A little about me

I have competed in both Olympic Weightlifting and Bench-Only Lifting. I competed in Olympic Lifting as a kid. Best lifts of 255 Olympic Press, 225 Snatch, 255 Clean & Jerk. I met many of the great lifters and coaches from the 60's and 70's. After a 20-year break to serve my country I started lifting regularly again and competing in Bench-Only. Best Lift: 419lbs "equipped".

Feel free to follow along on the adventure...

Steve Denning

9/30/11

9/29/2011 Island Strength

Bench Day

The Schmeck
Bar
Reverse Green Bands
135
225x3
275x3
315x1
345x1
360x1
315x3,x1,x1,x1,x2,x1

Raw Bench
135x12

Big T
Bar
135x3,x3
225x3
275x1

Steve
Band Rear Delts
3x15

1-Arm Pull-downs
100x10
120x10
150x10 2 Sets

DB Curls
30x20
30x20

The Schmeck shined!

9/27/11

9/26/2011 Island Strength

Last workout before Oct 2nd Meet

Speed Bench
Bar
Add doubled Mini Bands
115x5x5

Raw Bench, Straight Weight

225x1
275x1
295x1

KB Rows
2x20

Rope Push-downs
150x10 2 Sets
150x15

The Schmeck

Speed Bench
Bar
Add Doubled Mini Bands
115x5x5

Raw Bench, Straight Weight
225x1
255x0
245x1

KB Rows
2x15

Rope Push-downs
3x10

Felt good to go up to an easy and fast
295x1. Feel ready to go for Sunday.

9/26/11

T-Bone Strength 9/26/11

Last Day before meet

Overhead Press w/Fat Grips
Bar
135x5
185x1 (5 singles)
205x1 (5 singles)
235x1 (2 singles)
165x3 (3 sets)
135x15

Close Grip Bench
135x5
225x5
315x5 (2 sets)
Add Slingshot
405x3
495x1 (WTF!)
Remove Slingshot
225x12 (2 sets)

DB Rows
3 sets of 8

Triceps Pushdowns
2 sets to failure

Front Shoulder Raises
2 sets of 10

Abs
6 sets

Ready for the meet. Don't want to be too relaxed for this meet or over rested. I feel strong and think that I have some serious pr's coming at this meet. Opener for me should be around 661-672.

9/23/11

T-Bone Strength 9/23/11

Squat and Deadlift Training

Box Squats using SSB

Bar
155x5
245x5
335x3
425x3
295x3 (5 sets)

Snatches
10 Singles (Working on Form)

Speed Deadlifts
6 singles with 295
1 single with 365
1 single with 405 (very explosive and fast)

Romanian Deadlifts
3 sets of 8

Pulldowns to Chest
3 sets of 10

Abs
7 total sets

This is going to sound blasphemous to the bench only lifter but I'm really having fun training the squat and deadlift. Really working on form at the moment, nothing has felt heavy yet and I have yet to wear my belt or knee wraps. Today I wore my knee sleeves and they really helped to keep my knees warm. Really am enjoying raw training and getting stronger. I'll more than likely do this meet somehow some way October 2nd, but then its 100% raw training for quite sometime. I'd really like a monster raw squat, deadlift, and overhead press, my bench is already fairly close to aid me in getting an elite raw total but all is going well in terms of training. I'll lift again on Sunday and maybe again on Monday/Tuesday. I wont need much recovery time or rather I don't want to rest too long and be too lackluster come meet day.

Current plan for my squat training is to do 3 3 week waves with the safety squat bar, the regular bar, and then front squats. I can only get stronger right?

9/22/11

9/22/2011 Island Strength

Bench Day
Bar
135x5 2 Sets
185x3
225x1
275x1
Add 2-Board
315x1
335x1
Add 4-Board
365x1*
385x1*
315x12

1-Arm Cable Pull-downs
100x10
120x15
120x15

Big T
CG Bench
315x1
335x1
385x1*
Add 4-Board
405x3
455x1
315x10
Add Slingshot
315x10 Full Range

The Schmeck
Bar
135x5
185x1
225x1
260x0 Very Close
Add 1-Board
260x1*
Add 4-Board
225x5 2 Sets

9/19/11

T-Bone Strength 9/16/11

Deadlift Training

Deficit Deadlifts (Off Rubber 35lb Plate) w/ Mini Bands=Complete hell
Bar
135x5
205x5
225x5
275x5
295x3
345x3
295x3 (6 sets)

Front Squats
3 sets of 6

Romanian Deadlifts
3 sets of 8

Db Rows
3 sets of 10

Double Underhand Pulldowns to Chest
3 sets of 12

Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to compete at the October 2nd meet due to circumstances beyond my control. I figure I have time now to start to train raw here and get myself into better shape. My current goal is to go down to 275 while training like a madman. These deficit deadlifts with bands are flat out nasty. My speed from the floor is good but right when those bands kick in, its another world of torture! Going to revamp my training here in the next few days to figure out a 3-4 day schedule. Lets see how lean and mean I can get!

