Donati's Log Of Steel Bending, Grip And Powerlifting

[Buccos1]

Wed (4/8)

Floor Press

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x3) 245

(1x1) 280

(1x1) 300

Speed Bench Press

(1x3) 135

(5x3) 185

Barbell Rows

(1x5) 135

(1x5) 185

(1x5) 215

Inverted Kettlebell Pushups

(2x15)

[Buccos1]

Fri (4/10)

Squats

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 315

add briefs

(1x2) 405

(1x1) 425

(1x1) 475

[Buccos1]

Mon (4/13)

Grippers - MMS

(1x3) #1

(1x3) #1.5

(1x2) #2

(1x2) #2.5

DO - IMPs

Yellow Nail

60d Nail (hard)

Red Nail

1" V-bar

(1x1) 97.5

(1x1) 167.5

(1x1) 192.5

(1x1) 202.5

Ironmind Hub

(1x1) 40

(1x1) 50

(1x1) 60

Ironmind Hub - Holds

5 sec. (2) - 55

Rolling Thunder

(1x1) 97.5

(1x1) 120

Blob 35 - Holds

10 sec.

8 sec.

Inverted Hex

(2x1) 40

Grippers felt solid today! I got a weak second rep with the #2.5, which ties a previous best. I ended up flying through this session, due to having a million things going on, but it turned out pretty decent.

[Buccos1]

Tue (4/14)

Bench Press

(1x8) 135

(1x5) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x1) 245

(1x1) 300

(1x0) 340

Reverse-band Bench Press

(1x1) 365

(1x1) 385

(1x1) 400

Shrugs

(1x5) 225

(1x5) 315

(1x5) 405

(1x5) 495

Inverted Kettlebell Pushups

(1x20)

(1x15)

I just missed 340 on bench today. About halfway up, I started to drift backward a little and lost the groove. If I would've had a liftoff, and been able to maintain my tightness, I think I would have had it with decent speed.

[Buccos1]

Wed (4/15)

Deadlifts

(2x3) 135

(2x2) 225

(2x2) 315

(1x2) 405

add briefs

(1x1) 455

(1x1) 475

[Buccos1]

Fri (4/17)

Floor Press

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x2) 225

(1x2) 245

(1x1) 275

(1x1) 285

(1x1) 300

Speed Bench Press

(1x3) 135

(8x3) 160

Barbell Rows

(1x5) 135

(1x5) 185

(1x5) 210

Lying Kettlebell Extensions

(1x10) 35

(1x8) 35

[Buccos1]

Sat (4/18)

Squats

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 315

add briefs

(1x2) 405

(1x1) 425

(1x1) 445

Grippers - MMS

(1x10) T

(1x3) #2

(1x1) SM (126lbs.)

I was outside today squatting and decided to get some gripper-work done, but only have a few harder grippers on-hand with my weights, and didn't feel like going back in to get my other grippers. I normally don't make a jump from a Trainer to a #2, without doing some easier stuff first, but it felt OK today. I then tried my 126lb. Super Master and got one solid rep. I've only closed this gripper twice before, and it remains the hardest rating I've gotten to-date, so I was pretty happy with this close. I have a tough 131lb. #2.5 that I may start working on.

[Buccos1]

Sun (4/19)

DO - IMPs

Yellow Nail

1/4 x 7" Grade 8

Red Nail

DU - BBW

Yellow Nail

1/4 x 7" Grade 8

Ironmind Hub

(1x1) 50

(1x1) 55

(1x1) 60

Ironmind Pinchblock

(1x1) 52.5

(1x1) 57.5

(1x1) 60

[Buccos1]

340lb. Raw Bench

Bodyweight ~195lbs. I just missed this weight last week. Overall, it felt pretty solid, but I couldn't get a solid footing, which caused me to lose some of my tightness. I really think at this point, with spotters and a lift-off, I might be good for 350-355. My all-time raw PR is 350, so I'm happy with the overall progress lately!

[Tom Scibelli]

Nice benchin Carl!

[Buccos1]

Nice benchin Carl!

Thanks Tom!

[Buccos1]

Tue (4/21)

Bench Press

(1x8) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x1) 225

(1x1) 265

(1x1) 295

(1x1) 340

Bench Press - Sling Shot

(1x1) 365

(1x1) 375

Shrugs

(1x5) 315

(1x5) 405

(1x3) 495

I attempted 340 again this week and got a solid rep, after missing it mid-point last week. This is still 10lbs. off my all-time raw PR, but it is the most I've ever lifted alone, without a lift-off and/or spot. Bodyweight is at 195.

[JoshW]

Very strong bench!! I'm chasing 350lbs myself. Is there any particular plan of attack you have of getting the last 10lbs? I'm stuck on 340lbs.

Sorry to hijack your log!!! By the way you are crazy doing that weight without a spotter

[Buccos1]

Very strong bench!! I'm chasing 350lbs myself. Is there any particular plan of attack you have of getting the last 10lbs? I'm stuck on 340lbs.

