Willbenchforcupcakes Member

I wear Nike pros and under armour heat gear shorts. I'd wear booty shorts if they were allowed in my gym. Especially on squat days. I hate pulling my knee sleeves on over pants.

Just got a new gym pr today. Dirty dirty lift but I'll take it! 95kg/209.44lb. https://instagram.com/p/BPdMe19hUgW/

I hold it opposite hand. Helps with balance at least for me. As well, I do a staggered stance rather than true single leg - you still get all the loading into one hamstring but without balance issues.

I do those. But bench grip on a barbell. They are mostly for shoulder stability in the case of a horrible handoff, at least that's what my coach tells me. Also, a ton of tricep, delt, and back work. My rowing volume is almost as high as my bench volume most of the time.

Congrats!!!

Been training for five years, seriously with my coach for just over two. Gym max is 93.5/205.7, platform is 92.5/203.5 at a body weight of 88kg. Bench is anywhere from 2-4 times a week.

The most I'll do is four rest days in a row. Any more than that and a long term nerve injury starts acting up. The last time I tried a full week to just relax, it took longer to feel back to normal, almost a month. That being said, I take an easy deload fun week after major comps, two after my last one in a year.

Oatmeal with brown sugar, butter and milk. Yummy!!!!

Step ups the day after not having done them in years. I may have cursed my coach out a little bit.

Eh. Being hyper mobile one of the worst things I can do is stretch. Most of my mobility work is actually stabilization work. The less I stretch the stronger and more stable my joints are.

This is going to be an interesting meet prep. I'm not going to hit my squat opener until just a few weeks before nationals. As long as the reloading process goes normally that is. But then again, we aren't actually formally peaking me for nationals. Anyways, squats from yesterday. 95/205 for fives.…

These days it's bacon wrapped cheese. So. Freaking. Good.

Haven't benched heavy since pan am at the end of October. Did heavy singles today working up to 90kg. Little bit of groove help because my elbows flared early but easy. https://instagram.com/p/BPLQRaVhDJn/

Your hands will get used to it. I still have days on high rep sets where my hands ache afterwards, but my grip strength keeps pace nicely with the rest of my strength.

Finally making over head progress! Push press/push jerk complex at 45kg. https://instagram.com/p/BPGeU5ahlni/

I find it's a matter of maximizing your form for your levers. Yes, the best powerlifters in any weight class tend to be the shortest.

Just chalk.

Death by volume is over! I don't have to see high rep work on my main lifts until November, and I'm stoked! Okay, there might be a mini cycle of high rep work in July but I'll take it. Anyways, deadlifts from Thursday. Last of five sets of 8 at 120/264. Pretty clear this isn't 70% anymore.…

I don't always feel up to it. But the work always gets done.

My coach can't bench all that well. What he can do, and does amazingly well is analyze what's going on in your lifts and tweak your form to maximize your lifts. And he has over two decades of experience doing so. I don't pay my coach to bench. I pay him to make me the best bencher and powerlifter that I can be. So yes, I…

Preach. And the people who tell me, "it's ok, just add weight" are the ones who also can't figure out why they are stuck at the same weight and I keep adding to my maxes.

Absolutely nothing. The program is written. The percentages are set. All I have to do is show up and do it. No killing. No "let's add a bit extra" to the bar, at least without my coaches consent. Do the work day in day out, the long term results speak for themselves.

Find something that you truly enjoy. No motivation needed when you look forward to it everyday.

Finally squatted 200lbs again for the first time since spraining my mcl!!!! https://instagram.com/p/BO0trbGheXl/

@McCloud33 - I would have lost my *kitten*. Especially watching the video back. i might be able to understand if your bar speed was dropping off. @TresaAswegan - yay on the meet! I'd just tell people "hey, I slide through while setting up. Don't approach until x"

Food before (frequently right before), caffeine right before, candy during.

If anything it's easier to imagine a "skinny" woman doing it than a heavier woman. Generally speaking, the lighter you are the easier it is to hit a body weight bench. And then go above it.

Quoted for truth. Very doable numbers for people who have the right amount of strength when they walk through the doors. If you have to gain strength, sure longer. But if all you need is a little coaching to unlock the strength, the first month can be jaw dropping.

Nope. Train to plan.

Rest days today and tomorrow. Gym is closed and Sunday is always my rest day. First training session of the year will be on Tuesday. Supersetted squat fun followed by deadlifts. With some back isolation work after. Super excited to get in and take out this last week of crazy volume before getting back into strength and…