I’ve been working up to a 3RM on bench and bench-like exercises for the past 6 weeks while on a Westside inspired routine, and today I felt like going for a 1RM after my 3RMs.
My previous lifetime PR was 335 years ago, then last week I was able to get it for 2 while trying to go for a 3RM.
I hit 345 today for 1 and that was a new PR, then 350 was tempting me, but I felt like I could get 355 so I tried it and it went up smooth.
The pause probably would have been questionable in an actual meet, so it was more like a touch and go.
My spotter was in a hurry and was only able to spot me up to my 345, then had to leave. I was in a power rack anyway and had pins set up just in case, but I wasn’t able to get a lift off for 355.
I never show emotion in the gym around other people, even on other max effort lifts, but today I was too excited to hold it all in. I wasn’t obnoxious or anything, but I was damn pleased.
Next stop, 405!
(well, maybe a couple of stops before that…)
(Oh, and my spelling has been getting a lot better too. I just used Google’s spell checker and didn’t get any errors besides “f’in” and “Westside”.)
I’m not sure right now.
I barley missed signing up for a RAW DL/Bench meet near Rochester, NY but they didn’t take any late entries.
That was fine with me since I was only training PL style for about 4 weeks when I decided to compete, and was only going in it for the experience.
I really wanted at least 10 weeks of heavy lifting in before competing and that would have me ‘ready’ in 4 more weeks, but I haven’t really looked for any other meets yet.
I’m also saving up some money to get formally trained by Eric Cressey, hopefully within the next month or 2.
I know I have enough fat to lose enough weight to get to a lower weight class, but I’m not sure if I’ll go that route yet. I’ll see what Eric suggest first.
That’s a very good raw bench. You’re allowed to show emotion on that! I have yelled at the end of a PR deadlift and held it for an extra 5 seconds and looked around and said “what!” so you’re entitled to a little celebration, ha!
[quote]huge76 wrote:
Congrats on the PR, very impressive especially at your bodyweight.
What max effort exercises did you use over the last 6 weeks? Were you also doing dynamic benches?
[/quote]
Thanks.
Yea, I’ve been doing dynamic benches for the whole 6 weeks. I changed most of the assistance exercises after 3 weeks, and plan on changing them again after today.
I didn’t change my ME bench from regular flat bench because I don’t have any bands of chains, and I’m afraid to try ME board presses, even with pins in the rack (I’m lifting by myself for the most part).
On my DE bench day, I was working up to a 3RM with Pin presses for the first 3 weeks, then a 3-4 board press for the second 3 weeks (it’s a board and a 4X4 so I don’t know what it would actually be considered). They were always after my dynamic benches that I did for 8 sets of 3.
I’ve been using the “I Need Some Mass” template out of the elitefts templates booklet, and have just been modifying it slightly due to my lack of equipment (bands/chains).
I’m hooked on Westside inspired routines now, and think I can continue using them for a long, long time.
[quote]huge76 wrote:
I am kinda surprised that you didn?t need to switch up the Max effort lift, but obviously it is working for you. Keep breaking those PRs.[/quote]
Yea, I was thinking that too.
Isn’t it, the longer you’re able to stay with the same exercise, the less ‘advanced’ you are? 3 weeks is supposed to be on the less advanced side as it is, but 6 weeks was still working for me (could have been changing the other exercises though).
I’ll probably need to change it up for the next 3 weeks. It’s just hard to get away from doing a regular flat bench, lol.
