LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 1. Week 1. Bench

BW - 200

Bench -
BarX15
85X5
95X4
115X3
145X2
165X1

155X12, 5

Chins (shoulder-width/neutral grip) -
BWX5
+15X5
+20X3, 3
+25X2
+30X1

+25X6, 4
BWX8

DB Incline - 45sX21, 12, 11, 10

1st session on the Big-15 cycles.  This will run for two 6-week cycles.  Looking forward to it.

155X12 is an all-around PR.  My goal on bench this cycle is to hit 155 for 15 or more.  I should hit that, and possibly fairly quickly.  If I hit 15 before the 6 weeks are up, I think I will continue to rep 155 for the rest of cycle 1, but possibly bump up the warm-up weights to a top single at 175, or my previous Everyday Max.  I would like to hit 225X1 sooner rather than later in the next year, and while 155X15 technically projects to that, I figure I can milk 155 for a few reps above that to help cement the musculature I will need when I finally attempt it.

This was my first time doing weighted chins, so these are all PRs to some degree, but really more like baselines.  My goal for the 6 weeks will be to hit BW+25X10.  Again, if I hit that before the 6 weeks are up, I will just keep pushing the reps.  Jesus, anything over 10 is usually a decent chinning-day for me anyhow.  Maybe this will help change that.

Another thing I will be doing for the 1st phase will be focusing on DB movements for a lot of the assistance/accessory work.  I've largely stayed away from that stuff for compound movements the last couple of years, and I think at least this 1st body-building phase is a good opportunity to explore them, and with gusto.  My initial goal is set at 55sX15 for Incline, but because it's such an under-used movement for me, it could ramp up really quickly, so if I hit 55X15+ next week and the week after, I will bump the weight up.