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

Friday's speed bench day was great. I finally felt caught up to speed after being able to squeeze in a nap and I had a good evening just spending some time to myself. After training I made some killer food, read, and just watched a movie. So really nothing all that exciting except that I was a bum. I was really looking forward to Saturday due to going to a wedding with Adrian. I knew it was going to be my first day without having to do anything with a weight in well over a year straight - so after training was done on Friday I just kicked up and relaxed after turning my phone on silent. Some times you just need those days.

Below is an image of the band pull parts in the bench press position. I had this on my Instagram account (@bsmitley if you're interested in following my musings). It's a great option to really reinforce upper back recruitment and make sure the scaps keep pulled back and down. Give it a shot and let me know what you think of it.

Band Pull Apart In Bench Press Position


Items Used in this Training Session
Swiss Bar
Mini Bands
Core Blaster
T-Bar Row Attachment

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) Swiss Bar Speed Bench Press vs Doubled Mini Bands
45x10
45x5 - add bands
65x3
85x3
105x3
115x3
135x3
150x6x3

B1) Close Grip Swiss Bar Bench Press vs Doubled Mini Bands
165x3
185x6 - PR

C1) Swiss Bar Bench Press vs Doubled Mini Bands
130 x 20, 20, 17

D1) Wtd Wide Grip Pull Ups
3 sets, max reps (+10 lbs) - 22, 16, 15

E1) Deadstop T-Bar Rows
3x8

F1) DB Chest Supported Rows
3x12

G1) Tsunami Bar Lat Pulldowns
3x12

H1) Band Pull Aparts
4 sets
*These were done lying in the bench press position*
H2) Band Pallof Holds
4 sets, drawings #'s 1-15