March 6th, Thursday - Bench struggles, mini PR, squat extensive appetite

 06.03.2025

Technically it's 7th, after midnight. Not a big deal! You don't gotta stop your workout just cause it's late, hehe. That kind of thinkign hurt me last week.

Workout

Warmup - somewhat thorough

Bench

20 for 20

50 for 20

100 for 5

120 for 5

130 for 5

140 for 5 decent

150 for 4 - it is technically a micro PR 😁 +1 rep. But this time I ended up lowering the bar to my chest, i guess hoping that I'd be able to do one more rep after I rested - but alas, it did not happen! Proceeded to give myself a bit of a massage down to my groin, doing some seated shrugs with the bar until one side was on the foundation of the rack, then successfully wiggled out and put the bar back on. It's the first time something like this has happened on this setup! Thankfully, I can see that, even without any 'safe' supports the worst thing I have to fear is being squished an inch down to the floor. Also, it is another one of my 'fasted' workouts; frankly, all of them in the last month have been like that - although yesyterday I did end up muching on a whole bag of salty pretzels before my DL... Hm.

That whole thing, was, frankly, kinda like a set of a different exercise, and combined with bench it makes it pretty intense 😁 But yeah, I admit, I should have extra supports, like a couple inches of some kinda extra padding so I can lower the bar on it without it pressing on me at all.

150 for 3+2 - I did three reps, racked it, stood up and repositioned some things, got back down and did two. That, somehow, does not feel like one set, although the break was short. But I feel great about being able to do five reps overall here... They were decently smooth too.

Some sand cleanup - my 2020 sandbag seems to have finally burst. Oh well, that mesh material was a really subpar idea anyway!

Squat

50 for 10

100 for 10

150 for 10 - nice, but I admit, after yesterday that felt excessive. A small strain on the left ham/inner thigh. I like all reps; they all were fast and had decent control, but my muscle is insufficiently recovered, not at peak. However, that appetite I have - it's not diminished, it promises nice new efforts in the future!

Some time later - curls with 2 kg dbs and 6 kg dbs (two sets of 50!) and 17 kg ez bar, focusing on stretching and supination; additionally a couple sets of static holds and presses with 17 kg ez bar - I feel like that should help with my Monday issue. I should learn to copy Eddie Hall's pressing technique - the very particular elbow rotation; I remember sort of unlocking it recently; I feel like the trick is to focus on 'wedging' yourself between the bar and your butt, if that makes sense, then elbow rotation will come naturally, letting you keep the bar on a perfect path, right above the center of mass...