Back to the Bands !

Today I did bench press with the heavy bands resisting from the bottom of the bench legs...the heavy blues, were a shock to un rack 225 with after all this time (I've been babying my shoulders, wrists and elbows) as is my usual method --I warmed up with the 45 pound bar for some explosive reps, 30 or so...
Then the 135 set of 12 or so--just so I feel right.

The main weight was 225 with the blues added to the top...first set felt like 360 or so, naw, just me not expecting the resistance to be so strong right off the bat--I do sets of 4 reps 9 sets today fast as could be !!
on set 5 the weight started to feel very light
Everyone in the gym was wondering why I was pushing against the BIG rubber bands..my favorite comment has always been to say, "The bands hold the bar down --otherwise I'd be throwing the weights through the roof"

Then
with NO bands on
I did 295X4
345 355 365

This is a good set up for Heavy work in the shirt Saturday !

Look forward to---Jody Cranston doing a new blog--no title or URL yet--when he has it set--I'll put it here for you Me and Jody in Tacoma at the WABDL Great Northerns 2004

If you are a fan of the Magazine previously called GEEZERJOCK which is now Called Master's Athlete--you'll be happy to know they're doing a Strength only, Magazine for lifters 40+ it will cover Powerlifting, Weightlifting, Strongman and Highland Games...I cant wait ! http://www.masters-strength.com/
Go here ! sign up, read about the beginnings of this new online and HARD Copy magazine !!

12 Heavy sets !

pic by me, in Zbrush
The Gym isn't an Empty cave anymore !

I Went up to the Target Fitness on Broadway for a heavy Bench press day and by 9:30 am the place was packed !

Got the squat rack, and made it into my "pin press station"
positioned safety bars at chest height --loaded warm up weights and when I got to
315 I repped 5 from the 'dead stop' position...then did 3 with 335+ 1 with 365, then
385 385 395 395 and 400+400...
then I used the lighter PURPLE bands on the ends of the bar for 'reverse band ' work..did 385 for 5 reps then 435 +435+ 455 +455
that was it..
I'll do 'speed stuff' Tuesday...
I did workout Wednesday this week but it was nuttin to write home about so I didn't make an entry to the blog..

I might have mentioned that my next tentative meet would be the WABDL Push Pull Nationals in Phoenix ...well, it's official I'm all signed up and will tie the June 7th contest into a visit with my Daughter and Grand Daughter ...then 21 days later I'll do the Alki Beach meet in Seattle, this will be the 12th year...and since I perceive "12" as my lucky number...it may also be my last shot at THAT particular meet..yeah yeah ..I say that, but me...I seem to never quit !!

And of course the 'cheering section' wont let me go, till I do that 600 bench for em !

Next week on Saturday--Heavy shirt stuff at Nancy's Private gym !

BTW
I stopped in to Mayfair Magazines on Broadway in Vancouver--and they are stocking about 8 Powerlifting USA's a month now...I always buy 2 ...but powerlifting fans in Vancouver need to run in and buy those, so the store will keep them on their stands !
Let's support OUR sport's Magazine !!!

556 in shirt 518 X2 with double bands !

Goood Workout today !

warm ups 135X12X2
225 X 8-- 265 X 4-- 285X3
308-330-330-350- 350

I Put Katana shirt on...

507--518--529 going down as far as a '2 board' height and popped back up, another way of saying no touch, BUT not a wasted effort !
(the patented invisible board press)

550-- no touch (3 inches)

re-torque--

556 for one--

best rep of day..

Blue bands reverse BP --474 -485- 507 --for reps

Blue AND Green Bands, reverse---518 for 2 reps--here it is in Rotundoscope and Gruntovision


Subliminal ad for VW Beetle above

The Bands act like a bench shirt and are good for training the Top part of the lift !

Bruce got 420 for a single--this MIGHT his previous 402 tho'




We didn't just do singles--we did 8 sets or so of varied weights and reps !

Nancy Reps


And gets a pretty easy single with 352 pounds



It was a great workout for all of us...next we go light, mid week !

No room on the bar !

click for larger pic-back to return

Today when I did heavy day at Target, there was no more room left on the bar when I did reverse band Bench to 610, for a pin press/lock out.

Even more appropriate to 'no room left on the bar'... is the headline that Ryan Kennelly just topped the all time World Record in the Bench Press with 1070 pounds (485 KILOS) here's a link to the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLe992MmD5w
note the warm up, raw with a 700+ 3 board !! and the 1000 pound opener !
There is definitely "no ceiling" to what can be benched anymore !

Now, on to what seems like a piddling little workout by me today, today was pin press day at 2 heights--first , chest level lifts from the pins up...135 til warmed up --225 for 12...then 315 X 4
365 - 385- 385 -395
Then I raised the pins to 5 holes for 7 inch lockouts
405X4 X2
415 - 455
now add Blue bands
500X4 565 585 605 and 610
(bar had NO more room)
took it back down to 4 hole pins (chest height)
405 X1
500X 1

end of heavy day--felt like good tricep poundin' (but there WAS some shoulder pain too--came home to ice) and Iced coffee....

The CPU Nationals just concluded in Ontario, CONGRATULATIONS to all the BC lifters.
Our friend who trains at Nancy's gym...Jane Smith, lifted injured, but got a 1st and 2nd in the 3 lift AND bench only, and qualified for the IPF Masters in Palm Springs this year !
I also think my Pal from Alberta, Colin Bonneau did a WR in the 3 lift bench category with 501 in his first year as a Master 3 !
and repeated the 501 a day later in the Bench Only (yep-you have to LIFT twice)

And Kudos to bench champ, Shawn O'Halloran who did a World masters IPF Record in the bench with 639 !!
I'm Hoping Shawn hits the CPO Nationals as well, they happen
May 10 and 11th in Toronto ! he's is good to 'UP' his current World record in the AWPC at that meet ! if he makes it to the party this year !!

BTW--I finally fixed the links on the sidebar here so you can go right to Tony Tomra's
training blog...that guy does a myriad of exercises in his strength training ! and the blog is always fun too ! check it out, if you aren't already a fan !

Touch N' Go 556 !!

The workout today was Great !~
I've lifted more and with better form on Heavy Day before but the work that we all got in today was great !

I babied my shoulders, wrist, elbow and forearm...and did 2 sets of 135's 10 or so each time...then 2 sets of 225 for 5 or so...4 reps of 285 then 2 singles with 335 and one with 350 !

Then we put on the Katana
(this one has 4 full meets, and 10 or so exercise sessions on it--It got me the 551 in Anaheim--Nov 2007 )

I did 485--507--512--then 556 for a touch n' go !!

Here, Chef Fatso, intros this "Soup-er lift !"


And, in inching my way back up the bench press ladder...I've also reached another life long goal...looking as if I have 12 inch arms...a 35 inch chest and an 80 inch waist !! --could it be the 'all potato chip and wine' diet I'm on??

Oh well, back to the rest of the workout...I did a raw set of 225 for 6 a 285 for 3--then used the blue reverse bands and did 440 X4 --507--529 and then failed with the bands and 551...BUT I came back next set and got it !!...the 551 was good and felt close to a max...but the one before, that didn't quite go ..was a better work rep...Bruce needed to give me about a 5 pound spot to help me grind it out slowly..this one, the failure, was more hard work and really felt like it was the best most honest effort of the day...

Bruce and Nancy hit very good numbers in their workouts...Nancy got a 150 pound raw single...and a 160 KILO reverse band lift...Bruce just repped away like a mad man..before going out to play a few hours of Basketball...