Pre-Session State
Today's session started at 7:15 AM. Sleep the night before was around 7.5 hours — not perfect, but solid. I'd eaten a bowl of oats with banana and a scoop of whey protein about an hour before leaving the house. Energy felt good walking into the gym. The plan was chest-focused upper body with an attempt at a new bench press PR at the end of the main sets.
Warm-Up (15 minutes)
I've learned the hard way that skipping a thorough warm-up on chest day leads to shoulder discomfort that lingers for days. Today's warm-up protocol:
- 5 minutes light cardio (rowing machine) to raise core temperature
- Band pull-aparts — 3 sets of 20 to activate the rear delts and external rotators
- Arm circles and cross-body shoulder stretches
- Empty bar bench press — 2 sets of 10, focusing on scapular retraction and lat engagement
Main Lifts — Bench Press Working Sets
| Set | Weight | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up 1 | 60 kg | 5 | Smooth, bar path felt good |
| Warm-up 2 | 75 kg | 3 | Slight tightness in left shoulder — focused on tucking elbows |
| Working Set 1 | 85 kg | 5 | Strong, controlled descent |
| Working Set 2 | 85 kg | 5 | Rep 4 slowed noticeably — stayed tight |
| Working Set 3 | 85 kg | 4 | Grinded out 4, rep 5 failed at lockout — called it |
| PR Attempt | 92.5 kg | 1 | ✅ NEW PR — clean lift, slight forward bar drift on way up |
The PR attempt at 92.5 kg went up cleaner than expected. The spotter had hands ready but didn't touch the bar. Forward bar drift on the way up is a cue to work on — suggests I need to focus on pushing "back" toward the rack as I press, not just straight up.
Accessory Work
- Incline Dumbbell Press — 4 sets × 10 reps @ 28 kg/hand. Slowed the eccentric (lowering) to 3 seconds each rep for extra chest stretch.
- Cable Chest Fly (low to high) — 3 sets × 12 reps. Really focused on the squeeze at the top. These always make my chest feel properly worked.
- Tricep Rope Pushdown — 3 sets × 15 reps. Kept these light and controlled — triceps were already fatigued from pressing.
- Face Pulls — 3 sets × 20 reps. Non-negotiable for shoulder health. I do these every upper body day.
Post-Session Notes
Total session time: 68 minutes. The chest felt thoroughly worked — that deep muscular fatigue rather than a "pump" sensation, which usually means real stimulus was achieved. Shoulders felt healthy throughout, which I credit to the extended warm-up and face pull habit.
What to Improve Next Chest Session
- Focus consciously on bar path during the PR set — "push the bar away from your face" cue
- Attempt 87.5 kg for 3×5 before going back to a PR attempt
- Consider adding a set of dips as a third chest compound exercise
92.5 kg bench is in the books. Next target: 95 kg. The process continues.