Personal best on bench last night

[BERT]

I'm just giving you a hard time is all.


There are a ton of people on here who are willing to help you and others.
Keep up the good work and don't quit!

Yeah i know lol i just reread it and thought i should clarify

[BERT]

So last night we did chest and i have mixed feelings lol I'm way too hard on myself, always have been.

We do our warm up, then put 225 on for our first set. I have this problem about not concentrating when i lift if i think it won't be very hard to get up. So i get 225 up 5 times ( i guess i was wanting more, hell if i know) and i was ok with that. My brother had been sick over the weekend so he was taking it easy and just put 275 on next. He gets through and tells me to just give it a try, at least feel how heavy this weight is. So, knowing damn well i can't lift this, i try it. So, he helps me get if off the rack and i start bringing it down nice and easy, surprisingly very controled, and the closer to my chest the bar gets i start thinking maybe i got this. Once it touches my chest i realize there is no way in hell that i'm getting this weight up lol So my brother helps me get it up and that's that.

Brother: how did that feel?
me: fucking heavy

So i go back down to 245 and i only get that 3 times and this sends me into "depression" mode and being mad at myself. Do one more set at 225 to finish off bench. We go to do dumbell incline next but mentally i've already checked out and decide to start off light @ 65lbs. Next i grab the 70's and can't even bring them up to my chest to get started. So my brother has to hold the left one up to get my started, now i'm in all kinds of a down mood. Then my brother starts talking shit to me, saying how pathetic i look right now and that i'm about to cry. Telling me to just lift the god damn weight. I start getting pissed off at myself and finish out the incline just fine without help this time.

little back story, if anybody ever wants me to do something, just piss me off. It has always worked. Growing up playing baseball being a pitcher, dad was my coach and if he knew i wasn't giving it my all he'd start yelling at me knowing damn well that it would piss me off and i'd start throwing harder and concentrating more. I've always used being pissed as motivation to prove somebody wrong and it has worked MOST of the time.

So, i finish out our workout just fine. Sorry for the long post, but i thought it was kind of funny that i get down so hard on myself at times. And over something as petty as this. Feel free to make fun of me, i konw i would

[SS Junk]

Don't try to lift something you know you can't. You have to listen to your brain somewhat. You must know your limitations. The reason why you were not doing well after that initial press is because you prematurely fatigued your muscles. Also, you must realize you are going to have good days and bad days. I usually do chest once or twice a week. There have been times I've felt very strong, try to lift the same kind of weight the next push workout and end up doing something 10 or 20lbs lighter or one or two reps short. For me, it's all about how I ate, slept and basically shit that day. Don't let that shit bother you. Don't listen to your brother either. You're supposed to talk your workout partner up. Not down.

[BERT]

Don't try to lift something you know you can't. You have to listen to your brain somewhat. You must know your limitations. The reason why you were not doing well after that initial press is because you prematurely fatigued your muscles. Also, you must realize you are going to have good days and bad days. I usually do chest once or twice a week. There have been times I've felt very strong, try to lift the same kind of weight the next push workout and end up doing something 10 or 20lbs lighter or one or two reps short. For me, it's all about how I ate, slept and basically shit that day. Don't let that shit bother you. Don't listen to your brother either. You're supposed to talk your workout partner up. Not down.

Well, he is my brother, it's kind of what we do lol

[Big A]

Your "bad day" was set off by the unrealistic expectations started by your brother. You CANNOT lift like anyone else in the gym, you've gotta do your workout, on your terms. I trained with White Lightning for several years, who is quite a bit stronger than I am, and not once did I get under a weight just because he just did a set with it. A little competition is good, but needs to be tempered with realistic expectations. You need to be trying to up your intensity, not match pound for pound.

If you're both growing, you'll never catch him. Outlift him with drive and intensity.

I agree on him putting you down not being the way to go about it, he's just trying to feed his own little ego, don't play into his little mind game.

[SS Junk]

Well, he is my brother, it's kind of what we do lol

Understood outside the gym. When pushing heavy weight which can hurt you, it should be a different story.

[BERNIE MOSFET]

This. I took a couple years off, and it was quite depressing to get 135lbs up only 8 times the first set, and 6 times the second. As opposed to repping 225 for 12 previously.

I decided to go back in; today will be my first day back at it and I can't wait to start walking around feeling like I'd been hit by a bus two days prior.

