Unleashing The Beast Within

Saturday, May 13th

Power Snatches

40x5
50x3
60x3
70x3
75x3 x6

Squats
60x10
80x10
100x10


5th snatch triple at 75. The bar still escapes forward, but at least the shoulders are feeling fine with these.
 
Monday, May 15th

Bench Press
80x5
100x5
110x5
115x2
115x5 x3

Chin-ups
x12 x5

A. Incline Cross-over Flies
7.5x20 x3

B. Prone-grip Face Pulls
MBx20 x3
 
Tuesday, May 16th

Power Snatches

60x3 x2
70x3 x5
75x2
80x2
80x1+F

Jerks
60x3 x2
80x3 x2

Squats
60x5
80x5
100x5
110x5
120x5
 
Wednesday, May 17th

Paused Bench Press

80x5
90x3
100x3
110x3
115x3
120x3 x3

Pull-ups
x12 x3

One-arm DB Rows
40x10 x3

A. DB Flies
17.5x15 x3

B. Face Pulls
x15 x3

C. Lateral DB Raises
7.5x15 x3

D. Preacher Curls
x15 x3

Sit-ups
x12 x3


I'm taking an easier week (keeping the intensity high, cutting the volume way down). Paused bench triples felt solid. I'm thinking of giving 140 a try before the end of next week.


Last triple at 120:
 
Friday, May 19th

Box Jumps

x6 x3

Hang Power Cleans
80x5 x3

Bench Press
80x5
100x3
110x1 x2

Squats
60x10
80x10
100x10
 
Saturday, May 20th

Bench Press

80x5
100x3
110x2
120x1
130x1
140x1 +5 kg PR
120x3 x5

Chin-ups
x12 x6

Incline DB Flies
17.5x15 x3

TRX T's + Y's

x10+10 x3

RLDs
60/80/100 x10

A. DB Curls
17.5x20 x2

B. GHD Sit-ups
x20 x2


I wasn't feeling well today. I had in my mind to give 140 a try today but I didn't feel ready, I was stressed about it since yesterday and all the stress made me feel weak. I didn't think I would make it today, but I decided to give it a shot regardless, if only not to let stress get the best of me. It wasn't a good-looking rep, it was 6.5 seconds of a grind, but my butt stayed in contact with the bench and the bar got to lockout.

Bench pressing 140 kg was my "lifetime goal", since starting lifting 7 years ago. Since my teens I've had shoulder issues and, until very recently, never in my life was I able to bench pain-free. I've had countless impingement issues, rotator cuff tears, SLAP tears, AC joint injuries and chronic bicipital tendonitis on both shoulders across a span of close to two decades. I've had X-Rays, MRIs and injections done, seriously considered surgery, and I've done literally hundreds of physiotherapy sessions for my shoulders in my life. Specifically when it comes to bicipital tendonitis, which is the main pathology that flared up whenever I tried to bench heavy, I've had persistent pain for a good 15 years; for most of those years I couldn't even do push-ups pain-free. A couple of years ago I really thought I would never bench 140 because my shoulders would just never be able to structurally cope with that load. Well, it wasn't a good looking rep, but today I benched 140 and I had zero shoulder pain despite it being the longest bench grind I've ever done. I am happy with this.





Bodyweight this morning = 91.7 kg.
 
Nice man. I'm a horrible bencher, so I know how good a PR feels on it. I'm hoping to get my bench up there too. I have to put a ridiculous amount of time into it to get any progress, and I always seem to strain my pec or something on the way there.
 
Congrats on the big bench PR miaou. 308 seems to be the new 275.
 
Hell yeah, man. Excellent work. That's more 8 lbs more than my lifetime best bench.
 
Nice man. I'm a horrible bencher, so I know how good a PR feels on it. I'm hoping to get my bench up there too. I have to put a ridiculous amount of time into it to get any progress, and I always seem to strain my pec or something on the way there.
Man, I remember visiting your log in awe of how strong you are. It is weird that now I'm benching more than you.

