I initially was planning to compete in this years nationals bench champs, but my real target this year was to bench 200kgs. I was also planning to compete in the Rotorua tough guy challenge (12k course with obstacles and mud) but I sustained a torn calf pulling a heavy sled without warming up, then ended up with a secondary tear a couple of weeks later which f**ked me and put me out of full 3 lifts as well. Along with this I also reinjured my back due to poor mobility which set me up as a pure bench specialist for the rest of the year.
My raw target was 155 -160kg bench, but with the super katana arriving in march and things going so well I decided to focus as much as I could on that, with pleasing results when I pressed 205kgs successfully on my second attempt at the Eastside benchpress qualifier in September. I did manage a 150kg bench at an Eastside club lft as well which I also take a lot of pride in.
With the focus being on equipped benching I reduced the direct raw bench press training a bit, but I dint lose much (if any) strength. Tightness and my set up were a bit off though.
After benching the 205kgs I took some time off the shirt work. But my approach to the next competition was too relaxed. I only put the shirt on once, the week prior to the best of the south / sth island champs and lowered 205kgs only to a 1 board. The result was that on meet day the 205 felt heavier then a month earlier and I struggled to press it (although I did get the lift). A bad set up (combined with not actually practicing setting up on the ufammiliar comp bench) resulted in a nasty back spasm which knocked me out of the comp (I still managed first place in my group).
At the Eastside open a couple of weeks later I bombed on 205, then 207.5. I had not put the shirt on more then once (again) before this competition and it showed. Although I'm very happy with my results this year, I learned some very good lessons.
- Respect the weight, and train with it leading up to a meet. Especially when there is such a big difference between my raw training loads and my equipped ones.
- Practice the set up. Ask for feed back from others - Graham Cook noticed that I was dipping to one side at the Eastside open. This was from being loose on the chest and not having tight legs. I forgot to thank him for that because despite missing my next attempt, I came away knowing what happened.
- Take note of variables and factor them in. The bench in Greymouth (best of the south) was higher then normal so when I set up my shoulders werent back enough. The effort it took to touch knocked me around and beat up my body. I knew it was high but I didnt get in and practice my set up before hand OR take notice of my body duing the comp. If I had, I would have felt my shoulders sitting in the wrong spot.
- Drive with your legs the whole time you are on the bench.
- It takes maturity and brains to deload. (I need to work on both
I also got a tip that I believe may help my squat and reduce the pressure in my back. By pressing the floor away with my legs, rather then levering through with my hips and back (its hard to describe), I felt tge tension and pressure transfer from my back and hips into my legs and hips. It felt great and I banged out a bunch of reps without the normal tightness that comes in my lower back (which is ecsaserbated by arching in the bench). I hope a similar switch of thinking helps me protect my back in the deadlift as well.
I have also thown in some core work twice a week which I am enjoying a lot. The new method of progressing ( a simple sort of pyramid) seems to be going well too. I would like to shorten the time it takes complete further.
All in all a great year. A trip to Disneyland might make next years goals a bit weird looking but I think I'll be back doing some full 3 lifts next year which I am lookin forward to!
