No Crust Racing

In my head, reps on the first set dropped as I'd had a good 10 days off benching, traditionally I start to lose strength after a week or so, it comes back quick, but the "peak" is knocked off so to speak. In comparison, yes much harder benching than any benching I've done in a long while, but also more reps so naturally going to feel it more the next day. In terms of what thoughts, initially I was looking forward to going above 8 continuous reps as that was the goal, get the rep count up, but my endurance is not improving. That said, I was always terrible at any endurance type event and better at speed/burst activities. After that it was methodical in terms of getting the reps out, towards the end I always thought I had it until I failed 30 and I was genuinely expecting to get that, after failing it repeatedly I got a bit angry, but realised I just needed to lengthen the break enough to get that last rep so I wanted enough time to get it but not enough to have it be any easier than it should be. I'll do some stretching etc through the day and tonight, I definitely won't be benching Friday and I'll wait and see if I do anything besides have a good stretch. The real thing I want working is my hammy but I'm having no luck on that front. I also think I'm starting to "settle" in that I've achieved enough weight on a few things that I could drop a few kg's off most things, and stick to a 3x8 routine and just maintain general strength and physique.

Varying degrees of failure last night Rev =\ The important details. Could only do 7 continuous reps in the first stint, pretty unhappy about that as I was genuinely expecting to see at least a 1 rep improvement on 8. I managed the 30 reps but it was not pretty towards the end. It looked like this. F denotes failed on the next rep. Also keep in mind for every failure, I must slide out from under the bar, then do a half rack pull with 116kg to put it back on the pins, I do not unload the bar. after each rep(s) the next number is a break in mins. Just a couple of 50kg bench reps to warm up as I'd already had a stretch and didn't want to waste any possibility of making above 8. 7F (not happy) 2min 3F (again, not happy as I thought I was doing 8-5/6 originally. 2min 2 (did not attempt a 3rd) 1min 2 1min 2 1min 2 (Just) 1min 1 (did not attempt a 2nd) 1min 1 - (Total of 20 here and feeling OK). 1min 1 1min 1 1min 1 1min 1 1min 1 - (Total of 25, thinking I've got this) 1min 1 1min 1 1min 1 Just under 1min for a final push to the finish 1 (29 and feeling decent fatique in the fronts of my shoulders). 1min F (Not happy) 1.5min F (Really not happy, Actual swearing) 2min F (More swearing but with worse words...) 4min Finally success, 30th rep completed. This last rep was a real challenge and I was making noise on the way up =\ 30 reps in 37mins I was really starting to question if I'd make the 30 and it took a fairly decent push to get it there plus some grunting and I could feel myself pushing from the core as well. At 20 I felt OK, but 25 or so onwards I started to fade. I did it the hard way because as mentioned, each one of those fails requires re-racking which saps more strength. After this I only did 2 sets of rows (73 and 83kg) then 2 sets of chins, but could only manage 8 and 6 reps at 25kg. I didn't even attempt weighted dips, I did 6 reps at body weight and was struggling =\ I then did 5 more bodyweight chin reps because I was annoyed, even though they felt light my arms were just not having it. I've got a few very mildy tender spots today, but tomorrow will be where it kicks in. I'm not sure how this worked for you Rev but I'm not seeing any improvement in the initial continuous reps phase.

Comments from people who've had hammy issues before, I simply cannot get this twinge to go away and cannot seem to ditch the associated tightness in my lower back on the affected side, been to the myo twice for hour sessions and it provides some relief but even a mild stretching session will flare it up, the only leg "work" I'm doing at the moment, and for the last month has been the daily walk of the pooch and some light stretching (among the normal things like mowing lawns or working on the car. It must have been at least a month now since I last squatted or DL'd.

It took VERY persistent pressure on my part to get a result Fatz, keep at it and you should see a result soon.

"Funny how nobody wants to know about his 290kg deadlift but theyre all over a missed front squat lol" ^This. Typical media shit.

Honestly, any gym where guys are trying to squat probably 2x or more of their body weight on a front squat is going to have the potential for failure, nothing special about it being in Markos gym, other than if it was a commercial gym it would've been 120kg instead. When I thought I'd badly done my back I fully dropped the bar on the safeties hard core, there was just no video. Sometimes we will fail.

I shouldn't be either, back earlier in this thread I was having trouble doing 3x8 at 88kg...

Everything I've read and heard says if it hurts to walk, you stop using it completely (as much as you can) if you can't stretch it without discomfort it's not ready for any exercise.

Shiiiiit. It's a balance between getting out 1 rep or failing it and having to get out from underneath, reset which uses up powerz.

I can only put 116 on the bar. I'm still dubious as to whether the initial set will go up but looking forward to trying it. What's the idea with timing? Previously the breaks were short so I could only do 1 rep each time, are you saying that doesn't matter as much as long as 30 reps is done total?

Ask in the squat thread, I'm definitely not the person to advice you.

Forgot to add, still no go on squatting or DL, hammy still not right, but appears to be ever so slowly improving. Just painfully slow. Getting back into some regular stretching for it but it's a mixed bag as to if it helps or aggravates it.

I was more so talking about the volume rather than the peak figures, so just accept the compliment f**ker I hear you re the hamstring issues... Haven't squatted for well over a month now.

So many impressive numbers in there. Well done.

Rev: I skipped last night, even though that was the 1 week mark, as I'd spent a good 30mins Sunday night wrestling my gearbox back in and had some shoulder tenderness so opted not to bench. I'll aim for Wednesday, the same 18 reps?

You're form probably sucks, I can tell that by the way you type. BroScience. N.B. Yes I am joking.

I'm assuming if you're doing 170 for reps then it's not really close to your max effort. Maybe that was his point? Either way, people need to learn to stfu and pull their heads in.

Markos: Spoke to a mate of mine down your way, he said he's happy to collect those weights for me when he's coming up for the next DECA (I'm not sure when that is yet) so I'll let you know, cheers.

I tend to skim quickly as I'm at work, guilty as charged.

Would have been my issue then.

Who said it was bought from a reputable supplier lol If they give no f**ks for decent weight lifting, they're not going to spend any decent amount on it. Time to walk.

That's partly my point, easy to get it wrong maybe? But like anything, a quick session with someone who knows is usually enough.

That's a fair concern then, if he's damaging equipment they have then he may have outgrown that gym. The easy thing would be to buy a higher quality Oly bar and keep that customer happy. Guys, I bent the bar at my gym the other day, but they were cool about it and replaced it with a better one, how good is that. That's pretty sweet, my gym hates us, maybe we'll come to yours...

Agreed, I'm not paying shit, if you don't like it I will DL your face off. How that's achieved I don't know, but he could probs do it.

Never had shoulder issues until doing MP, I avoid it, given the amount of people who comment similarly, I wonder if the body really likes that movement at all.