That was easy….

Oh, and I need to find a new format for my data here… either WordPress or this theme or something isn’t rendering the nested lists correctly. *sigh*

• 5/3/1 – Bench Press (training max 180#)

• 2x5x45 (warmup)
• 1x5x75
• 1x5x90
• 1x3x110
• 1x5x120 (work)
• 1x5x135
• 1x11x155

Asst. #1 – Bench Press

• 5x10x65

Asst. #2 – Dumbbell Rows

• 5x10x30

Metcon

• 1 Tabata set, jump rope

This workout was easier than I expected. Maybe I needed a higher training max? When I ended the PPNP my squat had been reset and my press was feeling close to a max, but my deadlift was still going very strong and I felt like I could still move up a bunch on my bench press. So my Monday Press workout felt good. When I was setting up weights for deadlifting I went ahead and ratcheted up the weight and calculated from there. But Bench Press I bumped just a tiny bit. So, this workout didn’t feel all that hard to me… not even a little bit. I mean, 11 reps with 155 and I had more in the tank… but I left them there because I know this isn’t supposed to be a “work to failure” sort of program. In doing the assistance work, 30% would be 55# and that was just going to be silly. I incorrectly remembered my work max at 170 so I refigured a 40% @ 65#…. but even that didn’t make me twitch. Still, I kept good form and worked to dynamically explode the bar off my chest (65# but put in 165# of force, if you will)… but even that wasn’t that great because it still felt way too light, not enough resistance. I thought to myself that next workout I need to go to 75# and yes… now correctly figuring 40% of my actual work max (180#) that ought to work out a lot better.

Nevertheless, if I calculcate “work volume”, today’s work set volume was greater than the total volume (work+warmup) of my last PPNP bench press workout. So, there’s still a gain.

On rows, I had no idea where to really start, but looking at weights I was using some months ago on barbell rows I figured 30# would be a good start. I want to be strict: arched back, back parallel to the floor, no twisting of the torso to get the weight up, go from dead hang (shoulder pulled forward) all the way until the dumbbell is touching my torso and my shoulder is pulled all the way back… pull back as far as I can go… as complete a range of motion as possible. Plus, only about 30-60 seconds of rest between sets since I have to alternate arms and the other arm gets a “rest” while the one is working. And with all that, 30# wasn’t bad. I’m thinking about going to 35# next workout and that ought to be a good work weight.

Rope jumping felt better. I’m thinking less about jumping and I believe that’s helping… as it usually does. Don’t try, just do. I’m trying to put more “single hop” sets in to bump up the intensity level. Next workout is squats so we’ll see how jumping goes after that, but otherwise I’m thinking I want to get more intensity so I might do something like pairs of two: light double-hop set followed by more intense single hop, and repeat that pair 4x.

Not a bad workout, just didn’t feel as worked as I thought I would. But, the program has only begun. We’ll see where I actually end up. I did have the passing thought that if benching even on “week 3” is too easy even with 95% of my working max that instead of bumping 5# I might bump 10# just this once. I don’t want to overdo it for sure, but just keeping myself open to the possibility.