Dsher10’s BodyBlog

Today was my last training session prior to my meet on May 2nd. I already know I can lift around 300 pounds, so pushing the weights today wouldn’t have gotten me that much stronger, but could have tired me out. Instead, I focused on form using a medium weight I can easily handle (i.e., 255 pounds). I made some good improvements, particularly in not lifting my butt off the bench, and hitting good pause-presses.

My last resistance stretching (RIST) session will be tomorrow, and my acupressure-kienesiologist session next Tuesday. Then I plan to just eat and rest until the meet, allowing my body to fully recover and my muscles to tighten. At the meet I’m not going to worry about weight classes and such. I just plan to do my very best and focus on setting personal records. Whatever else happens will be, as they say in New Orleans, "lanyap" (fortuitous extra).

Well, today was a good solid workout, but I didn’t break 300. Last week I had a great session after I skipped my back workout the previous Monday, and I think that allowed for a full recovery. This week I did my Monday workout, though only at about 75% of max, but was still a bit sore and probably not fully recovered. I also couldn’t work in my resistance stretching prior to the session.

My working weight was supposed to be three sets of 270X3 but I upped it to 275 and did 275X1, 275X2 and 275X1. Real off-the-chest 275 raw benches are PR’s for me. I followed those with 2-boards presses, 285X1 and 295X1. My right arm (the one with the detached triceps medial lobe) was lagging on the board presses. Last week it was my left arm that was lagging Go figure. Even though I was tired and my right arm was done for the day, I pressed on to 300 off a 2-board, but missed the lift.

The session felt good though and didn’t strain anything, so I’m good-to-go for next week, my final session prior to the meet. I will skip Monday’s back workout next week, with my last training session next Thursday, hopefully fully recovered. I plan to go for a working weight of three sets of two reps with 280. Those will also be PR’s for me. I will probably try 285, 295 and 300 off a 1-board to finish off my cycle. After that it’s rest, resistance stretching, and Epsom-salt baths prior to the meet.

My original 9-week mini-cycle was set with a meet goal of 290 pounds in mind, and I seem to be right on track for that target (would love to go to 300!). I will be discussing meet strategy with my trainer.

Looking ahead (which I always like to do) I plan to back-off the heavy training for about a month or so after this meet, then launch into a new mini-cycle aimed at a possible Georgia IBP meet in mid-August, or the IBP Regionals in Winston-Salem in late September. Assuming I can maintain my gains along the same lines I have experienced in this mini-cycle, I see a very attainable goal of 320-340 RAW benches by then.

Can’t wait!

Whew!  No problem with my strained left pec! It’s been sore all week and I was afraid it was going to limit what I could do. But it didn’t. I actually felt much more in control this week than last. I’ve been undergoing "resistance stretching" therapy the last two weeks. This is the same technique used by Olympic Gold Medal winning swimmer Dara Torres. I think it has helped:

Dana swears by it and says she couldn’t have accomplished she has without it. She calls it her "secret weapon". Resistance streaching is taught by coach Bob Cooly (you can check it out here).

I pumped out two sets of 3/4 reps with my working weight of 260, and then one set of three-board presses: 265X1, 285X1 and 295X1. I feel strong. I’m SO close to the 300 mark now that I feel confident I will hit it sometime during the next two weeks. I can’t wait!

I keep on slugging upwards, sometimes it seems so slow. But I am closing in on 285lbs, and that’s a 60lb gain since last September. I still feel I have a shot at 300, or at least 290, for the meet. I wish I could train more often. I would love to get right back under the weights right now! Go for 290 NOW! But my body has to catch up with my excitement, and benching once a week is what it takes for me to recover. Strained my left pec a little today; hope it goes away soon…

My motivation is high!