Max Effort Upper: Benching vs Chains [PR]

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

Sunday's max effort bench press training was moved up in the morning so that I could enjoy the afternoon and evening with Adrian's family. We ended up knocking this training out really fast (for us), and I really enjoyed the pace.

Saturday I ended up coaching Purdue Barbell at their meet in Louisville, and drove back that night, not getting home until after 1:30am. And then up in the morning for church and breakfast before training. I knew with the time crunch, travel, handling, etc. that I shouldn't get in the shirt, and to save it for the following weekend. I would still like to get into the mid/low 400's here soon, but I'm just trying to not do anything stupid. I know my next month worth of weekends are all over the place, so I'm just trying to maintain a cruise control pace. But I'm still seeing progress, so there's that!

Items Used in this Training Session Sabertooth Bar EZ Loaders Chains Shoulder Saver Monster Mini Band

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) Bench Press vs 2 Chains Per Side 55x10 55x5 - add chains 105x5 145x5 195x5 235x3 255x3 270x3 - PR 250x2x4

B1) Close Grip Bench Press vs 2 Chains Per Side 195x3x10

C1) Decline DB Skull Crushers 4x12

D1) Incline Tate Press 3x25 D2) Shoulder Saver Close Grip Push Ups 3 sets, max reps *I basically did push ups with the shoulder saver on the ground to really blow the triceps up*

E1) Overhead Band Tricep Extensions 3x20 E2) Bent Over Rear Delt Raises 3x25