11/23/16 – Week 5, Day 2 – Max Effort Upper

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This training session actually took place the day before this holiday but I figured why not just make a post to cover both days. As always I have come home for the extended weekend which also means that I am going to be training at the local gym for the next few days. Now that my now brother is in college and on the same schedule as me, I have been able to recruit him as my personal spotter. I am getting into the last two weeks of this program which translates into taking my heaviest attempts of the cycle over these sessions. My max effort upper work of week 5 went as follows…

• Streg tch and Warm-Up
• Reverse Band Bench Press (Using Elitefts Pro Mini Bands)
  • 45×5, 95×5, 135×5, 185×5, 225×3, 275×3, 315×3, 335×1, 345×1, 355×1, 365×1
  • 315×4, 315×3

• Close Grip Bench Press
  • 185×10, 205×9, 225×7
• Dumbbell Floor Press
  • 60×20, 70×20, 75×15
• Reclined Lat Pulldowns
  • 100×20, 112.5×20, 125×15, 137.5×12, 137.5×12
• Incline Dumbbell Curl – 3×12
• Overhead Cable Tricep Extension – 4×15
• Lying Leg Raises – 4×10

For the training cycle leading up to this I had been using monster mini bands for my reverse band benching. Normally I try to keep as many things as possible consistent in my training cycles to better track progress but in this case I did not have a choice. I actually used a pair of slightly weak bands here (Elitefts Pro Mini Bands) so I did not know how much it would effect my performance. I was very happy with my heavy single of 365lbs and although I have never maxed out on this lift before, I can tell my bench is improving. This training session was one of those days where you leave exhausted and unable to raise the arms but happy knowing that you worked your tail off and earned your turkey.

As for the rest of the training week, I will be taking Thanksgiving Day off to spend time with friends and family then finishing out the week on Friday & Saturday as I hit the dynamic effort days. Next week will complete the training cycle and I have yet to decide if I am going to take a deload before jumping back into an offseason program. Time is of the essence as I race towards my next competition and I am enjoying the sense of urgency it brings to my training. I hope that everyone has a great holiday weekend full of friends, family, and plenty of food. Until next time!

Happy Thanksgiving!

My Thanksgiving Day began at around 4:45 this morning when I hauled my butt out of bed to get to the gym. For the past five or six years, it has been a tradition in my family to volunteer at the local YMCA on Thanksgiving morning helping out with their annual 5K “Turkey Trot”. Additionally, my father and I usually get to the gym extra early to lift a little before the day starts. This morning I hit a nice, short workout that was meant more for recovery than anything, the details of which are really not worth mentioning.

What is worth mentioning is what I am thankful for today:

• I am thankful for an awesome family that supports me in all my endeavours.
• I am thankful for a group of people that are not only my team but also the greatest friends that push me to be the best I can be.
• I am thankful for  my brothers in Chauncey Cooperative that have my back no matter what.
• I am thankful for the opportunity to gain an education at one of the nation’s top universities, and follow a passion of mine.
• I am thankful for being introduced to powerlifting which has opened the door to more opportunities than I can begin to list.
• I am thankful for every ounce of food that I will consume today and having multiple excellent cooks in my family that probably are the reason for my body size to begin with.

This is most definitely a partial list as this would be a never ending post if I tried to name everything. Thanksgiving has always been a time to reflect on and simplify what you have been gifted with in life. So many times I find myself focused on the negative that it is truly a blessing to take time to look at the good. I have been blessed beyond measure over the past few years being introduced to powerlifting and the group of people that it has allowed me to connect with. I cannot imagine having my college experience going any other way. I hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day filled with family, food, and football (Go Bears). So once again, Happy Thanksgiving, may you have a blessed day.