Wow, what a great bench night! Normally we bench Friday night, but we moved it over to Monday for this week. A great energy, everyone did really well, I did what I came to do, starting off with a 315 lb raw bench that went up easy.

bar x reps     - practicing the arch to get used to feeling legs pushing and shoulders back and stomach up to touch

135 x about 10 reps

225x6

315x1

405x1 miss at the top   -threw it back too quickly before going up, no problem will correct on next lift

460x1    -this is what I came to do, hoping to make this my opener in two weeks.

500 miss   - want to make this my second attempt at the meet

475 miss

I was happy that the 315 raw finally felt easier, I've been missing it for the past two to three months, since I've been dieting and cutting carbs. I had to get it because Shawna got her 135 raw back again for the first time after her diet as well. And, Joanick just smoked 315 like nothing, then later did 365 raw even easier.

I am using my Titan Super Katana size 50 which now is loose on me, it was good for 500 lbs when I was 255 lbs and even 242 lbs, but now at 228 lbs my arms twist in it. I sewed up my second exact same shirt but its been too tight. So, I was thinking of opening with the loose shirt at 460, then going to the tight shirt for 500, will try this at the next training session.

460 was a slow grinder, but I had my feet in the right position to keep pushing the weight up all the way. It almost seems that if I can get it off the chest in the right direction and get it going, then the legs will take over the rest of it and I drive with my legs back to the head of the bench and push the weight backwards. That's why I use the poly shirt. With my long arms the poly helps me all the way to lockout if I have my feet right and keep pushing back. The denim pops me up 8 inches off the chest then stops helping half way up for me and then I still have 8 inches left to push on my own. But, I don't like how the poly feels or the lack of feel in the poly. I am always unsure of the right spot, I basically take it to the same spot as quickly as I can and then try to get as much spring off the chest and use the momentum to get as high as I can. But the feeling is not the same for two lifts and each time its a bit different. But, in the denim the feeling is secure and predictable and you feel the shirt work the same way each time. In denim you can feel how to ride the shirt down with support. In the poly I feel a moving unstable support that feels tight but not as predictable.

500 felt good all the way down but I lifted my head at the end even though Shawna told me only one thing to do "keep your head down". By lifting my head my whole body moved forward toward the bar and the bar was too far ahead of me at the touch, so after the press call the only way up was straight up and then try to get back under the bar to get it in the right direction but just couldn't do it, couldn't get my elbows under the bar to send it backwards.

Wanted to try 500 again, Shawna said go back down and do 475 first, tried it, this time Shawna and Leo and everyone else said "keep your head down". 475 went down easy but again despite all their advice, my head came up and the exact same thing again, out of position to push the bar back.

So, what do I do when I can't make the poly shirt work.... I do the same as everyone else out there does, go to a tighter shirt so I don't have to use form, lol. Next week, I will try the tight shirt, just pull the weight down and hope it pops up.

It was a great bench night because the atmosphere, the energy of the team was determination and support. Joanick threw 365 raw up so easily, then 500 shirted flew. He missed 550 then focussed himself and came back stronger and almost got 560. Shawna came in with a goal and wasn't going to leave until she got it. Leo was fearless in his 435 attempt and 405 for a double. When you see people all developing their mental strength and determination like that, it inspires you to do more. Its the energy that you feel and its catching. I think that Ghislain opened us all up with his fearlessness and his determination and mind strength. We all work off each other and we all do better than we expected and better than we would working on our own.

Plan for next week - eat more food, drink more water and kill 500 lbs.   - darn, now I put it out there, I will have to do it...... Ok, I will do it!!