ME bench,10-19-03

[jack]

If I can remember that the camber weighs 55 instead of 45 #'s,I'd had a better workout. I was going for a one rep max today and calculated all my weights on a 45# bar which was 10 #'s to low. When I did the 270 rep(which was really 280 and tied my PR),I added 15#'s to the next rep for a PR but failed. If I'd only thought (and if a frog had wings ) all I needed was 5#'s to get the PR. I just finished writing 55 on the bar with a magic marker.

Cambered bar bench press--warmups,1x3x195; 1x1x235;250;265,280,295(F);

Susp. chain BB press(4-5" off chest)--1x5x225,235,245; 1x4x255;

Nose crushers--2x10x95,1x10x105,115;

Lat pulldowns(wide grip)--1x10x90,100,110,110;

Face pulls(wide grip)--1x10x80,90,90,90;

Front DB raise--3x10x30;

Cuff complex--2x15x5 ea.,top and bottom half.

I taped this one and my bar path was terrible but I'm making some progress on my bench after a long period of being stuck. Now if everything else was as easy to correct as this,I'd be in good shape .

[fish]

Jack,

Do you have some rule you follow in setting the increment when attempting a PR ?

There are some guys who talk about minimal increments permitting more steady progress and leading to more accurate cycling, if cycling is based on failure.

Although I have 11 oz olympic plates and use them to get PRs, my experience is so slight, and my weight levels so low that I consider that I have no real practical knowledge about this subject.

fish

[jack]

If you mean the increments used for today,I do it mostly by feel,sometimes I'll go up in even increments and other times I'll use larger jumps at the lower weight weight is lower and taper it down as I approach the PR. If I'd factored in the bar weight correctly this morning,I'd only gone 5#'s on my last rep. It's just a feel thing but once you get in the 70-80% range,I'm of the opinion that it's better to keep your incremental increases in the 3- 5% range. Here's my increases for the cambered bar lift
1x10x bar(55 ;
1x8x105;
1x5x145;
1x3x195;
1x1x235;
1x1x250;
1x1x265;
1x1x280;
1x1x295(F)

That lets you see the progression a little clearer. Next time I might try an entirely pattern of weight increases but it probably wouldn't vary much more than + or -5#'s either way. It all depends on how I'm percolating .

[Pam]

Well I'm certain glad one of us is keeping up with things here. Tomorrow I workout...it was so bad that I did a late night cardio session. That in itself isnt unusual but I usually keep those workouts sort of light...I was breaking a sweat within 5 minutes tonight...it felt good.

Nice job Jack.

[fish]

Jack,

I didn't mean the wind up, I meant the pitch.

Ooops, sorry, playoffs and world series and all that.

Anyhow it's the increase that reaches the PR that I was wondering about.

I read that for some, 5 lbs may be beyond, while 1.5 may be make-able and that there may be some advantage in achieving the very small incremental PRs every workout, and in considering a new cycle when unable to make the small increase.



fish

[jack]

What we do is switch exercises when we are unable to make gains in the main core lift,usually every 2-4 weeks.