Bench Press Program, Workout #12 of 14
Last bench press workout was a week ago, since then I haven’t done any triceps, shoulder, chest or upper back exercises. Wanted to give upper body a good rest and try to get back to some solid benching, last two times went poorly due to fatigue. I had steak and potatoes a couple of hours before lifting, I prepared for this workout the best way I knew how.
Maybe I should have had another steak! I was ever so close to finishing the benching cleanly, it was a huge improvement over the last two times. Working sets required 220×3, 220×3, 235×2, 235×2, 250×1. The 220 lifts were good. On the 235 sets, on the second rep of each I got past the sticking point and the bar was going up slowly, I know I would have finished the lifts but the spotter got a little anxious and jumped in to assist both times. For the final lift at 250, I asked the spotter to wait until he saw the bar start to go backwards or until I signalled for help because I wanted to do everything I could to push through the lift on my own. I felt good coming down, but going back up I slowed and just couldn’t get past the sticking point. I needed just a little bit more strength to get it done.
Overall though, I’m pleased with the effort and feel like I’m 99% back to where I was a couple of weeks ago. I have two workouts left on the program. Looking at the weight and sets required if I stay on the same track, I will have to be better than I’ve ever been to have any chance of completing all lifts required. Being an optomist, I would say ‘Yes, I can do it’. Being a realist, I would say ‘There is a very small chance I can do all the lifts. I know for sure I can do some of the lifts on my own and complete the rest with help of a spotter.’ Looking at the progression table, if I drop back one more row I think the next workout is doable and then the final workout will be the same as the one I did last night. I think I would have a good shot at doing that workout cleanly.
So what do I do? Either way I’ll put in maximum effort and my body will benefit. The mental aspect of it all is important to me too though. After dedicating so much time and effort and trying to make bench press the priority for the last two months, it would be a big boost to my confidence going forward if I could do some heavier lifts to finish up the program. I know which way I’m leaning…anyone else have any thoughts?
February 25, 2009 at 9:54 pm
I say go for it - give it your all and see if you can get rid of some of those negative thoughts. Don’t think, "what if I fail" thing "I will succeed!" (end of pep talk).
February 25, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Tough call. Take both sets of lifts with you to the gym and see how it goes. (I write my lifts on a little piece of note paper)
You have no luck at all with spotters, do you?