Domination Tour

[DOM]

SUN DEC 8 ME SQ

wide stance arched back GMs + 1 set chains
245 x 3
265 x 3
285 x 3 (No previous record)

GHC raise
3 x 9 @ bodyweight

Cable side bends
2 x 10 @ 60 on each side

Face pulls
3 x 12 @ 70'

Reverse hypers
3 x 8 @ 70

Hammer curls
2 x 8 @ 40s

Well, this is the heaviest I've ever gone on GMs. After that last set it felt like my back was just run over by a truck. Feels fine now though. I might have been able to go heavier, but there was a little bit of form detioration on that last set. Next ME squat I think I might do a max single on these.

 

[DOM]

wed dec 11 speed bench

speed bench + 1 set chains
3 x 9 @ 135

rolling dumbell ext on floor
6 x 11 @ 20s

military press
3 x 5 @ 135

chest suported row
3 x 9 @ 110

face pulls 3 x 10 @ 80

bench workout was great. missed the bus afterward and had to wait outside in the cold for a half hour. another note -- I am still sick! It has been a month now, I think I have mono.

 

[DOM]

dec 13 speed squat

box squats + 1 set chains
9 x 2 @ 155

GHC raise
3 x 9 @ bodyweight

Reverse Hypers
3 x 9 @ 90

Standing abs
3 x 9 @ 80

Well last weekend I got some box squat pointers from a westside vet at my gym. So I spent about a half hour with the bare bar working on form before I started -- and I definitely felt it in my hams more. Sat further back... got my knees behind my ankles. Also -- I went to a higher box... roughly 2 inches above parallel... because I had been falling the last couple inches to the lower box. I will lower the box over the next 3 months. Speed was great -- I can tell I'm getting stronger by the week.

 

[spatts]

DOM, out of curiosity, why are you still doing the elbows out bench?

Also, are you getting better results by not doing tris every time you do bench? I notice you have some typical bench day side work on squat day and vice versa....just wondering if that was planned.

 

[DOM]

spatts -- thanks for reviewing my routine... I was strrting to wonder if anybody reads this.

ok, I have been using elbows out benches as a chest accesory movement on ME bench days -- why? haha, I don't know... kind of experimental... one point I don't agree with Louie about is that "the pecs take care of themselves." I'm not arguing that the pecs play a small role in the bench -- but I would argue that they play a more significant role than as to never do any accessory work for them. Another reasoning behind this is that I think it will be preventative of any pec tears down the line.

next, you may have misread some of the workouts -- but I do at least 1 tricep accessory movement on every bench day, although usually only one.

as for mixing up some of those accessory movements -- I've been told by quite a few vets that I should up my lat work to at least 3x a week if not 4!! And the gym is a 25minute bus ride for me so I rarely if ever go in for recovery workouts.... so I'll throw lats in on squat days sometimes -- my upper back tends to heal fast too... so I'll throw in face pulls whenever I'm feeling ok. I've been told the same things for abs, 3 times a week so I'll throw those in whenever also. You think I should discontinue this mixing?

 

[spatts]

Well, you mentioned shoulder issues in the fury thread. That wide benching will not help your PL bench, AND it will keep your shoulders "delicate" and impede progress. There are plenty of other ways to stimulate the chest that don't involve wide benching. Also, just because a muscle isn't the primary mover doesn't mean it's not getting worked. My chest development is even better now that I use PL form. You don't have to isolate to grow and strengthen. I agree...there's no need for a weak link, but the bench is compound enough that you will hit your chest without even trying. For the times you feel like you didn't, try another chest isolation move.

I know you say you stick at the bottom, and that you've had shoulder problems...this is just my opinion, but taking all that shoulder rotation out of your routine and strengthening them in the plane of use (down, not out wide) could REALLY pay off for you.

So you don't really do the "2 main move and one acc move per part" thing? Not making a point, just trying to understand your routine.

 

[DOM]

sat dec 14 max bench

2 board press
315 x 1 (20lb PR) 335 x miss

bodybuilder bench
3 x 8 @ 185 w/ compensatory acceleration

JM press
3 x 6 @ 135

Lateral raises
3 x 10 @ 35s

Lat pull down
3 x 10 @ 120

Well, as expected, my 2board was equal to my raw max, and my 3 board. Confirming that basically the entire bottom half of my bench is my weak point.

Spatts -- I'm short on time now but I'll PM you later about your comments... you have me a little confused on some stuff. But I will take your advice and ues different exercises for chest -- I'm thinking cambered bar and ultrawides. I'll PM you later. -- DOM

 

[spatts]

Re: sat dec 14 max bench

bodybuilder bench
3 x 8 @ 185 w/ compensatory acceleration

Why......???

 

[Hannibal]

DOM...having read your other posts about shoulder issues I would question the use of the bodybuilding bench to work your pecs. Alot of shoulder rotation there. And then to put bands on top of it just adds to the instability of the shoulder joint.

If I were working around a tricky shoulder (thank goodness I'm not) and wanted to hit my pecs I would prob try some dumbell presses...elbows tucked. Will it hit the pecs like the bodybuilder bench...no. But it will hit them to a degree without compromising your shoulder.

Hope it helps...

 

[DOM]

thanks spatts and hannibal for the suggestions. I'll hit my pecs with different movement from now on.

tues dec 17 me sq/dl

conventional deads
365 x 1 (30 lb PR)

GHC raise
3 x 10 @ bdyweight

Reverse hyper
3 x 10 @ 110

Standing calves
135 x 10, 185 x 10

Standing abs
3 x 10 @ 70

Pretty good day with the DL PR, man was it slow. In bad news, the first competition, which I had planned... requires a qualifying total of 1030 for the 165's... so I can't really lift in it since I'd be glad to get 1000 in the meet. Guess I'll just have to keep working hard and hit something further down the road.