I guess I've had minimal muscle issues with lifting; it's always been connective tissue that has been problematic for me. However, once my shoulders were ok, I think I've had good progress with my bench (it took me 8-9 months from benching 120x1 to benching 140x1). Since I know you also auto-regulate your training, If you want maybe I could share a few things that seemed to work for me.

Congrats on the big bench PR miaou. 308 seems to be the new 275.
Thanks, Milk. When I benched 130 a few months ago I had thought to myself (heh, now I bench more than teh 275) :p
Hell yeah, man. Excellent work. That's more 8 lbs more than my lifetime best bench.
Thanks, Jake. That a nice thing to say, although I'm pretty sure that you could probably walk to a bar and bench more than that any day of the week.
 
Thanks, Jake. That a nice thing to say, although I'm pretty sure that you could probably walk to a bar and bench more than that any day of the week.

You'd think that, especially with a 120 ohp, but the last time I benched last year, I had to grind out 275 lbs lol.

Just accept this victory.
 
@Jake Pudenz You and me both know that with a 120 press you would cruise through 140 kg if you were to just put a couple of weeks' work in your bench, but I do appreciate the compliment :D
 
Monday, May 22nd

Sprints
20m x9

Hurdle Hops
x6 x5

Single-leg Bounds
x6 x3+3

Overhead Press
60x6 x5

Chin-ups
x15 x5

Supine-grip Pull-aparts
SMBx15 x3

Cable Curls
x20 x4

BB Shrugs
60x30 x3
 
Last edited:
Baller bench, meow. I'll never stop enjoying seeing you progress after all the shit you've went through and still go through. Lesser men would've wilted a long while ago.
 
Baller bench, meow. I'll never stop enjoying seeing you progress after all the shit you've went through and still go through. Lesser men would've wilted a long while ago.
Thanks, belphegor. That's a nice thing to say.
 
Wednesday, May 24th

Resisted Sprints

30m x9

Single-leg Box Jumps
x5+5 x3

Hang Power Cleans
90x5 x3

Paused Bench Press
80x5
100x6 x5
100x8

Squats
80x6
100x6
110x6
120x6
130x6

A. Incline Cable Flies
x20 x3

B. Face-Pulls
MBx20 x3

Pull-up + Hanging Leg Raise
x8+8 x3

DB Curls
17.5x15 x3


Trying to ease my R hip to low-body work. Left knee has been a bit painful for the last few days (since I squatting 100x10 of the 13th).

Tried snatching but left shoulder rotator cuff was a bit painful (probably from Monday's overhead pressing).
 
Friday, May 26th

Sprints

20m x9

Hurdle Hops
x6 x6

Single-leg Bounds
x6+6 x3

Paused Bench Press
80x5
100x3
110x3 x9

Squats
80x5
100x5
120x5
140x5

A. DB Flies
20x12 x3

B. Prone-grip Pull-aparts
MB/SMB/SMB x15

Chin-ups
x15 x4


Nice and smooth session.

3-second pauses on the bench press. A few reps with legs raised.
 
Saturday, May 27th

BTN Press

30x10 x3

Α. Incline DB Press
22.5x15 x3

B. Seated Cable Rows
x15 x3

Terminal Cable Pulldowns
x15 x3

A. Lateral DB Raises
7.5x15 x3

B. Preacher Curls
x20 x3

C. Sit-ups
x10 x3


50-min session.
 
Monday, May 29th

Sprints

10m x6

Plyo Tuck Jumps
x10 x5

Power Snatches
60x3 x3
70x3
65x3 x3

Paused Bench Press (wider grip)
80x5
100x6
105x5 x5

Squats
80x5
100x5
120x5
140x5
150x5

A. Chin-ups
x17 x4

B. Cross-over Flies
x15 x3


I was planning on doing 20m sprints but I got impressively painful spasms on the bicep fem (both legs but more so on the right one).

It is funny how much harder bench pressing feels when gripping the bar just a finger or two wider.
 
Wednesday, May 31st

Paused Bench Press
(wider grip)
80x5
100x3
110x3
115x3 x9

Pull-ups
x12 x8
 
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