I think I like model 2.

So after feeling stagnation with my bench pressing on Base Building model 1, I thought I’d try switching to model 2 to see if I make any progress. Again, I grant my stagnation may be diet-induced, but it may not (since other things are progressing). So since I can’t really vary the diet right now but I can vary the training well… let’s try it and see what comes from it.

I will say, I liked this better than model 1. Maybe because it’s back to 5 reps. 😉 Maybe it’s the increased intensity. Maybe the increased volume. I don’t know, but I did like it more.

I opted to keep the rest of the session stable to see how it would fare post-model 2. I do think I can up the assistance work a bit.

I think the only thing I didn’t like was the AMRAP set because I just got bored and stopped because it was like “ok, that’s enough…” 😉 But that said, I think this might also give me a needed mental boost because striving to set a rep PR here should be good for the mental side of things — to more easily see progress.

Anyways, I didn’t lift this session truly as I should have, with CAT and all that. I didn’t know what to expect and so I pulled back a bit, took a bit more rest between sets (e.g. 90 seconds instead of 60). But after seeing how it all went, I’ll push back towards normal next week.

Based upon Paul Carter’s Basebuilding

• Bench Press (model 2)
  • bar x 5
  • bar x 5
  • 115 x 5
  • 130 x 4
  • 155 x 3
  • 170 x 2
  • 190 x 1
  • 200 x 1
  • 190 x 5
  • 190 x 5
  • 190 x 5
  • 170 x 5
  • 170 x 5
  • 170 x 5
  • 135 x 16 (AMRAP)
• Machine Flies
  • 85 x 10
  • 85 x 10
  • 85 x 10
  • 85 x 10
• Close-grip Bench Press
  • 95 x 10
  • 95 x 10
  • 95 x 10
  • 95 x 10
• Hammer Curls (by 5’s)
  • 30e x 10
  • 30e x 10
  • 30e x 10
  • 30e x 9