Chest and delts
Low volume injury rehab.
The injury rehab part of the training is fading. The chest has been feeling much better each week. 275 for 15 on the incline smith press started to bring some tenderness in the right chest tendons last week. Today I didnt feel that until 350 and it was slight. Though last week I hit a good deal of incline hammer presses prior. Still.
Still staying with mostly constant tension since that avoids over stretching the healing tendons/muscle. Regardless I hit a possible PR and I am hitting all time PRs in the constant tension range, and chest pressing in general, while rehabbing the strain. Just by manipulating range and feeling shit out. Thats the key to keeping shit rolling at this stage.
I will keep re introducing more weight and reps as well as switching movements often. Too much repetition in a certain movement will cause more issues over time as well. Also this allows me to break records in a variety of lifts. This is only my second week doing incline smith machine presses and already broke a record, so it shows that as I build dense new muscle and get stronger in any press, it translates to the others.
I would be at 315 for 30 of 40 reps no doubt, by now, had I stayed with the movement. However incline smith fucks with joints the most out of any movement I currently do. So it has to be used sparingly. I can easily push more weight and reps and break more records but I have to go by feel in deciding what movements I hit. It only takes one fast movement or bad angle to tear shit. Popped it some weeks ago, dont want a full tear. This is why Im avoding dropsets now for chest. No rest between sets is risky at this stage. Shit feels pretty good though but Ill do it gradually.
This is supposed to be my maintenance, rehab phase. Always find a way to break some records though. Shit gets boring without KILLING SOME SHIT. Eating is what I feel like for now basically. Not busting my ass. Will hit it hard when I decide to hit a growth phase. Itll be whenever I feel like doing it.
Ive definately noticed alot more density in my chest. I havent really hit smith incline in a while. Last time I was hitting 315x19,365x8 and 415x1 , I believe in the same session. Not fresh. Ive grown a good deal since then, just havent had the exercise in my rotation since it fucks with shit. Probably been well over a year , maybe close to 2 since Ive really hit these. I took a 10 month break not too long ago from all lifting and eating.
I notice now that when I reach to change music on my mp3 player I can barely reach when pumped, and when I lay on my side my chest is very dense and contracts together. Most of the new upper body size has been in my back though it seems. Arms is really the only thing that is very stagnant with growth lately. Back is not at its biggest now, but maybe an inch under at 55. Not fitting tight into the lat pullover now though, so maybe more size is lost. Never can figure the shit out.
When I hit hammer strength inclines again some target numbers may be 360x40-50, 450x20-25 and maybe re introduce 500 and up. Constant tension style. As mentioned that style eliminates speed and inertia and is much harder for me. All my speed and explosiveness is at the bottom of the lift. Like loading a spring.
237 lb after previous nights meals (skipped sleep to train) , This scale has me 3 lbs lighter usually, so maybe 240.
Incline Smith Machine Press (constant tension style. Down to about chin level and then just short of lockout)
Only second week back doing these
Bar x 40 warm
135x30 warm
135x30 warm
225x52 (May or may not be a PR. Its been a long time since I did these)
275x10 (this one was just a warm up, not to failure)
315x20 (1 rep PR I believe. See video)
350x5 (Alot weaker here, but this is where I began feeling some of my pec strain. So I did not contract fully. I didnt want to add a full isometric contraction combined with 350 lbs. See video)
Incline Dumbbell Presses (3/4 reps)
65x60 (Not to failure , warm up)
100x29
100x25
Felt pretty good. Starting these off as a first movement can probably break 50 now, with the 100s. Hit 45 last I did them.
Wide Chest Hammer Strength Press (Full reps , Slow, With long holds at end)
180x20
270x9
270x10
Didnt contract too hard since I can feel the strain pulling a little. Just to get some stimulation and restrengthen shit.
Dumbbell Laterals (trap focused version)
no rest til line
45x40
75x5
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no rest til line
70x20
55x20
40x10
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No rest til line
70-75x20
55x20
40x20
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40x65 (brief rest pauses only)
Didnt push shit too hard here. Shoulders were starting to fuck with me a little from the smith inclines. Possibly the one arm rows and all the other cumulative abuse. Nothing major but trying to keep shit intact for now
KILL THAT SHIT
videos below