Well, I haven't trained for powerlifting in quite a while. I have been training strictly as a bodybuilder, meaning I only worried about size, and shape, not power.
I even wrote that workout program in the "lifting techniques" area, and for size, it really has done wonders for me.
Well, the thing is, since I never go very heavy, when I bench, I usually only go up to 225, and I just use very strict form with that, go for higher reps, and only rest 12 breathes between sets, so that each set is increasingly harder.
Well, what can I say, I am a powerlifter at heart, I love the feel, the look, etc of putting up big weight, and always trying to go bigger. So, I have decided to go for power again.
Well, I can usually do 225 for 12 reps with no warm up, with a warm up, doesn't matter. but I never go higher than 12, and since I use such strict form, I feel good about it. Well, all the little charts say that I "should" be able to bench 300 or more. But, I have not gone over 225 in awhile.
SO, I have decided to train for power again. Using a program that works for me.
Much like my size building program, I have put it together over a period of time, and am still perfecting it.
Well, I train bench every 5 days. 11 days ago, I did bench, and I did 135 (reps), 185 (reps again), 205 (reps), 225 (reps), 245, then I tried 265, but failed. I was just not used to the feel of more than 225 on the bar. Well,6 days ago I did bench again. This time, it was the same thing, 135, 185, 205, 225, 245, then I tried 255, and barely got it, tried 265, and failed again. Well, I have found that my body takes about 2 weeks to react to any new program. So, I was frustrated, and hoping that I would do better next time.
So, last night I benched. I did 135, 185, 225, 235, 245, 255, then I tried 265, and it flew up, then i tried 275, and it flew up, so then I tried 285, and just barely got it, but, by that time, was pretty burnt out from the previous sets. So, I went back down to 225, did it for reps, then burned out with 185, and moved on to incline, then decline, etc.
So, what I am getting at is. Muscle memory is GREAT. I go from not being able to do 265, and even just barely getting 255, to suddenly being able to do more sets, with more reps, and still work up to 285. ofcourse, now I want to be able to do the same thing, but end up with 295, then 305, 315, etc. But, I guess I will see what happens next week.
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