Post Retirement Bench Guy

Deload Day Touch-n-go Bench Press 195x5 3 Sets Close-grip Bench Press 135x15 Yates Rows 95x10 3 Sets What is a deload?  To continue getting stronger a break is needed from the grind of continually adding weight and/or volume. Volume is the main driver of fatigue. So a deload is on the low end of volume but a little on the heavy side. This lowers fatigue but maintains size and strength. In my case today this meant using 195lbs for three sets of five where my working sets on this recently was 240lbs, or about 80%. So very easy weight but enough to maintain strength while lowering fatigue built up from a month's worth of hard training.  I have to admit I wasn't feeling it today. This pandemic just had me down I guess. On Sunday I watched a sermon online. The preacher said that while we're all experiencing the same thing, we're not "all in the same boat".  Some of us are in a pretty comfortable boat, some in battleships, some

The Post Retirement Bench Guy Tempo Bench W/Bands: 170lbs 3 Sets of 5 Reps Wide-grip Bench: 155x10, 155x10, 155x20 Yates Rows: 140x10 2 Sets Band Kickbacks: Green Band x10, x6, x12 The Tempo Benches were done with a 4-second eccentric (lowering), 1-second pause on chest, fast as possible press, 1-second pause at arms length. This is described like this: 4-1-x-1 The bands used during the 1st movement add about 40lbs at the chest and increase resistance to about 70lbs at arms length. Add the "straight weight", 170lbs, to band resistance to approximate total resistance.  Wide-grip Bench is done as a kind of chest finisher, or muscle builder. The last set is taken close to failure. Yates Rows: Think barbell rows with an underhand grip. Band Kickbacks: Not a "great" triceps movement but I have elbow pain with most other triceps exercises. Got a decent pump and called it quits. Here's a recap of the current program: 1st Mini Cyc

Post Retirement Bench Guy Training Day 1(a) March 22, 2020 Touch-n-go bench press 210x10 3 Sets Close-grip bench press 165x10 2 Sets, 165x12 last set. Yates Rows 135x11 3 Sets How do you measure progress? On March 2nd I started this current program. With the same weight used on this day, 210lbs, I hit two sets of ten then could only get 8 reps on the 3rd and last set. So two more reps indicates progress. When this training day came around again, I used the same weight to complete the prescribed reps. Remember to log all work so you know if your progressing or not. Why do close-grips after the main movement? These are done for tricep growth and strength. Notice I took the last set to near failure. Push these accessory movements as hard as possible.   If you are using a barbell at home to bench make sure you have a spotter or are very experienced with safety bars.  Rows: It's vital to have a strong upper back to bench well. I'm more interested in

Tempo Bench Press What's eccentric about that? Well I'll tell you: The bench press has four distinctly different parts. 1. After you take the bar off the rack and are holding it at arms length, you lower the bar. That lowering of the bar is eccentric movement. 2. Holding the bar motionless on your chest momentarily is called an isometric contraction. 3. Pushing the bar up to arms length is a concentric movement. 4. Pausing momentarily at arms length is also isometric contraction. All that to explain that a Tempo Bench Press is a variation of bench press where the eccentric or lowering portion is slowed down. Look at this description: 4-1-x-1 The 4 means the bar is lowered to a 4-count down to the chest. The next number, 1, is a 1-second pause on the chest. The x represents pressing as fast as possible to arms length. The last number 1 is a 1-second pause at arms length. The slow lowering creates additional muscle building (hypertrophy). Its quite a bit

1st Day Training a) 3x10 Touch-n-Go Bench, 3x10 close-grip bench @ 50%, Yates Rows 3x10 b) 3x8 Touch-n-Go Bench, 3x10 close-grip bench @ 55%, Yates Rows 3x10 c) 3x5 Touch-n-Go Bench, 3x10 close-grip bench @ 60%, Yates Rows 3x10 2nd Day Training a) 3x6 Banded Tempo Bench 4-1-x-1, 3x10 wide-grip bench 50%, Yates Rows 3x10 b) 3x5 Banded Tempo Bench 4-1-x-1, 3x10 wide-grip bench 55%, Yates Rows 3x10 c) 3x4 Banded Tempo Bench 4-1-x-1, 3x10 wide-grip bench 60%, Yates Rows 3x10 If you don't have bands for day-2 training just use straight weight. Don't miss reps which is gym-speak for Don't start too Heavy! Look up tempo bench on the web. Quit checking for virus updates all day. Keep a log of everything you do. You'll get sore but have 3 full days between training days so you'll be ok. Lets survive this son-of-a-bitch virus stronger than we started. My Training Log for 3/14/2020 Touch-n-Go Bench: 240x4, 240x5, 240x5 (Note I missed a rep on my 1s

Why Bench? No, the title is "You used to be a strong. Be strong again." 1st post on the new blog. Here's what this is all about. Me. No, wait. It's about getting better at bench pressing. For me. No, wait. For older folks.  Yes, I realize the bench press is not the most important thing in the world. But its at least as important as most other stupid hobbies. Since we're going through a worldwide pandemic right now I knew this is precisely the time for a bench press blog targeting old(er) guys (and gals with lots of luck). Enough buffoonery. Here's the program I'm using. Since you have plenty of time to research stuff on the internet with the whole worldwide health crisis and all you can look up any terms that aren't familiar. Whatever. Daily undulating program meaning that every training day is different throughout a 3-week training cycle. The 3-weeks by the way isn't really since I use an 8-day week. Because I'm (and possibly you are a