cesimpson

The gym was lonely today. There was nobody in the weight room from the moment I walked in until I left. One person passed me going in as I was leaving. There wasn’t even a radio on as there normally is.

It was just me and the iron and gravity and that felt good.

Today’s workout:

Warm Up

5x Bench Press @ 135#

5x Bench Press @ 155#

Work

5×5 Bench Press @ 175#

3×3 Bench Press @ 195#

That bench work was great. I can feel my chest and arms getting much stronger, and I’m feeling a lot more comfortable under the bar. Been focusing a lot on pulling my shoulder blades back and the “leg drive”.

I hear and read powerlifter-types talk about leg drive. It always really confused me. I am only now starting to feel and understand how that applies to the bench press.

Warm Up

10x Overhead Squat @ 45#

10x Overhead Squat @ 95#

5x Overhead Squat @ 115#

Work

3x Back Squat @ 225#

2x Back Squat @ 235#

2x Back Squat @ 240#

1x Back Squat @ 250#

1x Back Squat @ 260#

1x Back Squat @ 270#

0x Back Squat @ 280#

That 280# would have been a new PR. I almost made it, but not quite. Got out of the hole tight and fast, but failed at about two inches above parallel. Not enough focus on the hips. The bar paused, then the effort quickly went from a squat to a very heavy (and badly executed) Good Morning. That’s no good. I dumped the bar onto the pins and lived to lift again.

Just a Little More Work

2x Back Squat @ 265#

2x Back Squat @ 255#

2x Back Squat @ 245#

2x Back Squat @ 235#

That was all there was for today.

Christmas

Christmas was very busy - as usual. Brother-in-law and fiancee in town from Cali. Six family gatherings in three days. Plans changed at the last minute and kids got few and little naps.

Smoked a really nice cigar with my brothers-in-law. That was about the only consecutive, non-hectic 2 hours in the last week.

Got some good music: Shooter, Social D and Dropkick Murphys.

Also, a fancy backgammon board, a few new books and a new pair of jeans. Santa brought the kids a bicycle and a tricycle, respectively. They love their new modes of transportation.

Just a few more days before the “holiday season” is over and life will be back to normal.