Sorry to hijack your log!!! By the way you are crazy doing that weight without a spotter

LOL Thanks! 340 is solid. How much do you weigh? I was stuck around 315-25 for 15 years (?). When I finally started to do some speed stuff, is when my bench started climbing, and ultimately, hit 350 (gym lift).

With a new baby, my training time is down to the minute. I had 35 minutes to get this work in, and then a million other things needed to be done. I'm still getting my sessions in, but I don't have the luxury of training anytime I feel like it anymore. This also destroys any chance of meeting a crew at a gym for me, at least for now. After the baby was born, my bench was at 320, maybe 325. I've been slowly working back up these past few months, doing heavy sets week-in-week-out. My routine is pretty basic, and I go for a max or near-max every week. (I know a lot of people won't train like this, but I've always been the kinda guy to lift all-out. AND … a lot of this is my therapy! LOL)

I have started to add in more bodyweight stuff, and am starting to experiment with kettle bells. Another thing with bench progress: when I backed off of the double-overhand bending a few years back, my bench improved by 10-20 pounds over several months. I'm still doing Reds every week, but no longer bending 7" drill rod @485-505lbs. each week in IMPs. That alone made a huge difference in set-up and recovery.

[Chez]

Strong Chesticles!

[JoshW]

Thanks for the response! I weigh 165lbs in the mornings before food. Speed stuff interests me, would you go 60/70% on that and just singles? I used to do a max attempt every week so maybe I should go back to singles and max attempts again!

I occasionally double overhand bend but only the occasional G5, haven't found much cross over unfortunately for me but that might just be technique.

Will definitely try speed bench, not something I've thought of.

[Buccos1]

340 at 165 is phenomenal! I usually go 55% (straight weight or combination of weight and band tension and/or chains). Rep-range would be sets of 2-3, as long as the speed is there. Try to do three reps in the amount of time it takes to do one normal rep. If not, drop the weight down a little.

[Buccos1]

Wed (4/22)

Close-grip Bench Press

(1x5) 135

(1x5) 185

(1x5) 225

Barbell Rows

(1x8) 135

(1x5) 205

(1x5) 225

1" V-bar

(1x1) 140

(1x1) 175

(1x1) 200

(1x1) 225

Ironmind Pinch Block

(1x1) 52.5

(1x1) 57.5

Blob 35 - Holds

10 sec.

10 sec.

Inverted Hex 40 - Holds

4 sec.

4 sec.

CoC Silver Bullet

7 sec. - GHP6

8 sec. - GHP6

I tried the Silver Bullet for the first time in months today. My hands were pretty beat up, but the GHP6 felt OK. I tried a #3, but couldn't really get a good set, so passed on any real attempts. The wide pinch lifts have been feeling very strong lately!

[Buccos1]

Thur (4/23)

Floor Press

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 245

(1x2) 275

(1x1) 295

Speed Bench

(1x5) 135

(5x3) 185

Angled Kettlbell Pushups

(1x20)

(1x15)

[Anthony C.]

As always Carl, solid training in here. You're a true iron workhorse.

[JoshW]

I unfortunately the record for my weight and for the U20's is either 357.5lbs or 423.5lbs I can't remember but it's one or the other so lots of work to be done! Thanks for the advice brother, will let you know how I get on!

[Buccos1]

As always Carl, solid training in here. You're a true iron workhorse.

Thanks bro!

[Buccos1]

Sat (4/25)

Squat

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 315

add briefs

(1x1) 405

(1x1) 425

(1x1) 455

[Buccos1]

Sun (4/26)

Grippers - MMS

(1x5) #1

(1x3) #1.5

(1x3) GHP5

(2x0) GHP6

Ironmind Pinch Block

(1x1) 52.5

(1x1) 55

(1x1) 60

Ironmind Hub

(1x1) 50

(1x1) 55

(1x1) 60

(1x0) 65

DU - IMPs

Yellow Nail

60d nail

1/4 x 6.25" Grade 5

I came close on getting the GHP6 (about 3-5 mm both reps). I've never had much luck with this gripper, but things seem to be moving forward the past few months. This was on my newly acquired 128lb. gripper (which would have been a PR). My harder GHP6 is 131lbs.

[Buccos1]

Mon (4/27)

Bench Press

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x1) 245

(1x1) 275

(1x1) 315

add shirt (F6)

(1x1) 365

(1x1) 385

(1x20) 225 (raw)

Today was my first day in my shirt (single-ply, loose F6) in who-knows-how-long. My fiance (very-soon-to-be-wife) was my liftoff person. She actually did a great job! It wasn't too bad, but I forgot how much benching in a shirt hurts, even a looser one. I'm hoping to do a meet next month, and need to get some work in.

At the end of my session, I attempted 225 for reps and was able to get 20! This ties as the second most I've gotten (22) and is probably a bodyweight PR.