300 lb bench or bust

[sfw509]

Nice work.

I definitely agree with what @Trendkill is saying about ramping up for a pr. I have to do some light face pull/tricep push down super sets to warm up my shoulders and elbows before I do any type of push movement. It seems to help me, just a thought.

 

[dragon1952]

10/14
I alternate 2 days off, then 3 for chest workouts and this was my 2 day rest. Chest was still sore from last workout where I did some pretty extreme stretching on my flat bench flys with the 45lb DB's and I almost waited one more day. Anyway decided to take it real easy and my left shoulder still started barking at me pretty bad regardless.
Bench
95 x 12 (I've been saying 85 this whole thread when I meant 95)
135 x 10
165 x 8
185 x 6
205 x 6
225 x 7 x 2 sets

Incline barbell press - I usually do DB inclines but all the benches were taken and I took it real easy on these as I probably haven't done them for 2 years
95 x 10
115 x 9 x 2 sets

Lower chest cable flys, standing starting with the handles shoulder height and finishing at the sternum.
3 x 12-15 with 22.5lb's each side

 

[dragon1952]

Just noticed I am now "E-Light". How'd that happen?
Reminds me of a movie quote...lol.
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/21f7536e-411f-47d2-a4a4-6acbf1da399b

 

[dragon1952]

10/18

Felt kinda weak today so decided to just do reps. I came off my cycle about 17 days ago and I might have to put this 300 pipe dream off for a while. Maybe this was just a bad day so I'll play it by ear. My muscle tone was off too after looking good yesterday on my day off and my pump was a little off too. No idea what caused that.
Bench Press
95 x 12
135 x 10
185 x 8
205 x 6
225 x 7
225 x 6
225 x 5
225 x 5
before I started doing higher weight/lower reps I was hitting 9 reps my first set at 225 so hopefully I get that back soon.

Incline barbell press
Did these for the first time in a couple years last chest work out and was able to go a lot higher this time.
95 x 10
115 x 10
135 x 10
155 x 8

Lateral DB raises
17.5's x 15
25's x 12
immediately went to Seated DB presses
50 x 10
50 x 10
back to Lateral DB raises
25's x 12
30's x 10
25's x 10

Front DB raise
17.5's x 12
20's x 10

Cable lateral raises - real light just for a finish pump
10lb x 15 x 2 sets each side

 

[Skullcrusher]

Using a one rep max calculator...

300 lbs x 1
275 lbs x 4
250 lbs x 7
225 lbs x 10
200 lbs x 15
180 lbs x 20
150 lbs x 30

One Rep Max Calculator - Strength Level

Calculate your one-rep max (1RM) for any lift. Your one-rep max is the max weight you can lift for a single repetition for a given exercise.

strengthlevel.com

 

[dragon1952]

Using a one rep max calculator...

300 lbs x 1
275 lbs x 4
250 lbs x 7
225 lbs x 10
200 lbs x 15
180 lbs x 20
150 lbs x 30

One Rep Max Calculator - Strength Level

Calculate your one-rep max (1RM) for any lift. Your one-rep max is the max weight you can lift for a single repetition for a given exercise.

strengthlevel.com

That one's a lot more conservative than most of them out there but also much more accurate IMO. I remember the first time I spotted my now gym buddy and he did 275 x 2 and failed on 300. I told him then once he can get to 3-4 with 275 he should be able to lift 300.
I couldn't even do 275 twice. I did 265 x 2 a while back and 250 x 5 but I'm no where near being able to lift 275 3-4 times :^ /

 

[Skullcrusher]

That one's a lot more conservative than most of them out there but also much more accurate IMO. I remember the first time I spotted my now gym buddy and he did 275 x 2 and failed on 300. I told him then once he can get to 3-4 with 275 he should be able to lift 300.
I couldn't even do 275 twice. I did 265 x 2 a while back and 250 x 5 but I'm no where near being able to lift 275 3-4 times :^ /

If it were me and I had the ability to bench what you do and had the goal of 300. I would probably warm up with a few push ups. Then I would make my first set a weight that I already know I can lift and keep trying to increase the reps with that weight every week until reaching the goal. Once my body adapted I would go up to the next weight and repeat the process. I would probably start at 200 or 225 and try to get that many reps first.

Obviously I would do some other sets with whatever other weights too, but always afterward. You can always go back to ramping up later.

That's probably the process I will do when I am ready to try for 200! It's what I have done in the past with other lifts to trick my body into overcoming plateaus.

I know you can do it!

 

[dragon1952]

If it were me and I had the ability to bench what you do and had the goal of 300. I would probably warm up with a few push ups. Then I would make my first set a weight that I already know I can lift and keep trying to increase the reps with that weight every week until reaching the goal. Once my body adapted I would go up to the next weight and repeat the process. I would probably start at 200 or 225 and try to get that many reps first.

I've been thinking of going back to lighter weights and higher reps just for a change up. I know I can do 185 x 15 and I was doing 205 x 12 before I started this endeavor, and I was close to 225 x 10. All of those weights/reps look pretty accurate except the 250 x 7. I'm not sure 225 x 10 equates to 250 x 7, that's quite a jump. I would say 250 x 4-5 is more realistic.

