Max Effort Upper: Bench Press vs Doubled Monster Mini Bands [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 bench press training called for me to be out of the bench shirt and get in some good raw work. I programmed in to work against the monster mini bands, as it's been a bit since I've hit this variation, and I need to feel some crazy overload raw to force me to work on grinding out reps a bit more (something I'm terrible at). I managed to get up to 250 for a double, and the second rep was a true grinder for me. This actually tied a PR for me, but I opened a new pack of Monster Mini Bands right before training and used those - probably not the wisest idea, but compared to my older bands, their way stronger, so that's a PR in my book. I did some top end range work with the 2 board, some light tricep accessory work, and then hit the buffet with the Purdue Barbell crew. A damn good Sunday of benching, and coaching.

Items Used in this Training Session Sabertooth Bar Monster Mini Bands Mace Balls 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 Doubled Monster Mini Bands 55x10 55x5 - add bands 105x5 145x5 175x5 195x3 215x3 225x3 250x2 - PR 225x4 225x3

B1) Close Grip 2 Board Bench Press 255x8 265x8 - PR 275x6 - PR

C1) Deadstop Skull Crushers (from pins) 4x10

D1) Banded Mace Ball Pressdowns 3 sets, max reps at each ball

E1) Tricep Kickbacks 3x25 per arm E2) Band Face Pulls 3x30