Well, I looked it up. My max bench press in 2010 was 2010. I got 205 in 2017. I got 200 last year and 198 (at home) this year. At this bodyweight, my max was about 255-260, though 250 was more typical. I did get 300 at 226 lb of bodyweight in 1985 and 310 at 240 lb. I didn’t keep up with my deadlifts but I did get 415 as a 20 year old (ugly..probably red lights at a powerlifting meet) and about 330 in 1995.
This year, I get 267 in February ..ONE TIME, with the straight bar; best was 260 sumo style and, until today, 250 was my best with the trap bar (low handles).
But I have to remember: last fall, I it was a real struggle to work up to 225 and I got 240 at the start of the year..245 with the straight bar. So there is little doubt that I have improved, but, well, anything over 250 just feels so damned heavy, and it shouldn’t.
Today’s workout: deadlifts plus a walk, where I quit as soon as the thunder came along…course was to Dozer (31:30) then to the Riverfront (old Hooters) and back via Moss.
The walk actually felt good and easy, but deliberate. Yes, there was a 16:40 mile, uphill. 15:48 wasn’t a bad pace though..and I might have done 2 more miles but the thunder was coming and I do have to watch my right knee just a bit.
But to the deadlifts: trap bar, low handles:
back/glute warm up
10 x 134
10 x 184
1 x 228 (22’s)
Now it get interesting:
miss 255 (barely off the ground)
miss 255 (to the knees?)
255..got it; slight knee inward (just enough to have a bit of residual effect)
5 x 217 (couldn’t make myself get 10)
10 x 217 (got it..all good reps)>
Weird facts:
(via here)
This says I *should* be able to do 289. But…
What the heck? I am much better at reps than I’ve ever been at an all out max..I’ve always been that way.
Just for the hell of it…bench press:
shoulder press
pull ups (best this year, on my new bar)
All this is nice. But, but…though I find the above entertaining (and it tells me that pull ups > bench press > repetition dead lift > shoulder press > max deadlift FOR ME…
IT DOES NOT MATTER. i’VE become an Alan Thrall fan…no, he isn’t an elite lifter, and there are higher profile trainers. But he is so down to earth..and humble. And his instructions are easy to follow. Yeah, I know..superficially, he looks like someone that I’d cross the street to avoid.
And to my constant whining…
Life of an old goat 