With the last few weeks of this cycle winding down, my thought has been of gunning for 225 lbs (see last post). Scott suggested pre-exhaustion; John McDonald an increase in intensity. With deadlifting and squatting twice each per 8 days, my goal was to build up conditioning for this lift without adding too much intensity or extra movements.
As you read, I'm opting for the 18" incline pushups. Why? This was what I used, with push presses back in December, to hit my first (albeit, slow as fuck!!!) 205 lbs bench. Second, it was more weight than I do for benches at the moment: I tested the load for this in a February blog called "Pushups to Benches", and it equates to 73.2% BW lift. So, at 242 lbs on an average workout day, that's 177 lbs per rep. I
So how many reps? This is the weird math that has worked for me so far:
1.) Compute a standard workout for the bench, using this cycle, based on a 225 bench but only using the zone between 55-80% 1RM: 125x5, 140x5, 160x5, 180x6x3. Total tonnage: 5365 lbs.
2.) 73.2% of 242 BW is about 177 lbs. Divide that into 5365 lbs, and you get 30 reps - - - 10 sets of 3 with 45 second rest periods for speed, since the main movements are for higher reps. Also, higher rep sets would make more inroads into my recovery.
Right now, I do about 5 sets of pushups and 4 sets of dumbbell shoulder presses. Drop the shoulder presses, and I'm about where I want to be for sets. Stay tuned.
8 comments:
Finely calculated as always.
Thanks, guys. That first 10 second overload started to test me after 8 seconds, so I had better get used to the feel of it at a few joint angles or lift it fast as hell. But even if not this cycle, it will come.
with your continual effort into training you deserve to nail it this cycle...
Not understanding all of it (I haven't got to the science stage that the rest of you have...I'm just a meat and potatoes of "Just fucking lift!"). But if it works more power to you. I'll be watching and using it as motivation. I'm still looking for that 225 bench as well. Who will hit it first? :)
As always, Alberto apllies his brains and muscles to his lifting... wish some of that could rub off on me!!
Alberto and Christian, I wish you both luck on the "race" to 225...
It's on, Christian:)
Let's both get it!!!
And, John, We'll see har far I'll get. One thing to be conditioned for the weight. Another to actually hold it my hands.
Alberto,
It's on! I'm going to be maxing after this 3 week session on WSB. Not sure of the exact date, but that's my plan.
Hey Christian,
On my January archive, there are two blogs to read to explain (as best I could) the science of this all. One is called Analysis of a Bench Press Routine (Which was my turning point, so to speak), the other is called How To Design Workouts Using Prilepin's Table.
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