After having a year away from the platform and a terrible showing at the 2018 XPC Bench Bash, I'm gearing back up for a multiply bench only competition, the APF Pressing the Pieces Together on April 27th, 2019. This meet helps bring awareness and charity donations for Autism Awareness. I'm looking to compete at 132lbs and just have a good meet back, while running my new gym, THIRST, and rehabbing my low back issues.

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

Well my training for the first week for the most part was a total dumpster fire as a whole. My max effort training day was probably my best, but after that things pretty much just went down hill.

Missed sessions. Sessions cut short. Lack of sleep. Nutrition had to go out the window. Overall stress.

But that's just part of training unfortunately.

On this particular training session, all I got done was my 10x10 work, which was actually hard for the first time in about 8 weeks, and two back exercises for 4 sets each.

I had a SUPER crummy day at work on Thursday, and it bled right into my training session. I'm usually good as using a crap day to have a good training session, but in this case it backfired because I ran short on time to even get what I wanted done, so I had to make up the decision to do my bench press work, and pick two rowing variations that I could hit HARD.

Zero rear delt work, direct lat work, trunk work, triceps, etc.

Then on Friday I didn't get my leg training in due to having to squeeze in a client later than normal and training him after business hours. But, I had to think what was more important....the business or myself....and that was an easy call. Hard to swallow, but my business is my priority over my training right now.

I've just had to consistently remind myself that my time will free up the better the gym does and I'm able to leave my other full time job.

How can you deal with a bad week of training?

1. Understand it's ONE week. Even if it ends up being a rough 2-3 weeks, in the grand scheme, it's tiny of the whole process. I've been training for nearly 15 years. Out of 780+ weeks, I think having a week be lackluster is fine.

2. If the week didn't go the way you wanted, what DID go the way you wanted? For me, that was gaining more clients, seeing the gym growth, a night of equipped squats get WILD, new plyo boxes coming in from Elitefts, the gym has been open 7 months, etc. There are always positives!

3. From a training perspective, what went well? For me that was benching 435 in my shirt after not being in it a year. At the end of the day, the main lift I need to do well at in April is actually at a good place. It's not like my performance has tanked. If anything I've done less and pretty much maintained everything over a year. Rather impressive, really.

4. Understand training will not define you. Who you influence will.

We'll try to make week 2 of prep, MUCH better.

Items Used in this Training Session

Warm Up
Lateral Raises
DB Overhead Press
Rear Delt Raises
DB Bench Press
DB Flys
DB Skull Crushers
DB Rows
DB Curls
15 each

A1) Cambered Swiss Angle Bench Bar Bench Press
170x10x10

B1) MAG Grip Medium Neutral Seated Cable Row
4x12

C1) Bent Over DB Rows
4x10