OK, this is getting old.

Every time it happens, I get stronger support for this being a shoulder problem – not an arm/elbow problem. Today was no different; in fact, I’d say today provided some of the strongest support. Just where the pains were, how things would feel with the bar in my hand, whatever.

It started as soon as I put the empty bar in my hand for warmups: I started to feel the pain grow. I wasn’t sure if perhaps the elbow sleeves were contributing to the problem so I took them off and left them off the whole time. But I knew if the pain was starting with warmups, it was not going to be good.

When I did 220 it sucked. I was actually not sure I wanted to go on, but I put 245 on the bar, told myself to get 1 rep. I psyched myself up pretty hard, generate a little adrenaline to tune out the pain, and go. The first rep was ok, tho a little shaky. Like I normally do, it’s just a series of 1-rep at a time (mental approach). I figured to go for a second. That was OK. But then I racked it. I felt I had the strength for 5-6 reps, but the mindfuck of the pain plus the knowledge that the more I repped the worse the pain would be (plus I didn’t want to risk a bigger problem, like dropping the weight). So I racked it.

Pain was pretty bad, so I stopped everything else.

Yeah I know. I’m stupid. I am going to go see someone, and start to get this all looked into.

Just yesterday I was thinking how to approach this last week so I can test 1RM’s before the end of the year. At this point, I think I may take next week as a true-jack-shit deload, not even going into the gym: just sleep a lot, massage, rest and heal up. Hit one more 3-week cycle, test out, then shift gears for 12-16 weeks while I go back on a RP cutting diet.

5/3/1-based program

• Bench Press
  • bar x whatever
  • 105 x 5
  • 130 x 5
  • 155 x 3
  • 195 x 5
  • 220 x 3
  • 245 x 2