I think cycle 6 is starting to see my bench improve again, especially in comparison with Cycle 4 and 5 which had both good and 'less-than-good' bench performances. Today called for 230lbs for my final working set. I saw 230lbs in week 3 cycle 3 during which I got 7 reps. I also got 235x7 in week 3 cycle 4, so today I knew I wanted at least 8 reps to improve over those last sessions. Things went better than expected, and my first few reps felt really strong I ended with 9 reps: no lift off, no bad spots, and I didn't go to failure this time.
Assistance work was awesome.
- 100lb db rows for 5 sets of 10 reps. No grip problems, all super fast.
- 70lb db bench for 5 sets of 15 reps. Still difficult, but easier than last time.
Week 2 bench for 6 cycles has thus far been:
- Cycle 1: 210 x 8
- Cycle 2: 215 x 7
- Cycle 3: 220 x 8
- Cycle 4: 225 x 10
- Cycle 5: 225 x 10* assisted on last rep
- Cycle 6: 230 x 9
As you can see, it's not been totally linear progress (same can be said for my clean and jerks as well), but overall things have been improving. I feel like my power on the first few reps has improved tremendously, although this doesn't really show up in the numbers, but I hope it shows up when I go to do my one rep max in the future (it definitely shows up in the videos when I compared this set to week 3cycle 3's 230x7 -- tonight's set was completed in the same time and the first 5 reps were way faster) .
Goals for today:
180x3
205x3
230x3
Lifted:
180x3
205x3
230x9
Video of final set below:
Very solid improvement!
ReplyDeleteYou might want to consider sending Wendler your progress pictures...it's a huge change.
Thanks, my man. Haha, Wendler wouldn't like that. Didn't you read what he said about dudes that take pics of themselves!? He'd beat me up.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good set of reps. You look like you're putting on some size. Are you just eating clean, or are you doing some supplementing as well?
ReplyDeletelol, I read that and was a bit hesitant to suggest it at first.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone would get an exception from the rule it would be you.
Chris: I'm mainly just eating a lot, but I take creatine and whey as well
ReplyDeletesJarl: I'll think about it when the year is up. Maybe I'll be 200lbs by then =]
Gabe is gay...
ReplyDeleteYOU SUCK, YOU LATIN SPEWING PEDANTIC WHORE
ReplyDeleteCould we have more entries with less of you as content? Like maybe feature other people who are not you? Are you so self-obsessed you can't get by in life without seeking the attention and approval of strangers on the Internet? What a sad, shallow existence.
ReplyDeleteNo, this is like Oprah magazine: I'm always on the cover!
ReplyDeleteFuck off you anonymous twit! If you had any courage at all you'd log in and identify yourself!
ReplyDeleteWe need more Gabe content with fewer CLOTHES. It's the only way we'll really understand Wendler's dream and genius.
In your big, fat gay dreams! Look dipshit, if you want to look at his 4 chins that's your business. The rest of us are here to see heavy weight get moved... Wait then why are we on _this_ blog?
ReplyDeleteHOW DARE YOU CALL ME FAT! And Gabe isn't fat either. He's just a bit... fluffy. It ain't no big thing.
ReplyDeleterofl, this is hillarious.
ReplyDelete