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benchmonster
New member
Well, it was not a bad contest for me, and not a great one either. I benched 460 for a very easy opener, then 505, which felt as easy as the opener did, then jumped to 545 in an effort to set a new state record.
I just missed the 545, and tho I am not one to make excuses, I was plenty strong enough to make the 545 on this day, but pulled my shirt down too far and had a horrible time touching the weight down. By the time I finally got it to drop that last inch or so, I was out of air, but decided to try and press it anyways once I got the press command.
I started noticing the blackness creeping in to my vision while the bar was on my chest, and as I blasted the bar 3/4 the way to lockout the blackness quickly covered my vision to the point that when the spotters took the bar away, I could hardly see at all. I don't remember getting off the bench, but do recall standing bent over trying to get air for a while after the 3rd attempt. I woke up the next day with really cool petechial (sp?) hemmorhages in both eyes, from the blood vessels I burst.
Lesson I learned was not to be afraid of the big weights. I was plenty strone enough to press the 545. Had I left my shirt where it was for the 2nd attempt I would have been just fine, and a new state record holder, to boot. I kept expecting that 3rd attempt to feel very heavy, and it just never did. I am very confident I will go over 550 in my next contest.
So I set a 5 lb. meet PR, very nearly set a 20 lb PR on my final lift and I learned something. I also did not bench for 9 days prior to this meet and went into the meet with no aches or pains in my arms and shoulders. I intend to use this strategy in the future.
B.
I just missed the 545, and tho I am not one to make excuses, I was plenty strong enough to make the 545 on this day, but pulled my shirt down too far and had a horrible time touching the weight down. By the time I finally got it to drop that last inch or so, I was out of air, but decided to try and press it anyways once I got the press command.
I started noticing the blackness creeping in to my vision while the bar was on my chest, and as I blasted the bar 3/4 the way to lockout the blackness quickly covered my vision to the point that when the spotters took the bar away, I could hardly see at all. I don't remember getting off the bench, but do recall standing bent over trying to get air for a while after the 3rd attempt. I woke up the next day with really cool petechial (sp?) hemmorhages in both eyes, from the blood vessels I burst.
Lesson I learned was not to be afraid of the big weights. I was plenty strone enough to press the 545. Had I left my shirt where it was for the 2nd attempt I would have been just fine, and a new state record holder, to boot. I kept expecting that 3rd attempt to feel very heavy, and it just never did. I am very confident I will go over 550 in my next contest.
So I set a 5 lb. meet PR, very nearly set a 20 lb PR on my final lift and I learned something. I also did not bench for 9 days prior to this meet and went into the meet with no aches or pains in my arms and shoulders. I intend to use this strategy in the future.
B.
