Dsher10’s BodyBlog

Today was chest/back day, and my trainer put me back on negative benches.  The last time I did any was durring the first week of May, when I lowered 325 with strength to spare. THIS time I didn’t have him tell me what the weights were as we worked our way up, doing eight, then, five, then three, then one rep. I managed the last one-rep set with some strength to spare. I was surprised when he told me that the bar was loaded with 370 pounds! Neat! But all I really thought was… Wow! 400 pounds is only a 30 measly pounds away! We both think I can hit the 400 pound mark at the beginning of my next cycle.  I told him that when I need to use chalk, and am doing 400 pound negative benches, I will feel like I have arrived somewhere!

Next we need to translate the negatives into full benches in the 315-325 pound range.

Well, I completed my shoulder workout Wednesday and again “walked the rack” for my two-handed overhead dumbbell presses.  The goal was to start at the walk at 80 lbs (after a 50 lb warm-up) so that the last set would be at 130 lbs. I progressed fairy easily (eight reps each) and… hit the 130! Yeah! But I still had strength to spare, so we pressed on to the 140. I had to work hard, but pumped out eight good reps! I think I surprised even my trainer!  Now I KNOW the 150 is within my reach!  This makes me feel especially good because, due to a prior accident, I have a detached medial lobe on my right triceps, and am doing all this missing one-third of my right triceps!

I got back to my two-armed overhead dumbbell presses today, eager to find my PB. I walked the rack, starting at 70 lbs, passing 100 lbs easily, then moving up to 8 reps with 110 with no problem. I talked my trainer into letting me try the 120. I had to work a little, but pushed out 8 reps with strength to spare (I even got some respectable comments from some of the “big” guys. My trainer says only a very few at the gym do 120’s or more)! I KNOW I could have done 130+ but he had me wait till next week. My present goal is 8 reps with the 150 pounder, the heaviest dumbbell in the gym.

Today was my first workout in my new Cycle.  I did pyramid benches, and pushed 295 completely on my own, a personal best. I also did 305 and 315 with only a very slight assist at my sticking point (I think I could have done it alone, but my trainer is very careful). He is confident that I will own 315 by August. When I hit THAT goal, I’ll post a video and reset to 325!