Back to the Bench

Welllllll....it feels quite obvious it's been a while in the ole' bench department!

I felt good today going into the gym, was up and excited and ready to go, and was the appropriate, "good" kind of sore from yesterdays squat workout (not crippled like after last Friday). That said, once I got started I felt pretty weak in the upper body strength department today. Everything felt heavy, and it was all relatively (even for me), light! Ugh...hopefully it was just a matter of getting used to the movements again, it really has been (aside from the meet, which is just a few single lifts) *weeks* since I've benched.

I left the workout I'd planned and my camera at work last night, so I put something else together last night, and so sadly - no vids today. Both Myles and RC asked for me to try a slightly wider grip with bench, watching the videos from the meet, it looks like my grip had me slightly out of alignment - force was not going straight up but slightly inward at an angle off my chest. Soooo...I did that :) It felt awkward but new stuff always does. Will obviously need to stick with it for a bit and see where it goes. It only makes sense that it should help though.

Bench Warmups followed by
75 x 5
80 x 5
85 x 15*

DB Incline Press 3x10@25
BB Rows 10 x bar, 65, 85
Seated Cable Flys 10 @ 40 (heavy! ugh), 2x10@35
DB Decline Press 2x10@25
BB Overhead Press 2x12@bar (only did 10 each set though)
DB Rear Delt Flys (on bench) 2x12@15
BB Curls 2x12@bar
Tri Rope Pulldown 2x10@70

I opted to modify/shorten the abs workout that T sent a bit.  I used the basic structure she gave me and added add'l weighted exercises as I think that will help me towards my goals more than lots and lots of killer BW stuff. Here's how I worked it out, though I'll probaby keep on tweakin':

2 sets: Leg Raises (15) superset w/V-ups (15)

Rope Crunches 3x15 @ 90, 100, 110 (was feeling out the weight, next time will stick with 110)

2 sets: V-sit w/Med Ball (6lbs) (15/side) superset w/ Crunches (added 25lb plate) (25)

Ball Pike (umm...should have looked at this more before I went to the gym, couldn't really figure out form so went to modified sort of roll-in things on my knees LOL)
2 x 15

Plank 1 @ 60secs

Still a lot of sets! Though I actually really enjoyed the abs stuff.   And total (i know I know! I get carried away!) workout was waaay too much/long.

Couldn't stand the idea of the elliptical, so I went all boot camp style and did this for cardio:

3 cycles of (*) each exercise / 60 seconds rest between cycles:

• Burpees + push-up from "out" position (15) - though, ugh pushups only managed 12/8/6, UB was apparently quite fried!
• Jumping Jacks (30)
• Jog to High Knees (few seconds of jog then into 35-40 "high knees")
• Mountain Climbers (30)
• Ice Skaters (30)
• Static squat w/ front punches (30)

Took about 15 mins or so, not a lot! But tough after squats yesterday and today's workout.

Leaving felt good, too :)

Tomorrow is: Cardio only, or rest, depending on how I feel. Gotta be strong for Deads on Friday!

* ok ok...so out of curiousity I plugged this into a 1RM calculator, and here are those results:
1RM: 128
5RM: 124
10RM: 105

Umm...lies!
I missed 122 *twice* at the meet, and I think in training leading up to the RUM, my PR with 110 was 3, and 105 I think I maxed at 2 sets of 7? This formula has always confused me! Just sayin' :)