When I first started, I weighed about 120 and I struggled with 95 on bar. I think I'll start back off around there, and I know it is going to be a bummer. I'll be excited to push 135 for 12 again!

[BERT]

Understood outside the gym. When pushing heavy weight which can hurt you, it should be a different story.

I think it'll be ok

[BERT]

Your "bad day" was set off by the unrealistic expectations started by your brother. You CANNOT lift like anyone else in the gym, you've gotta do your workout, on your terms. I trained with White Lightning for several years, who is quite a bit stronger than I am, and not once did I get under a weight just because he just did a set with it. A little competition is good, but needs to be tempered with realistic expectations. You need to be trying to up your intensity, not match pound for pound.

If you're both growing, you'll never catch him. Outlift him with drive and intensity.

I agree on him putting you down not being the way to go about it, he's just trying to feed his own little ego, don't play into his little mind game.

That's exactly what i'm doing and i know it's not right or realistic. Now, after last night, that'll probably subside for awhile.

I'll just have to be ok with being the better looking one for now

[Big A]

I decided to go back in; today will be my first day back at it and I can't wait to start walking around feeling like I'd been hit by a bus two days prior.

When I first started, I weighed about 120 and I struggled with 95 on bar. I think I'll start back off around there, and I know it is going to be a bummer. I'll be excited to push 135 for 12 again!

A little over 2 months in, and I am back up to 225lbs on flat bench as of yesterday. Only 4 sets of 5 reps, but it's progress. Have a little patience, perseverence, and let muscle memory do it's magic. A clean diet helps a ton as well.

That's exactly what i'm doing and i know it's not right or realistic. Now, after last night, that'll probably subside for awhile.

I'll just have to be ok with being the better looking one for now

lol I say the same about my little brother, he got the brains, and I got the brawn.

[BERNIE MOSFET]

A little over 2 months in, and I am back up to 225lbs on flat bench as of yesterday. Only 4 sets of 5 reps, but it's progress. Have a little patience, perseverence, and let muscle memory do it's magic. A clean diet helps a ton as well.

Right on. I eat pretty clean as is, but I've never been very conscious of my diet. I'll probably do better this time around. I don't know if I can hit 225 by the end of the year, but I suppose it'd be something to work for.

[BERT]

Well, took y'alls advice and went down in weight on bi's. It seemed to work, i had little to no pain in my forearms. Except on my last set of cable curls, should've stuck with the lower weight but kind of forgot about the pain thing until my last rep, but it didn't hurt too bad.

So i think i'm going to try this for a few weeks and see if the pain finally goes away.

thanks guys

[Big A]

Well, took y'alls advice and went down in weight on bi's. It seemed to work, i had little to no pain in my forearms. Except on my last set of cable curls, should've stuck with the lower weight but kind of forgot about the pain thing until my last rep, but it didn't hurt too bad.

So i think i'm going to try this for a few weeks and see if the pain finally goes away.

thanks guys

I know it sucks in the interim, but high rep low weight sets are great for getting your connective tissue up to snuff, and it's not like you'll be back-sliding. Stick to it and you'll be lifting heavy again in no time.

FWIW it took a little over a month for my shoulder to stop hurting, so re-evaluate in two weeks, and keep it light a little longer if need be.

[BERT]

I know it sucks in the interim, but high rep low weight sets are great for getting your connective tissue up to snuff, and it's not like you'll be back-sliding. Stick to it and you'll be lifting heavy again in no time.

FWIW it took a little over a month for my shoulder to stop hurting, so re-evaluate in two weeks, and keep it light a little longer if need be.

That's the plan. I was using the easy curl bar(am i right on my discription of this?) that has the fixed weights on them. Started off with 35, then 45 then 55 doing 12 reps on the first two and 10 on the last with no pain what so ever. Next week i might try to start off with the 45 and go from there.

[Big A]

That's the plan. I was using the easy curl bar(am i right on my discription of this?) that has the fixed weights on them. Started off with 35, then 45 then 55 doing 12 reps on the first two and 10 on the last with no pain what so ever. Next week i might try to start off with the 45 and go from there.

Yep, that's the nickname for them. The curve allows for a little less twist in the palms, which is a little more natural position at the elbow. Add in the reverse grip ez curls as well, you naturally can't go as heavy knuckles up, but it hits the bicep and the connection to the forearm at a totally different angle.