After coming off my best meet performance of my career, I am now officially a beat up powerlifter. I'm having some minor low back issues that I'm working on mending up, and then I'll begin to find a competitive option. My goals for 2017 are to compete in a bodybuilding show and also get back to the platform 100% healthy.

For programming and coaching inquires, please email SmitleyPerformanceSystems@gmail.com or visit brandonsmitley.com

Wednesday's training brought along some minor frustrations. After my chest work, and moving towards my shoulder stuff, I felt a minor pec twinge in my right pec. I have no idea what I did, or if I really even did anything at all. Oddly enough, it happened during my rear delt work, after my pecs were already ballooned up with blood. It's actually why I tend to lead with a rear delt movement to help stretch the pec out a bit after being worked, and who would have thought that some light rear delt flys with cables would piss it off. Again, I've got no clue what I did, and I was even able to finish my sets like normal after it happened. There is no bruising or discoloration, no odd deformities, and really not even any sore sports, just some typical DOMS like symptoms, but towards the midline of chest. I can even do push ups and add/abduct my arms, etc. So who knows...basically it sounds like I suffered a very, very small tweak at the worst. I'll need to take it day by day and just see how I'm going to proceed, as now that I'm planning on benching in a meet, I need to not be an idiot. Even if that means not getting in the shirt this weekend. I've got to keep my eyes on Nationals and staying healthy. It's probably about time I just take a whole week away from weights in general, but I guess I'll just need to see when I can make this fit best if I go through with it.

But hey, the rest of the training session was pretty good, so there's that.

Items Used in this Training Session

Warm Up
Cats & Camels - 10
Quadraped T-Spine Ext - 10 each
Band Dislocations - 10
Alternating Band Dislocations - 10 each
Band Pressdowns - 15
Band Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns - 15
Band Face Pulls - 15
Single Arm Band Fly - 15 each
Band Rows - 15
Band Curls - 15

A1) Neutral Grip Incline DB Bench Press
75's x 3 x 10; then 2 mechanical drop sets (dropping the incline)

B1) Chest Press Machine
4x12-15

C1) Pronated Pec Dec Flys
3x30

D1) Cable Rear Delt Flys
4x30
*On the second set I felt a minor twinge in my right pec, towards the midline as I descended on the fly. Was still able to finish the sets though...*
D2) Overhead Press Machine
3x15

E1) Machine Lateral Raises
5x12-15; then 1 drop set

F1) Overhead Cable Tricep Extensions
3x15

G1) Tricep Extension Machine
4x15