Fri Feb 18, 2011 Bench 515 lbs missed 3 times
Tried on three different shirts tonight. First tried Joffrey's Inzer Rage X size 52 - benched 405 nicely, shirt felt good, was tight but had a bigger area to touch in and let me hold my form better. Then did 455 in the same shirt and it felt great too. Went to 485 and not enough shirt. Then put on Joanick's shirt, same shirt and size but with sewed in sleeves. Shirt felt really nice and tight but for some reason felt a little bit thinner and more springy. Went 510, brought the weight down, everything was perfect, then no pop off the chest, bar only went up about two inches and it then felt like a raw bench.
Put my own shirt on then, the tighter sleeved Titan Super Katana and tried 515 again - this time got it to almost lock-out, was right there, could hear Shawna screeming at me like never before, but it just seemed like I ran out of space to send the weight back and I couldn't push it up. So, tried the same weight again, and missed again, brought it down faster this time because that's how the poly's work, the faster it comes down the more spring you get, but I didn't slow it down at the bottom like I usually do and in the last inch, I dumped it forward, then pulled it back and tried to find the line up, but wasted too much energy doing this and missed it again.
I was very happy with this training, because either way, I handled 515 three times and it heavy but good, so I got heavy training in.
The stars of the night were again - Shawna with the best 275 lb bench she has ever done, she just amazes me with her focus, determination and strength. And, she knows exactly what is happening during the lift and feels everthing how it works. Leo Tilli benched 470 lbs for 3 reps raw and was disappointed because he wanted 4 reps with it. But, that was huge, to me that means at least a 550 single. Leo's form is looking very good too. Chris had to use another shirt because I used the one he used last week and that made things different for him, but he finally figured it out and sailed up 500 lbs like nothing. Carmine, well, its all starting to come together for him. Carmine got a huge PR of 545 lbs and felt like he could do more, beautitful form and patience in the lift is really starting to pay off for him. He knows now that he can bench 600 soon. It was a great night and congratulations to everyone!!