Taking a cue from Monday’s squat day — tight tight tight.

I worked on my bench setup today. Really getting my body locked in, from my shoulders being dug into the bench, to my feet being planted and arching hard. I don’t get much arch, but when my feet are in the right spot, if the arch is as high and tight as I can get it (which isn’t much, but still going as far as I can), boy that all really helps. Granted, I found myself losing my leg drive because I was focused on too many things, but I can live with that for now while I work through all of this.

After I get all tight and in there, hold it for a moment, settle, THEN unrack the bar. For whatever reason I get in place then unrack the bar without waiting… probably because I don’t want to tire out, but come on, it’s not that big a deal. I do want to work more on that technique of just pulling the bar out via lats, instead of “lifting” the bar out… all an effort to keep the shoulder blades back and pinned, y’know? Then unracked, let things settle and reacquire shoulders if needed, THEN start benching. Pause a moment at the bottom, then push.

So yeah, working on technique. It’s better, but it’s also a bit of a step back just because I’m thinking so much that it’s almost over-thinking and not just moving the bar, y’know? It’ll get there.

Anyways, things were generally good today.

Strong-15 Short Cycle, from LRB365

• Bench (goal: 265)
  • bar x 5 x 2
  • 135 x 5
  • 155 x 4
  • 180 x 3
  • 200 x 2
  • 220 x 1
  • 225 x 1
  • 235 x 1
  • 185 x 11 (AMRAP)
• Incline Press
  • 105 x 15
  • 105 x 12
• Dips
  • BW x 8
  • BW x 5
  • BW x 5
  • BW x 4
  • BW x 4