I’m currently in meet prep for the 2016 APF Illinois State Meet, in Sycamore, Illinois. I will be competing at 148 pounds, raw (without wraps). At this meet I will just be taking token lifts to qualify for APF Equipped Nationals which is in Orlando, Florida where I will be competing at 132 pounds, raw with knee wraps. As such, the bigger picture is to prep for this meet, and obtain a top three placing to qualify for WPC Worlds in November.

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Thursday marked my first speed bench day back to training. Overall a solid day. I'm mixing up my supplemental movement for this meet prep and swapping out my close grip bench press with a wide grip bench press (index on the ring). I realized a few weeks out from XPC's that I really sucked with a wide grip, so my thought process is if I can bring this up that my bench press might continue to improve. It's a bit of a crap shoot, but considering I just need a top 3 placing at nationals, if it doesn't pan out, it shouldn't hurt me. I won't know anything until meet day, but the key is to know and find out for worlds. This good 10 weeks of work with it should be enough time to let me know how it fairs. The biggest thing is going to be keeping my shoulders healthy, but I didn't experience any pain or issues on the first day. My stroke is shorter, but I certainly feel like I'm lacking my standard power of the chest. But hey, one week down, and closing in on the state meet pretty quick.


[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEp3J7iGeYU]


Items Used in this Training Session
Swiss Bar
Mini Bands

Warm Up
Band Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns - 1x15
Band Pressdowns - 1x15
Band Face Pulls - 1x15
Band Flys - 1x15
Band Rows - 1x15
Band Curls - 1x15
Push Ups - 1x15

A1) Swiss Bar Speed Bench Press vs Doubled Mini Bands
45x10
45x5 - add bands
65x5
85x5
105x5x5

B1) Wide Grip Bench Press
135x5
175x5
205x5
230x15 - PR

C1) DB Bench Press
90's x 3 sets of max reps

D1) Wtd Wide Grip Pull Ups
sets of 6 up to a top set of 6

E1) Cambered Bar Bent Over Rows
3x10

F1) Supinated Lat Pulldowns
3x10

G1) Rope Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns
3x12

H1) DB Shrugs (2 ct hold at the top)
4x20

I1) Hanging Leg Raise Hold
2 min total time