UB: Strong Week 3. Bench

Defranco Shoulder Mobility

Machine Neck Extension - 15X20, 20X20, 25X20

Bench -
BarX10
95X5
105X5
125X5
135X5
155X5

DB Incline - 55sX12, 7

Dips - Gym BW 204+5lb.X12, 4

Defranco-style Core Circuit X2

20 minute, brisk walk home

Back of my neck felt a little sore coming into the gym, so I backed off the weight on the extensions.  I'm pretty sure it was just my traps from heavy shrugging the day before, but no point in killing myself on neck extensions anyway.

Bench felt a little better today.  I've been focused so much on tinkering with my set-up, that everything had just felt hard.  Today I tried to just make sure and do the things I KNOW have been good, and not worry as much about other stuff.  That meant setting up high on the bench so that my shoulders end up just below the uprights, and getting into this position by setting my feet then sliding down the bench and then back up onto my upper-back.  The thing I had trouble with today was tucking-and-flaring my elbows through the movement, and pulling the bar apart.  Otherwise, I gave myself decent rests between the top sets, and things mostly felt good.  Next week the top set is my projected 5RM.

Hit 12 reps with the 55s on DB Incline, so next week I move up to the 60s.  Incline felt strong today, AND felt like it got worked.  Nice combination.

Feels kind of stupid to use a dip-belt with just a 5lb. plate, but 209X12 is a Rep PR so suck it.  I'm noticing a trend with dips and chins on the 50% sets, however.  No matter what weight I'm lifting, and how many reps I get on the first set, I'm only getting 4 reps on the 2nd set.  I don't think it's mental, because I didn't notice this until AFTER my 2nd set today.  Well now it will be mental, because I'll be godamned determined to get 5 on my next sessions.

I decided I wanted to move core work from Squat day to Bench day so that I'm doing core work everyday except the day I do the heavy conditioning.  I didn't actually look up a Defranco progression for this today.  I've done enough of those that I feel pretty confident winging it.  This circuit was sprinter sit-ups, v-ups, and cross-body toe-touches.

Weather is holding pretty well, so I decided to do a brisk walk home in place of the treadmill for my steady-state.