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 wrapped up another wave of speed work on the bench press. I feel like I made some good progress with the close grip variation during this time, as well as just getting a little faster with that bar. My small hands sometimes have a hard time with it while doing speed work because I've really got to grip the hell out of the bar. I also mixed up some of my back training and added in a bit more rowing. Since it looks like I'll probably be competing in my shirt, I need to get my upper back a little stronger specific to benching in a shirt, so a lot more rows than pulldown variations. The weighted side planks also kicked my butt on my left side (the side that has a hard time firing). I'm doing a lot better job of learning how to isolate that in training, while trying to keep my left lat turned off. It's still a work in progress, but there was still no low back pain on my bent rows and the side planks...so more baby steps! Only two more weeks until I get to take the bar!

Items Used in this Training Session
El Gordo Fat Bar
Mini Bands
Spud Ab Strap
Tsunami Lat Bar

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) Fat Bar Speed Bench Press vs Doubled Mini Bands
75x10
75x5 - add bands
95x3
105x3
125x3
145x3
165x6x3

B1) Close Grip Fat Bar Bench Press vs Doubled Mini Bands
190x3
215x6 - PR

C1) Fat Bar Bench Press vs Doubled Mini Bands
145x3x20

D1) Cambered Bar Chest Supported Rows
4x10

E1) Standing Spud Strap Cable Rows
3x12

F1) Bent Over Rows (Supinated)
3x12

G1) Tsunami Bar Lat Pulldowns
4x15

H1) Band Reverse Pec Dec
4x25
H2) Wtd Side Plank
3x30 sec per side