Category: training notes

No ‘and then’. Still taking it easy. Slow flat bench press reps at 185 lbs for sets of 10-12. No close-grip. No incline. I’m doing dips though. I did three sets of 25 – kind of a lot for me. The focus now is to lose weight for climbing, rest my chest and shoulders, and… Continue reading and then…

This Wednesday I went back to easy weight on the bench, about 60%. The session was really short, just light bech press with my feet up, going slow for two sets of 12, three sets of 20 dips and some cable push-downs. And my shoulder feels good.

Shoulder felt a little tight yesterday. I did the same workout as last week but this time my friggin right shoulder was getting a little uncomfortable after two flat-bench press sets. Whatever – I finished the workout and I’ll probably go extra light for a couple weeks to be safe. In other news, I tried… Continue reading damn it

My shoulder finally feels strong enough to get back in to heavy benching. I went through a full routine yesterday, one typical of the first session of a 12-week cycle, to feel how everything holds up. And stuff feels good. As usual, lifts on this first day are done with a manageable weight (~70% max.),… Continue reading back in the game

Last night I went through a complete chest routine, typical of my in-cycle sessions: gradual warm up (12 reps at 135 lbs, 12 reps at 155 lbs, 10 reps at 185 lbs), 2 sets of 12 at 195 lbs on the flat bench, 2 sets of 12 at 175 lbs close-grip, then 2 sets of… Continue reading feeling better every day

I benched for the first time in four weeks on Wednesday. After three real easy warm-up sets, I did two slow sets at 185 lbs. My problem shoulder had no problems and felt fine the next day. For this first day back I was lowering and pressing in a very slow, controlled way, concentrating on… Continue reading good bench experience

This Wednesday will be four weeks since I last did flat bench. And my shoulder feels good. It could be time to let it loose on the bench press again. My last session on the bench did not go so well but in the month since I have worked my close-grip bench in to feeling… Continue reading shoulder’s feeling a little frisky

While close-grip benching yesterday I could feel tightness in my right shoulder. Just noticeable enough to make me think it is not yet time to start heavy benching again. During dips there was the same tightness near the bottom of the movement. Feels OK today though. Stretching has helped. For the past few weeks I’ve… Continue reading shoulder feels tight

Yesterday I climbed at GVAC for about an hour then lifted arms. Felt good then and now, the next day. No shoulder issues. All the stretching I’ve done seems to have made me generally more flexible. A friend even mentioned to me last week that I’m “pretty flexible for a big guy”. Which was surprising… Continue reading shoulder feeling better, or at least not worse