Bench press -The King of all lifts. Yep I said it. No one ever asks what you can squat or pull. They always ask what you can bench-press. I have enjoyed this question for many years. Each time someone would ask this legendary question I would tell them and tell them with pride.

My best raw bench press in competition is 530@242 and my best geared bench is 805@286. Numbers I take pride in. I have benched 500 pounds plus raw for 15 years till lately. My left shoulder needs surgery. Bad. This injury is holding me back. Bad. Im scared to bench. I am really scared to bench raw. I know....why not get it fixed then. Well....I had ACL surgery two years ago and 6 months later had my bicep reattached after tearing it off. 2 major surgeries in one year plus recovery has been tough so I was not ready to get a 3rd in the same year. I have waited to get fully recovered from the first two. Which I have.

During the past two years my hard work has paid off from recovering. My squat is stronger than ever. I proved that back in March at my first full power multiply meet in almost 5 years with a 50 pound PR squat and A 65 pound total PR in only my 3rd full power geared meet. I feel like I have a shot at a 900 pound squat and I want to do that first before going in and having this shoulder repaired. That's the plan anyway....

Today I tested the waters and worked up to 405 pounds for a single for the first time in 2 years. Success! Terrible but easy and smooth. 2 years ago I could rep 405 for 12 to 15 reps. Now I am scared to death of it. My shirted bench has suffered because I can not train raw benching like I have been able to in the past. Because of this my shirted benching has dropped. My raw carry over is huge for my geared benching and without it my geared benching has suffered mightily. Today was a step but not anything to jump up and down about. I need to make it for 6 more months, hit my 900 pound squat, finish the meet then get set up for surgery on my shoulder. That's the plan....

Raw Bench-press

1 x bar - 2
1 x 135 - 1
1 x 185 - 1
1 x 225 - 1
1 x 275 - 1
1 x 315 - 1
1 x 365 - 1
1 x 405 - 1

Banded Tri Press Downs

200 total reps

Standing DB Cheer Leaders

3 x 30

Standing DB Overhead Tri Ext

300 total reps

DB Shrugs

200 total reps

Abs