Bench: 120 x 1, 122.5 x 1, 125 x FAIL

Press: 70 x 3 x 5

Weighted Chin: 31 x 2 x 6

Dip: BW x 3 x 12 

Comments: 

This is the first rep I’ve missed, on any lift, since the 17^th of August. I HATE failing reps and missing PRs. Yet today’s failure is exciting because it allows me to determine what’s gone wrong and what I need to do to resume making progress. 

1. It seems pretty obvious to me that I am simply pressing/benching too much. I’ve been ignoring the signs (elbow tendonitis, shoulder pain, tricep strains)and it’s finally catching up with me.

2. I’m not sure how well doing close grip for volume and regular for intensity works. However considering the other variables, I’d need to explore this further, when I haven’t been doing too much, to reach an accurate conclusion.

3. If I look at when I was making the most progress, it was when I was benching 5x5, pressing 3x5 and benching 5x1, Monday, Wednesday, Friday respectively. However, I want to continue with a 4 day split.

4. So what I’m going to do is alternate my bench and press each week, as per standard TM template. Though until my left shoulder is no longer giving me pain, I will stick with close grip for both volume and intensity. I am aware that this may prove too infrequent an exposure to each lift, in which case I will reassess. With all that said, this is what my pressing fortnight will look like:

Week 1 Day 1:

Close Grip Bench: 5 x 5

Assistance

Week 1 Day 2: 

Close Grip Bench: 5 x 1

Assistance: 

Week 2 Day 1: 

Press: 5 x5 

Assistance 

Week 2 Day 2: 

Press: 5 x 1 

Assistance