9/18/2011 Island Strength

Accessory Day

Assisted Pull-ups
5x10

JM Press
Bar
135x10
185x3
225x13
135x15

The Schmeck

Assisted Pull-ups
5x7

JM Press
Bar
135x10
185x6
135x10

Th th that's all folks!

9/15/11

9/15/2011 Island Strength

Bench Day
Bar
135x5 2 Sets
185x2
225x2
275x1
315x1 3-Board
Add Super F-6
405x1 3-Board
425x1 2-Board
440x1 1-Board NT
435x1 1/2-Board * Easy Touch and Press

Raw 3-Board
315x1
350x1

Fat Grip Bench
235x5

Rope Push-downs
150x10 4 Sets

Big T
After Warm-up:
405x1
475x1 3-Board
Add Overkill Shirt
585x1 3-Board
675x0 2-Board Missed behind head
675x1 1-Board

Raw 3-Board
365x 10

Fat Grip Bench
235x10

Push-Downs

The Schmeck
After warm-up
225x2
255x1 Hit uprights
255x0
265x1*
275x0

Raw 3-Board
275x1
225x3
235x3

9/12/11

9/11/2011 Island Strength

Re-boot

DB Bench
25x10
50x20
50x20
60x20

Cambered Bar Rows
110x20
110x20
110x20

Womacks
110x10/10

The Schmeck

DB Bench
25x10
40x20
45x20
45x20

Cambered BarRows
110x20
110x20
110x20

Womacks
110x10/10

Just getting a pump on and ready
to finish preps for multiply meet Oct 2nd.

9/9/11

9/8/2011 Island Strength

Bench Day *
Bar
135x5
185x1
225x1
275x1
Add Slingshot
315x1
345x1
Add Super F-6
405x1 4-Board height
455x1 2-Board
470x0 1-Board

Womacks
150x10/10

Pulldowns
110x20 2 Sets

Big T
After Warm-up
to 405x1
705x1 1-Board*

VCG Bench
315
385x0 oops




9/5/11

9/4/2011 Island Strength

Access Day

Mid-Pin Press (#6)
Bar
135x10
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x1
345x0
225x15

CG Pull-downs
Run the stack 100-150 and
back x10 each increment:
100-150 and back to 140

Green Band Pushdowns
45 in 30-seconds

The Schmeck
Mid-Pin Press (#6)
Bar
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x1*
225x5

CG Pull-downs
100-150 and back:
Completed all reps!

Green Band Push-downs
Rep-out in 30-seconds

9/4/11

T-Bone Strength 9/4/11

Bench Assistance

Extreme Close Grip Bench
Bar
135x10
225x6
275x6
315x6 (4 sets)
315x3 paused

Standing DB Military Press
1 set of 12
1 set of 10
1 set of 8

Overhead Triceps Extensions
3 set of 10

OARPS
1 set to failure each arm

SlingShot Pushups
1 set to failure

Abs

Pretty pleased with the speed of all my lifts today. Bodyweight is down considerably from when I started dieting. Strength is high as ever. Will attempt a 705 1 board Thursday and maybe a crazy 3 board afterwards. If I get a 1-board to touch I'll consider that my opener and touch with it next week which will be perfect timing for October 2nd.

9/2/11

T-Bone Strength 9/2/11

Squats, Deadlifts, and Upper back, Oh my!

Rack Pulls from hole 1
Worked up to a decent single then a rep out set

Squats
Worked up a decent triple, then a rep out set

DB rows
2 sets of 10

Pulldowns
2 sets to failure

Abs

After this meet in October, I plan on doing a 3 lift meet, more than likely all raw (well if you count knee wraps and a belt raw). Figure I'll start preparing for it while doing my upper back work to increase my bench. Bodyweight is still going down so all in all pretty satisfied after this workout!

9/1/11

9/1/2011 Island Strength

Bench Day
Bar
135x8
225x1
Put on Slingshot
315x3 3 Sets
385x1* 20lb PR

Slingshot Pushups
1x50
1x40

KB Rows
1x30
1x20

Band Pullaparts
2x15

Big T
Raw Bench
After warm-up
405x1
425x1*
440x0
440x1*
405x2x2

Foam Board
315x20

Slingshot Press
315x15

T-Bone Press

1-Arm Pushdowns

Some nice PRs.