I really like to start with flat bench during every chest workout irrespective of whether or not I've hit a plateau. It gives me a gauge for the workout and allows me to see where I am in consideration of previous chest workouts. It's also a nice way to see initially how well you recovered. Pull the shoulder blades back on the movement and use the chest to "pinch" an imaginary object in the middle of your chest as you lift the weight up. If you cannot pinch your shoulder blades back properly on the motion, place a rolled up towel in between your shoulder blades on the bench. As for range of motion, I go all the way down and all the way up. I generally do not lock out on reps in order to keep constant tension. I've also found that if I lock my elbows at the top of the movement with heavy weights and many sets, my tendonitis creeps back.
This workout felt pretty great. I think I'm finally creeping back up to the strength I had during first quarter (see first blog post.) I do not think that I would be able to push out over 300 lbs. on bench at the moment. I went heavy weight and high volume on this workout. My elbows and shoulders felt wonderful throughout the entire workout and I had zero pain in any area. I focused primarily on incline movements. To me they're just more fun.
I also really enjoy the flushing effect and love the feeling of an upper body pump. To finish off this workout I did some tricep pulldowns with the rope and pull-ups to get a pump going in my back.
Workout:
1) Flat Bench
-1x15 w/ 135 lbs.
-1x5 w/ 155 lbs.
-1x5 w/ 185 lbs.
-1x10 w/ 225 lbs. (used as a gauge every workout)
-3x5 w/ 245
-2x2 w/ 275
2) Incline Dumbbell Bench (30 degree incline, easier on my shoulders)
-5x8 w/ 100 lb. dumbbells
3) Incline Bench Press (45 degree incline)
-2x10 w/ 135 lbs.
-4x6 w/ 225 lbs.
4) [superset] Incline Bench Press + Plyometric Pushups on Bosu Ball
*Grab two bosu balls (see image below) and space them about 1.5 feet apart. Then perform a "diamond" pushup concentrating on the triceps in between the two balls. When you're coming up, explode and land your hands on the bosu balls to do a standard/wide pushup. On the way up from the wide pushup, explode and come to the diamond again. Repeat this. One close and one wide counts as a single rep.
(5 rounds)
-10 reps w/ 185 on bench + 8 reps bosu ball
5) [superset] Tricep Pulldowns + Wide-grip pullups
(5 rounds)
-10 reps w/ 75 lbs. using rope. (Pull to waist area and hold. Do not lock out.) + 15 reps wide-grip pullup
Diet of the Day:
Meal 1:
-30g whey protein shake w/ 2% milk
-5 eggs worth of egg whites + 2 whole eggs
-3 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatballs
-Plum, strawberries, blueberries, banana
Meal 2:
-1 cup brown rice
-1 Aidell's chicken teriyaki meatball
-8oz grilled chicken breast (cut into rice bowl)
-0.5 avocado (cubed)
-Sautéed zucchini
*Apple eaten pre-workout*
Meal 3 (post-workout):
-35g whey protein shake w/ chocolate milk
-2 cups brown rice
-0.5 avocado (cubed)
-10oz grilled chicken breast (cut into rice bowl)
-4 cups of mixed vegetables (Costco normandy blend) w/ carrots, broccoli, cauliflower
Meal 4:
-8 oz grilled chicken breast
-Sautéed zucchini, squash, onions
-0.5 cup brown rice
*Consistently eating brown rice has given me more mental clarity and a faster recovery after having been on an essentially paleo diet for about two years. My metabolism is now a furnace. The most magical thing is the mental clarity. It's unreal. If you're on a paleo diet and not seeing improvements in your cut, reconsider what you're doing. Your body needs carbs, and I can guarantee you're not getting enough from just fruits and vegetables. Also, grains are much cheaper. Eat grains for the gains. Brown rice and quinoa are magical!
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