DE Upper: Speed Bench, Close Grip [PR!], Back (w/VIDEO...sorta)

After finally getting an off season training cycle in, I am now in meet prep for WPC World's where I will be competing raw with knee wraps in the 132 pound weight class in Baton Rouge, LA on November 7th, 2016. My goal is to earn my first world championship.

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

Thursday's training session was a good one. I was actually pretty exhausted from driving to and from Purdue on Wednesday, not rolling in until about midnight, and then getting up training clients early in the morning with the rest of my daily Thursday things. I did manage to squeeze in a 30 min power nap before training, and I think it helped, but I still felt a bit "off" for even feeling good. I managed to get my rep PR against the bands, and just shut it down there. I was hoping this week I would be able to make a jump to 195 or maybe even 200, but it looks like that will just have to wait a few more weeks.

Back work felt absolutely awesome, and I really like pre fatiguing my back with chins/pull ups before moving on to a row based movement. Typically I like to row first, but something about powerlifting training changes that up...maybe because I can feel my lats better when I row due to all the blood pumped in there beforehand. Either way, I got my work done and got out.

Also for those of you that watch my YouTube videos...there was a minor technical difficulty for some reason, but I think I've got it ironed out by now. So just a heads up for those of you that actually watch the video I guess.

Week 2 was another successful one, and things are stacking up nicely in training and just life in general. I'm ready for a heavier week 3 and enjoy the Labor Day weekend. I've made it a point to not touch a computer at all on Monday during that time (something that hasn't happened in a long time), and to say I'm looking forward to that is an understatement.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FLBdBYMcm0]

Items Used in this Training Session Sabertooth Bench Bar Mini Bands

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) Speed Bench Press vs Doubled Mini Bands 55x10 55x5 - add bands 75x3 95x3 115x3 130x10x3

B1) Close Grip Bench Press vs Doubled Mini Bands 160x4 190x8 - PR

C1) DB Bench Press 90's x 3 sets, max reps (20, 20, 16)

D1) Chin Ups 3 sets, max reps

E1) Bent Over Rows 3x10

F1) Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns 3x12

G1) Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns 3x15

H1) Band Face Pulls 3x30 H2) Sides Bends off GHR 3x20 per side