Today I had a horrible bench press session. In the previous workout, I benched 187 for 3 cluster reps from the bottom (chest touching bar) position. Today, I managed to get only 1 rep with 187.
Video:
Should I deload? Or add in more sets/exercises for volume progression? What do you do when you have a bad session due to stress or inadequate recovery?
P.S. I also felt a lower back strain on my 2nd attempted rep, I kept my butt on the bench, maybe the powerlifting arch isn't that good to lower back afterall..
Here are the workouts:
JULY 26th (3rd workout using this routine)
A) Bench press from the bottom position (cluster set of 3 reps) *11blocks
175x3, 180x3
B) Regular bench press
165x3, 177x3, 185x3, 190x3
C) Speed pushup
5x3
D) Back work
BW pullupx9, 70kg row x4, facepull 16kg x9, J down 16kgx16
JULY 29th (4)
A) Bench press from the bottom position (cluster set of 3 reps) *11blocks
185x3, 192 NL, 187x2
A2) Hammer chin up *cluster reps
40x3, 45x3
B) Regular bench press
175x3, 187x2
B2) Regular hammer chins
30x3, 35x3, 40x2.5
C) Close grip BP
135x10, 155x4, 155x5
D) Speed work
135x 2x3, 105x 3x3, chin up bw 5x3
E) Incline flies
August 4th (5) Todays workout was shit, regular weights felt a lot heavier.
A) Bench press from the bottom position (cluster set of 3 reps) *11blocks
177x2, 187x1
B) Regular bench press
155x8, 165x4
C) Speed BP
105 6x3
A2) Hammer chin up *cluster reps
40x3, 45x3, 50x .75/.75/.75
Join date: Jun 2008
Location: Alabama, USA
Posts: 1049
Usually when I have a bad session like that, I didn't eat enough carbs that day and the day before. But if you just had a bad day, don't worry too much, we've all had 'em. If it gets to be a habit, take a closer look.
Join date: Feb 2008
Location: Oklahoma, USA
Posts: 286
I just did something simlilar, I was doing 190 lbs. for 5x3. Last week I hit failure on the 5th set after 2 reps, this week I hit failure on the 4th set after 2 reps.
When going heavy with low reps, sometimes you just mis-fire. I chalk it up to CNS mis-fire or just a simple balance issue, sometimes you just don't grip the bar right and it doesn't work.
I was cussing the rest of the work out, all of my other lifts were fine, I'll just have to load it up again next week and try it over.
Mondy wrote:
mr popular wrote:
I'd have bad sessions too if I trained like that.
What the fuck are you doing?
Whats wrong with it?
If this is a specilization routine, there is a lot lacking(and specialization is not for beginners, IMO).
If this is just your normal workout there is no:
leg-work whatsoever
very little back work(with the exception of chins). No posterier chain work.
Another problem there is no incline, decline, dips, military press. IE other exercises to help support and strengthen your flat bench(which seems to be your goal).
tw0scoops2 wrote:
Mondy wrote:
mr popular wrote:
I'd have bad sessions too if I trained like that.
What the fuck are you doing?
Whats wrong with it?
If this is a specilization routine, there is a lot lacking(and specialization is not for beginners, IMO).
If this is just your normal workout there is no:
leg-work whatsoever
very little back work(with the exception of chins)
Another problem there is no incline, decline, dips, military press. IE other exercises to help support and strengthen your flat bench(which seems to be your goal).
Example of my last leg workout:
Snatch grip DL on 4 inch platform
217x1/1/1, 217x1/1/1, 217x1/1/1, 222x1/1/1, 227x1/1/1, 232x1/1/1
Speed Pull
185 6x1
Core work
Glute Ham raise
3x6
I added regular benching and dynamic benching to support my flat bench. I considered adding in more dips/inclines, but that would seem like too much of a volume to recover. I think I should add in more supportive exercises.
Would westside be a good workout to follow or would that be too advanced? Accordin to the erx net I am an intermediate.
I bench 200, deadlift 315, squatted 225x4 @160pounds. Now that my current gym doesnt have a squat rack, Ive been focusing on benching and deadlifting. I bench once and deadlift once every 5 days and I switch routines after following it for six times.
mr popular wrote:
You are a beginner, and are probably trying to do things way more advanced than you need to, and (not surprisingly) it isn't working for you.
Why don't you just train normally dude?
What would you recommend? I was thinking of possibly doing 5/3/1
Join date: Jul 2007
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 5348
Mondy wrote:
mr popular wrote:
You are a beginner, and are probably trying to do things way more advanced than you need to, and (not surprisingly) it isn't working for you.
Why don't you just train normally dude?
What would you recommend? I was thinking of possibly doing 5/3/1
You aren't strong enough in my opinion for 5/3/1. get that squat up to 300+ and the pull up to 400+ and then think about it. I considered myself the bare minimum of strength to get stronger on that program. You should be ramping weights into 1-2 work sets, plan your program correctly, bust ass, eat, and progress each workout. That is all.
zephead4747 wrote:
Mondy wrote:
mr popular wrote:
You are a beginner, and are probably trying to do things way more advanced than you need to, and (not surprisingly) it isn't working for you.
Why don't you just train normally dude?
What would you recommend? I was thinking of possibly doing 5/3/1
You aren't strong enough in my opinion for 5/3/1. get that squat up to 300+ and the pull up to 400+ and then think about it. I considered myself the bare minimum of strength to get stronger on that program. You should be ramping weights into 1-2 work sets, plan your program correctly, bust ass, eat, and progress each workout. That is all.
What are you opinion on west side for skinny bastards? I'm thinking of giving that program a good run.
Join date: Nov 2005
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 1951
You don't need "cluster reps", or blocks, and you definitely don't need any kind of speed bench training.
If I were going to recommend a routine to you it would probably be a Legs/Push/Pull routine, 2-3 exercises per muscle group, ramp up to 1-2 work sets, and don't go below 5 reps. And no weird exercises either, just the traditional ones.
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