 

[Skullcrusher]

I've been thinking of going back to lighter weights and higher reps just for a change up. I know I can do 185 x 15 and I was doing 205 x 12 before I started this endeavor, and I was close to 225 x 10. All of those weights/reps look pretty accurate except the 250 x 7. I'm not sure 225 x 10 equates to 250 x 7, that's quite a jump. I would say 250 x 4-5 is more realistic.

Well probably not 100% accurate for everyone with every lift. I know that when I have reached my number of reps and immediately tried to go up in weight the next workout that I have sometimes not been ready.

When I succeed at the number of reps and let my body get really comfortable and used to it for a few weeks, and then move up, then I have much better success.

 

[dragon1952]

10/21
Still a little sore from my 10/18 workout so wasn't sure how it would go on 2 days rest.
Bench Press
warmups
95 x 12
135 x 8
185 x 6
205 x 4
working sets
225 x 8
245 x 2
245 x 5

The first set at 245 I didn't have a spotter and was too far back and hit the rack on my way up which screwed up my timing, plus I was out of my groove so only got 1 more rep. Second set I got a spotter and got in my groove on the 1st rep. Pretty happy as that was a good, strong set.

Incline barbell press
135 x 8
155 x 8
155 x 6 - wider grip
155 x 8

Standing cable flys
27.5lbs each side x 20
27.5 x 15

Pec deck flys
150 x 15

This turned out to be a really good chest work out.

 

[Bigdaddyjak]

Just under 3 months of going to the gym after 20 yrs off . It takes us more time being older, but if we put the work in the payoff is there !!

 

[dragon1952]

Just under 3 months of going to the gym after 20 yrs off . It takes us more time being older, but if we put the work in the payoff is there !!

Good ole muscle memory ;^ )

 

[Methyl mike]

I was asking mainly because benching is what always tears up my shoulders, especially benching heavy. I've been reduced to doing sets of 20 with 135 most days. Maybe I'll add some deca as well.

Bad answer. You need to address what is causing pain.

 

[flenser]

Bad answer. You need to address what is causing pain.

Agreed. Apparently it's flat bench. Taking advice from @Oldbastard, I stopped doing that one lift last week and my shoulders are already feeling better. Going to stick with inclined press for a while at least.

 

[Bigdaddyjak]

Agreed. Apparently it's flat bench. Taking advice from @Oldbastard, I stopped doing that one lift last week and my shoulders are already feeling better. Going to stick with inclined press for a while at least.

I feel your pain with the shoulders. And I also understand that we need to get to the real issue . On the other side, (personally) at this point of just getting back into a routine after such a long time off. I don’t think that I’m willing to have to under go any kind of surgery any time soon , if that is what’s needed ! Find a way to work it , that is acceptable and hopefully it will improve. Until it won’t !

 

[dragon1952]

Cortisone injections directly into the shoulder joint are the only thing that keep me going :^ /

 

[Bigdaddyjak]

Cortisone injections directly into the shoulder joint are the only thing that keep me going :^ /

That’s one of the first things I thought about dragon ! This getting old hurts , lol

 

[dragon1952]

The orthopedist I see for my shoulders is in his early 60's and is a lifter also. I tell him my only goal is to just keep on lifting as long as I can. He can relate so he's been very liberal with the shots as long as I keep them 12 weeks apart but he has given them to me at 6 weeks a couple times earlier on.

 

[Bigdaddyjak]

The orthopedist I see for my shoulders is in his early 60's and is a lifter also. I tell him my only goal is to just keep on lifting as long as I can. He can relate so he's been very liberal with the shots as long as I keep them 12 weeks apart but he has given them to me at 6 weeks a couple times earlier on.

I intended to stick with test e, and EQ. But decided to switch from Eq to deca , with hopes that it will ease some of it . Time will tell , I guess .

 

[dragon1952]

10/25

I seem to be alternating good and bad chest workouts. 10/18 workout I thought I'd have to put things on hold for a while, then last workout that last strong set of 245 x 5 kinda made me think I still had a chance then today on 3 days rest I felt weak and my shoulders ached and didn't ease up like they normally do.

Bench press
95 x 12
135 x 8
165 x6
195 x 4
225 x 7
225 x 6
225 x 4 - slow with a pause.

Shoulders ached so decided no incline press today.

Flat bench DB flys
started real easy and worked up and felt real good last 2 sets
25's x 15
30's x 15
40's x 12
50's x 10 super set with
Flat bench DB bench press
60's x 11

Low chest cable flys
32.5lbs each side x 15 x 12 x 12

Just an observation. Prior to my last cycle my shoulders ached all the time. Not the joint but muscles and tendons. After warmups it would ease up and I could do shoulders but then they'd start aching again the next day. A couple weeks after starting Deca at 500mg/wk the pain went totally away for the entire cycle. I literally could do shoulders every workout and they felt great the whole time. Now a little over 4 weeks post-cycle they are back to aching again. It seems to be mostly side and rear delts and I think I'm going to stop doing any type of delt isolation exercise for a couple weeks and see how it goes.
And a total de-load for a few weeks is probably more what I need. I'll play it by ear.