but I don't have the motivation to squat if I can't bench.

[Sereni]

Shoulder is still being a bitch.  Going to call my primary care today to see if I should see an orthopedic.  In the meantime I decided to clean up my diet and have a goal weight of 200lbs.  I'm at 214 in the morning right now so I'm thinking about 10 weeks without adding cardio or anything obnoxious.  Once I can lift again I'll probably train like a sissy for awhile because I'm terrified of hurting my shoulders even more.